Trans Am returns

[extramundane]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/scca-trans-am-series-returns-in-2009/

Title sponsorship from Muscle Milk, 8 race schedule (5 announced + 3 TBA), cars based on SCCA GT-1.

March 21-22, Road Atlanta
April 17-19, Virginia International Raceway
May 15-17, Mosport International Raceway
June 12-14, Portland International Raceway
July 11-12, Watkins Glen Int'l

It seems to be Gentilozzi-free, so it's got a shot. :thumbup:

[Gnam]

Cool. SPEED World Challenge is good, but Trans Am was missed. :thumbup:

[Don Quixote]

It seems to be Gentilozzi-free, so it's got a shot. :thumbup: He will still win every race. :D

[FTG]

Muscle Milk?

[pchall]

Muscle Milk?

Some sort of body building junk from Cytosport, which sponsored an ALMS P2 effort a year or two back.

[Tim]

I hope we don't have Winston west cars rounding out the field like I saw at RA in 05.

[pchall]

I hope we don't have Winston west cars rounding out the field like I saw at RA in 05.

There will probably be some SCCA GT-1 drivers filling out the field, but that's not too bad and in keeping with the original Trans Am where they allowed A Sedan cars into the field. That's why I've see a Studebaker Lark and a Pontiac Tempest on the track with the Camaros, Mustangs, 'cudas and Javelins.

[Accipiter]

Sounds like they are just slapping the name on GT-1.

[NismoZ]

And Tullius in a Dodge Dart!:D

[FCYTravis]

Sounds like they are just slapping the name on GT-1.
That's basically what Trans-Am was for much of the 1980s and 90s.

[Easy]

Muscle Milk?

Cytosport/Muscle Milk was started by long time SCCA guy, Greg Pickett.

[patski]

Cytosport/Muscle Milk was started by long time SCCA guy, Greg Pickett.

Also a long time Trans-Am guy.

[Napoleon]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/scca-trans-am-series-returns-in-2009/


March 21-22, Road Atlanta
April 17-19, Virginia International Raceway
May 15-17, Mosport International Raceway
June 12-14, Portland International Raceway
July 11-12, Watkins Glen Int'l



They are combined with a SCCA national weekend at Mid-Ohio over the memorial day weekend.

[jcollins28]

Cytosport/Muscle Milk was started by long time SCCA guy, Greg Pickett.

It's good stuff too. I use it daily.

[pchall]

Since this thread came back from the dead, I'll hyperlink this for NismoZ.


And Tullius in a Dodge Dart!:D

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/62943521_657385afde.jpg?v=0

The cut line reads: Mid 1960s SCCA A-Sedan class at Bryar, Loudon, NH.

I wish I'd seen that.

[NismoZ]

Awwww...:cool::thumbup: (didn't he win the 1st one? TA, that is.)

[pchall]

In addition to the race at M-O Napoleon has just brought to our attention, the Trans Am will be the first pro event at the new road course down I-71 a bit from me in Sparta, KY. I'll have to boogie on down and check things out. I've e-mailed for more details about the race weekend and will add them to this thread when something shows up.

September 5-6, 2009:

Bluegrass Motorsports Park, Sparta, Ky.

BMP opened just last month as a club track and I hadn't heard anything about a Trans Am race until this thread got me to the SCCA Trans-Am site. The full circuit is supposed to be 2.2 miles right now with plans for a 0.3 mile addition of a kink in the longest straight [ :confused: ]. I figure they want the kink to slow faster classes down in the future.

BMP site link (http://www.drivebluegrass.com/road_course/track_map.html)

[pchall]

Awwww...:cool::thumbup: (didn't he win the 1st one? TA, that is.)

Tullius did win the over 2.0 litre class in the first Trans Am race at Sebring, but Jochen Rindt won the event outright in an under 2.0l Alfa GTA.

[Tim]

Any kind of race results? Looks like they should be 2 races in.

[pchall]

TA results and notes (http://www.sccatrans-am.com/?page_id=521)

Only the first race results are up at the site. The second race will appear sometime... they are a bunch of amateurs running the place, after all. Even at SCCA Pro -- especially at SCCA Pro. ;)


Any kind of race results? Looks like they should be 2 races in.


