Minnesota Qualifying Story

GENTILOZZI ON POLE FOR MINNEAPOLIS NTB TRANS-AM RACE MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (June 27, 1998)– Paul Gentilozzi, of Lansing, Mich., will start on the pole for Sunday's 63-lap, 100.8-mile NTB Trans-Am Series race, part of the Sprint PCS Grand Prix of Minnesota. Gentilozzi, driving the No. 3 AutoLink Chevrolet Corvette, posted a quick time of 1:19.713 (72.259 mph) to earn his fourth pole of the season.

Starting second on the 1.6-mile, 13-turn Minneapolis street circuit will be Brian Simo, in the No. 2 Valvoline for Mustang Cobra, followed by John Miller IV, No. 64 PLC Direct Chevrolet Camaro, Leighton Reese, No. 66 Phillips 66/Banner Engineering Pontiac Grand Prix, and Max Lagod, No. 83 HyperMax Engineering Camaro.

"We try very hard to be the fastest in each session," said Gentilozzi. "It's a competition and so you always want to be fastest – it's the ultimate reward. Track position here is very important early on, so we're pleased to be starting up front."

Both Reese and Lagod posted their career-best qualifying efforts, earning their first respective NTB Trans-Am Fast Five Qualifying starts.

"We've always had confidence," said Reese. "We build and design our own chassis, and it's a car that seems to work real well on these point and squirt street circuits."