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TRANS-AM: Gentilozzi Avenges 1998 Road America Disappointment with a Victory

11 July 1999

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. -- Defending series champion Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., took his third BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series win of the season at Road America, avenging the disappointment of leading all but the last lap at the historic 4.084-mile circuit in 1998. Michael Lewis, of San Diego, Calif., and Chris Neville, of Scottsdale, Ariz., completed the top-three.

Gentilozzi started third in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Ford Mustang Cobra, but moved to second at the start behind polesitter Brian Simo. For the first 14 laps, Gentilozzi followed Simo before looking inside the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra in turn five. In an attempt to maintain his lead by outbraking Gentilozzi, Simo slid wide into the gravel and back on to the track in eighth place before spinning in his own gravel at turn eight and out of contention.

Following the lap-20 restart to remove Simo from the gravel trap, Gentilozzi held off a determined Lewis, who started second in the No. 12 AmeriSuites Ford Mustang Cobra, to take a 0.719-second win. The average race speed was 87.449 mph over the 25-lap, 101.2-mile contest lasting one hour, nine minuets, 26.079 seconds.

"After Brian went out, I knew Lewis was behind me and would try hard," said Gentilozzi, whose 13th-career victory moved him into the Drivers Championship point lead over Lewis, 129 to 120. "I turned my mirror down and told my crew not to talk to me. I just wanted to concentrate on the race. I got blocked by a lapped car two laps from the end, but was able to hold Lewis off.

"I had to drive 10-tenths almost all day," Gentilozzi continued. "I had a lot of tire left at the end - the BFGoodrich Tires were great. They didn't go off and were good for a lot more laps."

Lewis equaled his career-best finish of second -- his fifth top-10 finish in five 1999 Trans-Am events.

"I wish that I had the last two laps to do over again, I would have done a couple things different and tried something to get by Paul," said Lewis. "I went to school following Paul. I learned a lot. But I know I can run with him. We've made some big strides."

Neville, driving the No. 84 The Coffee Critic Ford Mustang Cobra, battled from a 14th starting position to move into the top-three on lap 20 and record his third-straight podium finish to move to third in points, with 108.

"After that last restart it was a drag race with Max Lagod going down the straight and I outbraked him going into turn five," said Neville, the 1998 Trans-Am Rookie of the Year. "I was doing everything I could to catch up to Lewis and Gentilozzi, but I couldn't see anything because I had oil all over my windshield. I wasn't going to wad it up on the last lap, but if Lewis and Gentilozzi got together and took each other out, I was there to take it."

Lou Gigliotti, of Garland, Texas, equaled his 1998 effort with a fourth-place finish, followed by Lagod, of Barrington, Ill, and Johnny Miller IV, of Johnson City, Tenn.

Simo, who led the point standings prior to Road America, fell to fourth, with 107, followed by Miller, with 102.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. -- Results from Saturday's 25-lap, 101.2-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Round Five race at Road America, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any).

   1. (3), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 25.
   2. (2), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 25.
   3. (14), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 25.
   4. (7), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 25.
   5. (4), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
   6. (9), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
   7. (18), Stu Hayner, Yorba Linda, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
   8. (10), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 25.
   9. (16), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 25.
10. (13), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 25.
11. (19), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
12. (31), Kenny Bupp, Ft. Laudersdale, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
13. (24), Jerry Kinn, Anchorage, Alaska, Chevrolet Camaro, 25.
14. (21), Claudio Burtin, Atlanta, Ford Mustang Cobra, 25.
15. (23), Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 25.
16. (26), Jerry Simmons, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, Chevrolet Camaro, 24.
17. (6), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 24.
18. (30), Dan Furey, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 24.
19. (28), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 23.
20. (12), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 23.
21. (22), James Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 23.
22. (25), Mike Gagliardo, Chicago, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette, 22, Fire.
23. (20), Tom Coleman, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 21, Mech.
24. (1), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 21.
25. (11), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 17.
26. (17), Rick Dittman, Prairie View, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 15, Crash.
27. (27), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 11,
Engine.
28. (5), Dorsey Schroeder, Osage Beach, Mo., Ford Mustang Cobra, 7, Mech.
29. (15), Bill Gray, Springdale, Ark., Chevrolet Camaro, 6, Crash.
30. (29), Jim Moyer, Kokomo, N.Y., Chevrolet Corvette, 6, Mech.
31. (32), Jeff Simunaci, Omaha, Neb., Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 4, Mech.
32. (8), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Ford Mustang Cobra, 3, Mech.

