TACH Speed Channel - Johnson Controls To Serve As Title Sponsor of Trans-Am Round 8 At Road America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: T.E. McHale (727) 533-0503

 

JOHNSON CONTROLS TO SERVE AS TITLE SPONSOR OF TRANS-AM ROUND 8 AT ROAD AMERICA

 

CLEARWATER, Fla. (August 9, 2002) - Johnson Controls, Inc. will once again serve as title sponsor of this year's Trans-Am Series visit to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 16-17.

 

The Johnson Controls 100 will be Round 8 of 12 in the 2002 Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup championship. The race is scheduled to take the green flag on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis by SPEED Channel on Sunday, Aug. 18, beginning at noon ET.

 

Johnson Controls also sponsored last year's Trans-Am event at Road America, and has been title sponsor of the Trans-Am stop at Long Beach, Calif. for the past five seasons.

 

"The Johnson Controls 100 is synonymous with exciting racing and we look forward to continuing that tradition," said Brian Stark, president, the Controls Group of Johnson Controls. "We hope race fans enjoy [the] weekend's events, as drivers jockey for the Trans-Am Series points lead."

 

In addition to its title sponsorship of Trans-Am events, Johnson Controls is also a sponsor of the season-long Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, as well as primary sponsor on the Rocketsports Racing Jaguar XKR campaigned by Paul Gentilozzi, defending and three-time Trans-Am Series champion.

 

Gentilozzi, Trans-Am Series champion in 1998, '99 and 2001, is seeking to become only the second driver in Trans-Am history to win four consecutive titles, joining Tom Kendall (1990, '95, '96 and '97). He currently stands third in the championship with 174 points, 24 behind leader Boris Said, who leads with 198 points.

 

"We are once again grateful to Johnson Controls for demonstrating its continued support of the Trans-Am Series," said Trans-Am Series president Dennis Huth. "Road America is one of the most historic venues in all of motorsport, and it serves as an appropriate showcase for the Johnson Controls brand."

 

Johnson Controls, Inc., is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major supplier of seating and interior systems and batteries. For nonresidential facilities, Johnson Controls provides building control systems and
services, energy management and integrated facility management. Johnson Controls, founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis. Its sales for 2001 totaled $18.4 billion. 



The Trans-Am Series, sanctioned by Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing, is the longest-running road racing series in North America, having entered its 37th year of competition in 2002. Gentilozzi is looking to claim his fourth Trans-Am Series title against a strong field of rivals including current championship leader Boris Said, Johnny Miller, Michael Lewis, Randy Ruhlman, Tony Ave, 2001 AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year Justin Bell and 2002 Rookie of the Year candidate Butch Leitzinger. Trans-Am events are televised nationally by CBS Sports and SPEED Channel on either a live or tape-delayed basis. All Trans-Am drivers compete for the prestigious BFGoodrich Tires Cup, emblematic of the series driving championship.