Ruman Set to Bounce Back at CTMP After Major Wreck at Watkins Glen
August 27, 2025
Munroe Falls, Ohio - Fortunately, there was a six-week break in between races for the Ruman team as the Watkins Glen weekend did not go according to plan in round 8 of the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli.
July 11 - Watkins Glen Recap: The team had just unloaded the trailer and onto the track for testing when disaster occurred on only the second lap of testing. Ruman was exiting the last turn onto the front straight when a suspension piece broke on the No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette sending her directly into the wall. The car took a huge hit to the left front corner and the entire left side as she road down the wall.
“What a huge disappointment for the entire team. I knew as soon as it broke as I lost all steering capabilities and at that point, I was just a passenger with nothing I could do. Unfortunately, the break didn’t happen in turn 1 where there would have been plenty of runoff and no walls. We got into the frame and the car suffered too much damage to be able to fix at the track,” remarked Ruman. “We debated how we could move forward and still be in the race for points. After limited options, I approached Tomy (Drissi) to see if I could run his backup car. He welcomed the idea, and after some discussion we formed a plan to start and park the No. 7. I wanted to race it, but it just wasn’t in the budget. Of course, I changed the game plan on the grid and decided to run more laps if anyone fell out during the race, which ended up happening. We were able to run enough laps (14) to bring home 5th place. It was actually kind of fun in the end. I didn’t get a chance to feel the car as we only fitted me up at 9:30am just before the race grid. The pedals were too far away for me to be comfortable and to go fast, and I just wanted to keep the car in one piece and bring it home clean. I really appreciate Tomy and the Drissi Motorsports team for helping us out in this situation. After a tough weekend, we were able to maintain 4th place in the championship standings.”
The Series had a six-week summer break and will be traveling to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada this weekend for Round 9 of the 2025 schedule. The crew worked diligently to repair the No.23 and get back to racing. Luckily, there is a test day for Ruman and team to shake down the car before the official TA weekend starts. Ruman has not raced at CTMP since 2014, when she scored second place and was just shy of the win against road racing ledged, Trans Am veteran, and fellow TA Hall of Famer Ron Fellows, who is also the co-owner of CTMP.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend – it feels like it’s been an eternity since I’ve raced. My Dad and Mike worked tirelessly to get the car repaired so we could make this race. The wreck was pretty bad, we got into the frame and had a lot of damage. We missed the race up here last year, so I’m excited to be back in front of the Canadian crowd, they always have a great turnout here,” expressed Ruman. “On behalf of the team, I also would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of TA2 driver Barry Boes and Team SLR, our prayers are with you during this difficult time. He will certainly be missed at the track.”
Twenty-five competitors are entered across all classes, with six running in Ruman’s TA class. Testing, practice, qualifying, and races will take place Thursday through Saturday. The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2® Series and the TA/XGT/SGT/GT classes will run together in a combined race on Saturday, August 31st at 2:15pm ET. The race will be 41-laps (100.8-mi) – all times listed are ET. Please visit canadiantiremotorsportpark.com, gotransam.com, speedtour.net, for tickets, schedules, and all other weekend information.
Following Round 8, Paul Menard leads the TA National class championship with 780 points, followed by Adam Andretti in second – 751, Tomy Drissi in third – 704, Amy Ruman is fourth – 685, and Chris Dyson sits in fifth – with 680 points.
WATCH TA LIVE:
The Trans Am events will stream live on Trans Am’s YouTube channel and on SPEED SPORT 1. SPEED SPORT 1 can be watched for free on its dedicated app on Android and iOS, as well as Amazon Prime Video, Roku, PlutoTV, Sling Freestream and more. Other Trans Am programming includes another season of the docuseries Road to Glory on Racer Network, which showcases a behind the scenes look of teams and drivers throughout the Trans Am paddock as they navigate the season.
SPONSORS: McNICHOLS CO. is the nation’s largest distributor of Perforated and Expanded Metals; Wire Mesh; Bar, Plank, and Safety Gratings; Stair Treads; Matting; and more. Products are carried in all styles and materials–stocked for 24-hour shipment. “Inspired to Serve”™ 800.237.3820 | mcnichols.com | sales@mcnichols.com
Valley Automotive Group and Valley Truck Centers, is a leading car and truck dealership network with locations throughout Ohio and Michigan, featuring Fleet One Rental & Leasing, and Final Vehicle Solutions through Cenweld Corp./Buckeye Body.
OMP Racing, Inc., OMP Racing is one of the world's leading manufacturers of racing safety equipment and tuning accessories with a catalog of over 3,000 different items. Operating from a technologically advanced 80,000 sqft facility in Italy, OMP products are renowned for its quality, the meticulous attention to details that is constantly challenged by setting higher standards. For products and information visit ompracing.com.
For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow us on all social media! X.com: @rumanracing, @mcnicholsco, and @gotransam. Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli.
Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.
