Round Two of Johnson Controls Triple Challenge Takes to Raceway On Belle Isle in Detroit
13 June 2000
Round Two of Johnson Controls Triple Challenge Takes to Raceway On Belle Isle in Detroit
Company to award top driver $20,000
in prize money and additional points
DETROIT, June 12 Johnson Controls , a leading
automotive interior supplier, brings the Johnson Controls 100 race back to
Belle Isle for the third consecutive year as part of the BFGoodrich Tires
Trans-Am Series on Saturday, June 17, 2000. The Johnson Controls 100, is part
of the "Johnson Controls Triple Challenge."
The Triple Challenge, created in 1999, consists of three races in the 2000
BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series. It includes the Trans-Am races at the
Tenneco Automotive Detroit Grand Prix on June 17; the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Grand Prix on October 29; as well as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,
which took place on April 16.
The driver who accumulates the most Driver's Championship points in the
three Triple Challenge races will take home the $20,000 grand prize and an
additional three Driver's Championship points -- a point bonus that could
decide the annual Driver's Championship title. The second-place Johnson
Controls Triple Challenge finisher will receive a $5,000 cash bonus, and the
third-place driver will be awarded a $2,500 prize.
Tomy Drissi, driver of the No.15 Drissi Motorsports Ford Mustang is the
current points leader in the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge. He won the
first race of the Triple Challenge in Long Beach. The 1999 Johnson Controls
Triple Challenge winner was two-time Trans-Am Champion Paul Gentilozzi.
"We modified the Triple Challenge this year to keep the competition and
excitement up for the drivers and the fans," said Bob Ellis, vice president of
brands for Johnson Controls. "With a guaranteed pay out based on cumulative
driver points, the races in Detroit and Las Vegas should prove to be a great
show for the fans."
Gentilozzi, driver of the No. 1 Johnson Controls/HomeLink Jaguar XKR
added, "Johnson Controls' continued support for the Trans-Am race in Detroit
and the series with the Triple Challenge is an added bonus for the fans. It
makes the competition on the track more fierce." Gentilozzi, is currently
ranked second in the 2000 series standings, and is the two-time reigning
champion of the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series.
Johnson Controls sponsors Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing Team through
its HomeLink(R) Universal Transceiver product, one of the company's strongest
automotive brands. Associate team sponsors include HomeLink suppliers
Chandler, Arizona-based MicroChip Technology, Inc. and Zeeland, Michigan-based
Gentex Corporation.
The Plymouth, Michigan-based automotive business of Johnson Controls --
which employs more than 65,000 people at 275 facilities worldwide -- achieved
US$12.1 billion in sales for the 1999 fiscal year. In model-year 2000, it will
supply interior products for more than 23 million vehicles.
Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global market leader in automotive systems and
facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major
supplier of seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non-residential
facilities, Johnson Controls provides building control systems and services,
energy management and integrated facility management. Johnson Controls,
founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its sales for 1999
totaled US$16.1 billion.
NOTE TO EDITORS: 1) B-Roll video is available including footage from the
Long Beach Grand Prix and of Paul Gentilozzi and Team HomeLink Racing, Contact
David Roznowski at 734-254-5632. 2) A Triple Challenge logo, a photo of Paul
Gentilozzi accepting last year's Triple Challenge Trophy are available by
calling Debbie Lacey of Johnson Controls, at 734-254-5735. 3) For access to
other Johnson Controls news releases and additional company information, visit
the company's web site on the World Wide Web at
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com .
CONTACT: David Roznowski of Johnson Controls, Inc., 734-254-5632.
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/473547.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 473547.