FINAL RACE RESULTS
Muscle Milk Trans Am - Round 1
Sanction # [09-TA-458-S] processing by MONITOR Systems
at Road Atlanta on March 21-22 2009 Track Length: 2.54 Miles as licensed to: SCCA PRO RACING


PS. ST. CAR --DURING-RACE--
FN. PS. NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN/STATE SPONSOR/CAR PTS PURSE LAPS STATUS FAST LAP SPEED


1 3 6 Greg Pickett/Benicia/CA Pickett Racing/Muscle Milk/Jaguar XKR 34 3500 36 1:23.073 110.071
2 19 70 Michael Skeen(R)/Charlotte/NC Atlantic Autosport/Corvette 27 2350 36 -1.654 1:22.650 110.635
3 6 23 Amy Ruman(R)/Stow/OH McNichols/Gdyr/Cenweld/Corvette 25 1000 36 -3.053 1:24.040 108.805
4 8 08 John Schaller/Fort Myers/FL JRS Mtrsprt/Central Power Dist/Camaro 23 750 36 -11.668 1:24.417 108.319
5 2 5 Tomy Drissi/Hollywood/CA X-Men Origins - Wolverine/Corvette 25 500 35 Gas 1:23.218 109.880
6 11 8 Daniel Ramoutarsingh(R/LaRomain Trinico Steel & Wire Products/Jaguar XKR 20 35 -1 lap 1:25.772 106.608
Trinidad/
7 10 18 Jon Leavy/Tamarac/FL Murrayauto.com/Troy Ind./Camaro 19 35 -1 lap 1:26.377 105.861
8 18 35 Bob Monette(R)/Milton/GA Monette Racing/Optech Monette/Corvette 18 34 -2 laps 1:28.863 102.900
9 14 77 Glen Jung(R)/Osteen/FL Mazdaspeed/Goodyear/Mazda RX-7 17 34 -2 laps 1:28.796 102.977
10 13 17 Rob Foster/Phoenix/AZ Downs Mtrsprts/Moss Fabrctng/Corvette 16 34 -2 laps 1:26.461 105.758
11 17 66 Denny Lamers(R)/Appleton/WI McMahon Group/Mustang 15 32 -4 laps 1:28.952 102.797
12 4 06 RJ Lopez(R)/Bal Harbour/FL WabashPower.com/Mobil1/Gdyr/Corvette 17 31 Engine 1:23.219 109.878
13 1 10 Tony Ave/Maiden/NC McMahon Group/Stumpf Ford/Mustang 20 31 Accident 1:22.977 110.199
14 5 67 Cliff Ebben(R)/Appleton/WI Lamers Racing/McMahon Group/Mustang 13 19 Engine 1:23.329 109.733
15 15 7 Jerry Kinn/Anchorage/AK JDK Mtrsprt/Carl's Jr/Corvette 11 19 Mechanica 1:28.108 103.781
16 7 59 Simon Gregg/Ponte Vedra Beach/FL Derhaag Motorsports/Corvette 12 Engine 1:26.248 106.019
17 9 15 Jeff Emery(R)/Longwood/FL TER Mtrsprt/Emery's Scaffold/Monte Carlo 7 Mechanica 1:24.981 107.600
18 16 07 Blaise Csida(R)/Stouffville Ont/CD BC Race Cars/Corvette 5 Mechanica 1:29.769 101.861
19 12 30 Richard Grant(R)/Germantown/TN Grant Racing/Corvette 0 DNS no time
20 21 72 Jim Goughary Jr/Jupiter/FL Luna Sueno Tequela/Corvette 0 DNS no time

Margin of Victory: 01.654 Seconds ** Better than the Existing Track Record
Fastest Race Lap: Car # 70 Michael Skeen(R) 01:22.650 - 110.635 MPH
Overall Race: 00:56:59.406 91.44 Miles 96.269 Miles per Hour Total prize award = $8,100

Race report for VIR from News section today:


ALTON, Va. (April 19, 2009) – Klaus Graf, of Dornhen, Germany, started last and drove through the field to earn his fifth career Muscle Milk ® SCCA® Trans-Am® win today at VIRginia International Raceway. Polewinner Tony Ave, of Maiden, N.C., and Edison Lluch Sr., of Lajas, Puerto Rico, completed the podium.

Graf was the provisional polewinner before his No. 6 Pickett Racing/Muscle Milk Jaguar XKR failed post qualifying technical inspection (wing height). As a result, Graf was moved to the back of the field. However, it only took Graf 11 laps to pass Ave for the race lead. He passed Ave coming down the back straight.

On the final lap, Ave tried one last time in his No. 10 McMahon Group/Stumpf Ford Ford Mustang to pass Graf for the lead between Turns Three and Four. But, instead of making a high risk move, that may have wrecked Graf, Ave conceded the position and Graf held on for the win. He won by 0.507-second over Ave.

[Napoleon]

In addition to the race at M-O Napoleon has just brought to our attention, the Trans Am will be the first pro event at the new road course down I-71 a bit from me in Sparta, KY.

There have been an amazing number of new tracks in the last few years (of course after I quit racing).

[NismoZ]

Yeah, most of 'em are rich guy "country club" circuits. Can't rely on actual paying spectators anymore.

