Kenall nominated for Driver of the Quarter

Tommy Kendall Nominated for Third-Quarter Driver of the Year Award

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 6, 2004) -- Four-time Motorock Trans-Am Series Drivers' Champion Tommy Kendall has been nominated for the Third Quarter 2004 Driver of the Year Award. Kendall, currently second in points just 11 markers behind leader Paul Gentilozzi, returned to the Trans-Am Series this year after a six-year hiatus. Piloting the No. 11 Jaguar R Performance XKR powered by Jaguar's new production-based, overhead-cam, fuel-injected AJ-V8 engine, Kendall has one win, four podium finishes and five poles in nine starts this season.

"To be honored as part of this group is always a surprise, but it is truly special after not having raced for the last six years," said Kendall, who won the overall Driver of the Year award after his dominant 1997 championship season. "This is part of why you do it. It's very rare for a road racer to be nominated.

"We have fought back from some difficulties earlier this season," added Kendall, referring to the development of the new Jaguar engine. "That's why this award will definitely shared by my Rocketsports Racing team this year."

Kendall is part of an elite group of drivers up for the third quarter nod, including Champ Car World Series standout Sebastien Bourdais, NHRA drag racer Greg Anderson, NASCAR drivers Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, World of Outlaws hotshoe Steve Kinser, and the IRL's Dan Wheldon.

In its 38th year, the Driver of the Year Award will be determined by an independent vote of an 18-member panel of blue ribbon auto racing journalists and broadcasters and one vote based on a cumulative tally by fans.

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