Mid Ohio Speedvision World Challenge GT Race Story

KITCHAK TOPS SPEEDVISION GT FIELD AT MID-OHIO

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 6, 1999) - Peter Kitchak, in the No. 3 Keewaydin/Toad Hall Motor Racing Porsche 911 RSR, scored a 3.157-seconds victory over Bobby Archer, in the No. 3 Viper Speed Dodge Viper, in the 28-lap, 63-mile Speedvision GT Championship race at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. George Biskup, in the No. 22 Biskup Racing Porsche 911 RSR, finished third. Kitchak, of Excelsior, Minn., capped-off a dominating weekend of racing as he led every lap of the 49:23.098 race. After establishing an 18-second lead on the field, Kitchak looked to cruise to his second-career World Challenge win before the race's only full-course caution, resulting in no injuries. On the restart, Archer challenged for a couple of laps before Kitchak was again able to break away. "I wasn't comfortable even with a 16 second lead when the yellow came out" said Kitchak. "I thought that it was all over, but I had a good restart. I settled down after that and the tires came up to temperature. Mid Ohio suits the Porsches well, and my crew was awesome. The car broke at Lime Rock last Monday and they towed it back to Indianapolis all night. Then they worked on it for four days straight and we came here yesterday morning, missed Friday, and the car was still great." Archer, who won the first two races of the season, started the race seventh on the grid, but quickly reestablished his position among the front runners. After gaining four positions on the opening laps, Archer soon found himself in a battle for second with David Shardt's No. 94 Hikari Works/TRD Toyota Supra Turbo. Archer bested Schardt on the back stretch on lap eight, taking over the runner-up spot for good. "I had a right rear tire problem in practice and qualifying and couldn't get any speed," said Archer. "Late yesterday we discovered that the right rear shock was dead. Koni Field Support fixed it before the race today. I drove the opening laps like qualifying laps to get up front from my poor grid position. Peter had too much for me though. I made a run at him at the end but then decided that I wasn't going to throw second place away. The end of the year is what counts." The late-race caution also set the stage for a late-race dash between Schardt and Biskup. Schardt led Biskup on the restart, but was passed on the entrance to the Keyhole. Schardt temporarily powered past Biskup on the back straight, only to lose the position again in the technical entrance to Thunder Valley, earning Biskup his third-straight Speedvision GT Championship podium finish. "I thought that I had a stronger car than David (Schardt) at the end," said Biskup. "I had better tires and brakes. I passed him two laps from the end on the outside of the Keyhole. I put my car into the wall in yesterday practice and Reiser-Callas Racing helped me put the car back together again. Then this morning I had to take the caliper off my street Porsche and put it on the race car, so we are happy to still be contending." Bill Cooper, who also contended with the leaders in the early going, retired on lap 20 with a blown engine. Schardt held on to finish fourth, followed by Pete Halsmer, in the No. 62 Honda of America Racing Team Acura NSX, who finished fifth. Through three rounds of the 1999 Speedvision GT Championship, Archer leads the Drivers' Championship standings with 92 points, followed by Biskup (80), Schardt (70), Cooper (62) and Halsmer (57)

