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TRANS-AM: Simo Scores Pole for Memorial Day Trans-Am at Lime Rock Park

30 May 1999

LAKEVILLE, Conn. - Brian Simo, driving the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra, scored his fourth career and second-consecutive pole of the season in qualifying for Monday's BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race at Lime Rock Park.

"We qualified good last year - on the pole - but our results weren't very good," said Simo. "This is a tough race track - it's hard all the way around. Traffic will play a big factor because this track is so short, and I don't want to be overconfident. I'm sure the rest of the teams will be tweaking on their cars and making a lot of changes. I hope we don't make too many."

Simo, of Carlsbad, Calif., posted a top time of 52.278 (105.359 mph) to front the 28-car field for the 66-lap, 100.98-mile Memorial Day classic. Michael Lewis, in the No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra, qualified second, followed by Chris Neville, driving the No. 84 The Coffee Critic Mustang Cobra, Paul Gentilozzi, in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Mustang Cobra and Leighton Reese, in the No. 66 Phillips 66/Banner Engineering Pontiac Grand Prix.

"This is a different car than what we showed at Mosport," said Lewis. "I've race here before, and last week was my first race at Mosport, so I feel a more comfortable on the track than I did last week."

Monday's BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am race will be televised live on the Speedvision Network beginning at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).

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