Nissan Skyline GT-R to Make North American Road Racing Series Debut in SPEED GT

[BNR34VSpec]

Originally Posted by BLU CIVIC

ah, i see...so will you still be ther owner of the car and just "leasing" it to them?

I'm offering my GT-R for team use in hopes to one day be a part of the team as a driver. The more GT-R's the better, right?

[grecsy]

Originally Posted by BNR34VSpec

I'm offering my GT-R for team use in hopes to one day be a part of the team as a driver. The more GT-R's the better, right?

wow you've got such a nice ride man! good luck for the team anyway...

[cely]

[BLU CIVIC]

noice

[cely]

Unfortunately Igor placed 27th out of 30 cars during the first practice session. (Technically he placed 27th out of 29 since the last place finisher didn't make it to the track). Practice session #2 starts at 4:40pm EST, hopefully Igor will do better this afternoon.

[cely]

Igor placed 26th out of 30 cars (or 28 cars since 2 cars didn't make it to the track) during the 2nd practice session.

His best lap time was 2:19:776 @ an average of 95.295mph.

Maybe he'll do better during qualifying tomorrow.

[jon@af]

Just gotta support it no matter what. It's a learning experience this early on and though the times might not be the best, it's another step up the ladder of getting better. Best of luck to you guys tomorrow

[vinnym86]

atleast he made it to the track

+1 Swigz, AF will be cheering on anyway, and i'm sure Igor will only improve on his already great skill.

[BLU CIVIC]

he'd better do better...he's representing me out there

[cely]

Unofficial Qualifying Results for Igor:
25th Position Best Lap 2:17.284 @ avg of 97.025 mph

This is a considerable improvement over the practice sessions. Way to go Igor! I'm curious to know what happened on his final lap, 4:19.585 @ 51.313mph. I hope the car is ok.

[Brian R.]

Qualifying Results:
1, (6), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2:08.764, 103.445.

2, (82), Mike McCann, N. Canton, Ohio, Dodge Viper, 2:08.926, 103.315.

3, (5), Tommy Archer, Duluth, Minn., Dodge Viper, 2:09.224, 103.076.

4, (28), Lou Gigliotti, Dallas, Texas, Corvette C6, 2:09.380, 102.952.

5, (1), Andy Pilgrim, Boca Raton, Fla., Cadillac CTS-V, 2:09.943, 102.506.

6, (16), Max Angelelli, Monte Carlo, Monaco, Cadillac CTS-V, 2:10.110, 102.375.

7, (66), Lawson Aschenbach(R), Gaithersburg, Md., Porsche 911 GT3, 2:10.155, 102.339.

8, (14), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT3, 2:10.799, 101.835.

9, (13), Bob Woodhouse, Blair, Neb., Dodge Viper, 2:11.403, 101.367.

10, (34), Tony Gaples, Libertyville, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2:11.802, 101.060.

11, (31), Sonny Whelen, Old Saybrook, Conn., Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 2:12.171, 100.778.

12, (64), Ricardo Imery(R), Caracas VEN, , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:12.238, 100.727.

13, (26), Claudio Burtin, Atlanta, Ga., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2:12.469, 100.551.

14, (17), Rob Foster(R), Phoenix, Ariz., Dodge Viper, 2:12.618, 100.438.

15, (87), Doug Peterson(R), Bonita Springs, Fla., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2:12.724, 100.358.

16, (23), Bob Miller, Sykesville, Md., Porsche 911 GT3, 2:13.209, 99.993.

17, (44), Johnny Mowlem, Charvil Berkshire, England, Aston Martin DB9, 2:13.786, 99.562.

18, (51), Lenny Diller, Garden City, N.Y., Dodge Viper, 2:13.924, 99.459.

19, (76), John Bourassa, Jupiter Island, Fla., Porsche 911 Turbo, 2:14.148, 99.293.

20, (42), Mark LoPilato, Granbury, Texas, Porsche 911 Turbo, 2:14.514, 99.023.

