Gentilozzi Fastest in Final Practice

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April 12, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GENTILOZZI FASTEST IN FINAL PRACTICE

LONG BEACH, Calif. ‹ Paul Gentilozzi didn¹t let a post-qualifying penalty
dampen his spirits Saturday afternoon as the four-time Trans-Am Series for
the BFGoodrich® Tires Cup champion finished atop the speed charts for
Sunday¹s Trans-Am Series race, part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Gentilozzi (No. 3 Design 500 Racewear/Jaguar R Performance XKR) ripped off a
one minute, 22.152-second lap (86.240 miles per hour) late in the session to
earn the accolades.

³It was good,² said the four-time Series champion. ³We went back to where we
were before qualifying. We made a mistake in qualifying and we paid for it.
I had to drive the car too hard and I hit the wall, broke the nose and had
to go back the tail of the field.

³I¹m ready for tomorrow,² added Gentilozzi, who¹s four victories make him
the only driver to win more than once here. ³Long Beach is such great fun. I
don¹t really mind starting in the back. I may not get all the way to the
front, but I¹ll get close.²

Gentilozzi¹s Rocketsports Racing teammate Scott Pruett, who won the pole
earlier in the day, recorded a 1:22.226 minute lap in his No. 7 Jaguar R
Performance XKR to occupy the second spot on the chart. Boris Said (No. 33
New Century Mortgage/Applied Computer Solutions Ford Mustang) was third,
ahead of Johnny Miller (No. 64 WESTCO Eaton Cutler-Hammer Jaguar XKR) and
Michael Lewis (No. 12 Trans-Am Tools by ProQuest Jaguar XKR).

Round 2 of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich® Tires Cup, part of the
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, is scheduled to start at approximately 3:45
p.m. Sunday, following the Champ Car World Series race.

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