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Mar 27, 2012 / reports

C360R HAS STRONG START TO WORLD CHALLENGE SEASON IN FLORIDA

Four-car program nets two podiums and six top-tens in season-opening double-header

(St. Petersburg, FL) -- Compass360 Racing made a strong start to its Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car Championship title defence at the series' season-opening weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida this past weekend.

The Toronto-based team brought a strong four-car Honda Civic Si effort to the event, contributing nearly a third of the cars in the Touring Car-class. Shea Holbrook, who is the only female race-winner in series history, was at the helm of the team's #67 TrueCar / Lucas Oil Honda. Robb Holland piloted the #70 car, with Todd Lamb in the #71 National Kart News Civic and Ryan Winchester in the #72 Ligon Industries entry.

The series started where it left off in 2011, with the forced-induction cars having a decided advantage over the normally-aspirated Hondas. This meant Lamb was the team's top qualifier, in fourth, with Holland close behind in fifth, Winchester next in sixth and Holbrook in eighth.

"World Challenge's competition department didn't make any changes to the field at the end of last year, despite the Volvos and VW's having a clear power advantage," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "If there was any doubt of the disparity, qualifying and race one at St. Pete's clearly demonstrated it."

Indeed, the polesitting Mazda3 of Michael Cooper and the second place VW of Tristan Herbert took off at the start, with Lamb moving up to third but unable to catch the turbocharged cars. Herbert faded towards the end of the race, going off track and allowing Lamb past to second place, where he would ultimately finish. Unfortunately, in an attempt to make up places, the VW driver lost control which resulted in hard contact with the #72 of Winchester, which at the time was in fourth place. Both cars were out of the race, with Winchester's car ultimately being too badly damaged to compete on Sunday.

Final team results for Saturday's race were then Lamb second, Holbrook fifth, Holland sixth and Winchester ninth.

The starting grid for Sunday's race was set by fast times during Saturday's race. Adding insult to injury from Race One, Herbert was on pole, with his car repaired and ready for the race, while Winchester started from the back in Holbrook's new 2012 Civic, which was not scheduled to be run until Round Two in Utah and was run without the benefit of power steering. Lamb again qualified fourth with Holbrook seventh and Holland eighth. 

Sunday's race was nearly as eventful as Saturday's. Lamb persevered and nabbed another second place at the flag, driving like a man possessed but unable to catch Cooper's Mazda. Holland was fifth. Holbrook was involved in a corner-one incident which put paid to what looked sure to be another top-five finish (she finished 12th), and Winchester retired in the early going due to the lack of power steering.

"I'm happy with the results, as two second-place finishes give us solid championship points," said Lamb. "It's clear the turbos are stronger than we are, and we really hope the series will take a look at the data so we can all play on a level field where driving ability matters."

Holland was similarly pleased with his points haul. "I've only been signed for this race, but I hope we can put together a program with Compass360 for the year," he enthused.

Winchester, on the other had, was less impressed with his first World Challenge outing. "I really was expecting more of the other drivers in our class," he remarked. "To get taken out in the first race was bad enough, but to have that driver start from pole in the next one, allowing him to score points with very little penalty really stings. I'd really like to see the series take a look at giving penalties with some teeth."

Holbrook was philosophical: "We had a good race on Saturday, and I'd hoped for a better finish on Sunday. After the hit, the Compass360 crew did all they could to get me back in the race. We'll regroup and look forward to the next race at Miller."

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The 2012 Pirelli World Challenge presented by the SCCA schedule consists of 14 races over six weekends. Races take place on a variety of circuits across the United States and Canada ranging from a street circuit in St. Petersburg, FL to the world renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California. The World Challenge season begins with a double-header race at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix with IndyCar, March 23-25. The event will be televised, taped-delayed, on NBC Sports.