Fix eyes repeat, Ruman, redemption at Road America

August 26, 2015

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (August 26, 2015) – As the Trans Am Series heads north for the Next Dimension 100 at Road America, Round 8 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship, it brings with it a field of 64 cars to once more share in the spotlight with NASCAR Xfinity on Saturday, August 29th.

Road America stands as one of the jewels of the 2015 Trans Am Championship, the legendary 4.048-mile course represents one of the most anticipated events of the year and the final length of the 3-Dimensional Services Triple Shot Showdown, a mid-season trophy awarded to drivers who have accumulated the most points from the Lime Rock Park, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and, of course, Road America events.

The two primary contenders for the TA Championship, Amy Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, and Paul Fix, in the No. 4 StopFlex.com/TheCarCoach.com, will both be in attendance. While Fix will be aiming for a repeat result of last round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course where he emerged victorious over a record setting field, Ruman will be hoping for the opposite as she prepares to continue her Championship pursuit after a disappointing Mid-Ohio outing.

Ruman currently holds a 22-point lead over Fix in the Championship standings, courtesy of her five wins to date in 2015. But it is a lead she saw dented at Mid-Ohio, where the No. 23 was forced off course by a lapped car while Ruman was in first position, dashing her podium hopes for the event. In contrast, Fix survived the melee coming from behind over the final few laps to secure his second win of the season.

Together Fix and Ruman have won every race and captured an astonishing 12 podiums combined. While the duo are engaged in a Championship race that will last the duration of the season, a win at Road America would offer up valuable points and the prestige of a victory at one of the season’s premier tracks. Now they’ll showcase the power and performance of the TA class in their ongoing pursuit of what would be either’s first ever Trans Am Championship on the infamous horsepower course.

They will be joined by a bevy of 16 more TA class competitors including two-time defending Champion Doug Peterson, driver of the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Cadillac CTS-V, who has won the past two races at Road America and currently sits third in the points—and is well overdue for his first win of the year. Hometown favorites Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang, and Denny Lamers, in the No. 66 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang, will also look to stake their claim on the podium in front of friends and family.

Front runners Jim McAleese, in the No. 03 McAleese & Associates Chevrolet Corvette; Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette; and John Baucom, in the No. 86 Roadraceparts.com/ Baucom Motorsports Ford Mustang, will also feature in the field. Likewise Trans Am legend Greg Pickett, in the No. 68 Flavor Insights Jaguar XKR, will make his second consecutive appearance on the year; while Oscar Teran, in the No. 17 Jaguar XKR, makes his Trans Am debut and Dave Ruehlow, in the No. 31 Ruehlow Racing Team Chevrolet Corvette, makes his first appearance of the year.

In TA2, the pony wars rage with the Championship race heating up. The top three of Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge Challenger; Gar Robinson, in the No. 74 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro; and Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 UniFirst/ PPG Ford Mustang, are now separated by a mere twelve points. With all three present and in for the long haul for the TA2 Championship, they, along with Adam Andretti, in the No. 44 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro; and Shane Lewis, in the No. 72 74 Ranch Chevrolet Camaro, will look to solidify both their Championship and top five credentials at Road America.

In total, the TA2 field will feature 30 entries in the ultra-competitive class, with Tommy Archer, in the No. 54 c3controls Chevrolet Camaro; Tony Ave, in the No. 70 Lamers Motor Racing Ford Mustang; and Lawrence Loshak, in the No. 5 Raybestos Powertrain Ford Mustang, adding their talents to the field and more than capable of staking their claim to the podium as well. In addition, Dick Danielson, driver of the No. 41 Engineered Components Company Chevrolet Camaro, will be entering the Trans Am fray for the first time since 1993 in what will be his 54th Trans Am start, and first ever TA2 appearance—all on the 40th anniversary of his first ever Trans Am appearance, also at Road America in 1975.

Finally, in an interesting foray into road racing, Vaughn Gittin, Jr., now driver of the No. 25 Monster/Gumout/BlackMagic/ETE Ford Mustang, will be making his Trans Am debut. Gittin, of Formula Drift fame, will ply his trade behind the wheel of a TA2 machine, joining his new teammate Loshak, at Road America as he prepares for a drastically different form of motorsport. Gittin’s new ride, a Mike Cope built Ford Mustang, will sport his infamous livery from Formula Drift as the Maryland native hopes that his success carries over into Trans Am and TA2 as well as his colors.

TA3 will see Lee Saunders, driver of the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper, and Ernie Francis Jr., in the No. 98 Breathless Racing Chevrolet Camaro, both defending their current points lead within the International Group and American Muscle Group, respectively. Francis enters the weekend hot off an American Muscle win at Mid-Ohio, while Saunders finished second in International—his fifth podium of the year. Both hold fairly substantial leads with Francis currently holding a 31-point gap over second place Todd Napieralksi, in the No. 39 Tremec/SKF/Backstreet Chevrolet Camaro, and Saunders leading runner-up Michael Camus by 49 points.

Joining them in the TA3 class this weekend will be an assortment of drivers in both classes, with the Lux Performance duo of Cindy Lux, in the No. 45 Dodge Viper, and Steve Stremier, in the No. 42 Dodge Viper, once again joining the International Group; while Bill Batten, in the 85 Hendrickson USA Chevrolet Camaro, will make his second career appearance in the American Muscle Group. Chuck Cassaro, in the No. 76 Sponsor Needed! Ford Mustang, will be making his American Muscle return as well, as the former champ looks to repeat his prior podium performances at Road America. 

As the 3-Dimensional Services Group Trans Am Triple Crown comes to a close, Paul Fix seems the favorite to take home the silverware for the TA class with a commanding 18 point lead from his Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio victories. However, second through eighth positions in the class remains separated by only 10 points.

In TA2, Dillon Machavern leads by the slimmest of margins—a single point. Behind him, the top five of Lewis, Andretti, Poitras and Robinson stand as nigh inseparable with only an eight point spread between them.

The absence of Michael Camus in the International Group puts Jason Berkeley and Lee Saunders in the driving seat as they stand tied with 51 points apiece; while Steve Streimer could capitalize with a strong show as well for the mid-season award. Francis leads the American Muscle triple crown standings with a 24 point lead over Mel Shaw and Chris DeSalvo, while Napieralski could move into the top three with a solid performance.

Fans can keep up with the action over the weekend at gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam and on Twitter at @gotransam.

How to watch:

The Next Dimension 100, Round 8 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship, will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, September 12th at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

Next Dimension 100 Event Schedule (all times central):

Thursday, August 27
2:50 - 3:20 PM – Practice 1 (All Classes)

Friday, August 28
8:30 - 8:45 AM – TA “Fast Five” Qualifying
8:45 - 9:00 AM – TA2 “Fast Five” Qualifying
9:00 - 9:15 AM – TA3 “Fast Five” Qualifying
10:30 - 10:55 – Practice 2 (All Classes)
11:00 - 11:15 – Second Chance to Qualify (All Classes)

Saturday, August 29
9:30 – 10:45 AM – Next Dimension 100 (All Classes, Trans Am Race)