GT-1 RACER ³CHEVY² LEAVY FINISHES NINTH IN CLEVELAND TRANS-AM DEBUT

CLEVELAND (July 2, 2004) ‹ Jon ³Chevy² Leavy entered Fridayıs Trans-Am on
the Tarmac here a Cleveland rookie and left a veteran as the GT-1 racer
finished ninth in his Burke Lakefront Airport debut. Leavy (No. 11
MLEYE.com/MurrayAutoRacing.com Chevrolet Camaro) is part of the growing
contingent of GT-1 racers taking part in the Motorock Trans-Am Seriesı new
GT-1 Driver Development program.

Leavy was the highest-finishing GT-1 racer in the field. He took part in
victory lane ceremonies, as well as participating in the post-race press
conference for the accomplishment.

Teamed with B.K. ³Kenny² Bupp (No. 10 BankUnited/Hamilton Safe Chevrolet
Camaro), Leavy plans to compete in up to five races this season with sights
set on winning this yearıs GT-1 Championship. The team also plans to compete
at Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (July 30 ­ Aug. 1) and Road America (Aug.
5-8) with the possibility of running two more races.

³I used to watch Trans-Am racing when I was a little kid. I always said that
as soon as I got a driverıs license, I was going to race in Trans-Am,² said
Leavy. ³So, for me to be here is just a tremendous accomplishment.²

Leavy said competing in the top echelon of professional sports-car racing
has helped him make his program more competitive.

³Paul (Gentilozzi) has helped me out a lot over the years,² said Leavy. ³I
drive one of Paulıs old cars. Every time Iıve had a problem with the setup,
he always helped me get the car going.

³Paul said a couple years ago at a banquet that you are only as good as the
level of your competition. If you donıt have good competition, youıre off by
yourself,² added Leavy. ³When you are out here in Trans-Am with the best of
the best, you learn from them. Every lap I follow Paul, I get better. That
makes me feel proud to accomplish things against drivers of this caliber.²

Budgetary issues drove Leavy to take part in the new program this year.
Leavy has competed on both a National and Regional level in SCCA Club
Racing.

³Kenny and I teamed up to run in the Trans-Am GT-1 Driver Development
Program because we donıt have the budget to run competitively with the
Trans-Am teams,² said Leavy. ³This program gives us a chance to showcase our
abilities and utilize the equipment we already had and were running at the
local level. This also gives us a chance to be a part of a very professional
series. Iım really happy to be a part of that.²

Ecstatic with his results this weekend, Leavy is looking forward to running
more Trans-Am races.

³When we arrived yesterday I had never turned a lap here. Itıs a great
track, but we were just off of the pace,² said Leavy. ³I did my homework on
the track last night, went out in first practice and the fuel pump burned
out. My crew got it back together and we ran really strong. My new sponsor
Millennium Eye Center did LASIK on my eyes and I now have 20-15 vision. That
really helped me see my way to the finish today.²

Leavy has long been a staple of Trans-Am competition, running with the
Series since 1996. His best finish in Trans-Am competition of seventh came
in his home race at Miami in 2002. Leavy got his start in racing in 1979,
driving a short-track stock car on Hialeah Speedwayıs third-mile asphalt
oval. In fact, that is where he received his ³Chevy² nickname, which rhymes
with his last name. He won the limited late model track championship at
Hialeah in 1984.

The GT-1 Development Program, announced earlier this year, will award the
GT-1 Driversı Championship, presented for the first time in 2003, and will
further recognize the importance of GT-1 involvement in Trans-Am
competition. In order to create more visibility, the Program will recognize
the highest-finishing GT-1 competitor at each event during winnerıs circle
festivities. The top-finishing GT-1 driver will also be invited to take part
in post-race media interviews, and, when possible, will participate in
television interviews.

Also, those competitors winning GT-1 races at the SCCA Valvoline Runoffs at
the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and the June Sprints at Road America, will
be presented a GT-1 Trans-Am Series Support Package, which includes, among
other things, free entries to Trans-Am Series races.

GT-1 competitors will continue to be eligible for regular Trans-Am
championship points, contingency monies and race awards. Special GT-1
contingency awards are also being planned.

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.


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