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SCCA: Gentilozzi to seek third BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am series championship

18 January 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.Two-time and defending BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Champion Paul Gentilozzi will return to seek a third consecutive Drivers' Championship title in 2000, a feat achieved by only one other driver in the Series 35-year history (Tom Kendall, 1995-97).

Gentilozzi, who drove the No.1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Ford Mustang Cobra in 1999, clinched his second consecutive BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series title by 13 points over Brian Simo with a flag-to-flag win at the Sebring International Raceway season finale. His 1998 Trans-Am championship was his first professional drivers' title.

"Our decision to come back was based on two thingsJohnson Controls' desire to continue its involvement in the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series, and the planned changes for the Series in the 2000 season," said Gentilozzi, team owner of Rocketsports Racing. "I didn't want to retire from the Series in what will be its finest year in a decade."

Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., made his 150th career Trans-Am Series start at Sebring, and now ranks first in all-time "Fast Five Qualifying" starts (82), and second in top-five (72) and top-10 finishes (97).

"Winning a third consecutive Championship will be even harder given the expanded competition in Trans-Am Series in 2000," said Gentilozzi. "The depth of experience and talent among both the new and returning drivers will provide a significant challenge. Several drivers have won one title, a few have won it twice, but only one has three consecutive Championships. My goal is to three-peat and join that exclusive rank."

Rocketsports Racing has not announced what car Gentilozzi will be driving, but is anticipated to release additional details on its full program for 2000 in the near future.

"I don't feel any extra pressure to perform," added Gentilozzi. "All drivers have that paranoid pressure: Have we done enough? Have they done more to prepare and test? Right now, the only direct pressure is time. We need to be ready to start this season the way we ended the last onewith a flag-to-flag victory at Sebring."

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