2012 Mid-Ohio - World Challenge

In 2012, the Pirelli World Challenge Championship kicked off its twenty-third consecutive season at St. Petersburg, Florida, as a support event for the IndyCar series. The season ended in late-August at Sonoma Raceway. In between these two weekends, there were races held at Long Beach, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Miller Motorsports Park, Detroit, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The series biggest news was the introduction of a fourth category called ‘Touring Car B-Spec.’ This was not a renaming or realignment of an existing class but a new group with new cars. The four 2012 Pirelli World Challenge series divisions are:

Grand Touring (GT) – This group includes the series quickest cars: Porsche 911 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Cadillac CTS-V.R, Nissan GT-R and Volvo S60. The preparation rules remain unchanged from the previous year. These vehicles produce more than 450-horsepower.
Grand Touring Sport (GTS) – The cars in this division are not permitted the same level of preparation as the GT category. The class is a mix of vehicles that could be best described as sports cars or sports sedans. Vehicles eligible to compete in GTS include the SCCA Club Racing Touring 2 cars and some FIA GT4 models. Makes competing in this group include the Ford Mustang, Porsche Cayman, Nissan 370Z, Chevrolet Camaro, Kia Optima and Acura TSX.
Touring Car (TC) – The preparation of the Touring Cars is closely aligned with the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner category and the Sports Car Club of America’s Improved Touring classes. The wide range of vehicles homologated for this class means that power output ranges from 180 to 260-horsepower. There is also a significant variation in drivetrain configurations – front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive. Makes competing in the category include the Volvo C30, Mazda RX-8, Honda Civic Si, Mazda Speed 3, Volkswagen Jetta and Golf.
Touring Car B (TCB) – World Challenge’s newest class was implemented to allow competitors to compete at the professional level in cost-efficient cars. To keep expenses down, modifications are limited to performance spring and shock packages offered by the manufacturers. Makes competing in TCB are the Kia Rio, Honda Fit, Mazda 2, Fiat 500 and Mini Cooper.

GT and GTS classes are combined to race in 50-minute timed events. The TCB cars run two 25-minute races with a 15-minute break in between to allow crews to make minor adjustments. The following day there is a longer 40-minute race.

The tenth and eleventh rounds of the 2012 World Challenge Championship was held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This weekend did not include a race for Touring Car B class. As a result, GT, GTS and TC competed together. A total of fifty-six cars (14-GT entries, 26-GTS entries and 16-TC entries) would race for 50-minutes around the 2.258-mile thirteen-turn road course in the Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Mid-Ohio Grand Prix presented by StopTech.

The start of round eleven was delayed forty-five-minutes due to visibility problems and significant rains earlier in the morning.

The Grand Touring Sport podium for the penultimate round at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In the center is the winner, Kevin Gleason. This was only the third Pirelli World Challenge start for the driver of the Napleton Porsche Cayman S. On the right side of the rostrum is the runner-up, Al Carter. Completing the podium is the RealTime Racing team principal and class point’s leader, Peter Cunningham.

In round ten, Randy Pobst led flag-to-flag scoring his second win of the season. This victory was far from easy as he came under pressure from the three Cadillac entries after his teammate, Alex Figge retired. Under different conditions on Sunday (a wet race track), Pobst again started from the pole and led every lap in the No. 6 K-PAX Racing Volvo S60 on the way to his second victory of the weekend.

In the weekend’s first race, Michael Cooper racing the Mazdaspeed Motorsports Mazda 3 qualified on the Touring Car pole. Cooper led the contest until lap-12 when he was passed by Christian Herbert. Herbert’s Volkswagen failed post-race tech and Cooper was given the win. The following day, he was gridded first, but the Mazda developed a mechanical problem after only ten-laps and Cooper was forced to retire.

Tristan Herbert drove the HPA / RennGruppe / Brimtek / SG Racing sponsored Volkswagen GLI. Herbert was the second quickest during the Touring Car qualifying session. In round ten, he chased the point’s leader and pole-sitter, Michael Cooper before moving into first place on lap-12. Herbert’s victory was short-lived as the car’s boost exceeded specifications and was disqualified. He did not start Sunday’s race.

