SCCA Trans-Am Results from Mid-Ohio: Kendall Makes it Five in a Row
16 June 1997
KENDALL MAKES IT FIVE-IN-A-ROW WITH MID-OHIO TRANS-AM WIN LEXINGTON, Ohio--Tom Kendall, driving the No. 11 All Sport Body Quencher Ford Mustang Cobra, extended his season-opening Trans-Am win streak to five with a 0.546-second margin of victory over Dorsey Schroeder at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. "We've had a phenomenal run," said Kendall. "The way our car runs my crew deserves at least half of the credit. The All Sport car has been a freight train all year." Kendall, of Santa Monica, Calif., posted a new qualifying record and started the 45-lap, 101.25-mile race third but was quickly up to second, behind second-fastest qualifier and pole-starter Paul Gentilozzi, in the No. 5 RISO Chevrolet Camaro. Kendall trailed Gentilozzi for six laps before he slowed on course, victim of engine troubles, giving Kendall a lead he would never relinquish. "Paul (Gentilozzi) was running very well--our only hope was to drive hard and run him out of tires," said Kendall. "Then Paul was out with a mechanical problem. We win them when we can, or put the car in a position to capitalize on others' problems." Schroeder, of Osage Beach, Mo., ran in second behind Kendall for most of the contest despite suffering from worn brakes and tires, falling behind third-place finisher Greg Pickett during the race's late going before regaining the position with three laps to go, earning the CIPA Mirrors Pass Of the Race Award for his effort. "Towards the end I had no brakes and my tires were going away," said Schroeder. "I was really in preservation mode. The last four laps my crew kept me going and we somehow managed to hold it together--it was a tough weekend. Pickett, driving Kendall's back-up car after damaging his Camaro early in the weekend, pressed Schroeder hard for second but had to settle for the third podium position, running out of time and laps to make a final bid for second. Pickett picked up the DynoMax Turn On the Power Award for his drive in the No. 6 AutoLink/HighwayMaster Mustang Cobra "replacement" car. "I was impressed with the car," said Pickett. "I can't say enough about how sportsmanlike it was for Roush to let me drive this car." Finishing fourth behind Pickett was Mike Borkowski, in the No. 4 Textron Mustang Cobra, followed by Michael Lewis, in the No. 55 Red Line Oil Mustang Cobra and Brian Simo, in the No. 22 Valvoline Mustang Cobra. Bill Saunders, in the No. 8 HighwayMaster/AutoLink Camaro, finished seventh, the highest-finishing driver not in a Ford Mustang. Borkowski fourth-place finish earned the rookie driver the Raybestos Rising Star of the Race Award, while Bruce Barkelew, in the No. 34 Superclubs Camaro, picked up the OPTIMA Batteries Quick Charger Of the Race Award with his 16th-place finish, improving 11 positions from his last-place start. After five races, Kendall tops the Trans-Am Drivers' Championship point standings by 56, 169 to 113 over Simo. Pickett is third with 110 points, followed by Jon Gooding, 107; Schroeder, 105; Borkowski, 99; Saunders, 86; Gentilozzi, 79; and Lewis and John Miller IV, 71 points. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Ford holds a 27-point lead over Chevrolet, 45 to 18, with Pontiac third with one point. LEXINGTON, Ohio--Results from Sunday's 45-lap, 101.25-mile Trans-Am race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any). 1, (3), Tom Kendall, Santa Monica Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 2, (2), Dorsey Schroeder, Osage Beach, Mo., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 3, (8), Greg Pickett, Alamo, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 4, (5), Mike Borkowski, Middlebury, Conn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 5, (7), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 6, (4), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 45. 7, (9), Bill Saunders, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Camaro, 45. 8, (10), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 45. 9, (6), Jon Gooding, Longwood, Fla., Ford Mustang Cobra, 44. 10, (15), Bob Ruman, Monroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 44. 11, (12), Don Meluzio, York, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 44. 12, (18), Paul Alderman, Hockessin, Del., Ford Mustang Cobra, 44. 13, (21), Craig Shafer, Somerset, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 44. 14, (16), Peter Shea, Newport Beach, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 44. 15, (19), Ray Genick, Waterford, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 44. 16, (27), Bruce Barkelew, Columbia, Mo., Chevrolet Camaro, 43. 17, (14), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 42, Fire. 18, (24), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 42. 19, (13), Jim Derhaag, Chaska, Minn., Chevrolet Camaro, 41. 20, (26), Frank Cioppettini Jr., Morristown, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 41. 21, (25), Ed Hinchliff, Ypsilanti, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 39. 22, (17), Kerry Alexander, Indianapolis, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 38. 23, (22), Jerry Simmons, Ancaster, Ontario, Chevrolet Camaro, 31, Mech. 24, (11), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Camaro, 24, Mech. 25, (20), Todd Sprinkle, Mechanicsburg, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 11, Mech. 26, (1), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 9, Mech. 27, (23), Jim Moyer, Kokomo, Ind., Chevrolet Corvette, 9, Mech. Time of race: 1 hour, 8 minutes, 42.247 seconds Average speed: 88.422 mph Margin of victory: 0.54599-second Lap leaders: laps 1-7, No. 5 Gentilozzi; laps 8-45, No. 11 Kendall. Fastest race lap: No. 11 Kendall, 1:24.623 (95.718 mph), lap 20.
