http://www.motorsport.com/news/series.asp?S=NATCC&Y=1996 ______________________________ Races, teams and drivers announced Racing series NATCC Date December 15, 1995 A SYNOPSIS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP PRESS CONFERENCE HELD DECEMBER 14, 1995 FOR GENERAL RELEASE Detroit - Over eighty attendees crowded the Superior Room of the River Place Hotel for a series important announcements by the NATCC. What follows is a summary of facts and comments made by a number of speakers addressing the media. * Roger Elliot welcomed all of the attendees and said, "It's absolutely appropriate to have this press conference in Detroit, the automotive heartland of North America." Television * Paul Page was introduced as "The Voice of North American Super Touring." Paul is delighted to take the lead role in NATCC broadcasting and also looks forward to expanding that to print and personal appearances on behalf of the Championship. * It was reconfirmed ABC Wide World of Sports will broadcast races from Toronto and Mid Ohio live in a unique hour and one half format. Lydia Stephans, VP Programming ABC - "We have always made a concerted effort to find the most exciting events for ABC's Wide World... We believe the NATCC will provide our audience with an opportunity to watch live motor racing in a unique format." * ESPN2 was announced as the broadcaster of all NATCC races. These will be shown on weekends at prime time on a one week tape delay basis. "We are pleased to help the NATCC take the green flag in it's first season. We look forward to making the Championship a featured element in our racing coverage. The NATCC will help further ESPN and ESPN2's position as the premier source for motorsports." - John Wildach, Senior VP Programming, ESPN * ESPN International's VP Program Acquisitions, Minard Hamilton - "ESPN International is delighted to be a part of the launch of the 1996 NATCC. As a part of this arrangement (we) plan to distribute the series to close to 100 countries around the world. NATCC and ESPN have agreed to work cooperatively to identify and develop overseas driving talent with a mind to increasing the impact of the international distribution." Fan Guide * On Track Magazine, represented by Editor, Jim Duff and the NATCC announced that they will work together to publish at least three editorial and advertising special sections next year that will be inserted in On Track. The first "Guide to Super Touring Racing" will be published about a month before the first race. Whitney Shaw, Publisher, On Track - "We hope that these initial efforts will grow into something larger in the future. As the season progresses, we'll be working with NATCC on that score." Prize Fund * Gerald Forsythe, Chairman, CEO, NATCC - "We fully expect this prize fund to grow as we add contingency sponsorship packages, manufacturer incentives, pole awards and so on, but to start things off, we have established a base line of $620,000." Each race, of which there are two per weekend, will pay $20,000 to the first ten finishers in the Championship and $6,000. to the first five in the Independent's Challenge for a total of $52,000 per weekend. Year end payouts will total $100,000. Schedule May 25-27 Lime Rock Jun 7-9 Detroit Jul 12-14 Toronto Aug 2-4 Trois Rivieres* Aug 9-11 Mid Ohio Aug 30-Sep 1 Vancouver Sep 6-8 Laguna Seca *Final Confirmation Pending. NATCC is working at adding more dates which will total no more than ten. Charlotte has been postponed until 1997 primarily due to concerns over safety issues. In a joint release announcing this decision, CMS and the NATCC stated that they have agreed to continue dialogue in the hope of setting a date in 1997. Sanctioning * President NATCC, Roger Elliot - "I want to state clearly, with respect to our sanctioning agreement with the SCCA and our association with IndyCar, that we have a rock solid foundation upon which to build this Championship. With SCCA's expertise in running race events combined with IndyCar's outstanding racing business acumen, we feel we could not be in better hands." * IndyCar President and CEO, Andrew Craig - "We've worked with the NATCC to incorporate Super Touring Racing with some of our premier road racing and street racing events. A number of IndyCar promoters are very interested in the concept. It provides a different show on race weekends and provides drivers who have stepped out of Indy cars a chance to continue to race in front of familiar fans. Additionally, a number of IndyCar teams have expressed interest in running cars." Mr. Craig spoke at length to the attendees. * SCCA President, Nick Craw - "We believe the NATCC brings a significant new dimension to North American motorsports and will help raise the profile and exposure of road racing to the benefit of everyone involved in it." Mr. Craw made this statement in a release prior to the event. Teams Chrysler * Chrysler Corporation announced it has chosen PacWest Racing as its partner for the 1996 NATCC. Lou Patane, Executive Director - Brand Marketing, Chrysler -"The PacWest Touring Car Group's IndyCar experience is a fine compliment to the production car engineering expertise we are putting into the Stratus Super Touring Car. The international character of this series positions Stratus here and abroad as a dynamic and technologically refined vehicle." Dominic Dobson has been named as the lead driver for the two car team. Dobson has 7 Indy 500 starts and 60 IndyCar starts. He has raced SCCA Pro and IMSA GTP. Car numbers are 6 and 7. Ford * Danny Sullivan announced his plans to be a part of an entry, with an as yet undisclosed partner, of two Ford Contours, cars number 4 and 5. "I've raced all over the world - been involved with many manufacturers and racing efforts, but I've never seen a racing formula that makes more sense than Super Touring. This is a formula which has sky rocketed to the front of the automotive scene all over the world... It's just a super product. The drivers will be accessible to the fans. The cars are recognizable...And the racing - well it's as competitive as anything you'll see anywhere... I can think of a couple of guys I'd like to see in the car. We currently have some interesting on going discussions with one driver. All around the world, Touring Car Racing is attracting drivers of the highest caliber. Look at the number of top notch drivers with Formula One experience currently racing Touring Cars. This form of racing has provided an outstanding opportunity for talented drivers in a viable, high profile environment. And who knows? If it feels right, I may just climb into number 5 myself from time to time." (Danny drove #5 in the Spin and Win Indianapolis 500 in 1985) * Sigma Motorsports, managed by Wayne Reinke, announced the entry of car number 86, a Ford Contour with a Ford Zetec engine. Chris Reinke, a mechanical engineer is set to set up the chassis and drive the car. * GPS Racing Team from Monticello New York have entered car number 65,r. a Ford Contou Team leader Gary Sommers will drive the ca r. * BTCC Privateer's championship winning team in 1993 and 1995 have entered a Ford to carry car number 77. Team Dynamics manager, Roy Baker - " we feel this is a major decision for the team in its progress towards gaining recognition.. (We are) a team that has already proven success in the BTCC,..(which is currently) the most competitive Championship for Touring Cars in the world." Toyota * Rod Millen Motorsport have entered cars number 2 and 3, a pair of Toyota Camrys. Millen's new car - still with its Toyota Carina bodywork - arrived from England just in time to make a star appearance at the press conference. "We've been following Touring Car racing from Europe for two years and we knew it was only a matter of time before there would be a North American opportunity. We wanted to be in on the ground floor with Toyota. So here we are with cars two and three. I'm told I can't have number one until 1997" quipped Rod Millen. "Our Super Touring project is simply our latest in a long line of challenges. I'll let you know how we did from the winner's circle in May." Honda * Jim Kirby, of L.A. Prep in Signal Hill California, has entered two Honda Accords, numbers 8 and 88. "Anyone who has seen Super Touring competition would agree that this format makes for some of the most exciting racing in the world," said Kirby. "I think that when the North American public is exposed to this format of very competitive NASCAR style racing on road courses and street circuits they will embrace it with great enthusiasm. With our Honda Accords, we think we'll have a competitive package and an opportunity to run at the front. That's sure been the case with the Hondas in the BTCC. Over here we're all starting on the same foot, more or less, so we're optimistic." * 23 time IMSA endurance series winner T.C. Kline has entered a two car team in the North American Touring Car Championship. Two Honda Accord sedans numbered 12 and 21 are being prepared in Kline's