TRANSAM: Minneapolis report

• "Greg Rubenstein" <102354.2056@CompuServe.COM>
• MNI - Motorsport News International
• Mon Jul 8 23:33:44 EDT 1996

         KENDALL TAKES INAUGURAL CHILDREN'S GRAND PRIX TRANS-AM
                CLASSIC WIN ON THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., (July 7) -- Tom Kendall, in the #11 All Sport Body
Quencher Ford Mustang Cobra, made an early pass on race leader Paul
Gentilozzi and never looked back, leading laps five through 63 to
take the Trans-Am Classic victory on the streets of Minneapolis, the
defending Trans-Am Champion's third win of the season.

With the victory, Kendall, of Apopka, Fla., takes over the Drivers'
Championship points lead for the first time in 1996, a one-point margin
over Dorsey Schroeder, 237 to 236. Finishing 0.894-second behind Kendall
was Canadian Ron Fellows, in the #3 Sunoco/AER Manufacturing Chevrolet
Camaro, followed by Scott Sharp, in the #33 Rain- X Oil Energizer
Camaro. Fellows' American Equipment Racing teammate Jamie Galles, in
the #2 ICI/Glidden Camaro, finished fourth and Gentilozzi, in the #5
HighwayMaster Camaro, was fifth.

"This is my kind of track -- a traditional street course where it's
bumpy in spots and you can't afford to make a mistake," said Kendall. "I
was at my best when I had my head down and was driving hard."

Kendall started the 63-lap, 100.8-mile race second after posting the
fourth-fastest qualifying time in a rain-soaked Goodyear Fast Five
qualifying session and hotly pursued pole-sitter (and fifth-fastest
qualifier) Gentilozzi for four laps before taking over the top spot as
the duo dove into turn nine of the 13-turn, 1.6-mile temporary street
circuit.

"With all of the switch-backs there was plenty of passing possibilities
and Paul (Gentilozzi) gave me plenty of room to get by," said Kendall.

Four laps later the first of four full-course cautions was brought out
for oil through several turns. In all, 12 laps were run under caution,
slowing Kendall's average speed to 65.21 mph. The other three cautions
were for mechanical problems and accidents, none of which resulted in
any injuries.

Making his Trans-Am debut and earning the Raybestos Rising Star of the
Race award for his 15th-place finish was Eric Van de Poele, in the #15
Rocketsports Revolution Camaro. Jim Derhaag, of Chaska, Minn., drove his
#40 Anderson Windows/Park National Bank Camaro to a 10th-place finish
from his 22nd-place start to earn the OPTIMA Batteries Quick Charger of
the Race award, and Galles, of Albuquerque, N.M., earned the DynoMax
Turn On the Power Award for his fourth-place effort.

With nine races complete of the 14-race season, Galles, with 195 points,
is third in the standings behind Kendall and Schroeder. Sharp is fourth
with 174, followed by Greg Pickett, 171; Fellows, 166; Brian Simo, 165;
Gentilozzi, 157; Bill Saunders, 150; and Boris Said, 141.

With the win, Ford moves into the lead in the Manufacturers'
Championship point standings, topping Chevrolet by two, 71 to 69.

The Trans-Am Championship next races in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Can.,
during the Player's Ltee. Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, August 2-4.