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TRANS-AM: Gentilozzi Finds a Way to Win at the Johnson Controls 100

20 April 1999

GENTILOZZI FINDS A WAY TO WIN AT THE JOHNSON CONTROLS 100 BFGOODRICH TIRES TRANS-AM SERIES SEASON-OPENER

LONG BEACH, Calif. Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing Mich., had fortune in his corner in the 33-lap, 60.192-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series season-opener at Long Beach to score his third career Trans-Am victory on the streets of Long Beach in the Johnson Controls 100, the first leg of the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge. Johnny Miller, in the No. 64 Automationdirect.com Chevrolet Camaro finished second, 2.707-seconds behind Gentilozzi.

"The car was a lot better today than it was in qualifying," said Gentilozzi. "We were able to run at maximum speed, but John also ran a great race. Sometimes traffic depends upon the breaks that you can get. I was able to gain an advantage in some places, but John would get it right back. It exciting out there."

From the start of the 1:00:26.199 contest the race looked to be a survival of the fittest on the 13-turn, 1.824-mile circuit. As the field took the green flag, pole-sitter Chris Neville (No. 84 ARCO Ford Mustang Cobra) spun going into turn one, collecting several cars including the No. 85 Trenton Forging/Westward Ho Casio Chevrolet Camaro of Stu Hayner.

"I didn't feel comfortable on the start, and I didn't turn into the corner right away," said Miller IV. "That turned out to be the best decision I made all day, because everyone was piled up there in the first turn. After three laps the car really hooked up. Paul was tough, but we'll get him next time."

Brian Simo (No. 2 Valvoline Mustang Cobra) led the field on the on the restart, but was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the green flag, dropping him out of contention for the race win. Gentilozzi took full advantage of the opportunity, however, inheriting a lead he would never relinquish. Michael Lewis (No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra) was also able to avoid the on-track trouble to finish third, his career-best Long Beach finish.

With the win, Gentilozzi becomes the only driver in Trans-Am history to win the Long Beach race three times, and in three different marques. Gentilozzi won his first Long Beach Trans-Am in 1988 driving an Oldsmobile Cutlass, as well as back-to-back wins in 1998 and 1998, first in a Chevrolet Corvette, and this year in a Ford Mustang Cobra.

Gentilozzi is now the only Trans-Am driver who has a chance to win the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge, and its $50,000 bonus. The Johnson Controls Triple Challenge is an award presented to a Trans-Am driver who records wins at all three legs of the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge: Long Beach, Detroit (Aug. 8), and Grand Rapids (Aug. 29).

"Well, you don't get the big money unless you win all three," said Gentilozzi, "but a company like Johnson Controls brings recognition and credibility to the award and to the series. I am going to do my best to win it."

Randy Ruhlman, in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Mustang Cobra, finished fourth, followed by Max Lagod, in the No. 83 Hypermax Engineering Camaro.

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