MAX PAPIS held off a pack of testosterone-filled drivers aggressively going for it in the last race of the 2005 season of SCCA Pro Racing
SPEED TV World Challenge GT Class. Papis got the victory, while Cadillac team-mate ANDY PILGRIM got the championship, after finishing fourth overall.
Papis said: "I was so relieved when I looked back in the mirror and saw Max Angelelli's black car behind me. Today was very special for me. I won here in 2001 in CART, and I've won again here at the pivotal moment for General Motors and Cadillac."
The third factory Cadillac driver, the other MAX - was race runner-up, holding off the charging TOMMY ARCHER's Viper, which finished third. The margin of victory between the two Maxs was 3.300secs, and the average race speed was 56.348mph.
Polesitter WOLF HENZLER led the first five laps before being passed by LOU GIGLIOTTI. Gigliotti led the next seven laps before being passed by Papis. For the move on both Henzler and Gigliotti, Papis won the B&M Oil Cooler Coolest Move of the Race, voted on by the TV crew. Papis also turned the fastest race lap of 1min 32.620secs.
Henzler's team-mate, LAWSON ASCHENBACH, was the top rookie, finishing tenth overall. Henzler ended up 22nd, off course with a flat tyre after being hit by Angelelli.
TONY GAPLES gained the most positions during the race, advancing from 21st to ninth, earning him the Sunoco Hard Charger Award.
Cadillac won the GT manufacturers' championship with 63 points. All three team drivers insisted it was that championship they were all chasing Sunday. The other manufacturers standings showed Porsche second, on 59 points, Chevrolet third (40) and Dodge fourth (38).
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Archer, the 2004 GT champion, had been fined five driver points twice this summer, both times for aggressive driving - against Papis and several others at Cleveland; and against Papis at Infineon Raceway. Had he kept those points with today's finishing results, Archer would have won the championship....
