On This Day in Trans Am History: May 22, 1994

May 22, 2020

May 22, 1994

Scott Pruett remained unbeaten at Mosport Park, winning the second race of the 1994 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at the tough Canadian circuit.

Driving the No. 01 Royal Oak Charcoal Chevrolet Camaro, Pruett beat the No. 11 All Sport Body Quencher Ford Mustang of Tommy Kendall by 12.68-seconds, averaging 99.130 mph in the 40-lap, 98-mile race.

“Up until that race, I was unbeaten at Mosport, and afterwards, I was still unbeaten,” Pruett recalled. “It was a tough race. I only went after the Trans Am championship three times, and won it all three times – in three different decades (1987, 1994, 2003). The biggest challenge we faced in ’94 – and it actually worked to our advantage – is that Ford had multiple teams with multiple drivers, while Jack Baldwin and I had the main Chevies. So it was cool to win that race, and then go on to win the championship that year.”

Kendall captured the pole and led the opening 11 laps in his Jack Roush Ford before being passed by Pruett, who led the remaining 29 circuits.

“I’m not exactly sure where I passed him – it’s been a few years,” laughed Pruett, who now owns and operates a winery, Pruett Vineyards, in Auburn, California. “But I might have been able to get up underneath him coming up on the back straight, as you come out of the turn you can get alongside a guy coming down the back straight.”

Jamie Galles finished third and was the Raybestos Star of the Race in the No. 67 Entrepreneur Magazine/Rain-X Camaro, followed by Ron Fellows in the No. 4 AER Ford Mustang and Greg Pickett in the No. 6 Rain-X/Cytomax Camaro. Seventh-place finisher Bobby Archer turned the fastest race lap (1:21.410-seconds) in the No. 9 Archer Brothers Ford Mustang.

In addition to plenty of success at the venue now known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Pruett also had a healthy respect for the demanding road course.

“Mosport is a driver’s track,” Pruett said. “It’s tough; it’s challenging, with uphills and downhills. It’s one of those tracks where you have to load a set in your purse when you go to that race, because it you don’t have them, you’re certainly not going to win, or even run strong.”

Prior to the event, Pruett had two Trans Am victories at Mosport (1986 and 1987) in addition to winning a 24-hour 1987 SCCA Endurance Championship race in 198