Trans Am concludes full day at Road Atlanta with practice, second chance to qualify
May 8, 2015
Ruman, Ave set pace for TA, TA2 in additional practice session, Saunders leads TA3 contingent
Braselton, Ga. (May 8, 2015) – The Trans Am Series concluded a full day of road racing at Road Atlanta with a second chance to qualify, the final step of preparation in advance of the Foametix Trans Am 100 and the Foametix Muscle Car Challenge tomorrow, Saturday, May 9.
Nine TA2 drivers elected to capitalize on the second chance to qualify, key amongst them Joe Ebben, in the No. 14 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang; Bob Stretch, in the No. 16 Bulk Nation/CBRT Ford Mustang; and Jason Kennedy, in the No. 06 New Orleans East Medical Rehab Chevrolet Camaro. Ebben improved his starting position from 36th on grid to 15th, Stretch from 18th to 16th and Jason Kennedy from 38th to 23rd.
Prior to the qualifying session, the Trans Am Series held an additional practice session, the second of the day, giving drivers a final opportunity to dial in their cars for tomorrow’s races.
It was TA class points leader Amy Ruman, driver of the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, who led the TA class around the 2.54 mile course to the tune of a 1:21.474. The time was fast enough for first in the session, a strong show before tomorrow’s race in which she starts second. Doug Peterson, in the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, followed in second position with a 1:22.713, while tomorrow’s pole sitter Paul Fix, in the No. 4 StopFlex.com/TheCarCoach.com Chevrolet Corvette, held down third position with a time of 1:21.474.
Tony Ave led TA2 competitors in an independent session with a time of 1:28.338 from behind the wheel of the No. 70 Lamers Motor Racing Ford Mustang: he was followed by Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 UniFirst/PPG Ford Mustang, and Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge Challenger with times of 1:28.792 and 1:28.900 respectively.
Lee Saunders, from behind the wheel of the No. 84 Landsearch Dodge Viper, led the TA3 class during practice with a time of 1:33.869, followed by Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Tremec/SKF/Backstreet Chevrolet Camaro, with a time of 1:34.812 and Robert Korzen, in the No. 88 Elite Classics Collector Cars Ford Mustang, in third with a time of 1:36.891.
Trans Am will take to the track tomorrow for two separate 100-mile Trans Am races; the Foametix Muscle Car Challenge at 9:30 a.m. EDT, featuring the TA2 class, and the Foametix Trans Am 100 at 11:40 a.m. EDT.
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