Time of race: 1 hour, 9 minutes, 26.079 seconds.
Average speed: 87.449 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 0.719-second
Lap leaders: No. 2 Brian Simo, laps 1-14; No. 1 Paul Gentilozzi, laps
15-25.
Fastest race lap: No. 1 Paul Gentilozzi, 2:10.788 (111.423 mph)
Fastest qualifier: No. 2 Brian Simo, 2:10.947, (111.287 mph)
Cautions: Two for Eight laps

1999 BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Drivers' Point Standings - Five Race
Total

Pos., Driver, Car, Points, Purse
1, Paul Gentilozzi, Ford Mustang Cobra, 129, $69,750
2, Michael Lewis, Ford Mustang Cobra, 120, $46,800
3, Chris Neville, Ford Mustang Cobra, 108, $46,500
4, Brian Simo, Ford Mustang Cobra, 107, $59,000
5, Johnny Miller IV, Chevrolet Camaro, 102, $34,400
6, Randy Rhulman, Ford Mustang Cobra, 80, $24,700
7, Simon Gregg, Chevrolet Camaro, 78, $16,300
8, Leighton Reese, Pontiac/Chevrolet, 71, $20,400
9, Dorsey Schroeder, Ford Mustang Cobra, 70, $23,500
10, Tomy Drissi (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 66, $12,000
11, Steve Pelke (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 66, $11,200
12, Max Lagod, Chevrolet Camaro, 65, $21,000
13, Lou Gigliotti, Chevrolet Corvette, 64, $17,700
14, Bob Ruman, Chevrolet Camaro, 52, $12,700
15, G.J. Mennen (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 47, $12,800
16, Tom Coleman (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 46, $8,500
17, Frank Ciopettini, Chevrolet Camaro, 42, $9,700
18, James Briody, Chevrolet Camaro, 39, $7,000
19, Claudio Burtin, Ford Mustang Cobra, 35, $5,500
20, Don Sak, Oldsmobile/Ford, 29, $8,400
21, Craig Shafer, Chevrolet Camaro, 27, $4,600
22, Jerry Simmons, Chevrolet Camaro, 26, $5,200
23, Stu Hayner, Chevrolet/Ford, 25, $6,100
24, C. David Suess, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 24, $5,400
25, Bill Gray, Chevrolet Camaro, 19, $4,600
26, Peter Shea, Ford Mustang Cobra, 19, $4,000
27, Kenny Bupp (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 18, $3,400
28, Don Meluzio, Chevrolet Camaro, 18, $4,700
29, Mike Davis (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 16, $2,800
30, Bruce Barkelew, Ford Mustang Cobra, 14, $2,300
31, Henry Gaudens (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 12, $1,900
32, Dick Greer, Chevrolet Corvette, 11, $2,600
33, Glenn Andrew, Pontiac Grand Prix, 11, $1,700
34, Dan Furey, Chevrolet Corvette, 9, $2,400
35, Frank Sanchez (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 8, $1,400
36, Mike Gagliardo (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 7, $2,200
37, Ted Sullivan (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 7, $1,300
38, Rael (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 7, $1,300
39, Craig T. Nelson (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 5, $1,100
40, Brad Smith (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 4, $1,100
41, Charles Webster (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 3, $1,100
42, Kerry Alexander (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 2, $1,000
43, Jerry Kinn (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 0, $2,100
44, Rick Dittman, Chevrolet Camaro, 0, $1,700
45, Jim Moyer, Chevrolet Corvette, 0, $500
46, Jeff Simunaci (R), Chev. Monte Carlo, 0, $0
47, Paul Alderman, Ford Mustang Cobra, 0, $900
48, Bob McGrew (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 0, $700
49, Tim Skiba (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 0, $0


Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
1, Ford, 45
2, Chevrolet, 19
3, Pontiac, 2
4, Oldsmobile, 0

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