RUNNER-UP SPOT FOR RICHARD ANTINUCCI IN ITALIAN GRAN TURISMO DEBUT

The 29-year old San Diegan grabs second place finish in comeback race at vallelunga road course

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

SATURDAY'S NOTES
Richard Antinucci clinched a second place on his maiden Italian Gran Turismo outing with the seasoned Audi Sport Italia team at Vallelunga, Italy, on Saturday. Antinucci's team mate Gian Luca Giraudi, at the wheel of one of the two 2010 R8 LMS Audis entered by the Italian outfit, had taken the start from fourth on the grid in the GT3 class field, and handed over the car to the Italian-American for the mandatory pit-stop in sixth position, albeit just ten seconds adrift of the leading car--the other Audi squad R8 LMS, driven by the Filipe Albuquerque-Marco Bonanomi pair, kept the spot until the checker. Antinucci, who on Friday had had his free practice hampered by a wheel hub problem, managed to move up the standings and quickly hit his stride on used tyres, and by mid-race was occupying the runner-up spot. The Italian-American also shaved seconds off the gap from the leading Audi, but with a couple of laps to go a misfire problem hindered his effort and from then on he zeroed in on sealing the Audi team's first ever 1-2 finish in GT racing in Italy.

RICHARD'S TAKE
""I am hugely grateful to Emilio Radaelli and Italy's Audi for the opportunity they've offered to me. After many months away from racing I've relished the chance to be back in the fray in a car as gorgeous as this GT3 Audi is. Unfortunately we've been a bit toiling on Friday and I could not get acquainted with the small details of the car, I actually wound up learning the car during qualifying, which of course would not be on top of any drivers available pick. Gian Luca put in a good job in his Race 1 stint, and I have quickly got used to the car in my late-afternoon effort. A second place in vallelunga --my hometown's circuit-- is definitely a confidence builder. I look forward to improving the runner-up spot in one of the upcoming three rounds that Audi Sport Italia has picked me to drive."

The Rome, Italy-born driver finished the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights season as runner-up to Raphael Matos, who's then moved up to the major open-wheel series joining series Luczo Dragon team. Team 3G will be on track with Richard Antinucci driving the #98 Curb/Agajanian/Team 3G entry in the Camping World Grand Prix at Watkins Glen on July 3-5. The Camping World IndyCar race at Watkins Glen will be broadcast live on ABC at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.