gmgracing

GMG Racing James Sofronas Fastest in GT Practice at Toronto

Toronto, ON - GT points leader James Sofronas, of Villa Park, CA, in the No. 14 Global Motorsports Group Audi R8 LMS and Nic Jonsson, of Sweden, in the No. 36 Kinetic/Kia Racing Kia Optima set the fastest laps in Friday's 30-minute practice session at the Acura Sports Car Challenge, as part of the Honda Indy 200 on the Streets of Toronto.

Sofronas set a time of 1:12.157 on the 11-turn, 1.765 mile temporary street course. Johnny O'Connell, of Flowery Branch, GA, second in GT drivers' points coming into Toronto, set the next fastest lap of the session driving the No. 3 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V.R (1:12.348). O'Connell's teammate, Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, FL driving the No. 8 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V.R set the third fastest lap (1:12.419).

"With such a short session, we had to push hard to get a setup, and to get a read to look at the data," said Sofronas. "I’ve been here before, I think most of the field has been here. Good lap but I guarantee qualifying will be a second faster at least. The track hasn’t rubbered in so it will get grippier and grippier."

"(My Audi R8) has a good balanced (setup), and we have really good brakes, we don’t have the acceleration. If we stop good and start in the front, we have a good chance from the start, but if we’re stuck behind the Cadillacs and Volvos, we’ll be in trouble.

"It's absolutely vital (here) to start up front. It’s the championship run. We lost a lot of points the last few races. I'll have to go flat out with a 100 percent effort from this point forward."

In GTS, Jonsson set the fast lap with a 1:17.300. Lawson Aschenbach, of Jupiter, FL, behind the wheel of the No. 10 Blackdog Racing Chevrolet Camaro set the next fastest lap with a 1:17.608. Canadian Mark Wilkins, driving the No. 38 Kinetic/Kia Racing Kia Optima posted the third fastest GTS time of the session with a 1:17.857.

"Last time I was here was in 1998 in an open-wheel car," said Jonsson. "The track is very similar but (the Kia is a) slightly different animal to drive! Awesome job by Kinetic guys after Lime Rock Park. It's a good way to start the weekend out of the box. Conditions seem good, but a little bumpy.

On driving a Kia Optima vs. an open wheel car at Toronto, Jonsson added, "it's oranges to apples, really." The Kia is a "front-wheel drive, normal production car turned into a racecar compared to a purpose built racecar. The Kia Optima turbo works well here. I have to be more patient and wait for the car to rotate."

On the GTS championship being so close, "I play a couple different roles, driver and (Kinetic Racing) team owner. I have to think of the big picture. Of course if it comes to me and Mark running out front, with me ahead, we may be shuffling around."

GT and GTS drivers next take to the track Sunday morning at 8am for a 45-minute qualifying session that will set the grid for Round 10 of the championship with the lights going out at 12:50pm

http://world-challenge.com/news/story.php?story=3161