Audi S4  2001  -  2002 

.

27 May, Lime Rock, CT. - A difficult race capped a difficult weekend for the Champion Audi S4's at Lime Rock. Michael Galati - Speed GT points leader going into the Lime Rock round - lost his Audi S4 Competition's power steering system just sixteen laps into the Memorial Day event due to a tripped circuit breaker, causing him to fall back from second place to sixth in one lap. He eventually had to settle for sixth place at the finish, handing the GT drivers points lead to Real Time Racing's Peter Cunningham. Derek Bell finished eleventh.

Galati had qualified third and Bell eighth during Saturday's Top Ten Shootout, and Galati's patented storming start put him in second right behind pole-sitter Randy Pobst's Porsche. Speed World Challenge racing is all about momentum though, and once Galati had fallen back with the circuit breaker problem there was little chance of making up ground in the 42-lap, 64.26-mile race.

Derek Bell also had a fine start, blasting up to fifth place by Turn One, but lost considerable ground when he was forced off the road and into a spin by another car at about half distance. Bell persevered for eleventh place at the checkers.

Cunningham finished fourth in his Acura NSX, which allowed him to take a slim points lead over Galati, 82 to 79, after three of ten rounds. Porsche gained ground in the Manufacturers' Championship, which is still led by Acura, with 17, followed by Porsche (15), BMW (13) and Audi (12).

The series next travels to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course June 29-30. The Lime Rock race will air on the SPEED Channel Saturday, June 8, at 9:00 p.m. (EDT)

Results Lime Rock Speed GT Race:

1 - Randy Pobst, Porsche 911 Cup, 42 laps

2 - Johannes van Overbeek, Porsche 911 Cup, -4.172sec

3 - Jeff McMillin, BMW M3, -4.544

4 - Peter Cunningham, Acura NSX SC, -4.906

5 - Eric Curran, Corvette ZO6, -5.641

6 - Michael Galati, Audi S4 Comp., -8.351

....

11 - Derek Bell, Audi S4 Comp., -45.371