Tomy Drissi Wraps Up Trans Am West Championship in Portland
July 31, 2018
Driving the #8 Burtin Racing Camaro, Tomy Drissi wrapped up the 2018 TransAm West Championship at Portland International Raceway this past Sunday. Coincidentally, Tomy won the 2009 Trans Am Rose Cup Classic at Portland and went on to win the 2009 Trans Am Driver’s Championship.
“We had a great car all weekend,” said Tomy. “The Burtin Racing crew had the car right, pretty much straight of the trailer. A few tweaks here and there and we were tearing the place up. It’s a fun track… I like the old-school feel and it’s perfect for these Trans Am cars.”
As the fasted qualifier, Tomy started Sunday’s main event from the pole… his third Trans Am West Coast Championship pole of the 2018 season. His arch rival and good friend Greg Pickett would start the race in second position in pursuit of Tomy’s No. 8 GoShare Chevrolet Camaro. Pickett and Drissi would swap the lead ten times before Tomy’s Camaro suffered from suspension issues, forcing a pit stop on the 18th lap of the 51-lap, 100.47 mile race. Pickett would hold the lead, unchallenged, for the remainder of the competition. Drissi finished third, completing the requisite laps to secure the TA class West Coast championship despite body rub on the No. 8 Burtin Racing machine.
“That was a tough race,” noted Tomy. “It was shaping up to be a great show between Greg and I, but as luck would have it, the car had an issue with the front suspension and we were effectively done. We got back out there… but with the goal of getting the requisite number of laps so we could lock up the 2018 Championship.”
“I have to hand it to the Burtin Racing guys,” added Tomy. “That car was wicked fast all weekend. The handling was spot on and I could drive anywhere on the track I needed to.”
“I’m really proud of what we and Burtin Racing have done to bring exposure to the West Coast,” said Drissi. “I’m looking forward to racing Trans Am more, one way or another, on the West Coast and running for a national championship in years to come. I love racing with Greg [Pickett]; I’ve had so many great drivers like him help me over my career. and he’s one of them. Thank you to GoShare along with Claudio Burtin and his team who made this all possible this year.”
The Trans Am West Coast Championship will return to action November 1-3 at Circuit of The Americas for its final round alongside the Trans Am Championship presented by Pirelli.
The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli will resume its primary championship next weekend, August 3-5, at Pittsburgh International Race Complex as part of the inaugural Keystone Speedfest.