[pchall]

That's the deal at Bluegrass -- a country club track. It is nice to see these places opening up to pro events, though, like Atlantics at Joliet and NJ and now Trans Am at BMP. Bluegrass will host a Cincinnati region SCCA club trial in the middle of May, so I imagine there will be regional events there soon enough.


Yeah, most of 'em are rich guy "country club" circuits. Can't rely on actual paying spectators anymore.

[NismoZ]

I hope Autobahn gets cleared to hold the event. Is it "official" yet? Could be the 1st time since my brief "Pacific Vacation" through all of '69 where I won't attend a single major race! Looks like the old timey cars at Redman's RA party may be the only fix I get!:(

[pchall]

Autobahn is still "pending" on the Atlantic site.


I hope Autobahn gets cleared to hold the event. Is it "official" yet? (

[pchall]

This was forwarded to me by a BMP staffer. I'll see about getting event schedule and ticket pricing information and any word about spectator amenities.


From:media@scca.com [mailto:media@scca.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 9:44 AM
To: Kurt@drivebluegrass.com
Subject: Bluegrass Motorsports Park Completes Trans-Am Schedule


Bluegrass Motorsports Park Completes Trans-Am Schedule


TOPEKA, Kan. (April 15, 2009) – The Muscle Milk® SCCA® Trans-Am® Series will headline the first professional weekend at Bluegrass Motorsports Park, Sept. 5 – 6. The race, to be operated by SCCA Pro Racing, completes the eight-round 2009 Trans-Am schedule.

Opening this spring, Bluegrass Motorsports Park features a multiple configuration, 2.5-mile road course designed by Derek Daly and is conveniently situated between Louisville, Ky., Lexington, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio. As part of the first professional motorsports event at the facility, Trans-Am will headline an exhilarating weekend of road racing with a cadre of closed and open-wheel support series to be announced shortly.

“SCCA Pro Racing is thrilled to be taking Trans-Am to Bluegrass Motorsports Park,” SCCA Pro Racing President & CEO Robert Wildberger said. “It’s a great fit to have a fresh, new venue on the schedule for the rejuvenated Trans-Am series. There are some exciting plans in store for the weekend, and I’m hoping this is the start of a long and successful relationship with Bluegrass Motorsports Park.”

The event is tentatively scheduled to hold a promoter test day on Friday, Sept. 4, with practice and qualifying taking place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and racing on Sunday, Sept. 6. Circuit maps and updates on the paving process are available at www.drivebluegrass.com.

“We are honored to have the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series for our first professional event,” Bluegrass Motorsports Park President & CEO Brad Poppell said. “To have a series with a history as rich as Trans-Am racing at Bluegrass will quickly establish us as a key venue in motorsports. Drivers will find the course both exhilarating and challenging, and I look forward to seeing those beautiful machines racing across the start-finish line.”

The eight-race Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am schedule for 2009 is now complete. The season is already underway with the first race which took place March 22 at Road Atlanta. The second round is set for April 19 at VIRginia International Raceway. For a full schedule, results, photos and more visit www.sccatrans-am.com.


Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series

The most revered brand in American road racing, the Muscle Milk® SCCA® Trans-Am® Series returns for its 42nd season in 2009 after a two-year hiatus. Featuring ground-pounding, 700 horsepower, purpose-built Corvettes, Jaguars and Mustangs today, the series’ past champions include iconic road racing names like Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, Peter Gregg, Scott Pruett, Tommy Kendall and Paul Gentilozzi. Jointly-sanctioned by SCCA, Inc. and SCCA Pro Racing, the series plans an eight-race schedule in 2009. For more information, please visit www.sccatrans-am.com.

Bluegrass Motorsports Park

Bluegrass Motorsports Park is a new road course facility in Northern Kentucky opening in spring 2009. The Derek Daly designed course offers generous amounts of elevation change as a feature of the “Signature Turns,” the selection of left and right, slow and fast, off camber and progressively banked turns, along with a 3200’ front straight. Situated less than a mile from the Ohio River, the track sits on over 500 wooded acres a top the plateau in rural Gallatin County; 30 minutes from downtown Cincinnati and about an hour from Lexington and Louisville, the track is adjacent to Interstate 71 offering easy access for teams and fans alike. For more information check www.Drivebluegrass.com or contact us at 888. 50. TRACK

-30-

Attached image: Aerial view of Bluegrass Motorsports Park

Credit: Bluegrass Motorsports Park

[Napoleon]

Peter, I would actually consider going to that event. Maybe I should plan my fall vacation time around then.

[pchall]

That's great. I think I need to buy you a beer for missing you Sky Miles flight at M-O. ;)

More from Kurt at BGP:


HSR will be bringing the Vintage Cars September 24-27 too.



Peter, I would actually consider going to that event. Maybe I should plan my fall vacation time around then.