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Results from Sunday's 28-lap, 63-mile Speedvision GT Championship race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out. 1. (1), Peter Kitchak, Excelsior, Minn., Porsche 911 RSR, 28. 2. (7), Bobby Archer, Ft. Worth, Texas, Dodge Viper, 28. 3. (5), George Biskup, Naperville, Ill., Porsche 911 RSR, 28. 4. (3), David Schardt, Dayton, Ohio, Toyota Supra Turbo, 28. 5. (4), Pete Halsmer, Bloomfield, Mich., Acura NSX, 28. 6. (12), Paul Brown, Omaha, Neb., Saleen Mustang, 28. 7. (10), Derek Bell, Pagham, Sussex, England, BMW M Coupe, 28. 8. (13), Dennis Petersen, McHenry, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette, 28. 9. (17), Gary Smith, Bradford, Pa., Ford Mustang Cobra R, 27. 10. (16), John Kohler, Bradford, Pa., Ford Mustang Cobra R, 27. 11. (21), Walter Swick, Concord, Ohio, BMW M3, 27. 12. (15), Danny Marshall, Danville, Va., Porsche 911 RSR, 27. 13. (14), David Farmer, Albemarle, Minn., Chevrolet Camaro, 27. 14. (20), Pat Nowak, Ann Arbor, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 27. 15. (27), Alain Chebeir, Pelham, N.Y., BMW M Coupe, 27. 16. (26), Peirre Bareil, Cap de la Madeline, QB, Ford Mustang LX, 27. 17. (18), Jerry Post, Allendale, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 27. 18. (23), Michael Giglio, Watertown, Conn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 24. 19. (19), Terry Lackey, Hickcock, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette LT-4, 23. 20. (9), Scotty B. White, Puyallup, Wash., Chevrolet Corvette C5, 20. 21. (2), Bill Cooper, Manhattan, Mont., Chevrolet Corvette C-4, 19, Mech. 22. (11), Chip Stabler, Wake Forest, N.C., Chevrolet Corvette, 14, Mech. 23. (22), Peter Polli, Mendon, Vt., Chevrolet Corvette, 14, Mech. 24. (25), Walter Dethier, Warren, Conn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 11, Mech. 25. (24), Kelly Bradley, Hitchcock, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette LT-4, 4, Mech. 26. (8), Rick DiIorio, Acton, Mass., Saleen Mustang, 3, Mech. 27. (6), Reese Cox, Marietta, Ga., Chevrolet Corvette C5, 1, Mech.

Time of race: 49 minutes, 23.098 seconds. Average speed: 76.541 miles-per-hour Margin of victory: 3.1570 seconds Lap leaders: Laps 1-28, Peter Kitchack Fastest race lap: Peter Kitchack, 1:33.869 (86.290 mph)

1999 Drivers' Championship Point Standings the Speedvision GT Championship (Through Rounds Three of 10) 1, Bobby Archer, Dodge Viper, 92 2, George Biskup, Porsche 911 RSR, 80 3, David Schardt, Toyota Supra Turbo, 70 4, Bill Cooper, Chevrolet Corvette C-4, 62 5, Pete Halsmer, Acura NSX, 57 6, Gary Smith, Ford Mustang Cobra R, 53 7, Peter Kitchack, Porsche 911 RSR, 52 8, John Kohler, Ford Mustang Cobra R, 52 9, Walter Swick, BMW M3, 47 10, Paul Brown, Saleen Mustang, 37 11, Scotty B. White, Chevrolet Corvette C5, 36 12, Dennis Petersen, Chevrolet Corvette, 36 13, Peirre Bareil, Ford Mustang LX, 34 14, Reese Cox, Chevrolet Corvette C5, 28 15, David Farmer, Chevrolet Camaro, 27 16, Danny Marshall, Porsche 911 RSR, 26 17, Walter Dethier, Ford Mustang Cobra, 25 18, John Heinricy, Pontiac Firebird, 25 19, Rick DiIorio, Saleen Mustang, 25 20, Terry Lackey, Chevrolet Corvette LT-4, 24 21, Alain Chebeir, BMW M Coupe, 22 22, Michael Giglio, Ford Mustang Cobra, 18 23, Alain Chebeir, BMW M Coupe, 16 24, Peter Tonelli, Toyota Supra Turbo, 16 25, Kelly Bradley, Chevrolet Corvette LT-4, 14 26, Pat Nowak, Ford Mustang Cobra, 13 27, Jerry Post, Chevrolet Camaro, 10 28, Bob Schiesser, Saleen Mustang, 8 29, Chip Stabler, Chevrolet Corvette, 5 30, Kermit Upton III, BMW M Coupe, 4 31, Peter Polli, Chevrolet Corvette, 4