Cunningham started the 27-lap contest from the pole in the No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX SC, but it was Galati who got the jump at the start. Knowing he needed to score as many points as he could, and take any away from Galati that he could, Cunningham made a bold move for the lead, taking the advantage in Turn 10A.
"I needed to make sure Michael [Galati] didn't get a point for leading a lap," said Cunningham, who recorded his record-continuing 24th World Challenge win. "I had the draft, and just went in as deep on the brakes as I could. We got the job done today, but it wasn't good enough to win the championship. We had a great year, with seven poles and five wins, and it's a real tribute to RealTime Racing."
Galati kept his No. 9 Champion Audi Audi S4 Competition right behind Cunningham for the remainder of the race, and clinched his first Speedvision World Challenge GT drivers' championship, to go with his three Speedvision World Challenge Touring Car titles. Galati is the first driver to ever win four World Challenge championships.
"Oh, man. This is just fantastic," said an emotional Galati. "This Champion team did a fantastic job of working late on these cars. We really wanted to show that these Audis are a great performance car, as well as a great luxury four-door sedan. I just want to thank everybody. There are so many people who made this all possible."
Galati's finish also put Audi on top in the manufacturers' championship, by one point, 61-60, over Acura. Porsche, who led the standings coming into the final round, was third with 57.
Bell, who recorded his first Speedvision World Challenge podium finish in three years as an in-car series commentator for Speedvision on Friday, equaled the feat today in the No. 8 Legend of Motorsport/Champion Audi S4 Competition.
"I like being up here," Bell smiled. "I forgot what it's like."
Defending series champion Jeff McMillin ended an oftentimes difficult season on a high note with a fourth-place finish. Justin Jackson was fifth. Johannes van Overbeek, Phil McClure, Jimmy Adams, Mike Fitzgerald and David Farmer filling out the top 10.
In the end, Galati finished 12 points ahead of Cunningham (283-271), with van Overbeek (222), Fitzgerald (215) and McMillin (203) completing the top five.
Race Results:
1) Peter Cunningham, No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX, 27 laps
2) Michael Galati, No. 9 Champion Racing Audi S4 Competition, -.849sec
3) Derek Bell, No. 8 Champion Racing Audi S4 Competition, -4.092
4) Jeff McMillin, No. 1 McMillin Motorsports BMW M3, -9.628
5) Justin Jackson, No. 79 J-3 Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -10.408
6) Johannes van Overbeek, No. 81 G&W Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -25.103
7) Phil McClure, No. 73 McClure Autosports Chevrolet Corvette C5, -26.313
8) Jimmy Adams, No. 77 Southern Comfort Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -32.708
9) Mike Fitzgerald, No. 38 Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -44.143
10) David Farmer, No. 35 Chevrolet Corvette C5, -44.897
11) Justin Marks, No. 80 G&W Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -47.215
12) Daniel Eastman, No. 18 Max Racing Porsche 911 RSR, -58.168
13) Bob Miller, No. 23 At Speed Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -1:10.442
14) Paul Brown, No. 04 Grand Sport Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5, -1:32.948
15) Walter Swick, No. 29 Tecmark Corp BMW M3, -1:34.726
16) Hank Cohn, No. 64 Autometrics Porsche 911 Cup, -1:35.395
17) Trip Goolsby, No. 06 Novanet Data Technologies Porsche 911 Cup, -6 laps
18) Bill Cooper, No. 75 Les Stanford Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, -8 laps
19) Peter Tonelli,, No. 74 Prime Speed Toyota Supra Turbo, -11 laps
20) Alain Chebeir, No. 26 Last Minute Racing BMW M3, -14 laps
21) Mark Dixon, No. 5 LM Racing Pontiac Firebird, -15 laps (DNF)
22) Carol Hollfelder, No. 10 Tiger Racing Ferrari 355C, -19 laps (DNF)
23) Boris Said, No. 41 Bob McGraw Racing Ford Mustang, -22 laps (DNF)
24) Bobby Sak, No. 01 Grand Sport Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5, -24 laps (DNF)
25) James Sofronas, No. 21 TC Kline Racing BMW M3, -26 laps (DNF)
26) Eric Curran, No. 15 KAC Technologies Corvette C5, -27 laps (DNF)
"I needed to make sure Michael [Galati] didn't get a point for leading a lap," said Cunningham, who recorded his record-continuing 24th World Challenge win. "I had the draft, and just went in as deep on the brakes as I could. We got the job done today, but it wasn't good enough to win the championship. We had a great year, with seven poles and five wins, and it's a real tribute to RealTime Racing."
