ALEX MacDOWELL of Great Britain was the fastest driver Friday afternoon in the World Touring Car Championship at Sonoma, driving No.11 bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruz. MacDowell’s time was 1:48.281/83.29 mph/134.05 kph. He was able to turn ten laps in before a Red Flag shortened the half-hour session to 24 minutes.
Second fastest was 17-year old, PEPE ORIOLA of Spain, driving No.74 Tuenti Racing Team SEAT Leon WTCC. His time was 1:48.609/83.04 mph/133.64 kph. This is his second year in the series, and last year he was the youngest-ever driver to race WTCC, at age 16+. Oriola also seems to be one of the largest drivers in the series – just a growing boy.
Third through fifth fastest were Oriola’s FERNANDO MONJE of Spain/No.88 SEAT; points leader YVAN MULLER of France in the No.1 Chevrolet Cruze; and GABRIELE TARQUINI of Italy/No.3 Lukoil Racing Team SEAT Leon.
MacDowell’s teammate for the weekend is ROBB HOLLAND of Denver CO. The deal was put together this morning, and the team didn’t have many details. This was Holland’s first time in this or any WTCC car. His background is in touring cars, including the SCCA Pro Racing Pirelli World Challenge Series the past two years. The 45-year old African American driver has also run British Touring Cars, and is a Volvo factory touring car development driver this season. Prior to racing cars, Holland was a cyclist racer.
FELICE TEDESCHI of Italy rolled his No.48 Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC in Turn Four on his eighth lap. He landed in the gravel and was unhurt, although he’s already sore. The car is not so good. Tedeschi will not get to race this weekend. Instead, the team is working on the car repaired before the 6am Monday deadline for shipping back to Italy.
