SRT® Motorsports Post-Qualifying Report 

July 18, 2014 , Toronto, Onterio, Canada -  SRT® (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports and Canadian driver Kuno Wittmer put the Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R on the front row by running second quickest in Friday’s qualifying session for the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge race one on Saturday, July 19.

Wittmer, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, turned a fast lap of 1:09.607 (90.766 mph) on his fifth circuit, setting a new track record on the streets of Toronto at Exhibition. However, Brit Nick Tandy bested Wittmer’s time one lap later with a 1:09.462 (90.956 mph) in the 15-minute session.

Wittmer, who is returning to the World Challenge for the first time since 2010, is coming off a recent pole position at nearby Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the IMSA TUDOR event, Wittmer finished second in the race held last Sunday.

The all-new No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R prepared by Riley Technologies is making its debut this weekend in the Pirelli World Challenge’s GT class and is one of 23 entries in the class. The overall field for Saturday and Sunday’s race is a mighty 42 entries.

The Toronto street circuit race is the fourth street course and rounds eight and nine of the 16-race 2014 World Challenge schedule and all competitors are eager to take the win. With eleven tight turns and only 45 minutes of racing, the No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT team will need to hold and better their front row position to add additional history to Kuno’s Toronto racing history.

SRT Motorsports Team & Driver Quotes
Kuno Wittmer, driver, No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R
How important is qualifying in a Pirelli World Challenge race?
“I think at this level of competition and in this series - the World Challenge - qualifying is everything and qualifying is extremely important. We can’t forget that these are short, 50-minute races, so qualifying has to be key and you have to qualify up front and that’s exactly what we did. Coming here with the Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R was a good idea and we showcased to everyone that this is great package and I think we have an even better race package for tomorrow. The competitor that is starting ahead of us, I’m very familiar with his driving, so I don’t think it will be an issue to size him up. It will be quite the exciting event tomorrow.”

How does it feel to be back in the series?
“Everybody has been welcoming with open arms and it’s been very nice. The fact that I could qualify on the front row as sort of a comeback in the series feels really good. Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but it actually makes a bit of a statement that I was here four years ago and now I’m back. It does feel pretty good.”

Matt Bejnarowicz, lead engineer, No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R
What allowed you to have success today?
“I think Kuno and the SRT Motorsports team made it work. I couldn’t be prouder of the team and Kuno for coming back here with a brand new car and doing this well. We haven’t been in this series in a long time and I think it shows how capable the SRT organization is.”

Gary Johnson, SRT Motorsports racing manager
How was today’s qualifying effort?
“SRT is really happy for Kuno and the team. They’ve worked really hard putting this car together and testing with it and it really speaks to how good the car is. All the development we’ve done with Ben Keating’s car (in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GTD class) has really helped us tune this car in quickly and we’re using all that information to get Kuno to the top right away.”

Other Dodge Vipers in World Challenge at Exhibition Place

• Jean-Francois Dumoulin of Quebec qualified the No. 27 Dodge Viper Coupe in the 22nd position in GT class.
• Dan Knox of Pilot Point, Texas qualified the No. 80 SRT Viper GT3-R position 23 in GTA* class for race one.
• Fred Roberts of Toronto qualified the No. 89 SRT Viper position 21 in GTA* class.
  (*category provides a designation to recognize gentlemen drivers that compete in the GT class)

Event Details
Circuit: Exibition Place, 11-turn, 1.755-mile temporary street circuit
Green Flag: Saturday, July 19, 10:55 a.m. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 1) Saturday, July 20, 11:45 a.m. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 2)
Race Lengths: 50 minutes (GT/GT-A/GTS)
Live Telecast: www.world-challengeTV.com Saturday- 11:05 a.m. EST and Sunday- 11:55 a.m. EST
Television:  Sunday, August 10 - 1:30 p.m. EDT on NBC Sports Network (re-air Saturday, Aug. 16 at 12 a.m. EST)