Trans-Am Series Begins Journey Into the
Unknown with Round 9 on Streets of Denver
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: T.E. McHale (727) 533-0503
TRANS-AM SERIES BEGINS JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH ROUND 9 ON STREETS OF DENVER
CLEARWATER, Fla. (August 27, 2002) - After making August stops at two of its traditional venues, the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup prepares to sail into largely uncharted waters as it heads into the final leg of its 2002 season.
The series recently concluded events at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec -- home to 19 Trans-Am events since 1976 - and Road America, where the Trans-Am has made an annual appearance since 1970. In sharp contrast, the final third of the current campaign will be contested on circuits that will be largely new to Trans-Am competition.
Of the four remaining 2002 races, two are scheduled on brand-new street courses, including this weekend's Trans-Am 100 on the streets of Denver (2 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 8, SPEED Channel, tape delay). Round 10 also takes place on a new street circuit in downtown Miami (Oct. 6), while the series concludes on Oct. 27 at Virginia International Raceway, where the series hasn't appeared since its inaugural season in 1966.
Only Round 11, Oct. 11 at Road Atlanta, provides any current Trans-Am competitors with a frame of reference as they prepare for the season's home stretch.
"With the points championship so tight throughout, I think that it is only fitting that the last few races present as many challenges as possible and test not only the drivers, but the crews as well," says veteran Trans-Am Series driver Randy Ruhlman, "Going to new circuits is always tough, with no past data to rely on and somewhat limited track time. The teams that can come up with a competitive setup and stay ahead of the conditions should come out on top."
Ruhlman (#49 Preformed Line Products Chevrolet Corvette) is chasing the best championship finish of his 12-year Trans-Am Series career, currently sixth in 1999. Through eight rounds of the championship, he stands fifth in the drivers' championship with 157 points. Ruhlman has finished eighth or better in seven of eight starts this season, topped by a runner-up result at Trois-Rivieres, a career best in 122 starts.
Setting the present pace in the championship chase is Boris Said (#33 Applied Computer Solutions Panoz Esperante) who leads all drivers with 231 points. Said comes to Denver off his series-high fourth victory of the season at Road America. He has finished on the podium in seven of his eight starts to date, with victories at Mosport, Lime Rock and Cleveland in addition to his recent win at Road America. Said also owns a pole position at Trois-Rivieres.
Said's impressive consistency in 2002 has helped him forge a 30-point advantage over three-time and defending Trans-Am Series champion Paul Gentilozzi, who stands second in the championship with 201 points. Gentilozzi (#3 Johnson Controls/Microchip/MatrixOne/Futaba Jaguar XKR) is attempting to become the second man in Trans-Am Series history to earn four driving championships, joining Tom Kendall (1990, '95,'96, '97).
Gentilozzi's Trans-Am titles came in 1998, '99 and 2001. He already owns series records for starts (181), top-three finishes (59), top-five finishes (93), top-10 finishes (123), laps led (1,436), fastest race laps (34) and lead lap finishes (119). He stands second to Kendall (39) with 32 career pole positions, and third to Mark Donohue (29) and Kendall (26) with 24 race victories.
Gentilozzi's four podium finishes this season include a victory at Long Beach and a runner-up effort to Said in his most recent start at Road America.
While Gentilozzi has built an impressive resume in his 16 seasons of Trans-Am competition, rookie Butch Leitzinger is just beginning to construct his Trans-Am legend. Leitzinger (#88 Tom Gloy/Tommy Bahama Chevrolet Corvette), who recently clinched the 2002 AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year Award, comes to Denver ranked third in the championship with 189 points. He owns race victories at Mid-Ohio, Washington, D.C. and Trois-Rivieres and leads the series with four pole positions, at Mosport, Mid-Ohio, Cleveland and Washington, D.C.
Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing teammate, Johnny Miller (#64 Automation Direct/Eaton Cutler-Hammer Jaguar XKR) arrives in Denver with an outside shot at the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, standing fourth in the championship with 177 points. He has finished among the top-10 drivers in 19 of his past 20 Trans-Am Series starts, dating to his victory in the 2000 season finale at San Diego, and comes to Denver off his third podium performance of the campaign, third at Road America.
Other contenders for victory on the streets of Denver figure to be Stuart Hayner (#02 Trenton Forging Chevrolet Corvette), Tony Ave (#53 Trilithic Panoz Esperante), Michael Lewis (#12 AmeriSuites Jaguar XKR) and Tomy Drissi (#5 Rocketsports Racing Jaguar XKR). Of that group, Hayner owns the highest championship standing. With 156 points, he is just one behind Ruhlman for fifth place, and has finished fourth or better in four of his past five starts.
Although this 1.65-mile, nine-turn Denver street circuit will be completely new to Trans-Am Series competitors, it will mark the series' third appearance on the streets of the city, current home to the Sports Car Club of America, which sanctions the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup championship. Trans-Am cars also competed in Denver in 1990 and '91, in races won by Kendall and Irv Hoerr, respectively.
Following this weekend's stop in Denver, the Trans-Am Series takes a break before returning to action at the inaugural Grand Prix Americas, Oct. 4-6 on the streets of Miami, Fla.
FAST FACTS FOR THE SHELL GRAND PRIX OF DENVER TRANS-AM 100
WHAT: Shell Grand Prix of Denver Trans-Am 100.
WHERE: Streets of Denver, Colo.
WHEN: Friday-Sunday, August 30-Sept. 1.
TRANS-AM SERIES FOR THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CUP SCHEDULE (All times EDT): FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 - Trans-Am Series practice, 9-9:40 a.m.; Trans-Am Series practice, 4:50-5:20 p.m. SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 - Trans-Am Series qualifying, 11:30 a.m.-Noon. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 - Trans-Am Series practice, 8:15-8:30 a.m.; Grid Trans-Am cars, 3:45 p.m.; Trans-Am 100, 4 p.m.
BROADCAST: SPEED Channel, Sunday, September 8, 2 p.m. ET (tape delay).
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Inaugural event.
DEFENDING POLESITTER: Inaugural event.
TRACK LAYOUT: 1.65-mile temporary street circuit.
RACE DISTANCE: 61 laps, 100.65 miles.
TRACK RECORDS: N/A.
RACE NUMBER: 9 of 12 in the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.
TRANS-AM SERIES FOR THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CUP POINTS LEADERS: Boris Said, 231; Paul Gentilozzi, 201; Butch Leitzinger, 189; Johnny Miller, 177; Randy Ruhlman, 157; Stuart Hayner, 156; Tony Ave 139, Tomy Drissi, 132; Michael Lewis, 131; Simon Gregg, 112; Paul Fix, 112.
NEXT EVENT: Sunday, October 6, Grand Prix Americas, Miami, Fla.
NOTEWORTHY
· Despite a season-worst 21st-place finish due to mechanical difficulties at Road America, Butch Leitzinger of Tom Gloy Racing has clinched the 2002 AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year Award with four of 12 events remaining on the Trans-Am Series schedule. Leitzinger (#88 Tommy Bahama/Tom Gloy Chevrolet Corvette) comes to Denver with 189 championship points, 153 ahead of second-place Bobby Sak (#10 Revolution Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette) in the rookie standings. A maximum of 136 points is available in the season's final four events. Leitzinger has earned the rookie title on the strength of three victories (Mid-Ohio, Washington, D.C., Trois-Rivieres), five podium finishes, and a series-high four pole positions (Mosport, Mid-Ohio, Cleveland, Washington, D.C.). His 189 points place him third overall in the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.
· Boris Said's (#33 Applied Computer Solutions Panoz Esperante) victory in Round 8 of the Trans-Am Series championship at Road America reinstalled Panoz at the top of what continues to be a riveting battle for the 2002 Manufacturers' Championship. Through eight of 12 rounds, Panoz has 98 points, just two ahead of both Chevrolet and Jaguar, which are tied for second with 96 points apiece. Largely due to Said's series-high totals of four victories and seven podium finishes, Panoz has held the Manufacturers' Championship lead following six of the past seven rounds, since Said's victory in Round 2 at Mosport in mid-May. Manufacturers' Championship points are awarded only to a manufacturer's highest-finishing automobile, regardless of model, on a 15-13-11-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
· The Denver event will be the fifth to be held on a temporary street circuit during the 2002 Trans-Am Series season. Butch Leitzinger has been the series' most successful performer through the first four street events, having scored 113 of his 189 championship points on temporary circuits. Leitzinger has scored at least 30 points in each of his past three street-course starts, with a runner-up performance from the pole at Cleveland, followed by back-to-back victories at Washington, D.C. and Trois-Rivieres. Boris Said has scored 107 points on temporary circuits, while Paul Gentilozzi (#3 Johnson Controls/Microchip/Matrix One/Futaba Jaguar XKR) has scored 106. Both Said and Gentilozzi own victories on street courses this season, Said at Cleveland and Gentilozzi at Long Beach.
· With a third of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup season remaining, competition for the season-ending Jaguar Pole Award is beginning to intensify. The Pole Award is a key given to the fastest qualifier at each of the 12 events in the 2002 Trans-Am Series. At the end of the season, one key will start the engine of a Jaguar XKR sports coupe, and the driver who holds it will drive away with a two-year lease. Through eight events, Butch Leitzinger of Tom Gloy Racing has earned a series-high four keys, while Paul Gentilozzi, Stu Hayner (#02 Trenton Forging Chevrolet Corvette), Boris Said and Kenny Wilden have earned one each.
