2001 Sebring - Trans-Am

In 2001, Trans-Am competitors were competing for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup. To date, this season would have the largest payout – with potentially more than $2.3-million in prize money. New for 2001 was the introduction of live network television - the Sears Point event was telecast live.

As in 2000, a number of new body styles were homologated - these included the Panoz Esperante, Dodge Viper and the redesigned Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang. Other than the addition of these cars the rules remained basically the same as in 2000. The series continued to use a tube-frame chassis powered by a V8 engine producing approximately 650-horsepower.

The eleven-race season opened in March at Sebring, Florida and was followed by Long Beach, Mosport, Detroit, Cleveland, Sears Point, Portland, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca and concluded at Houston.

The Trans Am series opened their 36th season at Sebring International Raceway, the site of the first event in 1966. Over forty cars were entered for this event.

The starting grid prepares for 27-laps/100-miles at Sebring International Raceway. The pole-sitter, Boris Said, made the decision to start on the outside of the front row – giving himself a better entry into Sebring’s very fast first turn. Next to Said is Johnny Miller in his new Rocketsports Jaguar XKR.

Boris Said qualified on the pole and led all but one lap of the race. Johnny Miller got by Said on the eleventh-lap but the Ford Mustang driver was back around him before the first corner. Said was scheduled to drive a new Panoz Esperante but it was not ready until the Mosport event. The victory was his third series win.

Kevin Allen goes wide at the 'Tower Turn' during practice. Allen was transitioning to the professional ranks after a successful amateur career in the Sports Car Club of America’s G Production class. The Eagle Racing Chevrolet Camaro driver started twenty-sixth and was blacked flagged when he lost the rear window.

Three-time series champion Paul Gentilozzi started the Rocketsports Jaguar XKR in fifth. But by lap-3 Gentilozzi was fourth and he passed his teammate, Johnny Miller, for second on the twelfth circuit. Gentilozzi finished in the runner-up spot and during the event set the fastest race lap.

2000 Trans Am Champion Brian Simo struggled in qualifying. He started fifteenth in the Tom Gloy Racing prepared Qvale Mangusta – almost four seconds behind the pole-sitter Said. Simo was able to move into the top ten and finished seventh.

Simo's teammate was former ALMS team owner and driver Jim Mathews. In qualifying Matthews was only a second slower than Simo. He started from the eighteenth grid position and finished ninth.

Kenny Wilden took over driving duties in the No. 66 Chevrolet Corvette after driver/owner Leighton Reese broke his forearm and injured his shoulder in February while on a skiing holiday with his family. Wilden was able to pass Johnny Miller on the last lap and beat him by less than a car length to finish third.

After eight months of work, Cinjo Racing unveiled their 2001 Dodge Viper at Sebring. Cinjo Racing driver Tommy Archer, who drove an ORECA Viper during the 2000 ALMS season, sits on the grid in the sixth starting position. Archer was able to pass Lou Gigliotti during the event and finish fifth.

Justin Bell entered the 2001 Trans-Am series with Derhaag Motorsports and would be contending for 'Rookie of the Year' honours. The son of two-time World Sportscar Champion, Derek Bell, also had an impressive racing resume. Justin was a former factory Corvette driver and had won the FIA GT2 World Championship. In his first Trans-Am race, he finished eighth.

During the previous season, Johnny Miller prepared and drove his own Chevrolet Corvette. But in 2001, he joined Paul Gentilozzi’s Rocketsports Racing team. His performance at the first event was an indication that the change was a good decision. Miller started on the front row and finished fourth.

Lou Gigliotti turned in an exceptional performance during qualifying and earned the third place spot on the starting grid. The Chevrolet Corvette driver lost some positions during the race and finished sixth.

Don Meluzio brakes for corner seven in his Chevrolet Camaro. The veteran of the Sports Car Club of America’s National racing program started last in the forty-car field and finished on the lead lap in fifteenth place.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	ENTRANT	LAPS
1	1	Boris Said	Ford Mustang	ACS Express	27
2	5	Paul Gentilozzi	Jaguar XKR	Rocketsports	27
3	4	Kenny Wilden	Chevrolet Corvette	Banner Engineering	27
4	2	Johnny Miller	Jaguar XKR	Rocketsports	27
5	6	Tommy Archer	Dodge Viper GTS	Motor City True Performance Parts	27
6	3	Lou Gigliotti	Chevrolet Corvette	LG Motorsport	27
7	15	Brian Simo	Qvale Mangusta	Tom Gloy Racing	27
8	9	Justin Bell	Chevrolet Corvette	Derhaag Motorsports	27
9	18	Jim Matthews	Qvale Mangusta	Tom Gloy Racing	27
10	21	Bob Ruman	Chevrolet Corvette	McNichols	27
11	16	Tom Coleman	Chevrolet Corvette	TWC Motorsports	27
12	27	Kerry Alexander	Chevrolet Camaro	Wickers Lumber	27
13	8	Michael Lewis	Jaguar XKR	Autocon Autosport	27
14	17	Steve Pelke	Ford Mustang	Kay Manufacturing	27
15	40	Don Meluzio	Chevrolet Camaro	Manheim Auto Auction	27
16	24	Simon Gregg	Chevrolet Corvette	Derhaag Motorsports	27
17	25	Jerry Kinn	Chevrolet Corvette	JDK Motorsports	27
18	28	Don Soenen	Ford Mustang	Soenen Motorsports	27
19	13	Cliff Ebben	Ford Mustang	Hoerr Racing Products	27
20	7	Stu Hayner	Ford Mustang	Soenen Mts	27
21	22	Dan Miller	Jaguar XKR	TDM Motorsports	27
22	23	Tom Miller	Ford Mustang	Moosedrool	27
23	30	Paul Fix II	Ford Mustang	Classic Tube	27
24	35	Dick Greer	Chevrolet Corvette	Wendy's Racing	27
25	37	Jerry Simmons	Ford Mustang	Too Fast Racing	27
26	19	John Baucom	Ford Mustang	Baucom Motorsports	27
27	26	Kevin Allen	Chevrolet Camaro	Eagle Racing Development	27
28	29	Gary Longo	Chevrolet Camaro	Wickers Lumber	27
29	14	Randy Ruhlman	Chevrolet Corvette	Performed Line Products	26
30	13	Mike Davis	Ford Mustang	ACS Express	26
31	39	Max Lagod	Chevrolet Camaro	Hypermax Engineering	26
32	11	Tomy Drissi	Jaguar XKR	TDM Motorsports	24
33	10	G.J. Mennen	Chevrolet Camaro	Motor Check	19
34	30	Bill Bentley	Chevrolet Camaro	Bentley Architects & Engineers	16
35	33	Bruce Dewey	Chevrolet Camaro	Budweiser	13
36	31	Tim Cowen	Ford Mustang	Cowen Truck Lines	13
37	38	Richard LaBarbara	Ford Mustang	International Union Painters	11
38	36	Tom Sloe	Chevrolet Corvette	Sloe Motorsports	2
39	32	Dick Downs	Chevrolet Camaro	Clover Enterprises	1

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