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TACH Driver Profile: Tommy Kendall, UCLA Trans Am Terror

11 August 1997

A few years ago 6'5" Tommy Kendall was winning in Trans Am and IMSA let it be known that he wanted to move up to NASCAR or CART, even though he reckoned that any race car would have to be modified for his towering countenance.

He's always been good as a driver. Then, three years ago he crashed big time at Watkins Glen in a WSC car and was laid up for months, whereupon he could contemplate his future in auto racing.

He decided that Trans Am was where its at and found a Ford Mustang Cobra ride with All Sport Body Quencher as his sponsor. And so far for 1997 he's given his sponsor its money's worth, as he has broken the Late Mark Donohue's win streak by taking nine checkers in a row starting at Homestead in Florida in April and accuring his latest at the Glen last weekend.

In 1996 he won his third Trans Am driver's championship and it looks like he has it locked up for 1997, with only four events left on the schedule.

Personal
Santa Monica, Ca
Also home in Opapka, Fla
Age:  30
Wife: Caroline
UCLA Economics
Born:  Oct 17, 1966

1993
Trans Am              2 starts                         2 top 10 

1994
Trans Am             13 starts        4 wins          10 top 10

1995
Trans Am             11 starts        1 win           10 top 10

1996
Trans Am             14 starts        4 wins          13 top 10

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel