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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 2, 2003

PRUETT WINS THRILLER IN TROIS-RIVIÈRES

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Quebec ‹ Scott Pruett came into the Grand Prix de
Trois-Rivières uncharacteristically uneasy about his chances at the tough
French Canadian street course. However, the driver of the No. 7 Jaguar R
Performance XKR put his fears to rest by earning his 19th career victory and
his fifth triumph this season in Round 7 of the 2003 Trans-Am Series for the
BFGoodrich Tires Cup championship, held Saturday in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

Pruett, in fact, dominated the event at the 1.52-mile course, where he had
only one previous start. Leading from the pole‹his sixth in seven races this
season and first for a Jaguar XKR here‹Pruett held off a charging Johnny
Miller and held the point for all 65 laps. In the process, Pruett also gave
Jaguar its first Trois-Rivières victory, and earned the $2,000 Flowmaster
American Thunder Challenge Award for winning the pole, leading the most
laps, setting the fastest lap‹1:04.843‹and winning the race. Pruett also won
the BFGoodrich Tires Take Control Award for leading the most laps.

³I was pretty nervous into this race at Trois-Rivières,² said the two-time
Trans-Am Series champion. ³Johnny (Miller) was tough all day long. He really
turned the heat on and picked up the pace. He¹s got a lot of experience in
these cars and was able to run us hard.

³One of the things we learned this year is you can¹t run these cars too
hard, because you¹ve got to have a good enough car at the end,² added
Pruett. ³But the Rocketsports team did a really good job to have three cars
up here today.²
As exciting as Pruett¹s charge to victory was, equally impressive was his
nearest pursuers performances. Miller (No. 64 Eaton Cutler-Hammer Jaguar
XKR) finished second, his fifth podium this season, and Tomy Drissi (No. 5
Stuck on You Jaguar XKR), finished third after starting 14th on the grid.

Randy Ruhlman equaled his best finish this season at Mosport of fourth in
the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Canada/COYOTE Closures Chevrolet
Corvette. Michael Lewis (No. 12 Westward Tools/The Crank Jaguar XKR)
recovered from a late spin to finish fifth, just ahead of French Canadian
driver Claude Bourbonnais, who made his Trans-Am Series debut this weekend
in the No. 3 Rocketsports Jaguar XKR.

Miller held strong throughout the race, and challenged Pruett for the lead
several times in the late going.

³At about the halfway point, we picked up the pace a bit and ran what we
wanted to run,² said Miller. ³We got a little frisky. Then the caution came
out on lap 50. After that, the car was pretty tapped out and we¹d pretty
much run it into the ground.

³But it turned out that we still had some more left,² added Miller. ³With
seven laps left, Scott and I ran laps near our qualifying times, so that¹s
pretty good for the tires and the brakes at that point in the race.²

Meanwhile, Drissi was a man possessed at Trois-Rivières. Drissi started
second to last after he was unable to record a time in qualifying after
breaking a suspension piece in practice. Drissi then picked his way
methodically through the field, and after a four-tire pit stop under
caution, Drissi charged back through the field, winning a three-car battle
with Lewis and Bourbonnais on lap 60 of the timed event. The third-place
finish is Drissi¹s best this year, and marks his fourth career podium
finish.

³I really enjoy this track and the Trois-Rivières fans,² said Drissi. ³They
bring out the best in me. I finished third here last year, my best finish
last season, and now I finish third again, best this year. Next year, we
want the top spot.

³I¹ve got to say thank you to my Rocketsports team,² added Drissi. ³We¹ve
been really frustrated this year. We¹ve had some bad luck, and this is just
the boost we needed. We missed a few podiums this year that should have been
ours, and it¹s good to be back.²

Bourbonnais said he wasn¹t able to conserve his car enough to hold third
place, a spot he occupied for most of the race.

³I wish the race had been 20 laps shorter,² said the affable French Canadian
with a laugh. ³I ran my tires off. Then I couldn¹t put the power down.
Compared to my experience in open-wheel cars, these cars are thought to
manage for the race as I found out. There¹s not as G-Force, but a lot more
heat inside the car. We had a good car and I think we showed that as we ran
with the leaders for most of the race.²

The cars driven by Drissi and Joey Scarallo, who finished 10th in the No. 06
ROH Wheels Chevrolet Corvette, failed post-race inspection. Both cars
violated Rule 2.10: ³Ground Clearance.² Both drivers received the following
penalties: forfeiture of all drivers¹ and team owners¹ points earned at this
event; loss of all prize money earned at this event; and a $2,000 fine, of
which $1,000 was suspended. Neither drivers¹ finishing position was affected
due to the penalties.

