TRANS AM: AmeriSuites To Sponsor Rookie-Of-The-Year Award

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 8, 2001

Will Be Preferred Hotel Of The Trans-Am Series

Long Beach, Calif. - The Trans-Am Series and the Panoz\Sanchez Group (PSG) today announced that AmeriSuites will be the title sponsor of the AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year Award. In addition, AmeriSuites has been named the Preferred Hotel of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.

The Rookie of the Year Award, established in 1982, honors the Trans-Am Series rookie with the most drivers’ championship points at the end of the season. To be eligible for the 2001 AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year Award, a driver may have competed in no more than three Trans-Am races in a single previous season and no more than five Trans-Am races in his/her career. Beginning in the 2001 season, the winner of the AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year will receive a $10,000 cash bonus at the conclusion of the year. AmeriSuites is in its third season as the primary sponsor of American Spirit Racing. Michael Lewis, driver of the #12 Jaguar XKR, posted a pair of top-five finishes last season at Road America and Texas. A veteran Trans-Am Series driver, Lewis has finished finished in the top-10 in 30 of 55 career starts.

The Rookie of the Year Award was won by Jeff Altenburg during the 2000 season. Altenburg finished third in the Drivers’ Championship behind Brian Simo and teammate Paul Gentilozzi in a Jaguar XKR.

“We are very pleased with the continued support of AmeriSuites and its sponsorship of the Rookie of the Year Award,” said executive director John Clagett. “The bonus that AmeriSuites has posted represents a significant increase over previous years.”

AmeriSuites was recently ranked #1 among midpriced hotels without food and beverage facilities in Business Traveler News’ annual Top Hotel Survey. All properties provide comfortable accommodations with separate living and sleeping areas and a wide array of amenities, including kitchen/wet bar area with refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker. Other amenities include complimentary bountiful breakfast buffets, high-speed Internet access, fitness centers, meeting space and heated indoor or outdoor pools.

“We are very enthusiastic about our increased participation in this year’s Trans-Am Series,” noted A.F. Petrocelli, Chairman and CEO of AmeriSuites’ parent company, Prime Hospitality. “Over the past several years, this series has allowed us to reach new and valuable customers in different markets and this enhanced sponsorship will bring us even greater exposure.”

Among the Trans-Am rookies expected to compete for the award include Justin Bell, Paul Fix, Don Soenen, Cliff Ebben, John Baucom, Gary Longo, Jim Matthews, Kevin Allen, Robert McMillan, Dan Miller and Tom Miller.

Text provided by David Lang

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