Bowmanville, Canada -- Michael Galati, driving the number nine Champion Audi/Audi S4 Competition, raced to a third place finish at today's SCCA Pro Racing Speedvision GT series race in Mosport. Teammate Derek Bell, driving the number eight Legends of Motorsport/Audi S4 Competition, was taken out in a turn two crash on lap three to retire his S4.
Following an excellent start, sportscar legend, Derek Bell moved up from his sixth place qualifying position to run third, including passing fellow Audi pilot Galati. On lap three going into turn two he was called upon by the
Speedvision commentators to review the start for the television broadcast causing him to briefly lose concentration. This moments loss of concentration caused him to miss a shift, he was then hit by a Corvette sending him hard into the turn two wall.
Galati was busy recovering from a poor start, which sent him back to eighth from his third place qualifying position. The Audi driver had to fight hard for every position that he lost. On a later restart the Ohio based driver hit the rear of the McMillin BMW. The contact caused considerable damage to the front of his S4. With the splitter now bent up, this was affecting the cooling of the engine and the aerodynamics resulting in lost miles-per-hour down the long straight. Galati had to settle for a third place finish and was awarded the Rogaine "Hair Raising" Pass of the Race, when he passed Johannes van Overbeek and Phil McClure in turn five.
Quotes from Mosport:
Michael Galati, #9, Champion Audi/Audi S4 Competition: "I had a pretty good start when the engine missed for a brief moment and six cars passed me. I was able to move up a couple of positions before Derek's crash. We were
having trouble with the restarts because we are carrying a lot more weight than the other competitors. On the last restart the guys in front of me all of sudden braked and I could not help but hit the BMW. The car was damaged
and we were fortunate to finish on the podium."
Derek Bell, #8, Legends of Motorsport/Audi S4 Competition: "I had an excellent start, I went past Michael and was running third. I then got a call from my Speedvision colleagues to give some thoughts on the start when I
missed a shift, recovered and was then pushed into the wall. It is too bad the car is really damaged, we will have to get the spare car out of show service and get it ready for Lime Rock next week."
Rod Bymaster, manager, Audi Sport North America: "Derek's accident was unfortunate, it was looking like he was going to have a really good weekend. Michael's car has a considerable weight disadvantage to the other cars at the
front of the pack, which is really apparent on the restarts. We will get the spare car ready for Derek for Lime Rock next week."
Speedvision GT Finish:
1.Peter Cunningham NSX
2. Mike Fitzgerald Porsche.
3. Michael Galati Audi S4
4. Johannes van Overbeek Porsche
5. Jimmy Adams Porsche
6. Justin Jackson Porsche
7. Bobby Archer Corvette
8. Phil McClure Corvette
9. Bob Miller Porsche
10.Bobby Sak Corvette
------
21. Derek Bell Audi S4
Speedvision GT Point Standings:
1. Cunningham, 96
2. Galati, 88 - Audi
3. Fitzgerald, 76
4. McMillin, 56
5. Miller, 55
6. Jackson, 53
7. van Overbeek, 51
8. McClure, 45
9. Marks, 44
10. Adams, 40
The Speedvision race from Mosport will be televised on June 8 at 9:00 p.m. EST on Speedvision. The next race for the Audi S4 team will be a Lime Rock Park on Monday, May 28. Audi Sport North America is the motorsports arm of Audi of America, Inc.
