Motorock Trans-Am Series Ready To Rock Cleveland's Waterfront

CONTACT: Justin Anderson,
Ph: 704-348-9400, Cell: 704-589-2100

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOTOROCK TRANS-AM SERIES READY TO ROCK CLEVELAND¹S WATERFRONT

CLEVELAND (June 28, 2004) ‹ During this Fourth of July weekend, the rumble
won¹t just be coming from the fireworks, as the Motorock Trans-Am Series
rolls into the home of rock and roll ready to roar on the lakefront. The
Trans-Am on the Tarmac, Round 4 of this year¹s championship, is scheduled
for Friday, July 2.

The Trans-Am Series has a long history at Cleveland¹s 2.106-mile, 10-turn
course, set up on Cleveland¹s Burke Lakefront airport. The Series has
competed here 13 times since 1988. This year, America¹s oldest continuously
running road racing series will continue the Cleveland legend, as part of
the U.S. Bank Presents Cleveland Grand Prix. The list of Cleveland winners
comprises an elite group of drivers who have made history in the Trans-Am
Series and elsewhere.

Leading the Cleveland cavalcade of Trans-Am legends is the Series¹ only
four-time champion Tommy Kendall. Kendall returned to the Series this year,
after leaving competition in 1997. Kendall has a history at Cleveland,
making it a special place for the well-known racer.

In fact, Kendall (No. 11 Jaguar R Performance XKR) began his run to second
on the all-time Trans-Am win list at Cleveland. Kendall recorded his first
of 26 career victories, here in 1990. The only driver to have won four
Drivers¹ Championships, accomplishments include: being the only driver to
win three-straight Trans-Am titles, a record for the most victories in a
season, 14 straight in 1997, 40 poles, 53 podiums, 63 top fives, 72 top tens
and 23 fast race laps.

³Cleveland is very special to me,² said Kendall, who is driving a car
powered by Jaguar¹s new stock-block, fuel-injected AJ-V8 engine. ³I won my
first race here and my brother lives here. They put on a great event, so
whether it¹s difficult or intimidating, I don¹t care. I like Cleveland.²

Meanwhile Tomy Drissi (No. 5 AVP‹Only in Theaters Jaguar XKR) is on a
mission this year. He won his first pole in Round 2 at Portland and is
looking to continue his string of consistent finishes here, after a stumble
at Infineon Raceway.

³This year, our program is really coming together,² said Drissi. ³Last year,
we were fast, but we weren¹t consistent. This year is about consistency.
Cleveland is a fast track. I¹m looking forward to having the best result of
my career here this year.²

Local racer Randy Ruhlman is also seeking his first Cleveland victory.
Ruhlman, who grew up here, is sponsored by Preformed Line Products, which
has its corporate headquarters in the Cleveland metropolitan area.

³As always, we¹re looking forward to coming back to Cleveland,² said
Ruhlman, driver of the No. 49 Chevrolet Corvette. ³We have a big contingent
from our sponsor. We also have a lot of family come out. I grew up in
Cleveland, so it¹s always nice to come home. The team has been giving me a
great car. It gets stronger every race. We had a strong car last year and I
think it will be even stronger this year.²

Another local racer, Tim Cowen, is also looking forward to returning to
Cleveland. Cowen (No. 75 Cowen Truck Lines Ford Mustang) lives in nearby
Ashland, Ohio. The 2002 GT-1 National Champion is concentrating on competing
in the Trans-Am Series this year, running at least five events.

³We¹re really looking forward to Cleveland,² said Cowen. ³Of the first three
races we¹re running this season, we have the most experience at Cleveland.
We¹ve run well here, though our results haven shown that. We¹ve just had
some bad luck. One year, we didn¹t make it through turn one and last year we
had radiator problems. This year, we¹re best prepared for that race as any.
Coming into these first two races, with both Portland and Infineon being new
tracks to us, we think we¹ve done a pretty good job.²

Another local favorite to watch is Bob Ruman. Ruman (No. 23
Cenweld/McNichols Chevrolet Corvette) returned to Trans-Am competition here
last season after successfully beating cancer.

