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Trans-Am Report and Results: Borkowski Wins, Kendall's Streak Ends

27 September 1997


BORKOWSKI BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST TRANS-AM WIN AT PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL
RACEWAY; THE STREAK ENDS FOR KENDALL AFTER A DOWN-TO-THE-WIRE BATTLE


FOUNTAIN, Colo. (September 27) -- In a spectacular display of driving
determination, 1997 Trans-Am Rookie Of the Year Mike Borkowski went
toe-to-toe with Tom Kendall and held off the 1997 Drivers' Champion
for his first Trans-Am win, topping Kendall by 10.45 seconds at Pikes
Peak International Raceway.

Borkowski, driving the No. 4 Textron Ford Mustang Cobra, started on
the pole (after drawing the No. 1 ball in the Goodyear Fast Five
random drawing) and led every lap while Kendall, who set fast
qualifying time but started fifth, had to recover from a lap-one spin
that set up a 30-lap shootout between the Champ and the Rookie.

"When we drew the No. 1 ball, I knew I'd just go for it once the green
flag flew," said Borkowski. "We knew we had a good car and I just had
to put my head down and focus on racing."

On the opening lap of the 73-lap, 94.097-mile race Dorsey Schroeder
put a wheel off at turn three on the 11-turn, 1.289-mile road
course/oval, dropping behind Kendall's No. 11 All Sport Body Quencher
Mustang Cobra. Two turns later, Schroeder, in the No. 12 Raybestos
Mustang Cobra, gave Kendall a nose-to-tail nudge, spinning Kendall
back to 17th.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened at the start," said Kendall.
"Dorsey was behind me and the next thing I knew I was spinning in the
horseshoe (turn five)."

While Kendall sliced his way back through the field, Borkowski
comfortably led Paul Gentilozzi, in the No. 5 RISO Chevrolet Camaro,
Brian Simo, in the No. 22 Valvoline Mustang Cobra, Schroeder in fourth
and Greg Pickett in fifth. By lap 16 Schroeder had made his way to
second, and three laps later Kendall was back into the top-five.

The order remained static until lap 29, when Schroeder blew his
left-front tire and dropped out of the race due to resulting
suspension damage, bringing out the race's only full-course caution to
clean debris on the front straight. On the lap-42 restart Kendall
passed Gentilozzi for second, and for the remainder of the contest
Kendall probed for a way around Borkowski, several times helping
Borkowski's Mustang around the circuit with slight, and not-so-gentle,
nudges from behind.

"With 20 or 30 laps to go I was up to second and behind Mike," said
Kendall. "He drove a great race--my hat's off to him. He drove to win,
not just to not make a mistake."

As the lap count wound down, Kendall began a brutal assault for the
lead in the attempt to win his 12th-straight Trans-Am of the season,
culminating in a final-lap scrape that first saw Borkowski four-
wheels-off at turn four and then Kendall completely spun at turn
five. Both drivers recovered to score a 1-2 finish, Borkowski earning
his first career win while Kendall saw his 11-race win streak come to
an end.

"At the very end Mike and I got side-by-side, and then he was out in
the dirt playing rodeo," said Kendall. "I thought we were home free,
and then I got stuck behind a Camaro in traffic. Next thing I knew I
was smacked from behind and spinning. I recovered, but only after Mike
had retaken the lead."

"On the last lap I knew it was going to be tough," said Borkowski.
"Tom took a real tough line at turn three and didn't give me much room
at the exit. I was four wheels into the dirt and just trying to get
back into the race when Kendall slowed in front of me. I couldn't
avoid the contact."

Pickett ended the day with the final podium position, while Gentilozzi
finished fourth, followed by Simo, Michael Lewis, Leighton Reese, Bob
Ruman, Dino Crescentini and John Miller IV in 10th.

"It's great to get back up on the podium," said Pickett. "We've had a
difficult season and it feels great to get another top-three
finish. Paul (Gentilozzi) and I were having a very good race, but Paul
got up in the marbles and it gave me a chance to go low on the banking
and take the spot."

