Gentilozzi Earns Record Fifth Motorock Trans-Am Victory at Long Beach

 
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 18, 2004) ‹ Paul Gentilozzi continued his love
affair with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday by winning his record
fifth Motorock Trans-Am Series race at the famed temporary street circuit.

Driving the No. 3 Jaguar XKR, Gentilozzi started fourth and took the lead
from polesitter and Rocketsports Racing teammate Tommy Kendall (No. 11
Jaguar XKR) in turn one on the first lap. Gentilozzi then benefited from
Boris Saidıs bad luck in turn eight when the driver of the No. 33 Ford
Mustang spun into a tire wall just after briefly taking the lead from
Gentilozzi. 

Gentilozzi then held off a hard-charging Greg Pickett (No. 6 Jaguar XKR) for
the victory. Pickett, who started second to last due to a technical
infraction in qualifying, made up 14 positions and battled Gentilozzi
through the final lap to finish second, a record .233 of a second behind.

³This is a special place for me,² said Gentilozzi, the only multiple-time
Long Beach winner. ³Boris raced me for awhile, then he backed off. Then I
would race him and heıd back off. We were going back and forth, then at the
end, as is always the case at Long Beach, something exciting happened Boris
spun, and I just made it through the corner.

³Then, I thought I was home free,² added Gentilozzi. ³That late caution let
Pickett get up behind me, and he had a really good car. On that last lap he
raced me harder and maybe I backed off too much and he got up next to me.
Then it was just typical Trans-Am, with rubbing and racing.²

³We bought this car from Paul,² said Pickett. ³Paul had been telling me for
years to make it easy on myself and buy one of his cars. I took his advice
and itıs really a solid piece. It is easy to drive. I have a great family to
support me, a business that does well, and this is just a hoot. I couldnıt
be more thankful.²

Said recovered from his late spin‹caused by oil laid down on the track by a
cracked oil pan in Kendallıs Jaguar‹to finish third. John Baucom (No. 86
Ford Mustang) recorded his best career finish of fourth, ahead of Michael
Lewis in the No. 12 Jaguar XKR.

³We were having a great race with Paul,² said Said. ³We had a really fast
car. We were just pacing the tires at the end. Paul got into some oil and I
passed him. Then, unfortunately, I made a mistake in the oil, and he got
by.²

The 45-lap race ran in one hour, 13 minutes and 59.463 seconds at an average
speed of 71.814 miles per hour. Gentilozzi led every lap and also set the
fastest race lap of one minute, 23.082 seconds (85.275 mph). The race was
slowed by two caution flags for 10 laps.

The race will air on a tape-delayed basis at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 25 on
Spike TV, during ³Dangerous Curves.²

Unofficially, Gentilozzi leads the championship standings going into the
next race for the Motorock Trans-Am Series, scheduled for June 19 at
Portland International Speedway in Portland, Ore.