Tommy Kendall Climbs Cleveland Pole
CLEVELAND (July 1, 2004) Tommy Kendall won the pole Thursday for Fridayıs Trans-Am on the Tarmac race at Clevelandıs Burke Lakefront Airport. Driving the venerable No. 11 Jaguar R Performance XKR, Kendall turned in a 1:14.466-minute lap (101.813 miles per hour) to earn his 41st career and a record third Cleveland pole. Randy Ruhlman qualified on the outside pole in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Chevrolet Corvette, while Tomy Drissi completed the top three in the No. 5 DodgeballThe Movie Jaguar XKR. Jorge Diaz, Jr. (No. 8 Puerto Rico Grand Prix Jaguar XKR) and local driver Bob Ruman (No. 23 McNichols/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette) completed the top five. Kendall won the pole using Jaguarıs new production-based, overhead-cam, fuel-injected engine, the only one of its type in the field. It was the third pole for the engine and the first this season in dry conditions. Kendall won the pole in the season opener at Long Beach in rainy conditions. ³One of my goals was to be outright fastest car,² said Kendall. ³We found out last week that we had too much rear break bias. We solved that problem this week. I said on the first lap Weıve got a hot rod here.ı It was like a whole different car. Iım very happy to get the heads up pole for Jaguarıs AJ-V8.² Ruhlmanıs first top-three qualifying effort is an extension of consistent efforts put in this season by Derhaag Motorsports team. ³After our third-place finish at Sonoma Sunday evening, the crew guys had a great trip back, even though they drove 52 hours straight to be here yesterday,² said Ruhlman. ³Our confidence in the car is growing every week, and that grows on itself. The car does well, I feel good and confident, the crew then feels great, and it just expands on itself.² Drissi scored his third consecutive top-three qualifying effort this season. ³I conserved my tires and when I was going for the fast lap Paul (Gentilozzi) hit some debris and hit the wall in front of me,² said Drissi. ³I never got to make that run, but Iım happy with third and I know I have a lot of tires left.² Paul Gentilozzi, who ran in the top three during much of the 30-minute session, spun in debris and hit the tire wall in turn eight. He was transported to the Champ Car Medical Center, where he was checked and released. ³I did a Bruno (Junqueira),² referring to an off by the Brazilian driver in this morningıs Champ Car World Series practice. ³I hit in the exact same spot except I knocked the wall down. The car ahead of me cut the corner, scattering dirt all over the track. I got into it and knew I was on my way to a wreck.² Tomorrowıs race is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Clevelandıs Burke Lakefront Airport. The Trans-Am Series is part of a full weekend of 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. The Motorock Trans-Am Series features closed-fendered, production-based, V-8-powered sports cars, competing on permanent road courses, and temporary street and airport circuits throughout North America. The Trans-Am Series is Americaıs oldest continuously running road racing series and celebrates its 39th year of competition in 2004.