TransAm: Said takes season-opening win

Said, in a Ford Mustang Cobra, briefly lost the lead to Johnny Miller on lap 11 of the 27-lap race while circuit was under caution, but stormed back to the front on the same lap and didn't let go of his advantage until he took the chequered flag.

Paul Gentilozzi in a Jaguar XKR was second, 48 seconds behind the winner. Kenny Wilden, in a Chevy Corvette, nicked ahead of Miller on the penultimate lap to take third.

"I was slow on the restart and Johnny drafted on the straight," commented Said. "Johnny made a good effort in the lead, but I knew I had him. Paul was pushing me at the end, but I was not going to let him by."

Britain's Justin Bell, in his first outing in the TransAm series, finished in eighth. The next round of the series is at Long Beach in California on April 8 as a support race to the CART event that weekend.

Boris Said, Ford Mustang, 69m30.212s, 27
Paul Gentilozzi, Jaguar XKR, 27
Kenny Wilden, Chevy Corvette, 27
Johnny Miller, Jaguar XKR, 27
Tommy Archer, Dodge Viper, 27
Lou Gigliotti, Chevy Corvette, 27
Brian Simo, Qvale Mangusta, 27
Justin Bell, Chevy Corvette, 27
Jim Matthews, Qvale Mangusta, 27
Bob Ruman, Chevy Corvette, 27