Galati kept his No. 9 Champion Audi Audi S4 Competition right behind Cunningham for the remainder of the race, and clinched his first Speedvision World Challenge GT drivers' championship, to go with his three Speedvision World Challenge Touring Car titles. Galati is the first driver to ever win four World Challenge championships.
"Oh, man. This is just fantastic," said an emotional Galati. "This Champion team did a fantastic job of working late on these cars. We really wanted to show that these Audis are a great performance car, as well as a great luxury four-door sedan. I just want to thank everybody. There are so many people who made this all possible."
Galati's finish also put Audi on top in the manufacturers' championship, by one point, 61-60, over Acura. Porsche, who led the standings coming into the final round, was third with 57.
Bell, who recorded his first Speedvision World Challenge podium finish in three years as an in-car series commentator for Speedvision on Friday, equaled the feat today in the No. 8 Legend of Motorsport/Champion Audi S4 Competition.
"I like being up here," Bell smiled. "I forgot what it's like."
Defending series champion Jeff McMillin ended an oftentimes difficult season on a high note with a fourth-place finish. Justin Jackson was fifth. Johannes van Overbeek, Phil McClure, Jimmy Adams, Mike Fitzgerald and David Farmer filling out the top 10.
In the end, Galati finished 12 points ahead of Cunningham (283-271), with van Overbeek (222), Fitzgerald (215) and McMillin (203) completing the top five.
Race Results:
1) Peter Cunningham, No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura NSX, 27 laps
2) Michael Galati, No. 9 Champion Racing Audi S4 Competition, -.849sec
3) Derek Bell, No. 8 Champion Racing Audi S4 Competition, -4.092
4) Jeff McMillin, No. 1 McMillin Motorsports BMW M3, -9.628
5) Justin Jackson, No. 79 J-3 Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -10.408
6) Johannes van Overbeek, No. 81 G&W Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -25.103
7) Phil McClure, No. 73 McClure Autosports Chevrolet Corvette C5, -26.313
8) Jimmy Adams, No. 77 Southern Comfort Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -32.708
9) Mike Fitzgerald, No. 38 Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -44.143
10) David Farmer, No. 35 Chevrolet Corvette C5, -44.897
11) Justin Marks, No. 80 G&W Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -47.215
12) Daniel Eastman, No. 18 Max Racing Porsche 911 RSR, -58.168
13) Bob Miller, No. 23 At Speed Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, -1:10.442
14) Paul Brown, No. 04 Grand Sport Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5, -1:32.948
15) Walter Swick, No. 29 Tecmark Corp BMW M3, -1:34.726
16) Hank Cohn, No. 64 Autometrics Porsche 911 Cup, -1:35.395
17) Trip Goolsby, No. 06 Novanet Data Technologies Porsche 911 Cup, -6 laps
18) Bill Cooper, No. 75 Les Stanford Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, -8 laps
19) Peter Tonelli,, No. 74 Prime Speed Toyota Supra Turbo, -11 laps
20) Alain Chebeir, No. 26 Last Minute Racing BMW M3, -14 laps
21) Mark Dixon, No. 5 LM Racing Pontiac Firebird, -15 laps (DNF)
22) Carol Hollfelder, No. 10 Tiger Racing Ferrari 355C, -19 laps (DNF)
23) Boris Said, No. 41 Bob McGraw Racing Ford Mustang, -22 laps (DNF)
24) Bobby Sak, No. 01 Grand Sport Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5, -24 laps (DNF)
25) James Sofronas, No. 21 TC Kline Racing BMW M3, -26 laps (DNF)
26) Eric Curran, No. 15 KAC Technologies Corvette C5, -27 laps (DNF)