In only his third World Challenge start, Kevin Gleason driving the Napleton Porsche Cayman S scored his first Grand Touring Sport win. On Sunday, Gleason was gridded third in class but passed the race leader, Peter Cunningham at ‘The Keyhole’ on lap-11 for the victory. For his performance, he was awarded the ‘Cadillac CTS-V Move of the Race.’ The previous day, Gleason started and finished third.

Grand-Am series competitor, Jordan Taylor made his first Pirelli World Challenge start at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Taylor drove one of the three Cadillac CTS-V.R entered by Cadillac Racing. On Saturday, he started fourth but quickly moved to third and inherited a runner-up finish when Alex Figge retired. Round eleven was contested in wet conditions and Taylor was gridded third and finished fifth.

The defending TC champion, Lawson Aschenbach returned to the GT ranks in a Porsche 911 GT3. Aschenbach started the weekend’s first race in seventh and inherited a sixth-place finish when Alex Figge retired. On Sunday, he spun on the pace lap. Aschenbach passed several cars to regain his starting position but was fined $1,000 and 20-points for his actions, however, he captured the final spot on the podium.

Peter Cunningham started from the Grand Touring Sport pole on Saturday and led flag-to-flag to take the points lead and scored his forty-third World Challenge victory. The following day was more challenging for the driver of the No. 42 RealTime Racing Acura TSX. Cunningham started first in class but was passed by the Porsche of Kevin Gleason and then Al Carter in a BMW. He grabbed the last spot on the podium.

Touring Car competitor, Todd Lamb entered the Mid-Ohio rounds second in standings – trailing the point’s leader, Michael Cooper. Lamb was gridded fifth in class for Saturday’s contest but inherited a third-place finish when two Volkswagen competitors were disqualified. In race two, Lamb made a great start and jumped into a lead which he would not relinquish. The victory closed the points gap on Cooper.

Travis Wolcott finished fourth in the Touring Car category on Saturday but inherited the runner-up spot when the Volkswagens of Tristan Herbert and Ian Baas were disqualified. The following day, Wolcott driving the Emich Volkswagen / StopTech Brakes / 3Zero3 Motorsports sponsored Volkswagen GLI started second but dropped down the race order in the damp conditions and finished ten in class.

The most popular make in the GTS category was the Ford Mustang. The entrants of these cars were lobbying SCCA Officials for adjustments to the 5.0-liter engine – not only was the Mustang uncompetitive but the motors were overheating. In a show of solidarity, seven Mustang drivers started round-eleven but pitted on the first lap and retired. The best result for a Mustang this weekend was Aaron Povoledo’s tenth.

In the weekend’s first event, two of the quickest Touring Cars failed post-race technical inspections. The No. 49 Volkswagen GTI, driven Ian Baas, finished third on the track but was disqualified when the car exceeded boost limits set by the series rules. On Sunday, Baas started last overall (fifty-sixth) and in class. He excelled in the damp conditions and captured the last spot on the podium – forty-third overall.

Former open-wheel racer, Alex Figge joined K-PAX Racing for the 2011 Pirelli World Challenge season and scored his first victory at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Winless in 2012, Figge’s best finish was a second at Laguna Seca. On Saturday, it appeared that he would match this result but Figge retired on lap-23. The following day, he captured the runner-up position finishing 0.736-seconds behind Randy Pobst.

Grand Touring point’s leader, Johnny O’Connell was gridded fifth for the start of the weekend’s first race. O’Connell chased his teammate, Jordan Taylor and grabbed the final spot on the class podium. On Sunday, he started fourth in the wet conditions but slipped down the race order for a seventh-place finish. However, O’Connell’s Mid-Ohio results earned him the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge Grand Touring title.

Nick Esayian, racing the No. 34 Acura/HPD ReatTime Racing Acura TSX qualified second in Grand Touring Sport for round ten - behind his teammate, Peter Cunningham. Esayian maintained his position during contest and captured the runner-up position. In tougher conditions on Sunday, he lost a number of positions after battling with Gleason, Carter, Baldwin, Galatti, Wilkins, Lee and Boden - Esayian finished ninth.

At the Mid-Ohio rounds, Grand-Am Cup competitor, Al Carter made a rare appearance. Driving a Fall-Line Motorsports prepared BMW M3, Carter qualified and finished fourth in the twenty-six car Grand Touring Sport field in Saturday’s contest. He was gridded fourth for the start of round nine but passed RealTime Racing teammates, Peter Cunningham and Nick Esayian to capture the runner-up spot.