Columbus, Ohio shop. Kline will feature two time IMSA endurance series winner and 1995 SCCA National Champion Randy Pobst in one car. No driver has been named for the second car at this time. "We took a look at British Touring Car racing last year and thought it looked like a real challenge. When the NATCC announced the advent of a program in North America last August, we started work on a team for the Championship," said Kline. The second seat will go to a funded driver, but must be one who can work with the team. "We know from experience that it often takes a two car effort to win a championship. It takes a full effort from the team and two drivers who can work together," said Kline [Continued in reply] * Three time SCCA National Champion Jim Dentici announced his formidable King Motorsports team will enter a pair of Honda Accords in the North American Touring Car Championship. Driver selection is not yet finalized. "This will be quite a challenge - no doubt about it," said Dentici, "but challenges are what King Motorsports has been built on. We're looking forward to it." Dentici's association with Honda dates back to the mid sixties as a motorcycle dealer and grew to include Honda automobile and Acura franchises. * From his office in Morgan Hill California, Albert Mirko announced that he will contest the North American Touring Car Championship as an independent in a Honda Accord. "As a saloon car racer in England since the early seventies, I might say that I am the most experienced Touring Car racer in the Championship so far," joked Mirko. An insurance professional and President of a R&D company involved in the business of designing state of the art trailers and towing assembly devices, Mirko has been racing "more or less" professionally since he contested British Auto Racing Club races since 1976. A veteran of every track in England and several 24 hour races, Mirko moved to the US in 1984 and has raced competitively in SCCA club and pro competition ever since. Pontiac * The owner of Mantapart Performance Products and Meehan Development and Engineering, Tim Meehan has twenty five years of small GM sedan racing experience., The firm has entered car numbers 17 and 66, the first Pontiac entries in the North American Touring Car Championship, under the MDE Motorsport banner. Racing with D.A.R.E. livery, (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) the MDE Motorsports Pontiac Sunfire is the latest project from a shop of considerable experience with small GM sedan performance modifications. The car will be the first new Pontiac Sunfire in any form of professional racing in North America. "We've been a supplier to G.M, Motorsports Group and Oldsmobile Motorsport for quite some time now," said Meehan from his shop in rural mid west America. "We've had some success with our IMSA sedan support programs but now we are going to take a full fledged program to the track ourselves and see how we make out." BMW * Ed Delong, President of Delong Motorsport Ltd. in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, made the following announcement -"Delong Motorsport Ltd. will enter a 3 series BMW car number 10 with driving duties shared by Rolf Von Englebrechten, and Ed Delong. Preparation will be by Mark Jonak, out of the Jonak Motorsports race shop in Rockwood, Ontario. Although Rolf is uncomfortable with the number 10, we think it is pure superstition that he believes odd numbered cars finish first, but he does state emphatically that �we are absolutely sure of one thing - this is just too good an opportunity to miss out on.' While Mark Jonak is envious about allowing myself and Von Englebrechten to do the driving he is, at least temporarily, satisfied to play team manager and states, �with my experience in car preparation and familiarity with BMWs, I believe I have the experience to put together a real winner. With proper funding, we would like to have two cars entered, and that would allow me the opportunity to do some of the driving.' It is with great anticipation that we look forward to the 1996 racing season, and with our collective expertise and driving experience, we are confident we can represent Canada in the NATCC, as have our countrymen, Ron Fellows, Jacques Villeneuve, Paul Tracy and Greg Moore elsewhere." Driver and Team Notes * In seven of the last nine years Per-Gunnar (Peggan) Andersson has won either Nordic or Swedish Touring Car Championships. Easily the best known Super Touring Car driver in Scandinavia, Peggan is considered quick, extremely cagey and safe. A driver with a DTM pole and a win to his credit, Peggan has raced in Asia with four straight wins in Thailand, competed in New Zealand and was pipped by a tenth of a second by John Cleland at a BTCC round at Brands Hatch in 1990. "I have turned thirty eight, but I feel I have a lot left to do in Touring Car racing and before I put my helmet in the closet, I really want to give this (NATCC) a try." said Andersson. "There are two reasons for this ," he goes on, " one, with 17 years of experience in Touring Cars, I guess I have some advantage. Two, I have done everything I possibly can do in Touring Car racing at home, now remains to investigate my possibilities in U.S. I have heard that U.S. racing provides a really positive atmosphere compared to Europe." Peggan Andersson flew from Sweden to attend the press conference. * Berle Smith, well known in the Pacific North West is holding testing sessions to select a driver for a Super Touring effort he is mounting. In attendance at the press conference, Smith said he was optimistic about his entry because sponsorship meetings had been going very well. *John Christie of Vista, California is poised to enter a car from a seventh manufacturer - Mazda. Developed by Team Dynamics in England the car is ready to race in Super Touring. Christie is in discussion with drivers and says, "our current trade sponsors are in full support of this new opportunity." Additional corporate sponsorship is being sought to further fund the team. * Indy Light pilot Pedro Chavez is anxious to drive a Super Touring Car in North America. Calling in from his home in Portugal, Chavez enthused about his commitment to drive in the NATCC. "I'm looking for sponsors every minute," he said. * Several teams have opportunities for funded drivers. Interested parties should contact Amos Johnson, Director of Race Operations at the NATCC. * Amos Johnson spent the entire day on the phone December 15th talking to people who had heard the news from the press conference. "I can't believe that this has hit any media publications yet," said Johnson, "but the response has been incredible! The racing community is a small world, I guess. I think I talked to most of it today." * Shelby Pro Racer and Skip Barber Instructor, John Lewis from Alabama attended the conference and was seen in earnest conversation with many team owners. Lewis is committed to finding a ride in the NATCC and is looking for funding to take to a team. Venues * Vice President of Lime Rock Park, Simon Kirkby, addressed the audience on hand to officially welcome the NATCC onto the Memorial Day event schedule. His remarks received a rousing ovation from all on hand. * Always terrific in front of a crowd, Bud Stanner, the man in charge of the ITT Detroit Grand Prix spoke to the attendees and extended a warm welcome to the NATCC in a poignant commentary. * Michelle Trueman Gajoch, President of Mid Ohio sports Car Course issued this statement to be read at the press conference. "Mid Ohio Sports Car Course is proud to announce the addition of the North American Touring Car Championship to its 1996 season schedule. This series will compliment the IndyCar weekend by showcasing some fast and highly competitive racing. The popularity of Touring Car sedan racing has grown dramatically worldwide, and Mid Ohio is definitely pleased to be a part of the NATCC's inaugural season and in bringing this sport to the United States." * Mike Smith, General Manager of the Molson Indy in Toronto sent along these words. "These back to back races with frantic action in the pits in between will make for an exciting and unusual spectacle for the fans at the Molson Indy," said Mike Smith, General Manager of the event. "We're very pleased to welcome the North American Touring Car Championship teams to the Molson Indy. We look forward to a great show on Saturday afternoon." * Phil Heard, General Manager of the Molson Indy Vancouver - "This is an exciting new form of racing in North America. We're pleased to be able to offer Super Touring Car racing to the Molson Indy Vancouver fans." * General Manager of Laguna Seca Raceway, Scott Atherton, in a letter to Roger Elliot, wrote "..I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and your staff for your commitment and tenacity in making this series a reality. On behalf of all of us at Laguna Seca Raceway, we believe in your concept and are proud to be associated with the launch of what we hope will be a very successful new form of road racing in North America." * The only remaining date on the schedule to be confirmed (due to too many events interested in appearing on the card) is at Trois Rivieres. The recent addition of Indy Lights to the card at the popular Canadian venue may have extended paddock space and track time to the breaking limit. In a letter to NATCC regarding the matter, Leon Methot, Managing Director of the event wrote, "I am confident that a satisfactory solution to this matter will be found to the benefit of all parties." People * Indy Lights head man Roger Bailey was in attendance to show support to the Championship which he believes will enhance the IndyCar weekend package. * IndyCar Competition Director Kirk Russell attended and was recognized from the podium to a round of applause. * Another round of applause was raised for Kevin O'Brien, Vice President of Marketing for SCCA Pro Racing, who attended to represent the NATCC sanctioning body. * Representatives were on hand from Chrysler, Ford, Honda and Toyota. Several others who had planned on attending could not do so because of difficulties associated with the bad weather. 0.054 ____________________________________ 1996 team summary Racing series NATCC Date The following teams have announced their participation in the NATCC in 1996: 2 Rod Millen NZ Toyota Camry Rod Millen Motorsports 3 TBA Toyota Camry Rod Millen Motorsports 4 TBA Ford Contour Danny Sullivan 5 Danny SUllivan USA Ford Contour Danny SUllivan 6 Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus PacWest Racing 7 TBA Dodge Stratus PacWest Racing 8 TBA Honda Accord L.A. Prep 9 Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord Mirko Racing 10 Rolf Von Englebrechten D BMW 320i Delong Motorsports 11 TBA Honda Accord King Motorsports 12 Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord T.C. Kline Racing 17 TBA Pontiac Sunfire Mantasport 21 TBA Honda Accord T.C. Kline Racing 22 TBA Honda Accord King Motorsports 65 Gary Sommers USA Ford Contour GPS Racing 66 TBA Pontiac Sunfire Mantasport 77 Matt Neal GB Ford Contour Team Dynamics 86 Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour Sigma Engineering 88 TBA Honda Accord L.A. Prep _______________________________________ Toyota Camry vs Carina choice explained Racing series NATCC Date It has been asked why Danny Sullivan entered 2 Toyota Camrys instead of the more common and smaller Carina/Corona. One reason is because of the success of the Camry in the South African Touring Car series. Although fitted with British-built engines, the car was developed by Toyota SA and, since the Camry here has very much the same spec as the US-built Camry it was a logical move. The other main reason is presumably a sales/marketing thrust. +-------------------+---------------------------+ | ___ ___ _ _ __ |colin.windell@digitec.co.za| | # # # # # #~# |---------------------------| | #__ #_# #_( # # # | Thirst is the only enemy | +-------------------+---------------------------+ ______________________________________ Michelin to provide tires Racing series NATCC Date February 23, 1996 NATCC Set to Run On Michelin Tires Tampa, Florida - Michelin North America and the North American Touring Car Championship have signed a three year agreement naming Michelin as a major associate sponsor and exclusive tire supplier to the Championship. As an additional major component of Michelin's involvement, the winner of the Manufacturers Championship will be awarded the Michelin Cup at the end of each season. "This is the best possible combination available for the teams competing in the NATCC," said Roger Elliot, President of the North American Touring Car Championship. "Michelin is the premier tire in Super Touring championships all around the world. The superior quality of the Michelin Pilot tire ensures that our teams will start with, and stay with, the very best available. Michelin's long heritage in motorsport speaks volumes about their commitment to being a world leader. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship." "There is a stability inherent with Michelin as our exclusive supplier which we're extremely interested in," added Elliot. "In other programs, a significant amount of time and money is spent among competing tire companies and, as a result, competing teams. With Michelin on board, the teams can put all that to one side and simply know they're running the best tire available on a level playing field. The outcome of the races will be determined by the drivers and the cars." For more information, contact Tom Hnatiw at the Championship Office at 813-888-9444 0.095 _____________________________________________ Road Atlanta added to schedule Racing series NATCC Date NATCC ANNOUNCES ROAD ATLANTA EVENT February 9, 1996 Braselton, Georgia - In a joint release issued today, Roger Elliot, President, North American Touring Car Championship and Kurt Spitzner, Special Events Director, Road Atlanta Ltd. announced the conclusion of arrangements for a special non-points North American Touring Car Championship race weekend to be held May 11, 12 1996 at the famed sports car course. A closed course test day for NATCC cars will be held on Friday, May 10, with time set aside that day for a media reception and media rides in selected cars. "Kurt Spitzner and the entire staff at Road Atlanta have worked diligently to bring this idea to reality and we are grateful for all they have done to accommodate us. We feel sure that this is the first step in a long term association which we would like to see culminate in the North American Touring Car Championship running a full championship weekend here," said Elliot. Spitzner added, "Jim Kanely (president of Road Atlanta) and I have always believed that Super Touring racing would become very successful in North America. We've worked hard to get in on the ground floor of this exciting class of racing." Two full rounds will be held during the weekend - both on Sunday afternoon with time for practice and one qualifying session on Saturday. "We want to run through the entire weekend as if it was a full Championship event. We want to give the teams an opportunity for a 'dry run' if you will, before our official Championship opening weekend at Lime Rock Park," said Elliot. "Road Atlanta is a first class facility run by a great group of people. We think it's terrific to bring North American Super Touring racing to the site of so much exciting racing history." Super Touring races begin with a standing start - a procedure new to many North American teams. Race weekends also include a drivers parade, and organized autograph sessions in the paddock. "Sure, this is all new to many of our teams, but given the chance to go through it once at Road Atlanta, I've no doubt they'll all catch on very quickly," commented Elliot. "Having said that, I'm positive that what we'll see on the track that weekend will be a terrific show. One additional, and final, date is expected to be added to the NATCC calendar within two weeks. For more information, call Tom Hnatiw at the Championship office or, Kurt Spitzner, Road Atlanta Ltd. 770-967-6143 0.071 _____________________________________________ 1996 schedule (REVISED) Racing series NATCC Date The North American Touring Car Championship schedule, as of 96-02-23: May 11-12 Road Atlanta (non-championship) May 25-27 Lime Rock Jun 07-09 Detroit Jul 12-14 Toronto Aug 02-04 Trois Rivieres Aug 09-11 Mid Ohio Aug 30-01 Vancouver Sep 06-08 Laguna Seca There is a possibility of adding 1 or 2 more races, but they are not confirmed at this time. 0.052 ___________________________________________________ Portland race announced Racing series NATCC Date Super Tourers to Appear at Portland International April 15, 1996 Portland, Oregon - In an announcement made today at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, the North American Touring Car Championship and Global Events Group made public their plans to stage two rounds of the Super Touring Championship during the 1996 Budweiser/G.I. Joe's 200 presented by Havoline. On hand for the announcement, Dominic Dobson, lead driver for Pac West Touring Car Group's Dodge Stratus team commented, "We're excited about running here in front of the Portland fans. This has always been a fantastic event. This is a very challenging track and I feel my experience in an IndyCar here will help us run competitively with the Dodge Stratus." Michael Nealy, President, Global Events Group, the organizer for the Rose Festival event added, "Super Touring racing has really taken the world by storm. This exciting formula has a broad appeal from hard core racing fans to the family who only occasionally attend a major racing event. We're delighted to add the North American Touring Car Championship to our event." During his comments to the attendees, NATCC President Roger Elliot said, "Adding a premium event such as Portland to the Championship schedule is a real boost for the program. Personally, Portland has always been one of my