Meanwhile, B.K. ³Kenny² Bupp and Jon ³Chevy² Leavy will kick off their
season as Trans-Am¹s only two-car GT-1 team. The two are competing this year
under Trans-Am¹s new GT-1 Driver Development Program. The program will award
the GT-1 Drivers¹ Championship, presented for the first time in 2003, and
will further recognize the importance of GT-1 involvement in Trans-Am
competition.

The Trans-Am on the Tarmac, part of the U.S. Bank Presents Cleveland Grand
Prix weekend, is scheduled for Friday, July 2. The race is scheduled to
start at 5 p.m. at Cleveland¹s Burke Lakefront Airport. The Trans-Am Series
is part of a full weekend in racing, featuring the Bridgestone Presents The
Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford, and also includes the Toyota
Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama and Formula BMW USA.

Fast Facts:
What: The Trans-Am on the Tarmac, Round 4 of the 2004 Motorock Trans-Am
Series championship

When: Thursday and Friday, July 1-2, 2004

Race Day: Friday, July 2, at 5 p.m., following the Formula BMW race No. 1

Distance: 48 laps or 75 minutes, time certain, whichever comes first

Where: The race will be run on a 2.106-mile, 10-turn temporary airport
course

Series PR Contact:  Justin Anderson, 704-589-2100, cellular at the track,
janderson@trans-amseries.com

Schedule:
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration (Trans-Am Series Trailer)

Thursday, July 1, 2004
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Trans-Am Registration Open
9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Driver On-Track Orientation (Pending Circuit
Construction)
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Formula BMW Practice
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Toyota Atlantic Practice
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Champ Car World Series Practice
1:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Trans-Am Practice
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Pace Car On-Track Activities
2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Formula BMW Practice
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Champ Car Qualifying
4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Atlantic Qualifying
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Formula BMW Qualifying Session One
6:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Trans-Am Qualifying
6:55 p.m. Trans-Am Post-Qualifying Press Conference
7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Pace Car On-Track Activities
7:45 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. "Back Seat Driver" On-Track Activities
 
Friday, July 2, 2004
7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Trans-Am Registration Open
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Formula BMW Qualifying Session Two
9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Atlantic Practice
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Champ Car Practice
11:30 a.m. - noon Trans-Am Final Practice
12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Pace Car On-Track Activities
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Atlantic Qualifying
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Champ Car Qualifying
2:00 p.m. Motorsports Ministries Chapel Service
3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Trans-Am Autograph Session (Location TBA)
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Pace Car On-Track Activities
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Formula BMW Race One
4:45 p.m. Grid Trans-Am
5:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Trans-Am Race (48 Laps/101.088 miles or 75 Minutes)
6:20 p.m. Trans-Am Winner Circle Activities
6:30 p.m. Trans-Am Post-Race Press Conference
6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. "Back Seat Driver" On Track Activities

Cleveland Commentary:
NOTEBOOK
* Rocketsports Racing, which is already the only entrant to win five
Trans-Am races here (1991, Darin Brassfield; 1998, Bill Saunders; 2000 and
2001, Paul Gentilozzi, and 2003 with Scott Pruett), seeks to score an
unprecedented sixth Cleveland Trans-Am win.
* Leading all-time Cleveland Trans-Am race winner Tommy Kendall (1990, 1996,
and 1997) is after his fourth Cleveland Trans-Am victory.
* A Kendall victory here would also be the first for Jaguar¹s new AJ-V8
engine. 
* Jaguar is seeking its fourth Cleveland Trans-Am win in last five years,
tying it with Chevrolet. Jaguar can also earn its fourth pole here.
* A victory by the bowtie brigade will end a losing streak for Chevrolet
here, going back1998 (Bill Saunders, Rocketsports Chevrolet Corvette)
* Ford is also in the hunt for its first Cleveland Trans-Am victory since
1997 (Tommy Kendall, Roush Mustang)
* Rocketsports is the first team to win four poles here.
* Two-time pole winners Tommy Kendall (1990 and 1996) and Paul Gentilozzi
(2000 and 2001)can tie Scott Pruett for all-time leadership in Cleveland
Trans-Am poles. 