The Compass360 Racing team brought two very quick Honda Civic Si to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The No. 72 entry was raced by Ryan Winchester with sponsorship from Ligon Industries and HPD. In round ten, Winchester benefited from the disqualification of the two Volkswagens and was fifth at the checkered flag. On Sunday, he and his teammate, Todd Lamb led the Touring Car field in a one-two finish.

The 2012 season’s penultimate Pirelli World Challenge Grand Touring podium. In the center is K-PAX Racing’s, Randy Pobst who earned his second victory of the weekend and third of the year. To Pobst’s right is his teammate, Alex Figge who captured the runner-up spot and matched his best result to date. Completing the podium is the driver of the No. 1 TruSpeed Porsche 911 GT3, Lawson Aschenbach.

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	GT	Randy Pobst	Volvo S60	30	-
2	GT	Jordan Taylor	Cadillac CTS-V.R	30	-
3	GT	Johnny O'Connell	Cadillac CTS-V.R	30	-
4	GT	Andy Pilgrim	Cadillac CTS-V.R	30	-
5	GT	James Sofronas	Audi R8	30	-
6	GT	Lawson Aschenbach	Porsche 911 GT3	30	-
7	GT	Steve Ott	Porsche 911 GT3	30	Mechanical
8	GT	Tony Gaples	Chevrolet Corvette	30	-
9	GT	Fred Roberts	Dodge Viper	30	Mechanical
10	GT	Brett Sandberg	Porsche 911 GT3	30	-
11	GT	Mike Skeen	Nissan GTR	28	Mechanical
12	GT	Alex Figge	Volvo S60	23	Mechanical
13	GT	Patrick Lindsey	Chevrolet Corvette	21	Accident
14	GT	Jeff Courtney	Porsche GT3 Cup	3	Mechanical
15	GTS	Peter Cunningham	Acura TSX	29	-
16	GTS	Nick Esayian	Acura TSX	29	-
17	GTS	Kevin Gleason	Porsche Cayman S	29	-
18	GTS	Al Carter	BMW E92	29	-
19	GTS	Michael Galati	Kia Optima	29	-
20	GTS	Jack Baldwin	Porsche Cayman S	29	-
21	GTS	Mark Wilkins	Kia Optima	29	-
22	GTS	Charlie Putman	BMW E92	29	-
23	GTS	Mark Boden	BMW E92	29	-
24	GTS	Aaron Povoledo	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	29	-
25	GTS	Andy Lee	Chevrolet Camaro	29	-
26	GTS	Jason von Kluge	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	29	-
27	GTS	Alec Udell	Ford Mustang Boss 302R	29	-
28	GTS	Karl Poeltl	Porsche 996	29	-
29	GTS	Brad Adams	Ford Mustang FR500 C	29	-
30	GTS	Todd Napieralski	Chevrolet Camaro	29	-
31	GTS	Roger Miller	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	29	-
32	GTS	Mark Klenin	BMW E92	29	-
33	GTS	Brian Kleeman	Nissan 370Z	28	-
34	GTS	Don Istook	Audi TT RS	28	-
35	GTS	Dane Moxlow	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	28	-
36	GTS	Richard Golinello	Ford Mustang FR500S	26	Mechanical
37	GTS	Ric Bushey	Nissan 370Z	26	-
38	GTS	Harry Curtin	Chevrolet Camaro	11	Mechanical
39	GTS	Bill Ziegler	Pontiac Solstice	4	Mechanical
40	GTS	Justin Bell	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	3	Mechanical
41	TC	Michael Cooper	Mazda 3	28	-
42	TC	Travis Wolcott	Volkswagen GLI	28	-
43	TC	Todd Lamb	Honda Civic Si	28	-
44	TC	Alex Popow	Volkswagen GTI	28	-
45	TC	Ryan Winchester	Honda Civic Si	28	-
46	TC	Shea Holbrook	Honda Civic Si	28	-
47	TC	Fred Emich	Volkswagen GLI	28	-
48	TC	Ray Mason	Honda Civic Si	28	-
49	TC	Tom Martin	Volkswagen GTI	28	-
50	TC	Peter Schwartzott	Honda Civic Si	28	-
51	TC	Bob Roth	Honda Civic	27	-
52	TC	David Tuaty	Honda Civic Si	25	Hub
53	TC	Carl Rydquist	Mazda RX-8	8	Mechanical
54	TC	Patrick Seguin	Volkswagen GTI	6	Mechanical
55	TC	Tristan Herbert	Volkswagen GLI	28	Disqualified
56	TC	Ian Baas	Volkswagen GTI	28	Disqualified

