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Archive of Audi S4 Race Reports/News/Photos 2003

  
   
 

RS 6 2003  -  2004

  

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  2003 Speed GT World Challenge GT Series  
     
  San Juan, Puerto Rico  
 

San Juan GT Race - Qualifying

  

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25 Oct - Randy Pobst bids to capture the Speed GT World Challenge race tomorrow (SUN) by starting his Audi RS 6 Competition from pole-position on the 20-car grid.

 

Pobst set a time of 1min 8.692secs, an average speed of almost 84mph, around the temporary 1.6-mile, 10-turn circuit at Isla Grande Airport.

 

Randy’s third pole of the season was courtesy of his very first “flying lap” and he was then content to sit out the remaining 25-minutes, waiting in the pits monitoring his rivals.  Importantly, it also allowed him to save any additional tire wear - which could be an important factor tomorrow - and also from draining himself of energy in the 88°F heat.

 

Pobst, who had not broken in to the sub-69 second lap in the previous three practice sessions, starts the 50-minute race leading the 10-race series by 13-points from Bill Auberlen (BMW) who lines-up fifth.  With his bonus point for pole, sixth place or better, regardless of where Auberlen finishes, will now earn Pobst the Driver’s title.

 

2003 Speed GT World Challenge champion Michael Galati added to the Audi Sport North America supported Champion Racing team’s joy by recording the third fastest time.

 

Galati’s best time of 1:9.151 was 0.469secs slower than team-mate Pobst, Michael registering his personal best on his second flying lap.  He too sat in the pits for much of the time trial.  Both Champion Audi drivers are using “helmet coolers” to deal with the intense, in-car temperature and had always been in the top-four during practice.

 

The Champion Racing team is being supported by local Puerto Rican Audi dealership, Gomez Hermanos Kennedy, Inc. of San Juan.

 

Michael Galati:

“[Mike] Fitzgerald locked-up in front of me on my first flier and then my crew warned me about possible oil at Turn 9 so I backed off a little.  I’m personally disappointed with only qualifying third because I believe I had a car today capable of pole.  But having claimed the third fastest time it was important to save the car [for the race] and so we should be very strong [tomorrow].  My crew have worked really hard on the RS 6 and at Laguna it felt much more to my liking and further progress was made in the last race at Road Atlanta when I finished third.  And again, more fine tuning has turned it in to a real good racecar.  I'm very optimistic for the race.”

 

Randy Pobst:

“It was a pretty good lap although I bounced over a curb real high at a chicane after hitting some oil but the Audi’s fantastic all-wheel-drive traction dragged me through it.  Heat was always going to be an issue here and so it was important to post a lap very early when the Audi’s brakes, tires and turbo were at its coolest point and our qualifying strategy paid off again - as it has done so often for me this season.  My motto is ‘never follow’ and that will apply for tomorrow’s race - at least in the early stages.  If it turns in to an endurance race of survival then so be it but we want to be out at the front.  Not only is the Driver’s title at stake but very, very importantly so is the Manufacturer’s championship and it would be fantastic to reward Audi North America and Champion Racing with this title for the RS 6 sedan which only had its first race seven months ago.”

 

2003 Speed GT World Challenge – Driver’s Standings (after rd10 qualifying)

1 Randy Pobst (Audi RS 6  Competition), 222-points

2 Bill Auberlen (BMW M3),  209

3 Phil McClure (Corvette), 187

4 Mike Fitzgerald (Porsche 911), 186

5 Hans Stuck (BMW M3), 171

6 Boris Said (BMW M3), 160

9 Michael Galati (Audi RS 6 Competition), 135

 

2003 Speed GT World Challenge – Manufacturers’ Standings (after 9 races)

1   BMW, 50

2   Audi, 49

3   Porsche, 36

 

  
     
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