The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Trans-Am: Simo Goes Flag-to-Flag for Mosport Trans-Am Win

24 May 1999

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Can. - Brian Simo, of Carlsbad, Calif., held off his RaceWerX teammate Dorsey Schroeder to post a flag-to-flag victory at the Mosport International Raceway BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race in Bowmanville, Ontraio, Can.

Simo, driving the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra, started the 40-lap, 98.36-mile contest on the pole to front the 25-car Trans-Am field, and from the green flag he was locked in a nose-to-tail battle with second-place starter Schroeder, in the No. 7 Valvoline SynPower Mustang Cobra.

"I felt the pressure from Dorsey and Paul all day long," said Simo. "I pushed the car harder than I wanted to throughout the race, but Dorsey was right there, so I kept on it. I knew that he would pass me if he got the chance."

Despite the pressure Simo never wavered to top Schroeder by a 0.416-second margin, scoring his first win of the season and third career victory.

Finishing third behind Schroeder was Paul Gentilozzi, driving the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Mustang Cobra, followed by Chris Neville, in the No. 84 Coffee Critic Mustang Cobra and Max Lagod, in the No. 83 HyperMax Chevrolet Camaro.

Schroeder held the second-place position for all but one lap, when Gentilozzi caught him off-guard on a late-race restart following an incident involving Don Sak and Bob Ruman.

"I had more fun today than I've had in a long time," said Schroeder. "Paul got me fair and square on the restart, but I was able to get back in close behind him. Later on, Paul got loose coming out of turn one, causing him to check up, and it allowed me to get a fender inside him. I trust Paul and I know that he has good car control, so I made the move and took advantage of the opportunity."

Randy Ruhlman, in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Mustang Cobra, finished sixth after starting eighth, while 10th-place starter Michael Lewis, in the No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra, finished seventh, followed by Johnny Miller IV, in the No. 64 Automationdirect.com Camaro, Craig Shafer, in the No. 39 Somerset Door and Column Camaro and Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Stonier Transportation Camaro.

After two races, Gentilozzi leads the Drivers' Championship point standings with 59, followed by Miller IV, 46; Lewis, 45; Ruhlman, 43; Neville, 43; Simo, 39; Leighton Reese, 33; Gregg, 33; Steve Pelke, 30; and Schroeder, 28.

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Can. - Results from Sunday's 40-lap, 98.36-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race at Mosport International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.

  1. (1), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  2. (2), Dorsey Schroeder, Osage Beach, Mo., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  3. (3), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  4. (4), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  5. (5), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet , 40.
  6. (7), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  7. (10), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  8. (6), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet , 40.
  9. (24), Craig Shafer, Somerset, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 39.
10. (17), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet , 39.
11. (15), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet , 39.
12. (18), Tom Coleman, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet , 39.
13. (8), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 39.
14. (20), James Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet , 38.
15. (23), Glenn Andrew, Farmersburg, Ind., Pontiac Grand Prix, 37.
16. (19), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet , 37.
17. (13), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet , 36, Crash.
18. (12), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 36, Crash.
19. (21), Rael, Valcourt, Quebec, Chevrolet , 35.
20. (14), Jerry Simmons, Ancaster Ontario, Chevrolet Camero, 32, Crash.
21. (25), Stu Hayner, Yorba Linda, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 25, Crash.
22. (16), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 23, Mech.
23. (22), Charles Webster, Hamilton Ontario, Chevrolet , 15, Mech.
24. (9), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Chevrolet Camaro Corvette, 14,
Mech.
25. (11), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Ford Mustang Cobra, 12, Mech.

Time of race: 1 hour,  8 minutes, 17.079 seconds.
Average speed: 86.426 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: .41600 seconds
Lap leader: laps 1-40, No. 2 Simo
Fastest race lap: Dorsey Schroeder, 1:21.973 (107.991 mph), lap eight

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.