Long Beach: Second practice notes

Said Doubles Down, Sets Fastest Time in Second Round at Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 16, 2004) -- Boris Said was again atop the Motorock Trans-Am Series time charts as he set the quickest time in second-round practice for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Friday afternoon. Said, driving the No. 33 New Century Mortgage/GE Access/ACS Express Ford Mustang, bettered his earlier time by nearly one second, turning the 1.968-mile temporary street course in 1:22.298 minutes at 85.985 miles per hour.

Four-time Long Beach Trans-Am winner Paul Gentilozzi (No. 3 Jaguar R Performance XKR) was second fastest, ahead of Tommy Kendall (No. 11 Jaguar R Performance XKR), Greg Pickett (No. 6 Cytosport Jaguar XKR) and Tomy Drissi (No. 5 The Day After Tomorrow, Only in Theaters Jaguar XKR).

"This is kind of amazing when you really thing about it," said Said. "Mike and Sandy Davis put together a small team with six full-time guys in the desert, built their own body with no help at all from Ford and we're the team to beat. That feels nice.

"Every session will get faster and faster," added Said. "It's always that way on a street course."

Qualifying is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. tomorrow. The Trans-Am race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 18, immediately following the Champ Car World Series event.

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