Jaguar Secures Third Trans-Am Title With 1-2-3 Finish at Road America

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 26, 2003 -- Jaguar clinched its third Trans-Am Series Manufacturers' Championship title after a 1-2-3 victory at the historic Road America circuit at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Sunday.

Driving his silver Jaguar R Performance XKR coupe, two-time Trans-Am Series champion Scott Pruett led from start to finish, locking-up the Manufacturers' crown for Jaguar with two rounds still to go in the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.

The British car manufacturer previously won the coveted Trans-Am Series Manufacturers' title in 1978 with Bob Tullius and his V12-engined Group 44 XJ-S, and again in 2001 with Paul Gentilozzi and his Rocketsports Racing XKR.

"This is a great achievement for a company that holds road racing so close to its heart," commented George Ayres, vice president of Marketing, Jaguar North America. "With Jaguar's domination of this year's series, we are creating a new chapter in Jaguar's racing history, and an enviable pedigree for our XKR coupe."

So far this season, a Jaguar XKR has taken the checkered flag in seven of the eight rounds, with six of the eight races being won by 43-year old Pruett in his Rocketsports Racing-prepared Jaguar R Performance XKR.

With a 44-point lead in the series over fellow Jaguar XKR driver Johnny Miller, it looks good for Pruett to take his third Trans-Am Drivers' Championship title.

"Jaguar and Rocketsports Racing have put together a great racecar this year, and I'm having a blast driving the #7 R Performance XKR," said Pruett. "It's great to clinch the Manufacturers' Championship for Jaguar, and we're on track to take the Drivers' Championship title as well."

Much of the XKR's success is owed to team owner Paul Gentilozzi and his Michigan-based Rocketsports Racing. Gentilozzi re-introduced Jaguar to Trans- Am competition during the 2000 season. The following year he drove the Rocketsports Racing XKR to his third Trans-Am Series drivers' title and delivered Jaguar its second Manufacturers' Championship.

"We're really pleased to have played a part in helping Jaguar win its third Manufacturers' title. It's a great achievement. Jaguar has an amazing motorsports heritage, and we're really proud to be a part of it," said Gentilozzi.

And for the 2004 season, Jaguar power returns to the Trans-Am Series with a new, thundering 650-horsepower Jaguar AJ-V8, currently being developed by Rocketsports Racing for Scott Pruett's XKR racecar.

The engine is based on the same all-aluminum 4.2-liter AJ-V8 that powers Jaguar's XK8 and supercharged XKR sports cars. Rocketsports engineers have increased the V8's capacity from 4.2 to 4.5 liters and more than doubled the horsepower from the standard 294 bhp (SAE) to over 650 bhp.

"The Trans-Am Series continues to be a perfect fit for Jaguar, and we will continue our involvement throughout the 2004 season," explained George Ayres. "With as many as 13 XKR-bodied cars competing in each event, Trans-Am competition gives Jaguar a strong, highly-visible presence."

For Jaguar, the Trans-Am Series is the third element in the auto maker's U.S. motorsports strategy. In addition to Jaguar's global motorsports efforts with Jaguar Racing and Formula One, Jaguar North America competes in historic racing with its Select Edition Racing team of two vintage Jaguar E-Types.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The next round of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup will be at the Grand Prix of Denver on Sunday August 31. Jaguar North American racing history highlights are available at www.media.jaguar.com . Jaguar news releases and high-resolution photographs are available on the Jaguar media Web site (http:// www.media.jaguar.com ). Photographs are provided to the news media at no charge. The company holds the copyright for this material, which is provided for editorial use only. Personal or commercial use is prohibited.