Trans-Am: Wild action follows Simo's flag-to-flag Grand Rapids victory
30 August 1999
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - While Brian Simo, of Carlsbad, Calif., scored an easy flag-to-flag win at the West Michigan Grand Prix, the action behind him in the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Johnson Controls 100 was wild as Johnny Miller took over the runner-up position late in the race, finishing 7.290 second behind Simo, while Leighton Reese was scored with a third-place finish after Chris Neville was penalized for contact that took out Reese on the final lap.Simo, driving the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra, started the 64-lap, 101.12-mile race from the pole and was never seriously challenge throughout the 1:36:37.036 race, holding a comfortable margin throughout the contest as he cruised to his fourth win of the season and sixth career checkered flag. Simos victory also clinched the Trans-Am Series Manufacturers Championship for Ford, the auto manufacturers eighth series title.
"Our car stayed the same all race and everyone else seemed to slow down," said Simo. "Our car was set up and designed to be saved to the end, and it worked. Traffic was heavy today, as I knew it would be, but I think the other drivers may have been slightly more cooperative than usual in letting me by in traffic. Toward the end of the race I didnt have the pressure from behind and the race was a little easier."
Behind Simo, the races early going was slowed by an 11-lap caution brought out for a multi-car incident that was started when Neville, in the No. 88 Tommy Bahama Mustang Cobra, pushed the No. 4 Smith Eye Wear Mustang Cobra of G. J. Mennen wide at Turn Four. While Mennen tried to get his spun car restarted, Randy Ruhlman entered the corner and with nowhere to go, slammed into the back of Mennens car, creating a pileup that also collected Brian De Vries, Steve Pelke, Rick Dittman and Tom Coleman, all suffering damage to their cars but no injuries.
Following a mid-race yellow, the second of two full-course cautions for a total of 17 laps, second-place Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., had his mirrors full of the No. 64 Automationdirect.com Chevrolet Camaro of Miller, who made a pass for second on lap 48 as the duo entered Turn Five on the 13-turn, 1.58-mile Scott Brayton Memorial Street Circuit. Once in second, Miller was unable to chase down Simo, overworking his car and allowing Gentilozzi, in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Chevrolet Corvette, and Michael Lewis, in the No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra, to make a charge.
On lap 55, both Gentilozzi and Lewis passed Miller for second and third, respectively, but as Lewis tried a Turn One pass for second on lap 59, Gentilozzi slowed with a flat tire, Lewis spun and Miller exited the corner back in second place, with Reese and Neville in hot pursuit. Gentilozzi was into the pits for a new tire, while a three-car nose-to-tail train of Miller, Reese and Neville set up a final lap shootout for second.
"I had a great race going, but Brian had us covered," said Miller. "Paul (Gentilozzi) and I did some teamwork, and when I was in front of him I burnt the car out trying to chase down Simo, and then went backwards. When we all got into it at Turn One I somehow stayed clean and came out in second place. From there it was just a matter of holding on."
On the last lap, Neville made a bid for third, making contact with Reese and sending Reeses Pontiac into the wall at Turn Four, allowing Miller an uncontested final run to second, with Neville crossing the finish line third. Immediately after the race, Reese was awarded the third-place finish, which put Neville to fourth and Gentilozzi, who rapidly returned to the race with a fresh tire, was fifth.
"Neville and I had a good battle for a long time--I went onto the bridge leading into Turn Four and he got onto the outside," said Reese. "I squared the corner and held tight, then I felt this strange force pushing on the side of my car, and I was going sideways into the wall. I took a good hit and the car is badly damaged, but I managed to keep it going and get across the finish line." With his finish, Gentilozzi earned the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge $5,000 bonus by scoring the most Drivers Championship points at the three Johnson Controls Triple Challenge races (the Johnson Controls 100 events at Long Beach, Detroit and Grand Rapids).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Results from Sundays 64-lap, 101.12-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Johnson Controls 100 race at the West Michigan Grand Prix, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
1. (1), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 64. 2. (7), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Camaro, 64. 3. (6), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 64. 4. (5), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 64. 5. (2), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Chevrolet Corvette, 64. 6. (14), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 63. 7. (21), Kerry Alexander, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 63. 8. (3), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 62, crash. 9. (16), Craig Shafer, Somerset, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 62. 10. (17), Claudio Burtin, Cartersville, Ga., Ford Mustang Cobra, 62. 11. (24), Charles Webster, Hamilton Ontario, Chevrolet Camaro, 62. 12. (10), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 61, n.a.. 13. (15), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 61. 14. (8), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 61. 15. (25), Mike Farmer, Rockford, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 60. 16. (19), James Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 60. 17. (30), Tom Coleman, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 58. 18. (23), Ed Hinchliff, Ypsilanti, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 57.. 19. (9), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 49, Mech. 20. (11), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 38, Fire. 21. (22), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 32, Mech. 22. (12), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Olds Cutlass, 26, Mech. 23. (29), Glenn Andrew, Farmersburg, Ind., Pont Grand Prix, 24, n.a.. 24. (26), Dan Furey, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 24, n.a.. 25. (4), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Ford Mustang Cobra, 6, Crash. 26. (20), Rick Dittman, Prairie View, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 6, Crash. 27. (18), Brian DeVries, Grand Rapids, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 5, Crash. 28. (13), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 5, Crash. 29. (27), Joe Freda, Auburn, Ala., Chevrolet Camaro, 5, Mech. 30. (28), Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 2, n.a.. Time of race: 1 hours, 36 minutes, 37.036 seconds. Average speed: 62.796 miles-per-hour Margin of victory: 7.290 seconds Fastest race lap: Chris Neville, 1:17.169 (73.708 mph) Cautions: two for 17 laps Lap leaders: laps 1-64, No. 2 Simo BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Drivers Championship Point Standings - Nine Race Total 1 Chris Neville, Ford Mustang Cobra, 209 2 Brian Simo, Ford Mustang Cobra, 208 3 Paul Gentilozzi, Chevrolet Corvette, 201 4 Michael Lewis, Ford Mustang Cobra, 198 5 Johnny W. Miller IV, Chevrolet Camaro, 195 6 Randy Ruhlman, Ford Mustang Cobra, 158 7 Leighton Reese, Pontiac Grand Prix, 143 8 Simon Gregg, Chevrolet Camaro, 126 9 Tomy Drissi, Ford Mustang Cobra, 121 10 Steve Pelke, Chevrolet Camaro, 116 11 Bob Ruman, Chevrolet Camaro, 105 12 G.J. Mennen, Ford Mustang Cobra, 103 13 Max Lagod, Chevrolet Camaro, 91 14 Tom Coleman, Chevrolet Camaro, 91 15 James Briody, Chevrolet Camaro, 89 16 Lou Gigliotti, Chevrolet Corvette, 88 17 Dorsey Schroeder, Ford Mustang Cobra, 70 18 Don Sak, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 67 19 Kerry Alexander, Chevrolet Camaro, 55 20 Claudio Burtin, Ford Mustang Cobra, 52 21 Frank Cioppettini, Chevrolet Camaro, 47 22 Craig Shafer, Chevrolet Camaro, 44 23 C. David Seuss, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 43 24 Jerry Simmons, Chevrolet Camaro, 38 25 Tony Ave, Chevrolet Camaro, 30 26 Glenn Andrew, Pontiac Grand Prix, 28 27 Stu Hayner, Chevrolet Camaro, 25 28 Dick Greer, Chevrolet Corvette, 25 29 Bruce Barkelew, Ford Mustang Cobra, 21 30 Peter Shea, Ford Mustang Cobra, 19 31 Bill Gray, Chevrolet Camaro, 19 32 Don Meluzio, Chevrolet Camaro, 18 33 Charles Webster, Chevrolet Camaro, 18 34 Gary Johnson, Ford Mustang Cobra, 18 35 Kenny Bupp, Chevrolet Camaro, 18 36 Mike Davis, Ford Mustang Cobra, 16 37 Jerry Kinn, Chevrolet Camaro, 13 38 Ed Hinchliff, Ford Mustang Cobra, 13 39 Dan Furey, Chevrolet Corvette, 12 40 Paul Alderman, Mustang Cobra Cobra, 12 41 Ted Sullivan, Chevrolet Camaro, 12 42 Henry Gaudens, Chevrolet Corvette, 12 43 Chet Williams, Chevrolet Camaro, 11 44 Mike Gagliardo, Chevrolet Corvette, 10 45 Jon Leavy, Chevrolet Camaro, 10 46 Brian DeVries, Ford Mustang Cobra, 9 47 Frank Sanchez, Chevrolet Camaro, 8 48 Michael Cohen, Chevrolet Camaro, 8 49 Rael, Chevrolet Camaro, 7 50 Craig T. Nelson, Chevrolet Corvette, 5 51 Brad Smith, Ford Mustang Cobra, 4 52 Jeff Simunaci, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 3 53 Joe Freda, Chevrolet Camaro, 2 54 Rick Dittman, Chevrolet Camaro, 0 55 Gary Smith, Chevrolet Camaro, 0 56 Bob McGrew, Chevrolet Camaro, 0 57 Jim Moyer, Chevrolet Corvette, 0 58 Richard Grant, Chevrolet Camaro, 0 59 Tim Skiba, Chevrolet Camaro, 0 Manufacturers Championship Point Standings Pos., manufacturer, points 1, Ford, 81 (clinches championship) 2, Chevrolet, 38 3, Pontiac, 10 4, Oldsmobile, 0
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