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| The Preferred Line - WCGT Road America race report |
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Tommy Archer and his c3controls/Autohaus Viper ready to launch at Road America - Jim Bourn photo
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Tommy Archer wins Road America for Dodge in his c3controls/Autohaus Viper
The Preferred Line - Road racing news and commentary
SPEED World Challenge Road America 2006 - WCGT Race report (August 20, 2006) By Jim Bourn
The crew is starting now to understand what I need and that little adjustments mean big things even though it is a big car! - Tommy Archer talking about his growing relationship with his Autohaus team.
Elkhart Lake (August 20, 2006): Tommy Archer, of Duluth Minnesota, launched from the pole position and led every lap in the c3controls/Autohaus Dodge Viper to win Round 7 of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship race here at Road America.
It was a rewarding this weekend because we came here expecting to be somewhat competitive but we kind of surprised even ourselves in qualifying, said Archer of the weekend at Road America.
It feels good to be here so close to home. I have family here and I think that this is the first time in 15 or 16 years my mother has been to a race and she said I've been here 4 or 5 times and you never win one' so I got one for you!
I think that for them (Autohaus Motorsports) it is a pretty big high because they have had a developmental program in the Touring Car Series that hasn't gone well, Archer said. They picked me up 6 weeks before the season started and actually this is only my 4th race with the guys that work on my car!
Archer's win not only put Dodge on the top step of the podium for the second time this year but Autohaus got their first taste of World Challenge victory champagne this weekend as well.
Archer and his Viper led all the way but Lawson Aschenbach and his stout AXA Financial Porsche 997 were right there filling his mirrors on every lap at every turn never more than a second behind.
Not only did Archer have to survive constant pressure from Aschenbach who was under the same heat from Leighton Reese in the Banner Engineering Chevy Corvette C6, but this trio, who to some extent drove away from the rest of the field had to deal with the elements as well.
The track had been liberally oiled down before the race by one of the ALMS Audi prototypes which deposited the contents of the oiling system onto the track during a hardship lap just prior to the start of the race.
Archer's Viper looked pretty clean at the end but the Aschenbach Porsche and the Reese Corvette were coated with dust, debris and oil as they were in close formation behind Archer.
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