VIR commences final stretch of 2015 Trans Am Season
September 22, 2015
Series sets new record entry for VIR with 56 cars
ALTON, Va. [September 22, 2015] – With only four races remaining in the 2015 Trans Am Championship, it is now or never for competitors looking to make a final charge at their respective class championships and crunch time for the current points leaders looking to solidify their positions. Combined, it makes for an intriguing formula that should lead to some of the best racing of the year, as the Trans Am Series rolls into Virginia International Raceway for Round 9 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship with a record 56-car field for the Series on the 3.27 mile track.
For Amy Ruman and Cameron Lawrence, current Championship leaders in the TA and TA2 classes, the pressure is on—this weekend they will once more face down a host of challengers and the daunting prospect of navigating a full, multi-class, 56-car Trans Am field, a record entry for Trans Am at VIR.
.jpg)
Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Chevrolet Corvette, will see her main challenger come in the form of Paul Fix, driver of the No. 4 StopFlex.com/TheCarCoach.com Chevrolet Corvette. VIR has historically been a strong showing for Fix; he won the race outright last year and came in third in 2013. However, Fix has ground to make up; as Ruman’s 24-point lead remains in a stretch of the season where the arithmetic sets in along with the ensuing chess match on track.
Both Fix and Ruman will also be eager to rebound from lackluster, by their own high standards, performances last round at Road America. In fact, the TA class race was the first not won by either driver; as Jim McAleese, in the No. 03 McAleese & Associates Chevrolet Corvette, emerged victorious from the rain drenched and fog riddled race.
In total, 13 cars will feature for the TA class, with defending Champion Doug Peterson, in the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Cadillac CTS, leading a host of other competitors more than capable of challenging for the podium. McAleese returns as well as Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang, Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, and John Baucom, in the No. 86 Roadraceparts.com/Baucom Motorsports Ford Mustang, amongst others, all figuring to add to the mix.
Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge Challenger, will face a host of 27 other TA2 cars in the resurgent pony wars, with Gar Robinson, in the No. 74 72 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, just nine points off the two-time defending Champion. Lawrence began the year with three straight victories but has not featured on the top step since Round 3 at Road Atlanta.
Now Robinson has closed the gap with four straight podium appearances of his own, including a win at Mid-Ohio. Likewise, Adam Andretti, in the No. 44 Engineered Component Chevrolet Camaro, and Shane Lewis, in the No. 72 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet, are also within striking distance of the Championship. Andretti won the TA2 race at VIR in 2014, and a similar result would trust him back into the front line for the TA2 Championship.
Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang, and Tony Ave, in the No. 70 Lamers Motor Racing Ford Mustang, are also threats to win the race outright with Ave fresh off of a win at Road America. TA2 remains an incredibly deep class, with drivers like Kevin O’Connell, in the No. 83 Bulk Nation/ CBRT Ford Mustang, Kyle Marcelli, in the No. 96 M1Fasttrack Chevrolet Camaro, Kevin Poitras, in the No. 73 Post Plastics Ford Mustang, and Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Bestline Superior Lubricants Ford Mustang—all eager to make their mark as well.
Buffomante, in particular, should be one to keep an eye on. Last year the road racing veteran grabbed pole at VIR and proceeded to lead 28 of the 31 laps, despite having additional weight added to the car for old bodywork, before falling the victim to a fuel pickup issue. If Buffomante can replicate last year’s performance in his new ride, he can be expected to feature heavily towards the front of the field.
TA3 will have both current points leaders in attendance; with Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 98 Breathless Racing Chevrolet Camaro, and Lee Saunders, in the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper, ready to defend their leads in the American Muscle Group and International Group, respectively. Both have large leads over the runners up, with Saunders holding a 58 point lead and Francis a 45 point lead. If they manage to stay the course with a stint of solid showings, both should be well on their way to 2015 Championships.
Multiple other TA3 drivers will aim to stake their own claim to silverware on the weekend though. The International Group duo of Michael Camus and Randy Mueller, in the No. 08 and 0 Epic Motorsports/MCM Holdings BMW M3s, are back in attendance and ready to add to their trophy haul—they will be joined by defending Champion Jason Berkeley, in the No. 67 BMG Management Chevrolet Corvette, who will also attempt to mount a final Championship charge of his own.
In the American Muscle Group current points runner up Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Tremec/SKF/Backstreet Performance Chevrolet Camaro, will be joined by Mel Shaw, in the No. 22 Bay Investments Ford Mustang, Fernando Seferlis, in the No. 28 Compulab Panama Chevrolet Camaro, and Robert Korzen, in the No. 88 Elite Classics Collector Cars Ford Mustang, amongst others.
Joining Trans Am at VIR will be the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, SVRA, holding the Heacock Classic Gold Cup throughout the weekend.
Fans can keep track of all the action online at Gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam and on Twitter at @gotransam.
On Track Sessions:
Friday, September 25
12:00 – 12:30 PM – Practice 1
5:40 – 5:55 PM – TA Class “Fast Five Qualifying”
5:57 – 6:13 PM – TA2 “Fast Five Qualifying”
6:15 – 6:30 PM – TA3 “Fast Five” Qualifying
Saturday, September 26
11:20 – 11:50 AM – Practice 2
11:55 AM – 12:10 PM – 2nd Chance to Qualify
Sunday, September 27
8:15 – 8:30 AM – Trans Am Warm Up
12:55 PM – Trans Am Race, Round 9 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship
*All times eastern
