Ruman and Lewis open up Fourth of July Weekend in form
July 4, 2015
BRAINERD, Minn. (July 4, 2015) – Amy Ruman and Shane Lewis opened up the Fourth of July Weekend in style, leading their respective classes; as the Trans Am Series took to the track at Brainerd International Raceway for the first session of the Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic, Round 6 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship.
Amy Ruman, driver of the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette and current TA class points leader, set the pace for the flagship class with a time of 1:27.902 around the 2.5-mile competition road course. Ruman rides a wave of momentum into the weekend, capturing four of five victories so far this year—momentum that she will aim to maintain atop the charts as she continues her battle with challenger Paul Fix for the top spot in the points.
Doug Peterson, in the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, was second in the session with a time of 1:28.051, just shy of Ruman’s time. Peterson, the two-time defending TA Champion, has dealt with hard luck throughout the first half of the season but should be encouraged by a strong showing in the first session of the weekend, as he looks to string together his own streak atop the charts.
Peterson was followed by Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/ McMcMahon Group Ford Mustang, who was third fastest in the session with a time of 1:29.070 while John Baucom, in the No. 86 Baucom Motorsports Ford Mustang, and Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, rounded out the top five in the TA class with times of 1:29.150 and 1:29.460, respectively.
Shane Lewis, Trans Am Rookie and driver of the No. 72 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, led the 20-car TA2 class in the practice session with a time of 1:32.696, opening up a strong gap on the rest of an incredibly tight TA2 field.
Lewis was followed by Adam Andretti, in the No. 44 Engineered Components Ford Mustang, with a time of 1:33.125—strong enough for second. Andretti has carried speed throughout the 2015 Trans Am Season with multiple poles to his name and, most recently, a victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park last round.
Minnesota native and Trans Am veteran Tommy Archer, in the No. 54 c3controls Chevrolet Camaro, was third fastest in the TA2 class during the session with a 1:33.302. Tony Ave, in the No. 70 Lamers Motor Racing Ford Mustang, and Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 UniFirst/PPG Ford Mustang, completed the top five with times of 1:33.302 and 1:33.401, respectively.
Trans Am’s production based class, TA3, was led by Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis, Jr., within their respective subgroups, the International Group and American Muscle Group. Streimer, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper, set the pace for International drivers with a 1:36.007; while Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 98 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro, led American Muscle to the tune of a 1:37.656 lap time.
Streimer was followed in the International Group by teammate Cindi Lux, in the No. 45 Lux Performance Dodge Viper, and Jerry Greene, in the No. 93 Temp Air Porsche 996 GT3. Likewise, Francis was followed in the American Muscle Group by Jason Fichter, in the No. 79 Turn 7 Motor Sports Chevrolet Camaro, and Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Tremec/SKF/Backstreet Performance Chevrolet Camaro.
Trans Am will return to the track at Brainerd International Raceway for “Fast Five” Qualifying beginning at 2:20 p.m. CT in preparation for tomorrow’s 100-mile, 40-lap race, the Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic, Round 6 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship
