Miami: Paul Gentilozzi Saturday notes

Saturday, October 5, 2002 -Post-Qualifying

Paul Gentilozzi, driver of the no. 3 Johnson Controls Jaguar XKR, will start second in tomorrow's Trans-Am Race since qualifying was cancelled due to heavy rains...rules state that drivers will start in order of points...Gentilozzi had posted the fastest times in each of the two trans-am practice sessions.

NOTE 1 - Gentilozzi won the IMSA GTS race in 1993 and finished sixth in 1994 in the last Miami Trans-Am race...He won the 1998 Trans-Am race at Homestead.

NOTE 2 - 2002 Stats... Second in the points standings...Won the season-opener at Long Beach...Has three additional top-two finishes and seven top-five finishes.

NOTE 2 - Career Stats...Three-time Trans-Am champion (2001, 1999, 1998)...Only driver to have won three championships driving three different marques...Ranks first in all-time Trans-Am top-three (59), top-five (93), and top-ten (123) finishes, lead lap finishes (121), "Fast Five" qualifying starts (110), lead-lap finishes (121), race starts (182)...Has 24 Trans-Am wins.

On the cancellation of the qualifying session... "Based on our performance in the practice sessions, we expected the pole. Who knows? We certainly had the opportunity to be there. We missed the chance for the bonus points, but we can only do what the weather will allow us to do. It's the same situation for everyone. But we feel good about the car. Running the morning session (which as also canceled due to track conditions) and qualifying would have only given the others a chance to catch up, so it's not all bad.

On the championship run with Boris... "You can lose a championship with three races left. I had a good size points leading going into the last race in 2000 until a two-dollar part broke. For us to move up substantially, Boris need to have some bad luck. But bad stuff happens and it's someone else's fortune. We'll race hard and whatever happens, we'll head to Atlanta. At this point, we're just having fun.

On his relationship with his top competitors... "You throw together a bunch of different personalities and you may like some and not like some. But respect is the important criteria. No one is trying to wreck you or turn you around deliberately. I don't want to race that way and have a guy going away saying "I owe him one."

On the track design... "You've got 16 turns and you're maybe three or four inches off the wall. You make one mental mistake here and it's all over. That's what's cool about this place. It's 1:12:00 of total focus.

On his past and current success in Miami street racing... (Laughs) It's a street race by the water. It's just a cool place to race. It has really great fans that are very knowledgeable. It's a different culture and that gets you up. The fans expect you to perform and you feel obligated to deliver."

-rocketsports-