favorite events and I'm sure the teams and drivers in the Championship will feel the same way. On behalf of the Championship I want to thank Mike Nealy and Bill Hildick for working so closely with us and allowing us the opportunity to be part of this event." The final 1996 NATCC schedule is as follows: Lime Rock May 25 - 27 Detroit June 7 - 9 Portland June 21 - 23 Toronto July 12 - 14 Trois Rivieres Aug 2 - 4 Mid Ohio Aug 9 - 11 Vancouver Aug 30 - Sept 1 Laguna Seca Sept 6 - 8 For more information, call Tom Hnatiw, NATCC 813-888-9444 0.053 _________________________________________________________ Super Touring Club Racing series NATCC Date NATCC Announces Super Touring Club April 11, 1996 Tampa, Florida - The North American Touring Car Championship announced today the introduction of the "Super Touring Club", which will be the focus of the Championship's entertainment and hospitality program at six of the Championships' major events in 1996: Lime Rock May 25 - 27 Detroit June 7 - 9 Portland June 21 - 23 Toronto July 12 - 14 Trois Rivieres Aug 2 - 4 Mid Ohio Aug 9 - 11 Vancouver Aug 30 - Sept 1 Laguna Seca Sept 6 - 8 "The idea," said NATCC President Roger Elliot, "is to create a comfortable and prestigious environment for Super Touring fans at these events where they know they can go throughout the weekend to eat, relax, mingle and meet the Super Touring drivers and key team members. In addition, we want to extend this opportunity to our sponsors, VIP's, and guests and those of our teams. In some cases, a team may have a limited number of guests at an event; this often makes it hard to set up an appropriate hospitality program. The Super Touring Club will allow them this opportunity at a very reasonable cost and with a minimum amount of preparation. If this program is well received in 1996, we plan on extending it to all our events in 1997." Super Touring fans will not only be entitled to the use of the Club and its facilities throughout the respective weekend but will also receive a grandstand ticket, Championship patch, decal and other Championship information and material. All Championship drivers will be provided use of the Club's facilities throughout the year. This will allow them not only its convenience, but will also provide Super Touring Club members with direct access to the drivers during each of these events (in addition to the mandatory drivers autograph session every Sunday at every event). Super Touring Club tickets can be bought individually or in groups for a reserved table and will include: * Friday lunch * Saturday breakfast and lunch * Sunday breakfast and lunch * Closed circuit television * Grandstand ticket and paddock pass * Soft drinks * Autograph card * Super Touring pin, patch and decal * Weekend race information The price will vary from $225. to $325 per event. Information and reservations are available by calling the NATCC office at 813-888-9444. 0.054 ______________________________________ Roat Atlanta event information Racing series NATCC Date I just wanted to inform those who might be interested that there will be a "shakedown" non-points race of the new North American Touring Car series at Road Atlanta near Gainesville, GA on May 11-12. Admission is $10; contact RA for more info. NATCC is patterned after similar series in Great Britain and Europe - kind of a Euro-NASCAR, except the cars are far more modern and versatile and I don't think they do ovals at all. On Saturday they are supposed to have qualifying and they are supposed to practice standing starts. This is the first time these cars will have turned a wheel in anger. ____________________________ Donohue drives Dodge & other notes from Lime Rock Racing series NATCC Date The Lime Rock Park race circuit, in northwestern Connecticut USA, which will host the inaugural rounds of the North American Touring Car Championship as part of its ATCALL Presents The Dodge Dealers Grand Prix on the weekend of May 24-27, hosted a media day May 21. Most notable announcement on the NATCC front was the naming of David Donohue, son of the late Mark Donohue who drove for Roger Penske in mant arenas including TransAm and Indy cars, ( and also CanAm, NASCAR, FIA Endurance, IMSA, F5000 and F1 where he suffered his fatal accident - a truely rounded driver - ed ) as second driver, joining Dominic Dobson, on the PacWest Dodge Stratus team. Donohue is former champion in the Bridgestone SuperCar series and drove early season races for BMW in the IMSA Exxon Suprmeme Series. Donohue will concentrate his efforts on Dodge's debut effort in 2 liter Touring Cars for the remainder of the '96 season. Four NATCC cars were present for the test day at Lime Rock: the two Dodges, Rod Millen's Toyota, and Forrest Granlund's Honda of America Racing Team Accord. Exactly how many additional entries wil be at Lime Rock by Saturday's opening round of the championship was a little vague as described by NATCC's Mark Turner. T.C. Kline is preparing an Accord, Hartong Racing reportedly has a BMW 3series for driver Darren Law, and a Ford Mondeo/Contour is expected, but aside from the fact that Danny Sullivan would NOT be its driver little other information was available. Additional entries were also mentioned. The NATCC cars open the weekend's on-track activities with their first practice session at 10 a.m. on Friday, followed by practice sessions for SCCA TransAm, Barber Dodge Pro Series, IMSA Exxon World Sports Cars, SCCA World Challenge, IMSA GTS2. NATTC cars will timetrial on Saturday morning and their first 30 minute race will start at 3:15 on Saturday. Round 2, also 30 minutes, will be Monday at 11:00 a.m. For more information on the ATCALL presents The Dodge Dealers Grand Prix at Lime Rock call 1800RACELRP or email 103341.2046@compuserve.com All typos are mine, with apologies Greg Rickes 0.054 _________________________________ Leitzinger, Jeff Andretti to enter in Detroit Racing series NATCC Date Leitzinger racing will be entering a Ford Mondeo in NATCC for Jeff Andretti starting with the Belle Isle race in Detroit in June. The team has acquired two 1995 Mondeos and one 1994 model, and is currently in the process of preparing them for their debut. Leitzinger has previously competed with success in IMSA. 0.054 ___________________________________ Lime Rock results Racing series NATCC Date RESULTS Super Touring Championship - Race 1 25 laps - 38.25 miles 1. David Donohue Dodge Stratus #8 (Fastest lap 56.0) 2. Randt Pobst Honda Accord #12 (Fastest lap 56.2) -2.4 sec. 3. Dominic Dobson Dodge Stratus #7 (Fastest lap 55.8) -24.9 sec. 4. Forrest Granlund Honda Accord #62 (Fastest lap 57.0) -31.0 sec. 5. Steve Petty BMW #3 (Fastest lap 57.4) -40.0 sec. 6. Martin Stretton Mercedes #6 (Fastest lap 1:00.6) -4 laps back 7. Ed Delong BMW #10 (Fastest lap 1:05.7) -9 laps back 8. Rod Millen Toyota Carina #2 (Fastest lap 57.0) -DNF 9. Darren Law BMW #18 (Fastest lap 56.7) -DNF 10. Peter Hardman Honda Accord #21 (Fastest lap 56.7) -DNF Race 2 27 laps - 41.31 miles 1. Dominic Dobson Dodge Stratus #7 (Fastest lap 56.1) 2. David Donohue Dodge Stratus #8 (Fastest lap 56.3) -.4 sec. 3. Randy Pobst Honda Accord #12 (Fastest lap 56.2) -12.0 sec. 4. Forrest Granlund Honda Accord #62 (Fastest lap 56.1) -16.1 sec. 5. Rod Millen Toyota Carina #2 (Fastest lap 57.1) -30.8 sec. 6. Steve Petty BMW #3 (Fastest lap 57.4) -39.2 sec. 7. Peter Hardman Honda Accord #21 (Fastest lap 56.1) -49.7 sec. 8. Darren Law BMW #18 (Fastest lap 56.7) -NRAF 9. Ed Delong BMW #10 (Fastest lap 1:04.8) -6 laps back 0.054 ____________________________________________ Lime Rock report Racing series NATCC Date THE SUPER TOURING STORY Lime Rock Park, CT - 5/25 & 5/27/96 DODGES DOMINATE SUPER TOURING OPENERS A year of hard work and preparation paid off for Dodge and the PacWest Touring Car Group as their two Dodge Stratus' split the wins at the first ever Super Touring races in North America. The first race provided a lot of surprises, as Dominic Dobson's new teammate David Donohue carried the Dodge flag to the front of the field in his number 8. Dobson answered the challenge in Monday's second race with a convincing display of consistent lap times in the number 7 Dodge, as he led from the pole to the checkered flag. Neither round was a runaway, with numerous battles and challenges throughout the field. The adrenalin was running a bit too high for some on the grid in race one. While many had practiced the standing starts, a race situation was a new experience for almost all. Dobson was on pole with Randy Pobst on the outside in his Honda Accord. At the green light, Dobson stalled the pole-sitting number 7, and experienced difficulty in getting restarted, resulting in frenzied passing maneuvers around him towards the first turn. Pobst took the lead, followed by Millen, Darren Law and Steve Petty in BMW's, Donohue, Dobson, Forrest Granlund in the Honda Accord, and Martin Stretton in the Mercedes. Pobst, Millen and Law were beginning to pull away from the pack; not wanting to lose contact, Donohue