April 3, 2001

Miller Looks For A Win In Johnson Controls 100

Long Beach, Calif. – Johnny Miller, driver of the No. 64 AutomationDirect/Cutler-Hammer Jaguar XKR, plans to win his first Johnson Controls 100 Trans-Am race at Long Beach…again. Miller, who joins two-time Trans-Am champion Paul Gentilozzi as a teammate at Rocketsports Racing for the 2001 Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, initially finished 15th last year as a result of contact on a last-lap restart melee, but was later declared the winner based on previous lap position. However, the decision was reversed on appeal, giving Tomy Drissi his first career Trans-Am win.

Drissi was initially credited with the win after surviving the 35th last-lap restart, moving from third to first. It was later determined that lap 35 had started after the 60-minute race time limit had expired, thus didn't count, and Miller was declared the winner based on his lead position in the previous lap. Upon appeal, the decision was reversed, the 35th lap was scored, and Miller was relegated back to 15th place.

"I felt like we earned that win and it showed in our race performance. Gentilozzi and Simo were faster, but we were patient," explained Miller, who scored his first career Trans-Am win at the season finale in San Diego. "But I've gotten past all that now. What's important to remember is that we've done really well here in the past, finishing second in 1999 and third in 1998.

"I really do love coming to this track," said Miller who finished fourth at the season-opener in Sebring and has 20 top-five finishes to his credit. "It's such a spectacle and I enjoy the crowds. And the changes they've made to the circuit produce even better racing.

"It used to be two straightaways with a bunch of wiggles in between," continued Miller, who finished seventh in the point standings last year. "But now, there's really something to it. It's got some medium speed corners and an added passing zone. It's still tough to pass here which makes qualifying twice as important.

"But we do know our way around here, and this time, second or third place just isn't good enough," concluded Miller. "I want that center spot on the podium and the win to go with it."