Pruett Puts New Jaguar AJ-V8 Engine on the Pole in Trans-Am Qualifying for Puerto Rico Grand Prix

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico ­ With only two timed laps in his qualifying session,
Rocketsports Racing driver Scott Pruett collected the pole position for
tomorrowıs Puerto Rico Grand Prix, the season finale and Round 11 of the
Motorock Trans-Am Tour for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup.   Pruett, who clinched
his third Trans-Am championship with his win in the Motorock Miami 100,
claimed his ninth pole this season with a time of 1:05:471 on the 1.6 mile,
10-turn Isla Grande airport circuit.

This marks the first pole position for the new four-valve, overhead-cam,
fuel-injected Jaguar AJ-V8 engine in its debut appearance in race trim.  The
last time a Jaguar engine raced in Trans-Am competition was in 1981.

  Pruett, driver of the No. 7 Motorock/Jaguar R Performance XKR, notched his
29th career Trans-Am pole, moving into second place on the all-time fastest
qualifier list ahead of team owner and three-time Trans-Am champion Paul
Gentilozzi. With 22 wins, including eight victories in 10 starts this
season, Pruett ranks fourth on the all-time race wins chart.

 ³Itıs been a challenging weekend for us,² said Pruett, who won the Trans-Am
Tour title in 1987 and 1994. ³We had a throttle linkage problem and it was
sticking.  The throttle stuck in Turn 9.  I was glad to have the forethought
to get my foot under the pedal to get it stopped.  But the engine was just
fine.²

³Yesterday, we had a hairline crack in the oil pan that was hand fabricated.
So we changed the engine, and we couldnıt get out in the second practice
session,² explained Pruett.  ³But everyone dug deep and we put the Jaguar
XKR on the pole.

³I had only two flyer laps and we did better than I expected,² continued
Pruett.  ³My hatıs off to the Rocketsports guys and Jaguar.  This is very
special for me to be able to give the Jaguar AJ-V8 its first pole,
especially during its first outing, and to do it here in Puerto Rico.²

Rocketsports stablemate Tomy Drissi, driving the No. 5 ³Stuck on You, the
Movie² Jaguar XKR, will start ninth on the grid.

Local hotshoe Wally Castro, driving the No. 3 Puerto Rico Lottery Jaguar
XKR, is making his second start in Trans-Am competition and qualified sixth.

³The track is in beautiful shape now,² said Castro, who finished 11th in his
previous start in 1996 in St. Petersburg after running as high as fifth.
³Weıve made changes and weıre moving in the right direction.  Weıll make
some shock adjustments before tomorrowıs warm-up session.

³The tires worked well for me,² Castro continued.  ³Iım learning more about
them each time out.  I expect to be a top-five contender for the whole race
tomorrow.²

The Puerto Rico Grand Prix will air live on PEE Channel on Sunday, Oct. 26
at 1 p.m. EST.