Road Atlanta World Challenge Touring Results

GALATI CONTINUES STREAK IN SPEEDVISION TOURING AT ROAD ATLANTA

BRASELTON, Ga. (July 24) - Michael Galati, of Olmstead Township, Ohio., took the lead on the last lap to win The Speedvision World Challenge Touring race at Road Atlanta. Hugh Plumb, of Chadds Ford, Pa., and Charlie Downes, of Hawthorne, Calif. rounded out the top three. Starting on a wet but drying track, the race never really got started as No. 15 Hugh Stewart, of Massapequa, N.Y., No. 65 Walter Markes, of Bronx, N.Y. and No. 49 Kurt Buchwald, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio., collided in corner ending the day for all three. The race resumed on lap eight with No. 42 Pierre Kleinubing, of Erexim, Brazil, and No. 64 Charlie Downes retaining their starting positions, while No. 19 Michael Galati passed No. 43 Hugh Plumb for third place. On lap 10, Downes dropped back to fifth after having an off course excursion, Galati continued his progression to the front taking the lead on lap 13. The rain returned on lap 21, but the track remained dry. Plumb, running a strong race, took the lead on lap 23 as he and Galati headed under the bridge in corner 11. The final lap saw lots of action as the top group swapped places with Galati regaining the lead and Plumb and Downes completing the top three. "It was a close race, anybody could have won," said Galati. "Once I saw it was dry I got a nice run." The win extended Galati's Speedvision World Challenge Touring Car Champhionship consecutive-winning streak to four races. The Acura Integra R win was the 10th consecutive for the marque. "I knew for certain I couldn't hold the lead," said Plumb. "I didn't have the brakes Michael had." "I knew I couldn't keep on the start, but would get quicker as the race progressed. I just wanted to stay close at the start, said Downes. "I thought it was going to be a BMW day but things just didn't work out."

BRASELTON, Ga. -- Results from Saturday's 26-lap, 65-mile Speedvision World Challenge Tour Car Championship race, part of the Southern Dash weekend at Road Atlanta, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.

1. (3), Michael Galati, Olmstead Township, Ohio, Acura Integra R, 26. 2. (4), Hugh Plumb, Chadds Ford, Pa., Acura Integra R, 26. 3. (2), Charlie Downes, Hawthorne, Calif., BMW 328is, 26. 4. (1), Pierre Kleinubing, Erexim, Brazil, Acura Integra R, 26. 5. (12), Kristian Skavnes, Sparta, N.J., Acura Integra R, 26. 6. (5), Will Turner, Newbury Port, Mass., BMW 328is, 26. 7. (7), Jason Potter, Oxford, Ohio, Honda Accord, 26. 8. (8), Alfred DuPont, Wilmington, Del., BMW 328si, 26. 9. (10), Dwight Kelly, Cummings, Ga., Honda Prelude, 26. 10. (9), Kevin Schrantz, Boulder, Colo., Acura Integra R, 26. 11. (6), Brian Wade, Newfields, N.H., BMW 328is, 26. 12. (15), David Rosenblum, Langhorne, Pa., BMW 328is, 26. 13. (17), Paul Gargiulo, Greenwich, Conn., BMW 328is, 26. 14. (14), Jeff Tarr, New York, N.Y., BMW 328is, 26. 15. (20), Hugh Stewart, Massapequa, N.Y., BMW M3, 26. 16. (21), Ed Schairbaum, Fort Worth, Texas, Nissen 240SX, 26. 17. (19), Mike Richards, Gaithersburg, Md., Mercedes-Benz 190, 25. 18. (22), David Rodziewicz, Atlanta, Ga., BMW 328is, 25. 19. (24), Gary Davis, Grosse Isle, Mich., BMW 328is, 25. 20. (25), Fred Meyer, Dallas, Texas, Acura Integra R, 24. 21. (23), Grant Lockwood, Cumming, Ga., Honda Prelude, 23. 22. (16), Rick Ellinger, Rockville, Md., Mercedes-Benz 190, 20. 23. (11), Kurt Buchwald, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, BMW 328is, 2, Crash. 24. (18), Walter Markes, Bronx, N.Y., BMW 328is, 2, Crash. 25. (26), Davie Bruener, Port Edwards, Wis., Honda Prelude, 0, DNS. 26. (13), Taz Harvey, Danville, Calif., Acura Integra R, 0, DNS.

Time of race: 53 minutes, 33.021 seconds. Average speed: 72.828 miles-per-hour margin of victory: 0.479-second Lap leaders: laps 1-11, No. 42 Kleinubing; laps 12-21, No. 19 Galati; laps 22-24, No. 43 Plumb; laps 25-26, No. 19 Galati. Fastest race lap: Galati, 1:39.786 (90.193 mph) Cautions: one for seven laps