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Trans-Am: Gentilozzi on pole for Detroit Johnson Controls 100

17 June 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
DETROIT, Mich. - Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., posted the top qualifying time to front a 37-car BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series field in Saturdays Johnson Controls 100, part of the Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit.

Gentilozzi, driving the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Jaguar XKR, posted a top time of 1:33.964 (90.455 mph), followed by Brian Simo, in the No. 88 Tomy Bahama Qvale Mangusta, at 1:34.064 (90.359 mph).

"This is the second leg of the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge, and the President of Johnson Controls will be here for the race," said Gentilozzi. "He told me you will win, but thats no extra pressure. None of the laps in qualifying were really fast laps. The track is still very green, and in the nine minutes we were out there we never got to the maximum of the performance envelope."

Johnny Miller, in the No. 64 Automationdirect.com/UPS Chevrolet Corvette, was third fastest, followed by Willy T. Ribbs, in the No. 16 Trenton Forging Chevrolet Camaro. Randy Ruhlman, in the No. 49 Preformed Line Products Oldsmobile Aurora, qualified fifth, making five different marques represented in the Fast Five.

"Detroit has been a great city for me in my career, both in the Trans-Am and in Indy cars," said Ribbs, who qualified in his first Fast Five since 1988 (Ribbs last raced in a Detroit Trans-Am Series event in 1992). "Its great to be back. It really shows the strength of the series when youve got five different models in the Fast Five."

DETROIT, Mich. - Starting lineup for Saturdays 42-lap, 99.162-mile Johnson Controls 100 BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am race on the Belle Isle street circuit, part of the Tenneco Grand Prix of Detroit, with starting position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour.

1. (1), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Jaguar XKR, 1:33.964, 90.455.

2. (88), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Qvale Mangusta, 1:34.064, 90.359.

3. (64), Johnny Miller, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:35.266, 89.219.

4. (16), Willy T. Ribbs, San Jose, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:35.792, 88.729.

5. (49), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Oldsmobile Aurora, 1:36.099, 88.446.

6. (15), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:36.237, 88.319.

7. (84), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:36.600, 87.987.

8. (48), Jack Willes, Cornelius, N.C., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:36.633, 87.957.

9. (28), Lou Gigliotti, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:36.636, 87.954.

10. (12), Mike Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:36.924, 87.693.

11. (23), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:37.069, 87.562.

12. (8), John Paul Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:37.419, 87.247.

13. (5), Jeff Altenburg, Baltimore, Md., Jaguar XKR, 1:37.480, 87.193.

14. (40), G.J. Mennen, Austin, Texas, Chevrolet Camaro, 1:37.738, 86.963.

15. (20), Tony Ave, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:38.140, 86.606.

16. (98), Stu Hayner, Yorba Linda, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:38.426, 86.355.

17. (44), Bruce Qvale, San Franscisco, Calif., Qvale Mangusta, 1:39.519, 85.406.

18. (11), Mike Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:39.584, 85.351.

19. (70), Peter Shea, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:39.765, 85.196.

20. (38), Kerry Alexander, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.128, 84.887.

21. (10), Don Sak, W. Bloomfield, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.158, 84.861.

22. (6), Brian Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.275, 84.762.

23. (26), Claudio Burtin, Cartersville, Ga., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:40.406, 84.652.

24. (22), Ken Murillo, Santa Rosa, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.573, 84.511.

25. (76), Jerry Simmons, Ancaster, Ontario, Can., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.597, 84.491.

26. (59), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:40.909, 84.230.

27. (14), John Macaluso, Winter Heaven, Fla., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:40.968, 84.181.

28. (39), Craig Shafer, Somerset, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:41.106, 84.066.

29. (19), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:41.173, 84.010.

30. (17), Jerry Kinn, Anchorage, Alaska, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:41.989, 83.338.

31. (66), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 1:42.098, 83.249.

32. (24), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 1:42.897, 82.603.

33. (9), Gary Johnson, Knoxville, Tenn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:43.078, 82.457.

34. (08), Richard La Barbera, East Stroudsburg, Pa., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:45.838, 80.307.

35. (82), Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:46.291, 79.965.

36. (13), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 1:46.403, 79.881.

37. (73), Chet Williams, Chittenango, N.Y., Chevrolet Camaro, no time.

Text provided by SCCA Trans-Am

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