Wittmer, Cunningham, Stout Quickest In Opening Practice

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May. 22, 2010	Series Staff

CANADA - Three class championship contenders were quickest in Saturday morning's World Challenge Championships practice at Mosport International Raceway, part of the Victoria Day Speedfest presented by Optima Batteries. Quebec"s Kuno Wittmer led the GT class, while GTS Championship leader Peter Cunningham and Touring Car leader Robert Stout led their respective classes.

Wittmer practices at Mosport Saturday. Weber Image.

Wittmer, who won the first of two Touring Car races at Mosport a season ago, turned a fast time of 1:22.867 (106.826 mph) around the 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course. Driving the No. 13 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper, Wittmer’s lap was 0.654-second faster than his closest competitor.

Filling the two slots behind Wittmer during the session were K-Pax Racing teammates Randy Pobst and Andy Pilgrim. Pobst, driving the No. 6 K-Pax Racing Volvo S60, turned a fast time of 1:23.521 to claim the runner-up spot in the session. Pilgrim, in the No. 6 Volvo S60, had a best time of 1:24.407 (104.877 mph) to sit third.

Defending GT race winner Jason Daskalos was the second Viper in the top four spots, piloting the No. 5 Daskalos Developments Dodge Viper to a best time of 1:24.477 (104.790 mph). Patrick Lindsey landed Porsche in fifth, driving the No. 57 Horton/Sloan Securities Porsche 911 GT3 to a fast time of 1:24.499 (104.763 mph).

Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., paced the GTS class with a time of 1:30.648 (97.656 mph) in the No. 43 Acura/RealTime Racing Acura TSX. Cunningham, the all-time wins leader in World Challenge captured last season’s Touring Car race two at Mosport.

Cunningham was followed by Long Beach GTS winner Tyler McQuarrie in the No. 19 LPL/DRS/Switcars/LCS/Dayco/M&T Lotus Exige S with a time of 1:31.300 (96.959 mph). John Heinricy was third in class with a 1:31.904 (96.322 mph) in the No. 35 Torvek/Phoenix Performance Chevrolet Corvette.

Rookie Robert Stout topped the Touring Car class in the No. 18 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lucas Oil Scion tC with a time of 1:35.846 (92.360 mph).

Stout’s Scion topped three Volkswagens on the time chart. Irish Mike’s Racing teammates Chip Herr and Greg Shaffer landed second and third, with Herr’s No. 50 Volkswagen Jetta GLI turning a fast time of 1:36.697 (91.547 mph). Shaffer’s No. 49 Volkswagen Jetta GLI was just behind in a time of 1:37.083 (91.183 mph).

Robb Holland’s Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI was fourth with a time of 1:37.109 (91.159 mph).

Stout’s teammate, Tom Lepper, was fifth in the No. 36 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lepper & Associates Scion tC with a time of 1:37.526 (90.769 mph).

World Challenge competitors return to practice at 10:20 a.m. (EDT) this morning.

Follow the World Challenge at www.world-challenge.com or on Twitter @wcracing.