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SCCA: Simo scores first pole of 2000 for Long Beach Trans-Am race

16 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Brian Simo, driving the No. 88 Tommy Bahama Qvale Mangusta, earned his first pole of the season to front a 31-car BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series field in Sundays Johnson Controls 100 presented by Simple Green, part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

We knew wed be in the low 23s, said Simo, who leads the Drivers Championship standings after winning the seasons first two races. These short little on-track sessions make it even more difficult to get in a good lap, but well be ready for the race.

Simo, of Carlsbad, Calif., posted a top time of 1:23.045 (85.312 mph), followed by defending Long Beach Trans-Am Series race-winner Paul Gentilozzi, in the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Jaguar XKR.

Brian and I were trading the fast time back and forth throughout the session, said Gentilozzi. Its tough - you sit around all day, then all of a sudden you get in your car and try to go as fast as you can. We still dont have our race set-up finalized, so well continue to work on that up to the race.

Leighton Reese, in the No. 66 Banner Engineering/Phillips 66 Pontiac Grand Prix, qualified third, followed by Johnny Miller, in the No. 64 Automationdirect.com/UPS Chevrolet Corvette and Randy Ruhlman, in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Oldsmobile Aurora, the fifth different manufacturer in the Fast Five qualifying lineup.

Sundays 51-lap, 100.368-mile race takes the green flag at 3:45 p.m. PDT.

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Starting lineup for Sunday's 51-lap, 100.368-mile BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Johnson Controls 100 presented by Simple Green race, part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, with starting position, driver, hometown, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour.

1. (88), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Qvale Mangusta, 1:23.045, 85.312.
2. (1), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Jaguar XKR, 1:23.137, 85.218.
3. (66), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 1:24.115,84.227.
4. (64), Johnny Miller, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:24.143,84.199.
5. (49), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Oldsmobile Aurora, 1:24.211, 84.131.
6. (15), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:24.397, 83.946.
7. (8), John Paul Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:24.967,83.382.
8. (5), Jeff Altenburg, Baltimore, Md., Jaguar XKR, 1:24.985, 83.365.
9. (98), Stu Hayner, Yorba Linda, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:25.064, 83.287.
10. (28), Lou Gigliotti, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:25.183, 83.171.
11. (84), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:25.219,83.136..
12. (12), Mike Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:25.437, 82.924.
13. (16), Willy T. Ribbs, San Jose, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:25.463, 82.899.
14. (40), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Chevrolet Camaro, 1:25.803, 82.570.
15. (48), Jack Willes, Cornelius, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:25.947, 82.432.
16. (19), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:26.128, 82.258.
17. (23), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:26.539, 81.868.
18. (14), John Macaluso, Winter Heaven, Fla., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:27.302,81.152.
19. (10), Don Sak, W. Bloomfield, Mich., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:27.528, 80.943.
20. (22), Ken Murillo, Santa Rosa, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:27.587, 80.888.
21. (11), Mike Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:27.654,80.826.
22. (59), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:28.088, 80.428.
23. (70), Peter Shea, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:28.532,80.025.
24. (17), Jerry Kinn, Anchorage, Alaska, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:29.147, 79.473.
25. (9), Gary Johnson, Knoxville, Tenn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:29.809, 78.887.
26. (24), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:30.624, 78.177.
27. (6), Frank Cioppettini, Far Hills, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:31.493, 77.435.
28. (82), Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:32.580, 76.526.
29. (13), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Olds Cutlass, 1:32.625, 76.489.
30. (26), Claudio Burton, Cartersville, Ga., Ford Mustang Cobra, no time.
31. (38), Kerry Alexander, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, no time.

Text provided by Greg Rubenstein

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