DRISSI & GENTILOZZI LOOK FORWARD TO THE MIAMI HEAT

EAST LANSING, Mich, (March 22, 2006) After using Mexico City as a test to become familiar with the No. 50 Nacho Libre the Movie Ford Crawford, the Rocketsports duo of Tomy Drissi and Paul Gentilozzi head to the Miami-Homestead Speedway to continue the development of the newly formed Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve effort.

Both drivers are looking forward to their second round of competition in the Rolex Series in South Florida. This is a new adventure for the Rocketsports duo, but Drissi and Gentilozzi are experienced drivers who have worked together in the past, as competitors and teammates. The pair raced together in the now sidelined Trans-Am Series for the past six years, the last four years as teammates in Gentilozzi’s multi-championship winning Rocketsports Racing.

With several hours of seat time in Mexico City and two weeks to properly prepare the Ford Crawford, the Rocketsports brigade have higher expectations when they hit the 2.3 mile infield road course of the Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. “We used Mexico City as a test to shake-down the car,” said Drissi. “The car arrived at the shop three days before having to leave so we had to basically race it as we bought it. Paul and I really had no idea how the car would perform, so the team took notes and made a lot of changes back in East Lansing to prepare for Homestead. As each race goes by, I see us performing better and better as we get more comfortable with the car, the competition and the series.”

The Hollywood native has competed in the Trans-Am series for the past six years, was named Rookie-of-the-Year in 1999, Most Improved Driver in 2000 and has a win, a pole and more than a dozen top-five and over 30 top-ten finishes. Along with Trans-Am, Drissi competed in ALMS and the Historic Trans-Am. In 2005, the 6’ 2” Moroccan competed on the streets of Monaco driving a Porsche 997 in the Porsche Michelin Cup.

Gentilozzi, who has an impressive and extensive racing resume’ brings four drivers championships and record 30 Trans-Am victories to the mix along with a solid crew of mechanics and engineers. “We have a great mix of our guys from Trans-Am and Champ Car handling the duties of our Rolex Series effort,” said the road racing veteran, Gentilozzi. “We look forward to the new challenge of the strong competition and several venues that neither Tomy nor I have raced. I plan to have a lot of fun running the Ford Crawford chassis this year.”

Rocketsports Racing has long been synonymous with road racing in America. With over sixty professional victories in Trans-Am, Grand-Am, IMSA and Champ Car, including Gentilozzi’s record thirty Trans-Am wins the team looks for success in the Rolex Series. Rocketsports already hold a Grand Am win with a GTS class victory in the 2002 24 Hours of Daytona.

Watch the Linder Industrial KOMAT’SU Grand Prix of Miami Saturday March 25 at 8:00pm Eastern on SPEED.

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