Victoria Motorsports to debut new Trans-Am chassis

FAR HILLS, NJ, (Friday, February 2, 2001) After a winter of quiet development work, Victoria Motorsports Inc. will debut its new Vanquish RS2M chassis at the 2001 Trans-Am Series season opener at Sebring on March 16, Victoria President Frank V. Cioppettini announced today. The team will field two cars, both with 2001 Chevrolet Camaro bodywork and Chevrolet power.

"Our game plan is to bring an improved, consistent and focused package to the Trans-Am Series in 2001," added Victoria Motorsports co-owner, June Cioppettini. "A better chassis is a part of that improvement package, and the start of what we hope will be our march to the forefront of the Trans-Am field."

Built in Victoria Motorsports' Mooresville, NC race shop, the Vanquish RS2M is the team's first venture into design and construction of a Trans-Am chassis. Testing of the new chassis is slated for later this month prior to the cars' debut at the season curtain raiser.

The Victoria Motorsports team led the Bowtie Brigade in 2000, garnering more points than any other Chevy team and helping the manufacturer to its 16th Trans-Am makes' title. "We are honored to have played such an important role in winning the manufacturers' championship for Chevrolet in 2000, and look forward to repeating that in 2001," said Frank Cioppettini. "This year is going to be much more challenging and a lot more exciting. I've got goose bumps waiting for the season to start!"

Headquartered in Far Hills, NJ, Victoria Motorsports fielded Chevrolet Camaros for Willy T. Ribbs, with Simple Green sponsorship, and for Stu Hayner and his sponsor Trenton Forging in the full 2000 Trans-Am series. Victoria Motorsports also became a leader in bringing new blood to the series, giving first time Trans-Am starts to Bobby Sak, Brian Pelke and Linda Pobst. In addition to that and to contributing to Chevrolet's manufacturers' title, the team also won the Johnson Controls Triple Challenge while posting five podium finishes (two seconds and three-thirds), 13 top-ten finishes, five Fast Five qualifying efforts, and fielding the most entries of any Trans-Am team.

-VM