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SCCA: Gentilozzi on top at Charlotte BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series qualifying

1 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

CONCORD, N.C. - Defending BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Drivers Champion Paul Gentilozzi scored the first pole position for his new Jaguar XKR to front a 37-car field for Saturdays 44-lap, 99.0-mile race at Lowes Motor Speedway.

We got the fast time on our last qualifying lap, said Gentilozzi. I cruised around, got a 10.6 and came into the pits. But I though Simo might suck one up and I wanted to be able to answer it. Simo is brave and if he ran hard, hed get a good lap. The infield part of the circuit is fun - its hilly and has some great contours - and on the oval, well, we dont get to reach terminal speeds like this very often (in excess of 175 mph).

Gentilozzi, driving the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink XKR, posted a top time of 1:10.387 (115.078 mph), while Brian Simo, in the No. 88 Qvale Mangusta, was second fastest at 1:10.594 (114.740 mph). Rookie Jack Willes, of Cornelius, N.C., who won the Pro Spec Racer Drivers Championship in 1999, was third fastest at 1:11.718 (112.942 mph), followed by Mike Lewis and Stu Hayner.

It was a good year for us last season in the Pro Spec Racer series, and we ran a lot of races with the Trans-Am Series, so I was under close eye from Tom Coleman (owner and entrant of Willes No. 48 TWC Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro), said Willes. I was in the teams Corvette at the Sebring opener because it was an unproven car and I was the unproven driver so it matched the situation. This weekend Im in the Camaro thats supposed to be a little bit slower (teammate John Paul Jr. is in the No. 8 TWC Motorsports Corvette) but the teams really got my car hooked up and I was able to get in a few really good laps. Its exciting to be in my first Fast Five, but its a little bit intimidating, too. I ve got to keep my head and be fast off the corners and be sure nobody is there to take it away from me.

Saturdays Trans-Am 100 begins at 12:00 p.m. (ET) and will be televised live on the Speedvision Network. For additional information and the latest updates, go to www.trans-amseries.com.

Text provided by SCCA

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