21, (24), Paul Gerrard(R), Bolder, Colo., Porsche 911 GT3, 2:14.920, 98.725.

22, (96), Skip Sauls(R), Longmont, Colo., Dodge Viper, 2:15.869, 98.035.

23, (43), Tom Papadopoulos, East Hills, N.Y., Aston Martin DB9, 2:16.010, 97.934.

24, (58), Kenny Hawkins(R), Raleigh, N.C., Dodge Viper, 2:16.298, 97.727.

25, (98), Derek Burseth(R), Bartlett, Ill., Dodge Viper, 2:16.341, 97.696.

26, (69), Igor Sushko(R), Kiev UKR, , Nissan Skyline GT-R, 2:17.284, 97.025.

27, (32), Ed Braswell(R), Key West, Fla., Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 2:17.776, 96.678.

28, (02), Adel Elsayed, Boonton Twp, N.J., Dodge Viper, 2:17.870, 96.612.

29, (40), Greg Weirick(R), Malibu, Calif., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2:19.617, 95.403.

30, (33), Michael Solley, Destin, Fla., Porsche 911 GT3, 2:23.448, 92.856.

31, (77), Brett Pearson(R), Orlando, Fla., Dodge Viper, no time.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

I hear Igor didn't finish the race, the motor blew?

[Brian R.]

Thursday, March 16, 2006
Reese earns pole for SCCA SPEED GT round one race at Sebring



by Curtis Kitchen

SEBRING, Fla. -- Leighton Reese, of Minnetonka, Minn., took the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT pole Thursday, running a 2:08.764 (103.445 mph) in his No. 6 Banner Engineering Chevrolet Corvette C6 and setting a new SPEED GT Sebring qualifying record in the process. Mike McCann, of North Canton, Ohio, will start second alongside Reese, and Tommy Archer, of Duluth, Minn. qualified third for the Round One race, which will run as part of the 54th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

After taking the top spot in the combined practice sessions Wednesday, Reese appeared stronger still Thursday, blistering the 3.7-mile, 17-turn road course to earn his third pole of the past two seasons and give Chevrolet the first qualifying point of the year in the SPEED GT Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine.

“Well, it’s a good thing we came in and did the test day, because we were a mess the first couple of sessions,” Reese said. “We found a good balance on the car, and the car has basically been a top-four machine ever since then.”

“I’ve got to hand it to my crew chief. He has just been relentless on the car’s chassis. He is forever checking things and working until 11 at night. This is a game of details and he covers all of them. We’ve been on the pole a number of times over the past two years, and I need to convert one of these.”

McCann, the 2004 SPEED GT Rookie of the Year, was third during the early part of the 20-min. qualifying session before posting a 2:08.926 (103.315 mph) near the halfway point in his No. 82 McCann Plastics/K&N Filters Dodge Viper.

Tommy Archer, of Duluth, Minn., appeared to have a handle on the front-row, outside slot in his No. 5 c3controls/Autohaus Dodge SRT Viper until McCann slipped past him. Starting third in Friday’s race, however, still gives Archer a solid chance to defend his 2005 win at Sebring.

Lou Gigliotti, of Dallas, Texas, put two Corvettes in the first two rows by qualifying fourth in his No. 28 LG Pro Long Tube Headers Chevrolet Corvette C6, while reigning SPEED GT Drivers’ Champion Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., will start fifth in the No. 1 XM/Mobil 1/Motorola/On Star Cadillac CTS-V.

The SCCA SPEED GT race, part of the 54th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. Friday.

To watch the race via live lap notes and timing and scoring presented by SRT, visit www.world-challenge.com and click on the Sebring event homepage. Friday’s race will be broadcast on SPEED Channel at 4 p.m. on Sunday. All times are Eastern.

[Brian R.]

Here's some pictures of the competition:






Gosh those cars are beautiful...

[-The Stig-]

Go Iggy!