The Trans Am West Coast Championship Returns to Thunderhill Raceway Park for Season Opener
April 12, 2019
The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli West Coast Championship launches its 2019 season this weekend (April 12-14) at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willow, California. Serving motorsports enthusiasts for more than 25 years, the Thunderhill Raceway circuit holds a rich history of competition on the winding and undulating circuit.
Eight California natives will represent the golden state on the three-mile, 14-turn road course. In a mixed-class event that will see the TA, TA2 powered by AEM and GT classes in action, drivers will participate in open testing on Friday.
The nearly 20-car field will include names that have long been synonymous with Trans Am competition, as well as some new faces that will be joining the series as the West Coast Championship launches its third season.
Greg Picket (No. 6 Picket Racing Ford Mustang) and Simon Gregg (No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette) are likely to be racers to watch in TA Class competition, while series newcomer Michele Abbate (No. 30 Grr Racing Chevrolet Camaro) will look to get a big start to the 2019 campaign.
“I am beyond thrilled to announce our Trans Am effort,” said Abbate. “This has been a dream of mine for several years and it has taken an incredible amount of hard work, dedication, and perseverance to get here. I’m pumped to be racing in the competitive TA2 class and I know our team will bring a fresh new image to the Trans Am series. I am thankful for the partnerships that I have and I would not be here without each and every one of them.”
The Trans Am West Coast Championship includes four-feature events across the Pacific West Coast, visiting iconic tracks like WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Circuit of the Americas with two of the events integrated into the National Championship. Now in its third season, the West coast-oriented championship has continued to gain momentum.
“We launched the West Coast Championship in response to feedback from our competitor base, and with events in California, Oregon, and our finale in Texas at the Circuit of the Americas, it is a really nice schedule” said Trans Am Company President John Clagett. “We are eager to get the season started this weekend at Thunderhill and continue to grow this part of the Trans Am family.”
The official weekend starts on Saturday with an hour-long practice beginning at 10:05 a.m. PST followed by a 40-minute qualifying at 1:05 p.m.
Fans are invited to a tour of the Trans Am West Coast paddock from 3:30-4:40 p.m. where drivers will be available for autographs and cars will be on display for photos. The Trans Am West Coast weekend will commence Sunday with a massive dose of roaring American muscle cars, featuring a 99-lap race (or 70 minutes whichever comes first). Live timing and scoring is available at GoTransAm.com or on the Race Monitor app.
For more information, visit GoTransAm.com.
2019 Trans Am West Coast Championship Schedule
- ïThunderhill Raceway Park- April 12-14
- ïAuto Club Speedway- April 26-28
- ïWeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca*- May 3-5
- ïSonoma Raceway- June 14-16
- ïPortland International Raceway- July 26-28
- ïCircuit of the Americas*- Oct. 4-6
*National Trans Am Series event
Trans Am West Coast Championship Thunderhill Raceway Park Entry List
|
# |
Class |
Driver, Hometown |
Sponsor, Car |
|
6 |
TA |
Greg Pickett, Crystal Bay, Nev. |
Pickett Racing Ford Mustang |
|
7 |
GT |
Beau Borders, Venice, Calif. |
APEX Race Parts/CorteX Racing Ford Mustang |
|
11 |
TA2 |
David Smith, Sydney, B. C., Canada |
ShockwaveMarineSuspensionSeati |
|
19 |
TA2 |
Matthew Butson, Snohomish, Wash. |
Blood Enterprises Chevrolet Camaro |
|
24 |
TA2 |
Brad McAllister, Portland, Ore. |
www.PortlandImplantDentistry. |
|
25 |
TA2 |
Tom Klauer, Reno, Nev. |
iPull uPull Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro |
|
29 |
TA2 |
Mitch Marvosh, Ventura, Calif. |
Wolf Entertainment Chevrolet Camaro |
|
30 |
TA2 |
Michele Abbate, Henderson, Nev. |
Grr Racing Chevrolet Camaro |
|
33 |
TA2 |
Nicholas Rosseno, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. |
BurrtecWaste/Wildhammer/Amsoil Chevrolet Camaro |
|
46 |
TA2 |
* Tim Lynn, Ross, Calif. |
Roof Options Racing Chevrolet Camaro |
|
55 |
TA2 |
Michael Mihld, Temecula, Calif. |
Michael Mihld Racing Chevrolet Camaro |
|
59 |
TA |
Simon Gregg, Ponte Vedra, Fla. |
Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette |
|
66 |
TA |
Michael Fine, West Sacramento, Calif. |
AGS-ArchitecturalGlassSystems Chevrolet Camaro |
|
72 |
TA |
Michelle Nagai, Loomis, Calif. |
Berkeley Jet Drive Inc. Chevrolet Corvette |
|
76 |
TA2 |
Anthony Honeywell, Tulsa, Okla. |
HoneywellCompetition/ |
|
83 |
TA2 |
Cameron Parsons, Santa Ana, Calif. |
Action Sports Canopies Chevrolet Camaro |
|
98 |
GT |
Roger Eagleton, Burlingame, Calif. |
Ford Mustang |
TA – 4 TA2 – 11 SGT – 0 GT – 2 Total:17
