TRANS AM: Miller Picks Up First BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Win
6 November 2000
San Diego, Calif. -- Johnny Miller (#64 Automationdirect.com UPS Chevrolet Corvette) held off Boris Said (#33 Applied Computer Solutions Ford Mustang Cobra) to pick up his first career victory in the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series this afternoon at the San Diego Grand Prix. The 60 lap race was competed over the 1.65-mile temporary road course at the Naval Training Center on Point Loma. Brian Simo (#88 Tommy Bahama Qvale Mangusta) finished third and also claimed the overall BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Drivers’ Championship for the 2000 season. Paul Gentilozzi (#1 Johnson Controls HomeLink Jaguar XKR), who had led the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series Drivers’ Championship since winning at Road America, did not finish after suffering a broken oil pump shaft. Miller, who started the afternoon third on the grid, ran a close second behind Simo for the first 46 laps of the race. Midway through lap 47, Miller managed to pass Simo and held onto the lead for the final 14 laps to take the win. With the win, Miller made his third podium appearance this season and his 11th career podium finish. “The first win is as much a relief as it is exciting,” said Miller. “To not have won the race today would not have justified the year. To finally win is a very big thing, it couldn’t get any better than this. It’s been a very long year. I thought that the first win would happen several times. But today, it finally happend. Boris pushed me hard at the end and I had to get around a lot of traffic, but all in all it was a very clean race.” “This is a championship for the team,” said Simo. “They put it all together. I came late in the off-season to the team and they are great because a championship goes to the team that makes the least mistakes. The car was awesome today and a pleasure to drive. I knew Gentilozzi was out and then my engine started to miss. It got worse and worse and I began to slow down. I was worried, but I decided to keep pushing hard because I didn’t know where I had to finish.” “I made a run at Miller near the end and got close,” said Said. “But I made a couple of mistakes braking and I didn’t have the car to take him. Sometimes it is better to just finish and today, I had a second place car. “I’m disappointed, but more so for the team,” said Gentilozzi. “I told them on the radio after we broke that it was just one of those things that no one can control. I congratulate Brian and his team. Brian has worked hard for this and he has managed to bring all the necessary elements together for a championship effort. He should be proud of his accomplishment.” The top-ten in the Drivers’ Championship are: Simo, 261; Gentilozzi, 249; Jeff Altenburg, 197; Leighton Reese, 190, Chris Neville, 180; Tomy Drissi, 170; Willy T. Ribbs, 153; Miller, 152; Jack Willes, 142; Simon Gregg, 137. San Diego, California -- The results from Sunday's 60-lap, 99-mile San Diego Grand Prix, Round 12 of the BF Goodrich Tires Trans-Am Series at the 1.65-mile temporary road course at the Naval Training Center Circuit,with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out. 1. (3), Johnny Miller, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette, 60. 2. (5), Boris Said III, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 60. 3. (1), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Qvale Mangusta, 60. 4. (7), Chris Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Ford Mustang Cobra, 60. 5. (10), Willy T. Ribbs, San Jose, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 60. 6. (9), Kenny Wilden, Oakville Ontario Can, Chevrolet Camaro, 60. 7. (6), Leighton Reese, Minnetonka, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 60. 8. (17), Jack Willes, Cornelius, N.C., Ford Mustang Cobra, 60. 9. (20), Mike Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 58. 10. (23), Steve Pelke, Lansing, Ill., Ford Mustang Cobra, 58. 11. (28), Peter Shea, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 58. 12. (12), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 57, Mech. 13. (25), Simon Gregg, Jacksonville, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 57. 14. (31), Linda Pobst, Melbourne, Fla., Chevrolet Camaro, 56. 15. (24), Juan LeRoux, Santo Domingo DR, Ford Mustang Cobra, 55, Mech. 16. (21), Don Sak, W. Bloomfield, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 55, Mech. 17. (30), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 55. 18. (8), Jeff Altenburg, Baltimore, Md., Jaguar XKR, 55. 19. (27), Alan Ferguson, Auckland New Zealand, Chevrolet Camaro, 54. 20. (32), Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 54. 21. (29), C. David Seuss, Charlestown, Mass., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 54. 22. (13), Randy Ruhlman, Greensboro, N.C., Oldsmobile Aurora, 53. 23. (16), Bob Ruman, Munroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 53. 24. (26), Jerry Kinn, Anchorage, Alaska, Chevrolet Corvette, 52, Mech. 25. (14), Lou Gigliotti, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 46, Mech. 26. (19), Grant Silvester, Christchurch NewZealand, Ford Mustang Cobra, 35, Mech. 27. (2), Stu Hayner, Yorba Linda, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 34, Mech. 28. (33), Jeff Simunaci, Omaha, Neb., Chevrolet Corvette, 31. 29. (4), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Jaguar XKR, 19, Mech. 30. (22), Claudio Burtin, Rosario Argentina, Ford Mustang Cobra, 18, Contact. 31. (18), Kerry Alexander, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 8, Contact. 32. (11), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 0, Mech. 33. (15), Bruce Qvale, San Francisco, Calif., Qvale Mangusta, 0, DNS. time of race: 1 hours, 14 minutes, 58.113 seconds. average speed: 79.233 miles-per-hour margin of victory: 15.954 seconds lap leaders: fastest race lap: Boris Said III, 1:09.408 (85.580 mph) David Lang