Trans-Am

Mosport: Tony Drissi preview

Drissi looks for a podium finish at Mosport Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada - Tomy Drissi, voted "Most Improved Driver" in 2000, is looking for his second podium finish at Mosport when the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup heads north of ...

Published: May 16, 2002, 7:16 PM

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Drissi looks for a podium finish at Mosport

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada - Tomy Drissi, voted "Most Improved Driver" in 2000, is looking for his second podium finish at Mosport when the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup heads north of the border to Mosport International Raceway on May 17-19. In 2000, Drissi, who pilots the No.5 Drissi Motorsports Jaguar XKR out of the Rocketsports Racing camp, qualified ninth and drove to a third place podium finish.

Last year, Drissi qualified fifth, started 29th due to a minor administrative rules infraction. As he and Boris Said raced through the pack, Said got sideways and Drissi was collected in the mishap. Drissi had to pit to replace a tire and was ultimately credited with a 25th place finish.

"Boris and I had a talk before the race about how we were going to pick off a few cars a lap on the way toward the front," recalled Drissi, who finished 11th in the points standings last year. "But by the middle of the first lap, we'd already passed five. We both went for too much too soon, and it came back to bite us." The series has had a five-week hiatus since its season-opener in the Johnson Controls 100 as part of the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend.

"I've been preparing mentally and physically for Mosport.  I'm just so ready
to go racing again," declared Drissi, who finished seventh in Long Beach.  "Five
weeks off seems like an entire season.  But it's the same thing for everyone."

Drissi likes the challenges offered by the Mosport circuit. "Mosport is a wicked good race track, so you need to be really tenacious and accurate," said Drissi, who currently stands sixth in the Drivers' Championship points standings.

"You have to be right on here and not make any mistakes to even have a chance at the podium.

"Power is very important here as well," explained Drissi. "We've got a great engine package. Tony Gentilozzi (manager of the Rocketsports Racing engine department) will really get to see how great our engines are compared to the rest of the field.

"Having mandatory pit stops has definitely added an extra element of excitement for both the fans and the teams," said Drissi. "You can plan a pit stop strategy, but you never know how the race will actually unfold which could dictate the outcome. It's anybody's race...but I hope to make it my race."

-rocketsports/wg-

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