Brian Simo to Daytona

Brian Simo will compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona with Rocketsports Racing.  
The 24-hour race is scheduled for Feb. 2 and 3 on the 3.56-mile Daytona 
International Speedway road course in Daytona Beach, Fla.  Following is the 
team's announcement.

Sylvia Proudfoot
spur07@cs.com
403 287 3945

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       CONTACT:  Wendy Gabers, (517) 371-3230

SIMO AND PRUETT TO DRIVE WITH ROCKETSPORTS RACING
IN THE ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

    LANSING, Mich. - Three Trans-Am champions will team up for the famed 
Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance classic on February 2-3.  Three-time Trans-Am 
champion Paul Gentilozzi has selected 2000 Trans-Am titlist Brian Simo and 
two-time Trans-Am champion Scott Pruett as co-drivers for the Rocketsports 
Racing No.3 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Jaguar XKR competing in the GTS class. 
They'll share driving duties with racing specialist Michael Lauer.
    Pruett and Gentilozzi drove to the overall win in the 1994 Rolex 24 race 
in a Nissan 300ZX GTS class car with Steve Millen and Butch Leitzinger and 
competed in last year's Rolex 24 in a Saleen S7R entry.  No stranger to 
Daytona, Simo stood third on the GTS1 podium in the Callaway Corvette in 1996.
    Pruett, who ran his rookie season in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 
2000, has three additional class wins at Daytona.  He scored GTO class 
victories in a Roush Mustang in 1987 and 1988 as well as the GTP class win in 
1991 in a Jaguar XJR12.  He also won the 1991 IROC race.
    "It was a simple choice," said Gentilozzi, who has 23 Trans-Am and seven 
IMSA wins.  "There are guys you race against and friends you race with.  
Brian and Scott are great drivers and great friends.
    "There's a big difference between driving fast cars fast and racing fast 
cars," continued Gentilozzi, who ranks first in all-time Trans-Am top-three, 
top-five, and top-ten finishes, "Fast Five" qualifying efforts, laps led, 
lead-lap finishes, and race starts.  "You want to surround yourself with 
drivers you can trust without question, and both Scott and Brian are at the 
top of the list."
    "I'm excited to be racing with Rocketsports," said Simo, who finished 
second behind Gentilozzi in the 2001 Trans-Am title hunt.  "It's no secret 
they have a great team and I think we have a strong driver line-up.  It'll be 
great to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Paul, Scott, and Michael at the 
24-hour."  
    "Paul and I know each others strengths and weaknesses and we've got no 
ego behind the wheel," explained Pruett, who has additional drivers' 
championships in IMSA GTO competition as well as a pair of CART wins.  "Brian 
has a proven record, the ability to be very fast, and will be an instrumental 
part of the team.  Everything I've heard about Michael has been very positive 
and I look forward to driving with him at Daytona.
    "This is a stout driver roster," concluded Gentilozzi.  "We'll be one of 
the teams to beat."
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