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Trans-Am: Simo scores third-straight flag-to-flag victory with Vancouver win over Gentilozzi

6 September 1999

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Brian Simo, of Carlsbad, Calif., dominated the 58-lap, 103.298-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race on the streets of Vancouver, B.C., topping runner-up Paul Gentilozzi by 60.422 seconds in scoring his third consecutive flag-to-flag series victory to take over the lead in the Drivers Championship point standings with three races remaining in the 1999 championship. Bob Ruman, of Monroe Falls, Ohio, finished third to score his first podium finish in 48 career starts.

Simo, driving the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra, started from the pole and was never challenged throughout the one hour, 18 minutes, 22.221-second contest that was slowed by one full-course caution for five laps.

"It was pretty uneventful, and its more satisfying to win when you have to do in the heat of battle, but its great racing here in Vancouver," said Simo. "This was really a team effort. Our team has come together and were really working well. I think maybe we ran a little too hard in the beginning of the season and gave up too many points that put us so far back in the Championship, but now weve worked our way back up front, and it really shows the strength of the entire team."

After a lap-10 caution to clean up debris from Michael Lewis No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra, which spun into the Turn Five wall after getting a nudge from Chris Neville, Gentilozzi, in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Mustang Cobra, jumped the lap-15 restart and was given a stop-and-go penalty, dropping him from second to 11th as he reported to pit lane on lap 16.

"When I knew it wasnt a race (for me), I decided to save my tires," said Gentilozzi. "I thought maybe Miller and Simo would race each other, we might get a yellow, and I might have a little more margin (with the tires), but we never got that yellow we needed."

Once back in the race, Gentilozzi steadily improved his position, climbing to third on lap 41, behind the No. 64 Automationdirect.com Chevrolet Corvette of Johnny Miller IV. Gentilozzi continued in third for the next 16 laps and looked to have only a third-place finish when Miller slowed on course, out of fuel on lap 57, advancing Gentilozzi to second and Ruman, in the No. 23 Cenweld Camaro, to third.

"I feel bad for John (Miller), but I forgot about that real quick when the checkered flag came out it feels great to finish on the podium," said Ruman. "Our finish was a combination of passing a few of the guys in front of me and attrition in the race. The original plan was to be as steady as possible, and just try to stick with the lead pack. That plan went off when I had some difficulty getting around a few people and I lost the leaders, but then attrition played in my favor."

Despite dropping from the race, Miller still finished fourth, followed by Tommy Drissi, in the No. 15 Drissi Advertising Mustang Cobra.

For his contact with Lewis, Neville was penalized six Drivers Championship points, fined $1,900 and put on probation for the remainder of the season. After 10 races, Simo leads the Drivers Championship standings with 242, followed by Gentilozzi, 229; Miller, 219; Lewis and Neville, 214; Randy Ruhlman, 174; Leighton Reese, 155; Simon Gregg, 144; Drissi, 142; and Ruman, 130.

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Results from Saturdays 58-lap, 103.298-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race at the Molson Indy Vancouver, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.

1. (1), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 58.
2. (12), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 58.
3. (7), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 57.
4. (2), Johnny W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette, 56,
fuel.
5. (8), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 56.
6. (6), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 56.
7. (14), Tom Coleman, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 56.
8. (10), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 56.
9. (15), James Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 56.
10. (13), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 55.
11. (3), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 54.
12. (16), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 52.
13. (17), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 50.
14. (5), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 47.
15. (4), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Ford Mustang Cobra, 43, Mech.
16. (11), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40, Mech.
17. (9), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 22, Mech.

Time of race: 1 hour, 18 minutes, 22.221 seconds.
Average speed: 79.084 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 60.422 seconds
Lap leader: No. 2 Simo, laps 1-58
Fastest race lap: Brian Simo, 1:16.655 (83.642 mph), lap 51
Cautions: one for five laps


Drivers' Championship Point Standings
Position, driver, car, points
1, Brian Simo, Ford Mustang Cobra, 242
2, Paul Gentilozzi, Ford Mustang Cobra, 229
3, John W. Miller IV, Chevrolet Corvette, 219
4, Chris Neville, Ford Mustang Cobra, 214
5, Michael Lewis, Ford Mustang Cobra, 214
6, Randy Ruhlman, Ford Mustang Cobra, 174
7, Leighton Reese, Pontiac Grand Prix, 155
8, Simon Gregg, Chevrolet Camaro, 144
9, Tomy Drissi, Ford Mustang Cobra, 142
10, Bob Ruman, Chevrolet Camaro, 130
11, Steve Pelke, Chevrolet Camaro, 125
12, G.J. Mennen, Ford Mustang Cobra, 114
13, Tom Coleman, Chevrolet Camaro, 110
14, Lou Gigliotti, Chevrolet Corvette, 108
15, James Briody, Chevrolet Camaro, 106
16, Max Lagod, Chevrolet Camaro, 91
17, Dorsey Schroeder, Ford Mustang Cobra, 70
18, Don Sak, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 67
19, Frank Cioppettini, Chevrolet Camaro, 60
20, C. David Seuss, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 57
21, Kerry Alexander, Chevrolet Camaro, 55
22, Claudio Burtin, Ford Mustang Cobra, 52
23, Craig Shafer, Chevrolet Camaro, 44
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, Ford Mustang 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, Michael Cohen, Chevrolet Camaro, 8
48, Frank Sanchez, Chevrolet Camaro, 8
49, Kevin Neilson, Chevrolet Camaro, 8
50, Rael, Chevrolet Camaro, 7
51, Craig T. Nelson, Chevrolet Corvette, 5
52, Brad Smith, Ford Mustang Cobra, 4
53, Jeff Simunaci, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 3
54, Joe Freda, Chevrolet Camaro, 2

Manufacturers' Point Standings
Position, Manufacturer, Points
1, Ford, 90
2, Chevrolet, 43
3, Pontiac, 10
4, Oldsmobile, 0

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