Trans-Am Series Returns to the Streets of St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ‹ The thundering roar of V-8 racing engines will
reverberate off Tampa Bay for the first time in five years as the Trans-Am
Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup returns during the Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg weekend Feb. 21-23.

While the scenic 1.78-mile, 14-turn downtown street course may be new, the
Trans-Am Series has been a regular visitor to the Tampa Bay area. In fact,
the Series raced in St. Petersburg eight times between 1985 and 1997.

No driver has more of a love affair with St. Petersburg than two-time
Trans-Am Series champion Scott Pruett.

This year, Pruett, who won the last Trans-Am Series race at St. Petersburg
in 1997, returns to his Trans-Am roots, driving a Jaguar XKR for
Rocketsports Racing. Pruett¹s last full season of Trans-Am Series
competition was in 1994. His most recent road racing appearances include
class victories at the 2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 2001 24 Hours of Le
Mans. Pruett also competed full time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in
2000. 

³It¹s kind of cliché, saying it¹s going to be a lot of fun because there¹s
always so much work to do, but at the end of the day, even though it¹s
intense, the Trans-Am Series is just so much fun,² said Pruett. ³I want to
continue where I left off here‹with a victory.

³I love the area,² added Pruett. ³When you talk about street races, they¹re
always a success. They¹re always good races and St. Pete has always been one
of my favorites.²

Rocketports Racing team owner and three-time champion Paul Gentilozzi has
some unfinished business here, himself. Gentilozzi finished 22nd in his
first race here in 1987. In 1997, Gentilozzi finished third after leading 27
laps before Tommy Kendall took the point and eventual victory after
Gentilozzi¹s late-race spin.

However, Pruett and Gentilozzi will have some fierce competition, as
ever-present road racer and 2002 Trans-Am Series champion Boris Said returns
to defend his title. Said dominated the Series last year, winning a record
eight of 12 races en route to the championship, his first in professional
road racing.
³This will be a great race weekend,² said Said. ³The course layout is
beautiful and there¹s no better way to start the season. I walked the course
and the people at Dover Motorsports have done a great job of paving the
course. It looks really smooth.²

Other notable drivers will also be in contention, including Johnny Miller,
Tomy Drissi, Stu Hayner, Randy Ruhlman and Michael Lewis. Second-generation
driver Bobby Sak, as well as Paul Menard, Jorge Diaz, Jr., and 2000
Valvoline Runoffs and President¹s Cup winner John Baucom are also drivers to
watch.

Yet, the circuit isn¹t just new to the competitors, but also to spec tire
supplier and presenting Series sponsor BFGoodrich Tires.

BFGoodrich Tire Designer Gary Blalock is charged with ensuring the g-Force
racing radials arrive at the track on time and advising competitors on which
of the two compounds to use on the new street circuit.

³I¹ll walk the track personally,² said Blalock. ³I essentially grade the
track in terms of severity. I¹ll look at the micro and macro texture of the
tarmac. We¹ll get to know the corners, in terms of deceleration into and
acceleration out of the corners. No race track is uniform in its texture.
Normally there are a myriad of different surfaces.

³We have two compounds‹a medium and a hard‹plus a full wet,² added Blalock.
³I bring six different part numbers to the track. Front and rear mediums are
a 200 compound. Front and rear hard have a 75 compound. Front and rear wet
are treaded tires with a different compound.²

Blalock also revealed the company would bring 640 tires for the weekend.

The race is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23 at approximately 4 p.m. and will
be aired on a same-day, tape-delayed basis at 5:30 p.m. on SPEED Channel.

The Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup features closed-fendered,
production-based, V-8-powered sports cars. The Trans-Am Series is America¹s
oldest continuously running sports car racing series and celebrates its 38th
anniversary in 2003.

St. Pete Snapshots:
n Eight different winners. The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has never had a
repeat winner. Previous winners are: Tommy Kendall (1997), Ron Fellows
(1996), Chris Kneifel (1990), Irv Hoerr (1989), Walter Roehrl (1988), Scott
Pruett (1987), Pete Halsmer (1986) and Willy T. Ribbs (1985). Pruett is the
only one entered in Sunday¹s race.

n Tommy Kendall leads Paul Gentilozzi by one race in career street-course
victories with 14. Interestingly, Kendall¹s 1997 victory in the Grand Prix
of St. Petersburg came after Gentilozzi¹s late-race spin after leading 27
laps.

n Gentilozzi leads active drivers in victories with 24, and is first in
top-three, top-five and top-10 finishes. He also ranks first in ³Fast-Five²
starts, laps led, fastest race laps, lead-lap finishes and total winnings.
n The late Mark Donohue has the most victories (29) in the history of the
Trans-Am Series, ahead of Kendall, with 26. Gentilozzi is third in all-time
victories. Bob Tullius, with 21, and the late Peter Gregg, with 20, complete
the top five.

n BFGoodrich Tires, presenting sponsor of the Trans-Am Series, is bringing
640 g-Force Radial racing tires to St. Petersburg in two dry
compounds‹medium and hard‹and one full-wet compound.

n The Trans-Am Series rules stipulate drivers must race on the same tires
they use for qualifying.

n 2002 BBS Most Improved Driver Randy Ruhlman and his wife, Cristi,
celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary Thursday. Cristi also handles
public relations and marketing responsibilities for Ruhlman.

n When is a new race an old race? Although this weekend¹s race marks a
inaugural for the Champ Car World Series, the Trans-Am Series has raced in
St. Petersburg eight times between 1986 and 1997. However, this year¹s
1.78-mile street course around Bayfront Center is brand new. The Series
previously raced on a course around Tropicana Field.

n Trans-Am Series drivers Johnny Miller, Stu Hayner, Randy Ruhlman, Scott
Pruett, Bobby Sak and Tomy Drissi plan to visit All Children¹s Hospital on
the invitation of Ye Mystic Krewe, a service organization whose members
dress up like 17th century mariners.

n Bill Bentley of Longwood, Fla., who drives the No. 46 Chevrolet Camaro,
hopes to fulfill his dream of running full time in the Trans-Am Series.
Bentley, who owns an architecture and engineering firm, competed in several
GT-1 races last season, and finished fourth in an SCCA national event at
Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.