Long Beach: Practice one notes

GENTILOZZI FASTEST IN FIRST-ROUND PRACTICE FOR CYTOMAX CHALLANGE AT LONG BEACH

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 8, 2005) - Paul Gentilozzi set the fastest time Friday for Sunday's Cytomax Challenge, the season opener for the Trans-Am Series, at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Gentilozzi-driving one of two Rocketsports Racing Jaguar XKRs in the field equipped with Jaguar's production-based, overhead-cam, fuel-injected AJ-V8-turned the 1.968-mile temporary street course in one minute, 23.386 seconds (84.964 miles per hour).

Gentilozzi (No. 1 Jaguar R Performance XKR) led Boris Said (No. 33 Applied Computer Solutions Ford Mustang), and Randy Ruhlman (No. 49 Preformed Line Products Chevrolet Corvette), representing a three-marque spread in the top three times. Greg Pickett (No. 6 Cytomax Jaguar XKR) and Max Lagod (No. 83 Hypermax Chevrolet Corvette) completed the top five.

Second-round practice is scheduled for this afternoon, at 4:15 p.m. Qualifying is schedule for tomorrow at 9:45 a.m. The Cytomax Challenge, Round 1 of the 2005 Trans-Am Championship and part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, is scheduled for Sunday, April 10 at 3:45 p.m., immediately following the Champ Car World Series event. Sunday's race will air on a tape-delayed basis, Sunday, April 17 on SPEED Channel at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

The Trans-Am Series features closed-fendered, production-based, V-8-powered sports cars, competing on permanent road courses, and temporary street and airport circuits throughout North America. The Trans-Am Series is America's oldest continuously running road racing series and celebrates its 40th continuous year of competition in 2005.

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