RACE HISTORY
* The Motorock Trans-Am Series first held an event on Cleveland¹s Burke
Airport course in1988. The Series returned to Cleveland from 1989 through
1991. After a two-season hiatus (1992 and 1993), the Series completed a
five-year run here from 1994 through 1998. The series returned to Cleveland
in 2000 and has competed there every year since.
* The 13 Cleveland races have produced nine race winners, with only Tommy
Kendall, a three-time victor (1990, 1996, 1997), Paul Gentilozzi (2000 and
2001), and Scott Pruett (1994 and 2003) winning more than once.
* Seven entrants have won here, with Rocketsports taking five (1991, 1998,
2000, 2001, and2003); McCall Racing two (1994 and 1995); and Roush Racing
two (1996 and1997).  Group 44 won in 1988, Irv Hoerr in 1989, C&C Racing in
1990, and Davis Racing in 2002.
* Three drivers have scored their career-first Trans-Am victories at
Cleveland: Hans Stuck in1988, Tommy Kendall in 1990, and Bill Saunders in
1998. 
* Six marques have won the 13 races here, led by Chevrolet¹s four (1990,
1994, 1995, 1998).Jaguar has three wins (2000, 2001, 2003). Ford (1996 and
1997) and Oldsmobile (1989 and 1991) each have two wins. Audi (1988) and
Panoz(2002) each have one victory.
* Eight nameplates have been victorious in the here, with Jaguar¹s XKR
scoring the most wins with three (2000, 2001, 2003). Chevrolet¹s Camaro
(1994 and 1995), Ford's Mustang (1996 and 1997), and Oldsmobile¹s Cutlass
(1989 and 1991) each scored two wins. Single victories have been posted by
Audi¹s Quattro(1988), Chevrolet¹s Beretta (1990), Chevrolet¹s Corvette
(1998), and the Panoz Esperante (2002).
* Nine drivers have won the pole here, with only Scott Pruett (1988, 1994,
and 2003) achieving three such honors. Tommy Kendall (1990 and 1996) and
Paul Gentilozzi (2000and 2001) have two Cleveland poles apiece.
* Ford¹s Mustang(1996 through 1998) and Jaguar¹s XKR (2000, 2001, and 2003)
lead in Cleveland Trans-Am pole wins with three apiece. Chevrolet¹s Camaro
(1994and 1995) and Oldsmobile¹s Cutlass (1989 and 1991) took two apiece with
single honors to Mercury¹s Merkur (1988), Chevrolet¹s Beretta (1990), and
Chevrolet's Corvette (2002).
* Eleven drivers have posted the 13 fast race laps, with only Paul
Gentilozzi (1998 and 2002)and Scott Pruett (1988 and 2003) setting more than
one. 
* The winning drivers in the first four Cleveland Trans-Am's (Stuck in 1988,
Hoerr in 1989,Kendall in 1990, and Brassfield in 1991) each swept the race,
winning the pole, setting the fastest race lap and winning the race. No
other winner achieved the feat again until Scott Pruett did so in 2003.
* Seven (53.8%) of the 13 Cleveland races have been won from pole (1989,
Hoerr; 1990,Kendall; 1991, Brassfield; 1994, Pruett; 2000 and 2001,
Gentilozzi; and2003, Pruett). Three have been won from third position
(Stuck, 1988; Kendall, 1997; Boris Said, 2002), two from fifth (1995,
Fellows and 1996,Kendall), and one from sixth (Saunders in 1988) for an
average race winner's starting position of 2.46.
* Lead-lap finishers have ranged from 14 in 1997 to four in 2001 for an
average of 9.92 per race. Eight have produced 10 or more lead-lap finishers
with 2002producing 13, one short of the event record. Nine cars finished on
the lead lap in 2003.
* Twelve of the 13 Cleveland events have produced victory margins of less
than 10seconds, with the largest margin of 11.33 seconds in 1996. The record
closest Cleveland Trans-Am victory margin of 0.193 second was posted in1998
by Bill Saunders.  
* The total victory margin for all 13 races here amounts to only 49.361
seconds, or an average of 3.797 seconds per race.

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