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	GT	Randy Pobst	Volvo S60	22	-
2	GT	Alex Figge	Volvo S60	22	-
3	GT	Lawson Aschenbach	Porsche 911 GT3	22	-
4	GT	Jordan Taylor	Cadillac CTS-V.R	22	-
5	GT	Andy Pilgrim	Cadillac CTS-V.R	22	-
6	GT	James Sofronas	Audi R8	22	-
7	GT	Johnny O'Connell	Cadillac CTS-V.R	22	-
8	GT	Mike Skeen	Nissan GTR	22	-
9	GT	Tony Gaples	Chevrolet Corvette	22	-
10	GT	Jeff Courtney	Porsche GT3 Cup	21	-
11	GT	Brett Sandberg	Porsche 911 GT3	21	-
12	GT	Fred Roberts	Dodge Viper	13	Mechanical
13	GT	Steve Ott	Porsche 911 GT3	12	Mechanical
14	GT	Patrick Lindsey	Chevrolet Corvette	1	Mechanical
15	GTS	Kevin Gleason	Porsche Cayman S	22	-
16	GTS	Al Carter	BMW E92	22	-
17	GTS	Peter Cunningham	Acura TSX	22	-
18	GTS	Mark Boden	BMW E92	22	-
19	GTS	Michael Galati	Kia Optima	22	-
20	GTS	Mark Wilkins	Kia Optima	22	-
21	GTS	Andy Lee	Chevrolet Camaro	22	-
22	GTS	Jack Baldwin	Porsche Cayman S	22	-
23	GTS	Nick Esayian	Acura TSX	21	-
24	GTS	Charlie Putman	BMW E92	21	-
25	GTS	Brian Kleeman	Nissan 370Z	21	-
26	GTS	Ric Bushey	Nissan 370Z	21	-
27	GTS	Harry Curtin	Chevrolet Camaro	21	-
28	GTS	Karl Poeltl	Porsche 996	21	-
29	GTS	Todd Napieralski	Chevrolet Camaro	21	-
30	GTS	Brad Adams	Ford Mustang FR500 C	18	Mechanical
31	GTS	Don Istook	Audi TT RS	11	Mechanical
32	GTS	Bill Ziegler	Pontiac Solstice	10	Mechanical
33	GTS	Aaron Povoledo	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	0	Retired
34	GTS	Richard Golinello	Ford Mustang FR500S	0	Retired
35	GTS	Alec Udell	Ford Mustang Boss 302R	0	Retired
36	GTS	Jason von Kluge	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	0	Retired
37	GTS	Dane Moxlow	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	0	Retired
38	GTS	Roger Miller	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	0	Retired
39	GTS	Justin Bell	Ford Mustang Boss 302S	0	Retired
40	GTS	Mark Klenin	BMW E92	0	Did Not Start
41	TC	Todd Lamb	Honda Civic Si	22	-
42	TC	Ryan Winchester	Honda Civic Si	22	-
43	TC	Ian Baas	Volkswagen GTI	21	-
44	TC	Peter Schwartzott	Honda Civic Si	21	-
45	TC	Ray Mason	Honda Civic Si	21	-
46	TC	Rob Holland	Volkswagen GTI	21	-
47	TC	Brandon Peterson	Honda Civic	21	-
48	TC	Travis Wolcott	Volkswagen GLI	21	-
49	TC	David Tuaty	Honda Civic Si	21	-
50	TC	Fred Emich	Volkswagen GLI	21	-
51	TC	Shea Holbrook	Honda Civic Si	21	-
52	TC	Patrick Seguin	Volkswagen GTI	20	-
53	TC	Tom Martin	Volkswagen GTI	11	Mechanical
54	TC	Michael Cooper	Mazda 3	10	Mechanical
55	TC	Carl Rydquist	Mazda RX-8	0	Did Not Start
56	TC	Tristan Herbert	Volkswagen GLI	0	Did Not Start

Copyright Notice:

All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated.