Fix and Buffomante lead practice sessions as Trans Am opens NOLA festivities
October 14, 2016
Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis, Jr, lead TA3 and TA4
AVONDALE, La. [October 14, 2016] – The Trans Am Series commenced Round 10 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship at NOLA Motorsports Park with two separate practice sessions, letting drivers make final adjustments before this afternoon’s qualifying sessions on the 16-turn, 2.75-mile course.
Paul Fix, driver of the No. 50 StopFlex/TheCarCoach.com/ Chevron Techron Chevrolet Corvette, opened the weekend atop the charts turning a time of 1:37.840— a strong showing given the multiclass traffic from the TA, TA3 and TA4 cars all on course during the first session. Fix also holds the qualifying track record at NOLA, a 1:37.179 turned last year. The No. 50 and Fix currently sit third in the 2016 TA class championship points, albeit just 8 points off Amy Ruman and Cliff Ebben, who are tied in first with 211 points each.
Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, was second in the session with a time of 1:38.589 but has the confidence of knowing she won the TA class race at NOLA last year. Likewise, Cliff Ebben was third quick in the session after turning a 1:38.659 of his own, with the three points leaders locked in a back-and-forth that seems destined to last until the season’s conclusion.
The TA class top five was completed by Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:38.659 and David Pintaric, in the No. 57 Kryderacing Cadillac CTS-V, with a time of 1:39.950.
The TA3 class was led by the Lux Performance duo of Steve Streimer, in the No. 42 Lux Performance Dodge Viper ACR-X, and Cindi Lux, in the No. 45 Lux Performance Dodge Viper ACR-X, with times of 1:46.758 and 1:46.975, respectively. Streimer’s success in the session comes as little surprise— he set the pole in the TA3 International class last year while emerging victorious as well.
Randy Mueller, in the No. 0 Bizbloom.com/ Epic Motorsports BMW M3, was third quick in TA3 with a time of 1:47.412 while Connor Flynn, in the No. 95 Irish Mike’s Automotive Porsche 997, and Randy Kinsland, in the No. 11 Crossroads Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, completed the class top five with times of 1:48.158 and 1:48.367, respectively.
In TA4, Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 98 Beta Tools / Liquid Performance Chevrolet Camaro, led the way with a time of 1:49.284 as he continues to pursue a perfect season in the production based class, this time from behind the wheel of his 2015 championship winning Chevrolet Camaro, making its first appearance of the year.
Francis was followed in the session by Spencer Caudle, in the No. 53 Rotor Source Inc. Dodge Challenger, who turned a 1:51.870 and Dave Ricci, in the No. 71 Southeast Guardrail Chevrolet Camaro, with a time of 1:53.979.
The TA2 held a separate practice session in preparation for their own independent 101.75-mile race, with current points leader Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Mike Cope Ford Mustang, leading the way with a time of 1:42.779. Buffomante currently has 221 points to his name and has a lead of 21 over current-runner up Justin Haley, a buffer that a strong performance at NOLA would go a long way towards defending.
Buffomante was followed in the session by the man he finished second to last round at Homestead-Miami, Shane Lewis, driver of the No. 72 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, who turned a 1:42.848 lap of his own. Lewis currently holds the TA2 qualifying track record, a 1:42.062, logged last year when he finished second to teammate Gar Robinson.
Justin Haley, in the No. 99 Braun Foundation Ford Mustang, was third in the session with a time of 1:43.104, while defending TA2 champ, and last year’s victor, Gar Robinson, in the No. 74 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, and Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang, completed the TA2 top five with times of 1:43.104 and 1:43.208, respectively.
Event Schedule
Friday, October 14, 2016
5:00 PM – 5:15 PM Qualifying – TA Class
5:20 PM – 5:25 PM Qualifying – TA3 & TA4 Classes
5:40 PM – 5:55 PM Qualifying – TA2
Saturday, October 15, 2016
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM TA, TA3, TA4 Race
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM TA2, powered by AEM, Race
