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TRANS AM: Gentilozzi on Pole for Mid-Ohio Trans-Am

6 June 1999

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., scored his 13th career pole in qualifying for Sunday's 45-lap, 101.25-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Gentilozzi, driving the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Ford Mustang Cobra, posted a top time of 1:24.015 (96.411 mph) to front the 32-car field, his first pole of 1999.

"I qualified better today than I have the last few races because we went back to components that we know work," said Gentilozzi. "We'd tried some new parts that didn't work in the brakes and suspension, and now we've gone to the standard stuff."

Brian Simo, in the No. 2 Valvoline Mustang Cobra, qualified second. Simo came to Mid-Ohio with a two-race streak of pole-qualifying efforts and race wins (Lime Rock and Mosport).

"Paul is stronger than I am here at this track," said Simo. "This will be an interesting race. I intend to wait until the race pace settles out and then pick my strategy. I was having trouble with a couple turns, but am satisfied to be in the front row."

Chris Neville, in the No. 84 The Coffee Critic Mustang Cobra, qualified third, followed by Randy Ruhlman, in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Mustang Cobra and Michael Lewis, in the No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra. This was Ruhlman's third career Fast Five Qualifying effort and first in 1999.

"The crew has been working hard on the car," said Ruhlman. "It's coming along slowly and surely, but we always seem to be a little short. We had a good run today and we look forward to the race. The car needs a lot more work and I need a much heavier right foot. I intend to keep the pressure on and to try to stay with the leaders."

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