dove under Petty entering Big Bend with Dobson following him. Up front Pobst encountered a back marker who blocked him momentarily allowing both Millen and Law past. Millen now led with Law and Donohue right there. Donohue slipped past Law and was able to make the pass stick. Dobson had been penalized for passing under yellow and with the "stop and go" penalty, had fallen down the field. On lap ten Donohue went inside Millen going into Big Bend, and both Law and Pobst thought they saw opportunities for themselves as well. Through the esses Pobst pulled alongside and squeezed past Millen for second. Law tried to follow by going under Millen. Millen held his line and they made contact. The impact sheared Millen's right rear wheel off the Toyota, and damaged Law's car as well, taking both out. Petty was now in third with Granlund and Dobson charging hard behind him. While Donohue was opening up a lead, Dobson got by Granlund and then finally, Petty. Petty slipped up in the esses after the pass with a slight off-track excursion that cost him fourth position. When the checkered flag flew, Donohue took the laurels and put his name in the books as the winner of the first Super Touring Race in North America. Pobst, Dobson, Granlund and Petty took second through fifth. The appreciative crowd gathered in the paddock following the race for the official autograph session, and to congratulate the drivers on a stirring show. Qualifying for Monday's race two was additional evidence of the field's intensity. Dobson earned pole with a time a half second quicker than his previous time, with the the next three qualifiers also bettering Saturday's pole time. Vowing to not make "the same mistake again," Dobson was true to his word. This time he got a clean start. His teammate Donohue got another great start from his fourth place on the grid and led Dobson towards the first turn. Dobson wouldn't be denied however, and grabbed the lead going through Big Bend. He was never challenged seriously again. Pobst excited the crowd with his driving style, and managed to pass Donohue briefly for second, only to loop it all by himself in West Bend. Gracious, yet exuberant as ever, Pobst thanked his fellow racers for not T-boning his spinning T.C. Kline Accord. " We've only had the car for a week..once it is set-up for our North American tracks, we'll do better." more... Donohue spent the remainder of the race chasing his teammate. "The car was working well, but had just a bit of understeer.... The Michelin tires had a surprising amount of grip." At the checkered flag it was Dobson from Donohue by less than half a second in a Dodge one-two, with Pobst, Granlund, Millen and Petty, third through sixth. Dobson quipped, "This is the way it's supposed to be." He said, "I got by David in the first turn and had no problems afterwards....These good results are from lots of testing and hard work by our team." The fastest lap times from this second race clearly demonstrate that this is the start of some terrific close racing action between well matched cars and drivers. It was an outstanding weekend for the Dodge and PacWest team, with shared victories, and a move to the next event in Detroit with teammates tied in the Driver's Championship. 0.111 ____________________________________________ Standings after Lime Rock Racing series NATCC Date CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: Drivers 1. Dominic Dobson 39 points David Donohue 39 3. Randy Pobst 33 4. Forrest Granlund 26 5. Steve Petty 23 6. Ed Delong 18 7. Rod Millen 13 8. Martin Stretton 11 9. Peter Hardman 10 10. Darren Law 9 Independents 1. Steve Petty 23 2. Ed Delong 18 3. Darren Law 9 Manufacturers 1. Dodge 40 2. Honda 32 3. Toyota 12 _______________________________________________ Texaco to supply fuel and oil Racing series NATCC Date NORTH AMERICAN TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP TO RUN ON TEXACO PRODUCTS Texaco CleanSystem Gasoline and Havoline Formula3 to Fuel and Lubricate NATCC Tampa, Florida, May 17, 1996 -- Texaco announced today that it has reached an agreement with the North American Touring Car Championship (NATCC) naming the company exclusive gasoline and motor oil supplier as well as major associate sponsor of the Championship. In making the announcement, Chuck M. Kosich, Director of Advertising for Texaco USA commented, "Texaco and auto racing have long been synonymous. Sponsorship of racing has been a very effective cornerstone program in our marketing of Havoline Formula3 motor oil. As gasoline and motor oil supplier as well as associate sponsor of the NATCC can extend the successful use of motorsports marketing to our high quality CleanSystem gasoline. This sponsorship also will continue to reinforce our Havoline Formula3 proof of performance message." The Super Touring cars which compete in the NATCC, are required to run on Texaco CleanSystem gasoline. As gasoline and lubricant supplier, Texaco will provide 94 octane CleanSystem gasoline to automobiles in the Championship. Competitors in the NATCC also will be offered the opportunity to use Havoline Formula3 motor oil. "We are excited about this partnership with Texaco because CleanSystem and Havoline Formula3 provide our teams with the quality products needed to run the Super Touring cars," commented Roger Elliot, President of the NATCC. The NATCC racing series extends from May to September. The slick, fast, Super Touring cars will reach road race track speeds of 160 mph during this inaugural year of the NATCC. Amos Johnson, Director of Race Operations at the NATCC stated. "We believe that Super Touring is the only major professional racing series in the world which runs with catalytic converters. This makes the NATCC an environmentally friendly motorsports program. With the use of Texaco CleanSystem, a gasoline which results in emission reductions in normal passenger vehicles, we improve our cleaner burning capabilities." Texaco CleanSystem, the next generation in gasoline, provides automobile owners with higher performance, lower emissions, and improved mileage by helping to remove, reduce and prevent deposits in the engine's combustion chambers, intake valves and fuel injectors. Havoline Formula3 complements these fuel attributes by providing volatility control and is designed to provide complete protection against all three main threats to an engine's longer life�starting friction, heat stress and engine deposits. 0.052 _______________________________________ Audi named as official car of NATCC Racing series NATCC Date Audi Signs On as Official Car of the NATCC Tampa, Florida -- Audi of America Inc. has secured the designation of Official Car of the North American Touring Car Championship. As official car of the Championship, Audi will supply the official pace car which will travel with the Championship to all 1996 venues. The Official Pace Car, with modifications made under the supervision of five time 24 Hours of Daytona winner, Amos Johnson, (Director of NATCC Race Operations) is an Audi A4 quattro, finished in a striking blue color. Racing seats and harnesses have been installed along with BBS Wheels and Michelin Pilot ultra high performance radials. The A4's suspension has been modified in preparation for the special rigors of the race track. The Audi A4 Quattro is the reigning Super Touring World Championship car having been driven to the win in the Super Touring World Cup by Frank Biela at Paul Ricard Circuit in France in October 1995. "It's no secret that Audi is aggressively pursuing Super Touring Championships in many countries world wide," said Marc Trahan, product planning manager at Audi of America. "It is logical for Audi to be associated with the NATCC. We're very interested in the North American Championship becoming a success." 0.054 ____________________________________ Autosport to publish the NATCC yearbook Racing series NATCC Date AUTOSPORT to Publish Official NATCC Yearbook Tampa, Florida -- The publisher of the official yearbook for the British Touring Car Championship and publisher of the world renowned motorsports magazine, Autosport, Haymarket Specialist Motoring Publications of Middlesex, England have reached an agreement with the North American Touring Car Championship to publish the Official Championship Year Book for 1996. For the past five years, Autosport have produced a high quality annual for the BTCC and developed innovative and effective programs for sales and distribution. Keeping the retail price low by including limited opportunities for corporate ads, Autosport also produces special cover editions for manufacturers and sponsors who wish to distribute the annual as gifts and premiums. Copies are sold through mail order, and distributed to motoring book shops on a global basis. The editorial content, provided largely by Super Touring experts Laurence Foster and Gary Watkins will include full race reports from each round of the Championship, and several features about the personalities, machinery and venues of the 1996 North American Touring Car Championship. "One only has to flip through a recent edition of Touring Car Year (the BTCC annual) to recognize the high level of excellence Autosport is committed to," commented Tom Hnatiw, Director, Marketing and Communications at NATCC." AUTOSPORT is a name synonymous with the best in motorsports publications around the world. We're thrilled to be working with them on this project." 