The race ran in 74 minutes and 40 seconds at a winning average speed of
79.447 miles per hour. The race was slowed by the caution flag once during
laps 50 through 53. Those earning bonus points on the Fast Five Lap‹lap 10
here‹were Miller, Bourbonnais, Hayner, Sak and Lewis. The Fast Five Lap
awards one bonus point to all drivers within five seconds of the leader at
each race this season.

The next Trans-Am Series race is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 24 at Road
America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. That race will air on same-day, tape-delayed
basis on SPEED at 12:30 p.m.

The Trans-Am Series is America¹s oldest continuously running road racing
series and celebrates its 38th anniversary in 2003.

Notebook:
* Claude Bourbonnais thrilled in his Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich
Tires Cup debut Saturday at Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. The French
Canadian driver finished sixth in the 64-lap event, after running third for
most of the race in the No. 3 Rocketsports Jaguar XKR normally wheeled by
Paul Gentilozzi. Bourbonnais has a long history at Trois-Rivières. In fact,
Bourbonnais has competed regularly at the 1.52-mile, nine-turn temporary
road course since 1985. Although this will mark his first Trans-Am Series
start, Bourbonnais is by no means a rookie. He¹s competed in F-2000, Toyota
Atlantic, British Formula 2, Indy Lights, along with the Champ Car World
Series, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Most recently,
Bourbonnais finished fourth overall at Trois-Rivières in the 2000 Players
Grand Prix Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race. Bourbonnais co-drove
a Ford Lola B2K10 Sports Racer Prototype with Scott Schubot in that event.

* Veteran motorsports broadcast journalist Chuck Dressing celebrated his
20th anniversary of covering Trans-Am Series racing this weekend. Dressing,
who spotted for the live SPEED Channel broadcast, worked his first Trans-Am
Series race in 1984 at Watkins Glen. For the record, David Hobbs won that
race.

* The No. 8 Don Q Rum Jaguar XKR of rookie Jorge Diaz, Jr. started last at
Trois-Rivières. Diaz¹s time was disallowed after his team elected to make an
engine change.  Diaz qualified ninth Friday. Diaz was cited under rule
1.7.10.1 in the Trans-Am Series Rulebook: ³ŠIf a driver changes engines
after qualifying, the driver must forfeit his starting position and start at
the back of the grid. The entire grid moves up, filling the vacant
positionsŠ²
* Max Lagod (No. 83 Hypermax Chevrolet Camaro) was the only driver in
Saturday¹s race electing to run BFGoodrich Tires¹ 75 (hard) compound tires
on both rear wheels. Lagod used a similar strategy in the last event at
Cleveland and earned his second career podium finish.

* Scott Pruett (No. 7 Jaguar R Performance XKR) will moved into a tie with
Ron Fellows for sixth on the Trans-Am Series all-time win list with 19. Mark
Donohue tops the all-time win list with 29 victories.

* Pruett¹s victory was the first for Jaguar here.

* Along with his BFGoodrich Tires Take Control Award for leading the most
laps, Pruett won the Flowmaster American Thunder Challenge Award, which
gives the driver that wins the pole, leads the most laps, turns the fastest
lap and wins the race $2,000. This season, Pruett has been the only driver
to claim the award, which he has won five times

* Scott Pruett didn¹t let lack of experience or even gearbox troubles get in
the way of him earning his sixth pole this season, and 26th of his career,
during Friday¹s qualifying session. The 1:03.890-minute lap at 85.687 miles
per hour gave Jaguar its first pole here.

* For his efforts, Pruett won the Jaguar Pole Award, a performance-based
initiative that rewards drivers who earn the pole at each of the Trans-Am
Series¹ events this season. Polesitters will receive a key‹regardless of
what type of car they race‹which, at the culmination of the season, they
will use to attempt to open the door to a 2004 Jaguar XK8, during a formal
ceremony. The driver whose key opens the vehicle will win a one-year lease
on the car.

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