NASCAR WCUP: Trans-Am Drivers Play Prominent Role In NASCAR Race At Sears Point
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 22, 2001Miami - Defending BFGoodrich Tires Cup Champion Brian Simo leads a pack of eight former and current Trans-Am Series drivers into this weekend’s NASCAR Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
Simo will be joined by former Trans-Am Series champions Dorsey Schroeder, Scott Pruett and Wally Dallenbach, Jr., as well as Ron Fellows, Boris Said, Robby Gordon and Anthony Lazarro. In addition, Tom Coleman, owner and driver of the TWC Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette in the Trans-Am Series will field a car at Sears Point that will be driven by Lazzaro.
Simo currently stands fourth in the 2001 race for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup and is coming off a second place finish at the Motor City 100 presented by Johnson Controls last weekend. “We’re hoping that Sears Point will be good to us this year,” said Simo. “We haven’t been on the track in this new configuration, but hopefully the changes will make it even better. Learning to manage the mass of a Winston Cup car versus other types of sports cars is a key. Last year’s race at Sears Point gave us a good understanding of what’ s needed for the car setup.
“The Winston Cup drivers have a tremendous amount of experience in these big cars, so anybody coming in has a bit of a handicap because of the lack of seat time. But we have experience on road courses, so we’re looking for a balance between inexperience with the mass and experience on road courses.”
Fellows, a 19-time winner in the Trans-Am Series, currently ranks sixth on the All-Time list for wins. Schroeder, a 17-time winner in the Trans-Am Series and the winner of the Drivers’ Championship in 1989, will drive the car normally driven by Jason Leffler. Pruett (1987, 1994) and Dallenbach, Jr., (1985, 1986) are both two time champions. They hold 14 and nine wins in the Trans-Am Series, respectively.
Said, the winner of the 2001 Trans-Am Series season opener at Sebring in mid-March, currently ranks eighth in the Drivers’ Championship points standings. Gordon was the winner of the 1992 Trans-Am Series race at Long Beach, his only career start. Lazarro made his Trans-Am Series debut on May 20 at Mosport International Raceway and held the lead for five laps midway through the race.
Current BFGoodrich Tires Cup points leader Johnny Miller tested Kevin Lepage’s car last week at Road Atlanta prior to the Detroit round of the Trans-Am Series. He assisted the Morgan McClure team and Lepage with setup and road course preparations.
The Trans-Am Series will make its appearance at Sears Point Raceway on July 21. Round six of the chase for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, the Wine Country 100, will be broadcast live by CBS Sports at 2:30 (EDT).
Text provided by David Lang
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