Podium celebration at Long Beach, Gentilozzi, Pickett and Said with the winning XKR in the foreground. Photo Jaguar Racing - Michael Kim, LAT Photographic

Series promoter, team owner but "also" driver Paul Gentilozzi started his 2004 Motorock Trans Am season with a bang on the streets of Long Beach with a victory at the wheel of his Trans Am Jaguar XKR. This is the triple Trans Am champion's 5th win at Long Beach and Jaguar's 35th in Trans Am since the big cats returned to the north American Tracks in 1999

Gentilozzi took the lead at turn one, and held off 2002 Trans Am Champ Boris Said during the entire race.

While Paul was still running the Ford V8, Tommy Kendall continued the developement of the "real thing", the Jaguar AJ-V8 engine which first took to the track during the season finale in Puerto Rico. A cracked oil pan dropped him to 11th place at the checkered flag but the car was on was taking pole position. The Jaguar V8 is based on the production 4.2 liter engine, enlarged to 4.2 liter but using a lightweight crank, pistons and rods. Fuel injected, unlike the basic Trans Am engine run in the other cars, it develops about 650hp.

The third Rocketsport car driven by Tommy Drissi was damaged during a first corner melee and had to retire on lap six.

Next race for the Trans Am Motorock Tour, Portland International on June 19th