Tom Gloy Racing to debut new chassis

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 26, 2001) -- Tom Gloy Racing announced it will be the Riley & Scott factory development team for 2001 and beyond. Gloy will change to the new generation Trans-Am chassis, the Mk VIII mid-summer 2001. This all-new car is the first major redesign of the most successful chassis in the history of the Trans-Am Series.

The 2000 Trans-Am Champion Brian Simo of Carlsbad, Calif. and Jim Matthews of Chapel Hill, N.C, will drive the two entries. The cars will continue to be Qvale Mangustas with Ford power. Tommy Bahama's Cafe and Emporium's is the sponsor for the Simo entry. The purveyor of island lifestyles will be the primary sponsor, with associate sponsorship from Valvoline.

Tom Gloy drove the first Trans-Am Riley Trans-Am chassis, debuting it in 1984. Gloy went on to win the Drivers' Championship posted records that still stand today, 14 top-five and 14 top-ten finishes. The first revisions to this winning chassis were in 1991, which was also debuted by Gloy, and the next revision was debuted in 1995 and 1996. Once again Tom Gloy Racing and Riley & Scott were in the winners circle with Gloy's long-time drivers Dorsey Schroeder and Ron Fellows at the wheel.

"This is like coming home," said Gloy. "I am glad to be using the Riley & Scott chassis again. The depth of their knowledge and design team makes the prospects of this new car very exciting. We have been successful together in the past; I expect the same results in the future."

"Any manufacturer would jump at the chance to have Tom's team develop a new Trans-Am chassis said Bill Riley, Vice President of Riley & Scott. "We're fortunate to have a history with Tom Gloy Racing and hope to be an integral part of their successful return to the series. We look forward to our renewed association with Tom Gloy Racing and are excited about our new car and this new era in the BFGoodrich Trans-Am Series."

The team will compete in the 11-race Trans-Am Series, which begins March 16, 2001 in Sebring, Fla. Tom Gloy Racing last competed in Trans-Am in 1997 with Simo, Schroeder and Mike Borkowski.

-David Lang