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SCCA: Trans Am Series News and Notes

8 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

JOHNSON CONTROLS TRIPLE CHALLENGE KICKS OFF AT LONG BEACH:

The first round of the $27,500 Johnson Controls Triple challenge kicks off at Long Beach, April 16. The Johnson Controls Triple Challenge pays $20,000 to the driver who totals the most Drivers Championship points over the three Triple Challenge races (Long Beach, Detroit and Las Vegas), and a bonus of three Drivers Championship pointsa bonus that could decide the Drivers Championship title. The second-place Johnson Controls Triple Challenge finisher will receive a $5,000 cash bonus with the third place Triple Challenge driver receiving a $2,500 prize.

JOHNSON CONTROLS TO HOST FAN FORUM AT LONG BEACH:

Johnson Controls will host a Fan Forum at Long Beach on Saturday, April 15. Fans will have the opportunity to ask Paul Gentilozzi and Brian Simo questions about racing in the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series.

SIMPLE GREEN SPONSORSHIP INCREASES:

Simple Green, already the Official Cleaner Degreaser of SCCA Pro Racing, sponsor of the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Clean-Up Award and Simple Green Rapid Response Team, has increased its participation to become presenting sponsor at Long Beach and event Sponsor at Cleveland. The Long Beach race, April 16, will be called the Johnson Controls 100 presented by Simple Green, and the Cleveland contest, part of the July 1 Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland, will be called the Simple Green Trans-Am 100.

SIMPLE GREEN CLEAN UP AWARD WORTH $7,500 AT LONG BEACH:

The Simple Green Clean Up Award, a $2,500 bonus that goes to any driver who cleans up at any single race by earning the pole position, posting the fastest race lap, leading the most laps and winning the race. With no Clean Up winner at Sebring or Charlotte, the award rolls over and is now worth $7,500 to a driver who cleans up at Long Beach.

SIMPLE GREEN UNIFORM PATCHES AVAILABLE:

Simple Green patches are now available. Please make a special effort to have all driver and team uniforms appropriately patched.

HIGH TECH PERFORMANCE TRAILERS OFFERS MID-SEASON BONUS:

High Tech Performance Trailers, Official Trailer of SCCA Pro Racing and sponsor of the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Owners Championship presented by High Tech Performance Trailers, has increased its participation and will offer a mid-season bonus that will be awarded following the series sixth race of the 2000 season, the Simple Green Trans-Am 100, part of the Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland, July 1. The High Tech Performance Trailers Mid-Season Bonus goes to the driver who leads the championship point standings following the Cleveland race, and will pay that driver a $5,000 cash award.

PSG FINE POLICY:

The Panoz/Sanchez Group has established a new policy on fines levied against BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series competitors. For all monies acquired through fines, 80 percent will be rolled back into the series in the form of year-end award payouts, and 20 percent will be donated to a specified annual charity. For the 2000 season, Motorsports Ministries has been designated as the charity recipient.

OTHER PSG CHANGES COMING:

Additional PSG initiatives that will soon be implemented include a new paddock lookteams will be supplied with poles and 3 x 10 banners. The banner program is expected to make its debut at Detroit.

AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS:

To encourage one-to-one driver and fan interaction, BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series autograph sessions will be conducted in the paddock at each teams individual transporter, where possible. Drivers are encouraged to pool resources and share autograph space as needed. BFGoodrich Tires will supply posters to all drivers, and PSG will supply suitable autograph pens. Each team needs to provide a table and chair(s), and hero cards are strongly encouraged.

SATELLITE FEEDS:

PSG is continuing post-race satellite TV news feeds that began in 1998, and is adding pre-event satellite TV news advances with a focus on special features. PSGs Ed Berliner is coordinating all TV news feeds.

TRANS-AM SERIES WEB SITE OFFERS LATEST STANDINGS AND INFORMATION:

The BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series web site (www.trans-amseries.com) offers all of the most up-to-date information on point standings, tech and entrant bulletins, schedules and results. The series bulletin board (click on the Bulletin Board link from the Trans-Am Series home page) offers interactive message posting with drivers, fans and officials.

POINT STANDINGS - TWO RACE TOTALS

Drivers Championship Standings (top 10)
Position, Driver, Car, Points
1, Brian Simo, Qvale Mangusta, 64
2, Chris Neville, Ford Mustang Cobra, 50
3, Lou Gigliotti, Chevrolet Corvette, 41
4, Paul Gentilozzi, Jaguar XKR, 40
5, Bob Ruman, Chevrolet Corvette, 34
6, Leighton Reese, Pontiac Grand Prix, 29
7, Jack Willes (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 26
8, Tomy Drissi, Ford Mustang Cobra, 26
9, Jim Briody, Chevrolet Camaro, 24
10, Steve Pelke, Ford Mustang Cobra, 23

Red Line Oil Rookie of the Year Standings (top 10)
Position, Driver, Car, Points
1, Jack Willes (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 26
2, Gary Johnson (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 20
3, Bill Bentley (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 16
4, Mike Davis (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 14
5, Jeff Altenburg (R), Jaguar XKR, 13
6, Jerry Kinn (R), Chevrolet Corvette, 13
7, Andre Toennis (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 12
8, Richard La Barbera (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 10
9, Bruce Dewey (R), Chevrolet Camaro, 8
10, Tim Cowen (R), Ford Mustang Cobra, 8

Manufacturers Championship Standings Position, Manufacturer, Points
1, Chevrolet, 62
2, Ford, 53
3, Jaguar, 39
4, Qvale, 30
5, Pontiac, 8
6, Oldsmobile, 8

Owners Championship presented by High Tech Performance Trailers Standings (top
10)
Position, Car No., Team, Points
1, 88, Huffaker/Qvale, 22
2, 1, Rocketsports, 22
3, 84, Soenen Motorsports, 19
4, 40, Derhaag Motorsports, 19
5, 28, LG Motorsports, 18
6, 66, Leighton's Garage, 18
7, 12, AutoCon, 18, 11
8, 59, Derhaag Motorsports, 18
9, 48, TWC Motorsports, 17
10, 9, Epic Racing, 17

Text provided by Greg Rubenstein

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