The result moves Pobst back into second place in the Speed GT World Challenge while defending GT champion Michael Galati remains ninth after finishing 11^th in California.

For the third time this season, Audi dominated the front row of the 24-car grid, Pobst earning his second Champion Racing pole-position over team-mate Galati by 0.481-secs on Saturday.

Pobst and Galati blasted away at the green light but Michael was forced to surrender second place on the final turn of the opening lap when Paul Mumford dived inside and then repeated the maneuver on Pobst two laps later to take the lead.

With seven laps run, Pobst shadowed Mumford’s Dodge Viper by less than a second although Galati by now had been jostled down to eighth place as the race went full course yellow after 19minutes (11 laps).

As the race re-started, Pobst pulled alongside Mumford through Turn 1 but slid straight on and into the gravel/sand trap at Turn 2, Randy resuming in 11^th place, his Audi RS 6 Competition thankfully undamaged, as Galati worked up to sixth.

Randy had recovered three places inside two laps and moved ahead of Galati, suffering from a badly worn front, right tire, pulled over to allow his team-mate past.  Randy was in a determined mood and started the last lap fourth after a series of tremendous overtaking maneuvers.

Randy hauled himself ahead of Michael McCann (Dodge Viper) on the uphill section, a move that put him on to the podium, Pobst taking the checker 15.26secs behind winner Mumford who held a 0.745secs ahead of Pobst’s main title rival Bill Auberlen (BMW M3).

Galati had looked set to register a solid top-eight placing but worsening brake and tire issues combined with a the accelerator sticking open on the last lap dropped the reigning champion to 11^th.    

Michael Galati:

“I took a couple of hits from a Porsche, one of which damaged the suspension so it was a handful after that.  The brakes had been worked hard after only three or four laps and then my tires started to go off.  Then a spring on the accelerator broke and I went over the hill at Turn 1 at 140mph with it stuck open but managed to survive a big moment.”

Randy Pobst:

“My Audi RS 6 Competition was the best its been all year - absolutely fantastic.  My only concern during the race were the brakes but the yellow caution period allowed them to cool off. But I asked too much of the brakes at the re-start although the all-wheel-drive traction pulled me through the sand and gravel trap.  The final laps were exciting and its good to reward the team with another rostrum after their hard work.”

2003 Speed GT World Challenge – Driver’s Standings (after 8 races)

1   Bill Auberlen (BMW M3), 208-points

2   Randy Pobst (Audi RS 6 Competition), 188

3   Phil McClure (Corvette Z06), 163

4=   Hans Stuck (BMW M3) / Mike Fitzgerald (Porsche 911), 157

6   Boris Said (BMW M3), 149

9   Michael Galati (Audi RS 6 Competition), 110

2003 Speed GT World Challenge – Manufacturers’ Standings (after 8 races)

1   BMW,  50

2   Audi, 40

3   Porsche, 29

4   Chevrolet,  27