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Mosport Trans Am Report and Results

1 September 1997


KENDALL TOPS AT MOSPORT TOO, 11 FOR 11 WITH MOSPORT PARK TRANS-AM WIN

        BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Can. - Tom Kendall continued his romp through
the 1997 Trans-Am season, scoring his 11th-straight win with a 1.373-second
margin over Dorsey Schroeder at Mosport Park.
        Kendall, driving the No. 11 All Sport Body Quencher Ford Mustang
Cobra, was the fastest qualifier, posted the fastest race lap and led the
most laps en route to his 26th career Trans-Am win,  earning the DynoMax
Turn On the Power award for the best drive of the race in the process.
        "The Roush Team has gotten so good at pit stops that when we have
to change a tire I don't worry, and we generally make up some positions,"
said Kendall. "Today, I didn't have any positions to make up. We didn't
unhook our (anti-sway) bars at the beginning of the race and that really
made a difference when it dried out. I was able to get away from Dorsey
(Schroeder) because I could tell he undid his, and he was loose. I radioed
to the crew for them to tell Jon (Gooding), so he might get a shot at him."
        Kendall started the 40-lap, 98.36-mile race fifth but, starting on
a wet circuit that rapidly dried, was in the lead by lap four and held the
position until stopping for dry tires on lap 13. Once back in the race,
Kendall wasted no time in moving back to the front, claiming the lead on
lap 15 and leading to the checkered flag.
        Schroeder, in the No. 12 Raybestos Mustang Cobra, started third and
after stopping for dry tires on lap 13 was rapidly back up to speed, moving
into second on lap 15 and holding the position for the remainder of the
1:05:47.373 race.
        "At the end, I got concerned that it might rain again," said
Schroeder. "The car was really loose because we disconnected the bars. The
last three or four laps were a lot of show. I was clear of Jon because of
the traffic, and I thought I'd let it hang out for the fans. I was really
hot-dogging it, but there wasn't any danger of losing it."
        Finishing third was Kendall's teammate Jon Gooding, in the No. 16
Mountain Dew Mustang Cobra, followed by Brian Simo and Mike Borkowski.
Borkowski, who clinched the 1997 Rookie Of the Year standings, also earned
the CIPA Mirrors Pass Of the Race award and was the Raybestos Rising Star
Of the Race.
        "When the race started the course was really slick," said Gooding.
"Mosport is always very slippery, because the groove is all worn down. The
Roush crew really got me into third, because I was fifth behind Paul
(Gentilozzi) and Zampedri when we all came in. I left the pits in third."
        Bruce Nesbitt, driving the No. 50 Orion Fluoroplate Mustang Cobra,
finished seventh from his 13th-place start to earn the OPTIMA Batteries
Quick Charger Of the Race award for advancing the most positions.
        John Miller IV, in the No. 64 PLC Direct Chevrolet Camaro, was the
highest-finishing driver not in a Mustang Cobra, finishing sixth after
starting ninth.
        After 11 races, Kendall, who has already clinched his fourth
Trans-Am Drivers' Championship, leads the point standings with 371,
followed by Schroeder, 258; Gooding, 254; Simo, 236; Gentilozzi, 215;
Borkowski, 211; Greg Pickett, 203; Miller IV, 179; Bill Saunders, 141; and
Michael Lewis, 135.



BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Can. -- Results from Sunday's 40-lap, 98.36-mile SCCA
Trans-Am Race at Mosport Park, with finishing position, starting position
in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
 
  1. (5), Tom Kendall, Santa Monica, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  2. (3), Dorsey Schroeder, Osage Beach, Mo., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  3. (6), Jon Gooding, Longwood, Fla., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40.
  4. (2), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 39.
  5. (7), Mike Borkowski, Middlebury, Conn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 39.
  6. (9), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Camaro, 39.
  7. (13), Bruce Nesbitt, Chicago, Ill., Ford Mustang Cobra, 39.
  8. (10), Leighton Reese, Eden Prairie, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 38.
  9. (8), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 38.
 10. (12), Don Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 38.
 11. (11), Don Meluzio, York, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 37.
 12. (14), Craig Shafer, Somerset, Pa., Chevrolet Camaro, 37.
 13. (17), John Halbing, Dallas, Pa., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 36.
 14. (19), Ed Hinchliff, Ypsilanti, Mich., Ford Mustang Cobra, 35.
 15. (21), Chet Williams, Chittenango, N.Y., Chevrolet Camaro, 35.
 16. (18), Frank Cioppettini Jr., Morristown, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 34.
 17. (15), Bob Ruman, Monroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 32.
 18. (4), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 26, Mech.
 19. (1), Alessandro Zampedri, Monte Carlo, Monaco, Chevrolet Camaro, 23, Crash.
 20. (22), Jerry Simmons, Ancaster, Ontario, Can., Chevrolet Camaro, 15, Mech.
 21. (20), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 9, Mech.
 22. (16), Ray Genick, Waterford, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 2, Elect.
 
 Time of race: 1 hour, 5 minutes, 46.000 seconds.
 Average speed: 89.735 miles-per-hour
 Margin of victory: 1.3730 seconds
 Fastest race lap: Tom Kendall, 1:22.117 (107.802 mph), lap 30
 Lap leaders: laps 1-3, No. 51 Zampedri; laps 4-12, No. 11 Kendall; lap 13,
No. 16 Gooding; lap 14, No. 83 Lagod; laps 15-40, No. 11 Kendall.







  TRANS-AM DRIVERS PLEDGE SUPPORT OF RENO GRAND PRIX, TRANS-AM SERIES

BOWMANVILLE  (August 31, 1997) _ The SCCA Trans-Am's entrants will continue
their support of the Trans-Am Championship through the remainder of the
1997 season and beyond, including full support of this year's season-ending
Reno Grand Prix, October 17-19.

The leading Trans-Am drivers reached that decision Saturday, August 30, as
their negotiating team _ Paul Gentilozzi and Brian Simo _ wrapped up a
series of meetings that had included SCCA Pro Racing, Ltd. Chairman of the
Board Carl Haas, SCCA, Inc. Chairman of the Board George Bovis, SCCA, Inc.
President Nicholas W. Craw, and SCCA/SCCA Pro Board member Chuck Shapiro.

"Speaking for the Trans-Am entrants, we're pleased to be able to reaffirm
our support for the Trans-Am's final events of 1997 and beyond," said Paul
Gentilozzi "The history and heritage of the Trans-Am speaks for itself--and
we're all anxious to be a part of the continuing tradition."

"This process has been all about making the Trans-Am Championship a more
successful, more viable series," said Brian Simo. "We look forward to the
continuation of the exciting race action that has become a hallmark of the
Trans- Am."

"We're pleased that SCCA management and these Trans-Am entrants and drivers
 have expressed their support of the Reno Grand Prix and are working
together to make a stronger series," said Dennis Condon, Director of
Special Events, Reno- Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. "We're all
looking forward to a successful Grand Prix weekend highlighted by an
exciting Trans-Am season finale."