Photos: SCCA Pro Racing, Inc.

Exciting was the word used to describe World Challenge Race Presented by Pirelli, with 49 Pirelli World Challenge Championship cars battling on the temporary street circuit in St. Petersburg, FL. The double header event would open the season with plenty of competition for all.

For the 2011 season, the World Challenge organizers have strengthened the GTS class, making room for domestic pony cars like the Mustang and Camaro. Two additional classes, GT and TC (Touring Car) also run, which makes for a wide variety of participants and some pretty dramatic closing speeds.

In the GTS class, Jason von Kluge, from Ann Arbor, MI, drove his #19 Varsity Ford Ann Arbor/Steeda Ford Mustang Boss 302S to a 0.893-second win in his first appearance in Pirelli World Challenge racing. Von Kluge was a stalwart participant in the previous Ford Racing Mustang Challenge series.

von Kluge took advantage of a lap 18 restartto pass defending GTS Champion Peter Cunnigham, Eric Foss and Paul Brown, moving from P4 in class to the lead. The jump on the restart earned von Kluge the Cadillac CTS-V ‘Move of the Race’ award.

Brown gave chase in his Lucas Oil/K&N Filters Ford Mustang Boss 302S during the remaining laps of the 23-lap race, while Foss and Cunningham battled for third. von Kluge was able to hold off Brown and took the checkered flag.

GTS six-time champion, Peter Cunningham, out of Milwaukee, WI, slipped his #1 Acura/RealTime Racing/HPD Acura TSX past the #73 Traxxas/St. Jude Hospital/SPX Ford Mustang FR500S of Eric Foss on the final lap to earn the third podium spot. Mustang Challenge regular, George Winkler, from Frederick, MD, took fifth place in the standings.

After the race, von Kluge commented, “When you come to a series like this, you have to expect the competition to be fierce. RealTime and Peter (Cunningham) come with very well prepared vehicles, and that’s what you have to expect. The Boss Mustang really came through for me today, I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

In Round 2 on Sunday, Paul Brown sat on pole after setting a 1:23.232 (77.854 mph) qualifying lap in his #50 Boss 302S Mustang. However, when the checkers fell, Eric Foss earned his first World Challenge win the hard way in his #73 Traxxas/St. Jude Hospital/SPX Ford Mustang FR500S.

The Dallas, TX native had started fourth on the grid, moving to second at the start, then chased Brown for the next 16 laps. THen Brown’s Mustang and a Touring Car entrant made contact, cutting one of the Mustang’s tires and taking it out of contention.

Series champion, Peter Cunningham moved in quickly on Foss, after starting the race from P5. Foss was able to hold off the #1 Acura/RealTime Racing/HPD Acura TSX to the end, crossing the line with two seconds to spare.

Mustangs dominated the top five spots, as Chris DeSalvo from Charlotte, NC, took the third podium place in his #37 Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT. He was followed by George Winkler in the #27 Mustang FR500S and Saturday’s race winner, Jason von Kluge, in his #19 Mustang Boss 302S.

The win was Foss’ first in World Challenge racing. “I took a lot of chances, some maybe that I shouldn’t have, but the car held together,” he explained. “Traxxas, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, SPX and Amsoil really put this together and giving me this opportunity has just been phenomenal.”

The Pirelli World Challenge Championships return to action at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 15 through 17.