The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Trans-Am: Simo scores pole for Pikes Peak Trans-Am

3 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
FOUNTAIN, Colo.- Brian Simo scored his eighth pole of the season to front a 23-car field in Sundays 74-lap, 99.16-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series at the Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo.

Simo, in the No. 2 Valvoline Ford Mustang Cobra, posted a top time of 0:53.084 (90.874 mph) on the 11-turn, 1.34-mile PPIR stadium road course, almost a half-second quicker than second-fastest qualifier Michael Lewis, who qualified his No. 12 AmeriSuites Mustang Cobra at 0:53.573 (90.045 mph).

"Unfortunately, the one point I gained in the Championship isnt quite enough to make a real difference," said Simo. "Ive got to win this race, and I have to wish a little misfortune on my friend (Gentilozzi), which I dont like to do, in order to win the Championship.

Qualifying third was BFGoodrich Tires Cup Drivers Championship points leader Paul Gentilozzi, in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Mustang Cobra. Gentilozzi, with a qualifying time of 0:53.729 (89.783 mph), lost one point of his lead and now tops Simo by 12, 278 to 266, with two races remaining in the 1999 championship.

"Unfortunately, right now we dont have a very good car," said Gentilozzi. "The handling got worse from practice this morning " the changes we made were definitely in the wrong direction. Theres still 200 miles of Trans-Am racing left this year, and anything can happen " and usually does."

Leighton Reese, in the No. 66 Banner Engineering/Phillips 66 Pontiac Grand Prix, qualified fourth at 0:54.107 (89.156 mph), followed by Johnny Miller IV, who drove his No. 64 Automationdirect.com Chevrolet Corvette to a time of 0:54.139 (89.103 mph).

Sundays PPIR Trans-Am Series race will be televised live on The Speedvision Network beginning at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

FOUNTAIN, Colo. - Lineup for Sunday's 74-lap, 99.16-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series race at Pikes Peak Internation Raceway, with starting position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour.

 1. (2), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:53.084, 90.874.
 2. (12), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:53.573, 90.045.
 3. (1), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:53.729, 89.783.
 4. (66), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 0:54.107, 89.156.
 5. (64), Johnny W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette, 0:54.139, 89.103.
 6. (28), Lou Gigliotti, Garland, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 0:54.146, 89.092.
 7. (83), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 0:54.244, 88.931.
 8. (88), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:54.382, 88.705.
 9. (4), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:54.451, 88.593.
 10. (49), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:54.474, 88.556.
 11. (10), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 0:54.604, 88.345.
 12. (59), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 0:54.768, 88.080.
 13. (70), Peter Shea, Irvine, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:55.037, 87.650.
 14. (23), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 0:55.503, 86.914.
 15. (15), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0:55.513, 86.898.
 16. (40), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 0:55.632, 86.712.
 17. (8), Tom Coleman, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 0:55.944, 86.229.
 18. (26), Jerry Kinn, Anchorage, Alaska, Chevrolet Camaro, 0:57.338, 84.132.
 19. (81), Kevin Neilson, Edmonton, Alberta Canada, Chevrolet Camaro, 0:58.949, 81.833.
 20. (6), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 0:59.011, 81.747.
 21. (37), Jeff Simunaci, Omaha, Neb., Chevrolet MontCarlo, 1:00.242, 80.077.
 22. (42), James Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, no time.
 23. (87), Wayne Lee Hartzler, Colorado Springs, Colo., Chevrolet Camaro, no time.

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.