Borkowski's drive earned him both the DynoMax Turn On the Power Award
and the Raybestos Rising Star Of the Race Award, while Ruman, in the
No. 23 Cenweld Camaro, earned the CIPA Mirrors Pass Of the Race for
his lap 60 pass on Miller IV for seventh, eventually finishing the day
eighth. Brad Smith, in the No. 91 E-Z Up Pontiac Grand Prix, earned
the OPTIMA Batteries Quick Charger of the Race Award for advancing
nine positions, finishing 20th after starting 29th.

"This race was tough," added Borkowski. "It was the hardest race of my
life."

Kendall, who clinched the 1997 Trans-Am Drivers' Championship after
Round 10 (Road America) leads the point standings with 400, followed
by Schroeder, 259; Simo, 258; Jon Gooding, 254; Borkowski, 244;
Gentilozzi, 239; Pickett, 228; Miller IV, 195; Bill Saunders, 156; and
Lewis, 155.

FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Results from Saturday's 73-lap, 94.097-mile
Children's Hospital Grand Prix of Colorado Trans-Am race at Pikes Peak
International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in
parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any).


 1. (1), Mike Borkowski, Middlebury, Conn., Ford Mustang Cobra, 73.
 2. (5), Tom Kendall, Santa Monica, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 73.
 3. (6), Greg Pickett, Alamo, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 73.
 4. (3), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 73.
 5. (4), Brian Simo, Carlsbad, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 73.
 6. (7), Michael Lewis, San Diego, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 73.
 7. (10), Leighton Reese, Eden Prairie, Minn., Pontiac Grand Prix, 73.
 8. (15), Bob Ruman, Monroe Falls, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro, 73.
 9. (13), Dino Crescentini, Torrance, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 73.
 10. (8), John W. Miller IV, Johnson City, Tenn., Chevrolet Camaro, 72.
 11. (9), Bill Saunders, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Camaro, 72.
 12. (17), Bruce Barkelew, Columbia, Mo., Chevrolet Camaro, 71.
 13. (11), Max Lagod, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro, 71.
 14. (16), Tim McAdam, Vail, Colo., Chevrolet Camaro, 70.
 15. (18), Ray Genick, Waterford, Mich., Chevrolet Camaro, 69.
 16. (22), Jim Briody, Cherry Hill, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 69.
 17. (21), Christopher Neville, Scottsdale, Ariz., Pontiac Grand Prix, 69.
 18. (24), Nelson Richardson, Novato, Calif., Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 69.
 19. (25), Len Gilmore, Colorado Springs, Colo., Chevrolet Beretta, 68.
 20. (29), Brad Smith, Riverside, Calif., Pontiac Grand Prix, 67.
 21. (23), Bob Carter, Danville, Calif., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 65.
 22. (19), C.David Seuss, Charleston, Mass., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 64, Mech.
 23. (30), Ronald Luks, Tucson, Ariz., Pontiac Grand Prix, 64.
 24. (14), Peter Shea, Newport Beach, Calif., Chevrolet Camaro, 63, Mech.
 25. (27), Frank Cioppettini Jr., Morristown, N.J., Chevrolet Camaro, 59, Mech.
 26. (28), Jack Skibo, Chico, Calif., Ford Thunderbird, 56.
 27. (12), R.J. Valentine, Hingham, Mass., Chevrolet Camaro, 54, Mech.
 28. (2), Dorsey Schroeder, Osage Beach, Mo., Ford Mustang Cobra, 40, Cr.Dam..
 29. (26), Jim Maguire, Glendale, Ariz., Chevrolet Camaro, 38, Trans.
 30. (20), Vic Rice, San Rafael, Calif., Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 27, Engine.
 
Time of race: 1 hour, 13 minutes, 07.878 seconds.
Average speed: 77.201 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 10.452 seconds
Lap leader: No. 4 Borkowski, laps 1-73
Fastest race lap: No. 12 Schroeder, 0:54.089 (85.791 mph)