0.055 ________________________________________________ Detroit results Racing series NATCC Date Race #1 Position Car # Name Manufacturer 1 18 Darren Law BMW 2 8 David Donohue Dodge 3 21 Peter Hardman Honda 4 7 Dominic Dobson Dodge 5 5 Jeff Andretti Ford 6 12 Randy Pobst Honda 7 10 Ed Delong BMW 8 2 Rod Millen Toyota 9 3 Steve Petty BMW DNS Race #2 1 7 Dominic Dobson Dodge 2 12 Randy Pobst Honda 3 21 Peter Hardman Honda 4 8 David Donohue Dodge 5 2 Rod Millen Toyota 6 5 Jeff Andretti Ford 7 10 Ed Delong BMW 8 18 Darren Law BMW 9 3 Steve Petty BMW DNS ______________________________________________ Portland report Racing series NATCC Date HONDA AND POBST SWEEP P.I.R. SUPER TOURING RACES June 22, 1996 Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon - In an impressive display of dominance on Saturday, Randy Pobst in his T.C. Kline Racing, Neuspeed Honda redressed the problems he's experienced in the first few races to take back to back wins in the Portland Super Touring races. The double win is the first for a driver and manufacturer in the inaugural season of the North American Touring Car Championship, and the first win for a Honda Super Touring car outside of Japan. The victories give Pobst the lead in the Drivers' Championship, with 108 points to Dominic Dobson's 100, and David Donohue's 99. They also put Honda in the hunt for the Manufacturers' Championship with a scant three points separating Honda from first place Dodge. Pobst sat on pole for race number one of the first event with back to back races on the Super Touring calendar. His grid position had been determined by Friday's qualifying, but then threatened by a crash that he had on the third lap of qualifying for race two on Saturday morning. The T.C. Kline Racing crew is getting plenty of practice in chassis and body repair since Pobst's exuberant racing style has tested them a number of times in the previous events. With some quick, creative work, the team was able to put the Honda on the grid for "Mr. Excitement". He made the effort worth their while with a great start, and a lead that was never challenged after the first lap. At the finish Pobst was seven seconds ahead of PacWest's David Donohue. He stated that "I owed it to the guys...they worked hard for me. The Honda has great speed, and I'm getting used to the handling. There is still more in the car, and we are going to find it." Commenting on his "stumbles" in the last few events, Pobst quoted the fictitious NASCAR driver Cole Trickle from "Days of Thunder": "Loose is Fast", but admitted that he needed to heed his team's advice to be a bit more conservative until the tires came in. David Donohue led the chase for Pobst in his Dodge Stratus but could make no impression and finished second. The fight for third, fourth and fifth was a fan pleaser. After the first lap the contest was between Dobson in his Dodge, Forrest Granlund in the H.A.R.T. Honda Accord, and Peter Hardman in the second T.C. Kline Racing Honda. The three were nose to tail for lap after lap with Dobson leading. Hardman made numerous attempts at passing Dobson but was rebuffed repeatedly, as was Granlund in his attempts to get by Hardman. On lap fifteen, Hardman tried Dobson again into the Festival Curves on the outside. He got by momentarily, but was carrying too much speed and went off briefly, allowing Dobson to retake the position. Granlund took advantage and moved past Hardman as well. On the next lap Granlund was able to take Dobson for third. The order remained to the checkered flag. Fifteen minutes following the checkered flag, race two took the green. Dobson had pole position in his Dodge Stratus with Hardman in second and Pobst on the second row. Pobst was still hooked up after the first race, and got a tremendous start. He passed Dobson before the end of the first lap, and was followed by Hardman, and Granlund for a Honda parade at the front. Dobson, now in fourth was being shadowed by Jeff Andretti in the Leitzinger Racing Ford. On lap four, Andretti timed his move perfectly and got by. On lap seven, he pushed a bit too hard in the improving Ford, and had a brief off track excursion. Both Dobson and Donohue got past Andretti, with Donohue getting around his teammate to take fourth. The race for second and third between Hardman and Granlund was close and entertaining. The quick Hondas were closely matched, and Hardman had to watch his mirrors as Granlund was looking for any opportunity, and made several attempts. Hardman was able to defend his position, and at the checkered flag it was Pobst, Hardman, and Granlund in a Honda 1-2-3. So far in this inaugural season of North American Super Touring, the Dodges have won three races, the Hondas two, and BMW has one. The points race is now very close in all categories, and the next back to back races will take to the streets of Toronto in front of the cameras of ABC Wide World of Sports. - 30 - 0.054 ______________________________________ Toronto qualifying Racing series NATCC Date Race 1 qualifying: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:17.024 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:17.047 0.023 0.023 3. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:18.464 1.417 1.440 4. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:19.039 0.575 2.015 5. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:19.351 0.312 2.327 6. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord 1:19.689 0.338 2.665 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:21.762 2.073 4.738 8. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series 1:22.299 0.537 5.275 9. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 1:22.747 0.448 5.723 10. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 0:00.000 11. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 0:00.000 12. Jim Kenzie CDN BMW 3-series 0:00.000 Race 2 qualifying: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:16.168 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:16.690 0.522 0.522 3. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 1:16.970 0.280 0.802 4. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord 1:16.976 0.006 0.808 5. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:17.050 0.074 0.882 6. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:17.703 0.653 1.535 7. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:18.483 0.780 2.315 8. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:19.096 0.613 2.928 9. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series 1:21.236 2.140 5.068 10. Jim Kenzie CDN BMW 3-series 1:26.561 5.325 10.393 11. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 0:00.000 12. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 0:00.000 0.054 ________________________________________ Toronto results Racing series NATCC Date Race 1 results: Pos Driver Nat Car Time ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 24:39.794 2. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus +1.216 3. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus +2.886 4. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina +10.673 5. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord +10.675 6. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series +22.380 7. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord +40.742 8. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series -1 lap 9. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series -4 laps 10. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier -5 laps 11. Jim Kenzie CDN BMW 3-series on lap 7 Wheel off DNS Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo Race 2 results: Pos Driver Nat Car Time ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 25:38.855 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord +0.429 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus +11.006 4. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus +13.812 5. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord +17.175 6. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina +26.320 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series +35.404 8. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series +65.192 9. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series on lap 1 DNS Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier DNS Jim Kenzie CDN BMW 3-series DNS Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 0.054 ___________________________________________ Standings after Toronto Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Points ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 147 2. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 136 3. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 127 4. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 103 5. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord 78 6. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 50 7. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 45 8. Victor Gonzalez MEX Ford Mondeo 20 The independents' challenge: Pos Driver Nat Car Time ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 62 2. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 49 3. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series 47 4. Martin Stretton GB Mercedes 190E 11 5. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 7 Michelin Cup Manufacturers' Championship: Pos Make Points -------------------- 1. Honda 144 2. Dodge 139 3. Toyota 66 4. Ford 45 __________________________________________ Toronto fastest laps Racing series NATCC Date Race 1 fastest laps: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:16.396 2. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 1:16.640 0.244 0.244 3. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord 1:16.685 0.045 0.289 4. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:16.704 0.019 0.308 5. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:16.982 0.278 0.586 6. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:17.053 0.071 0.657 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:17.109 0.056 0.713 8. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:18.022 0.913 1.626 9. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 1:18.169 0.147 1.773 10. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series 1:21.145 2.976 4.749 11. Jim Kenzie CDN BMW 3-series 1:24.494 3.349 8.098 Race 2 fastest laps: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:15.599 2. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 1:15.937 0.338 0.338 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:16.355 0.418 0.756 4. Forrest Granlund USA Honda Accord 1:16.476 0.121 0.877 5. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:16.609 0.133 1.010 6. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:16.899 0.290 1.300 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:16.905 0.006 1.306 8. Ed Delong CDN BMW 3-series 1:17.436 0.531 1.837 ___________________________________________________ Trois-Rivieres report Racing series NATCC Date Dodge/Honda battle See-Saws at Trois Rivieres August 4, 1996 Trois Rivieres, Quebec, Canada - Dodge won on Saturday, and Honda on Sunday at Trois Rivieres, the fifth event in the inaugural season of Super Touring in North America. The results maintained the tight points race for both the Drivers' Championship, and the Michelin Cup - the manufacturers' Championship. Honda continues the lead it took in Toronto, now with 181 points to Didge's 176. Dominic Dobson drove his #7 PacWest Dodge to victory on Saturday and Randy Pobst continued his winning ways in the T.C. Kline Neuspeed Honda, by taking the chequered flag first on Sunday. Pobst leads Dobson by a scant ten points after rounds nine and ten. Saturday's race saw Dobson jump into the lead on the green flag with a terrific start from third on the grid. Polesitter Donohue had mechanical trouble at the start, and the field had to detour around him. Hardman bogged slightly from second spot on the grid, and lost the drag race to the first corner with Dobson. After a couple of close laps, Dobson began pulling away, with Hardman and Pobst dicing for position. On lap three, the yellow flag allowed the field to bunch up once more, and when the green flew, the T.C. Kline Hondas were once again on the bumper of Dobson's Dodge. Dobson pulled away at first, but then Hardman began reeling him in again. Try as he might, with passing zones so scarce at Trois Rivieres, he could do nothing but look, and finished second to Dobson's excellent drive. Dobson was happy to take the win for Dodge and his PacWest team. "We want to stay in the hunt for the Drivers' Championship and the Michelin Cup, and this will help," he commented. The race on Sunday demonstrated once again how important it is to start up front at Trois Rivieres. Pobst was on pole with teammate Hardman in second, and Dobson in the third spot behind Pobst. At the flag Pobst launched well, but Hardman baubled slightly once again, allowing Dobson to get by him on the inside, with another great start. For a lap or two Dobson tried sticking his nose in on Pobst, and considered a pass on two occasions. The opportunities happened on difficult turns on a difficult track, and Dobson determined that discretion was the wiser choice and held back for better options. They never arrived and Pobst proceeeded to check out, taking a relatively easy victory. Meanwhile, Hardman was drawing a bead on Dobson, and decided to try passing him in Turn 1. He went down the inside hot, but exited wide, and Dobson smoothly repassed. As this was happening, Peter Cunnigham driving the H.A.R.T. Honda, was pursuing closely in fourth, watching for mistakes, and occasionally threatening Hardman. The race progressed in this order until lap 7, when David Donohue, in the second Dodge, who had been shadowing Cunningham, lost an engine. The retirement capped a frustrating weekend for the talented Dodge driver who had looked for a good result. Donohue's fifth spot was picked up by newcomer David Welch in the Rock-it-Cargo Ford of Fastech Racing. Welch was running quickly in his first drive in a Super Touring car, but his drive was cut short on lap 10, when brake problems left him in the Turn 8 gravel trap. The following lap, Cunningham pitted for electrical problems, re-entering in seventh. Independent Steve Petty, fighting inconsistent handling in his BMW, was rewarded a fourth for his efforts. But, at the front, it was Pobst, Dobson and Hardman in the top three positions. All the drivers commented on the difficulty to pass on the tight track, and remarked on their mutual respect for the concrete barriers surrounding the 1.6 mile circuit. Donohue, for his part, commented that this had been a bittersweet weekend for Dodge and PacWest, "Bitter for me, and sweet for Dominic." Next weekend the Super Touring Championship moves to Mid Ohio for the Miller Genuine Draft 200 IndyCar weekend. For further information on the Super Touring Championship contact Mark Turner at Performance Communications Group, Inc. Tel (813) 880-9442 Fax (813) 885-2602 ___________________________________________ Trois-Rivieres Saturday results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time Best lap Lap ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 20 25:45.448 1:10.559 12 2. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 20 25:45.756 1:10.432 12 3. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 20 25:48.259 1:10.609 12 4. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 20 25:48.259 1:10.517 13 5. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 20 25:58.541 1:11.444 14 6. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 20 26:16.748 1:12.937 18 7. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 14 25:57.802 1:16.937 14 8. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 4 5:47.194 1:24.581 3 9. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 2 2:40.186 1:17.351 2 _________________________ Trois-Rivieres Sunday results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time Best lap Lap ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 22 26:04.202 1:10.120 11 2. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 22 26:09.923 1:10.598 13 3. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 22 26:10.239 1:10.105 14 4. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 22 26:46.275 1:11.798 4 5. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 22 27:04.746 1:12.375 13 6. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 20 26:20.636 1:10.336 15 7. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 18 21:36.565 1:10.858 10 8. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 7 8:30.952 1:11.313 5 DNS Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord __________________________________ Mid-Ohio 1st qualifying Racing series NATCC Date Qualifying results for NATCC race 1 at Mid-Ohio: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 1:28.961 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:28.987 0.026 0.026 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:29.976 0.989 1.015 4. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:30.194 0.218 1.233 5. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 1:30.542 0.348 1.581 6. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:30.740 0.198 1.779 7. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 1:30.806 0.066 1.845 8. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:32.344 1.538 3.383 9. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 1:32.446 0.102 3.485 10. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 0:00.000 11. Paul Chausley USA Ford Mondeo 0:00.000 12. Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour 0:00.000 ____________________________________ Mid-Ohio 2nd qualifying Racing series NATCC Date Qualifying results for NATCC race 2 at Mid-Ohio: Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:29.074 2. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:29.988 0.914 0.914 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:29.998 0.010 0.924 4. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:30.242 0.244 1.168 5. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 1:31.027 0.785 1.953 6. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavalier 1:31.144 0.117 2.070 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:32.268 1.124 3.194 8. Paul Chausley USA Ford Mondeo 1:32.626 0.358 3.552 9. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 0:00.000* 10. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 0:00.000 11. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 0:00.000 12. Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour 0:00.000 * Cunningham's times disallowed after a post-qualifying technical inspection __________________________________________ Mid-Ohio race 1 results Racing series NATCC Date Results for NATCC race 1 at Mid-Ohio: Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Gap ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 11 2. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 11 +1.213 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 11 +2.234 4. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 11 +2.693 5. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 11 +3.278 6. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 11 +3.776 7. Paul Chausley USA Ford Mondeo 11 +8.596 8. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 11 +9.860 DNF Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavali 7 -4 laps DNF Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 7 -4 laps DNF Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 4 -11 laps DNS Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour ________________________ Mid-Ohio race 2 results Racing series NATCC Date Results for NATCC race 2 at Mid-Ohio: Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Gap ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 17 2. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 17 +1.699 3. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 17 +8.069 4. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 17 +10.580 5. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 17 +12.492 6. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 17 +13.258 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 16 -1 lap 8. Paul Chausley USA Ford Mondeo 16 -1 lap 9. Nigel Smith GB Vauxhall Cavali 16 -1 lap DNF Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 10 -7 laps DNF Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 1 -16 laps DNS Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour ____________________________________________ Vancouver 1st race results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time Best lap Lap ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 20 26:04.273 1:12.200 13 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 20 +2.753 1:12.189 9 3. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 20 +3.932 1:12.096 13 4. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 20 +4.490 1:12.111 10 5. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 20 +5.152 1:11.577 9 6. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 20 +14.591 1:13.545 9 7. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 14 8. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 9 9. Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour DNS 10. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord DNS 11. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo DNS ____________________________ Vancouver 2nd race results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time Best lap Lap ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 5 15.26.928 1:22.511 1 2. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 5 +1.246 1:23.912 2 3. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 5 +2.161 1:23.737 2 4. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 5 +3.718 1:24.449 1 5. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1 6. Peter Hardman GB Honda Accord 1 7. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 1 DNS Darren Law USA BMW 3-series DNS DNS Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour DNS DNS Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord DNS DNS David Welch USA Ford Mondeo DNS _______________________________ Laguna Seca 1st qualifying Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:32.285 2. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 1:32.613 0.328 0.328 3. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:33.520 0.907 1.235 4. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:33.825 0.305 1.540 5. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 1:33.960 0.135 1.675 6. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 1:33.988 0.028 1.703 7. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:34.560 0.572 2.275 8. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:35.236 0.676 2.951 9. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 1:46.425 11.189 14.140 10. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 0.000 11. Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour 0.000 12. Dave Jolly USA Pontiac Sunfire 0.000 ____________________________________ Laguna Seca 2nd qualifying Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Constructor Time Gap To 1st ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 1:31.975 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 1:32.149 0.174 0.174 3. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 1:32.785 0.636 0.810 4. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 1:32.856 0.071 0.881 5. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 1:32.948 0.092 0.973 6. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 1:32.999 0.051 1.024 7. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 1:34.146 1.147 2.171 8. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 1:34.653 0.507 2.678 9. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 1:36.046 1.393 4.071 10. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 1:45.973 9.927 13.998 11. Dave Jolly USA Pontiac Sunfire 2:03.911 17.938 31.936 12. Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour 0.000 __________________________________ Laguna Seca 1st race results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 16 25:00.025 2. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 16 +1.996 3. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 16 +26.148 4. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 16 +28.506 5. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 16 +29.096 6. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 16 +30.987 7. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 16 +48.222 8. Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series 16 +49.222 9. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 16 +1:02.712 10. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 14 -2 laps 11. Dave Jolly USA Pontiac Sunfire 13 -3 laps DNS Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour DNS __________________________________ Laguna Seca 2nd race results Racing series NATCC Date Pos Driver Nat Car Laps Time ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Peter Cunningham USA Honda Accord 17 26:31.713 2. Randy Pobst USA Honda Accord 17 26:41.087 3. David Welch USA Ford Mondeo 17 27:04.040 4. David Donohue USA Dodge Stratus 17 27:04.041 5. Jeff Andretti USA Ford Mondeo 17 27:14.975 6. Darren Law USA BMW 3-series 17 27:22.113 7. Albert Mirko GB Honda Accord 15 27:42.957 8. Dave Jolly USA Pontiac Sunfire 4 on lap 4 9. Dominic Dobson USA Dodge Stratus 2 on lap 2 10. Rod Millen NZ Toyota Carina 2 on lap 2 DNS Steve Petty USA BMW 3-series DNS DNS Chris Reinke USA Ford Contour DNS _______________________________________ Provisional 1997 schedule released Racing series NATCC Date The following is the provisional 1997 schedule for the North American Touring Car series. (Info for AutoWek.) April 13 - Long Beach June 8 - Detroit June 22 - Portland July 13 - Cleveland July 20 - Toronto August 10 - Mid-Ohio August 31 - Vancouver September 7 - Lagun Seca All are 2-race events. All are in conjunction with CART Indycar races. Michael Stucker | Anadrill Schlumberger, Sugar Land, Texas stucker@sugar-land.anadrill.slb.com | Definately not Anadrill's opinion. Copyright Michael J. Stucker 1996 "Do the profits from selling all that dope count against the salary cap?" -- Cris Collinsworth on the Baltimore Raven's signing of Bam Morris. ________________________________________