Boris Said Opens Up Watkins Glen Weekend Atop Practice Charts
September 6, 2018
Dirk Leuenberger and Bill Baten Pace Production Classes
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. [September 6, 2018] – The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli commenced official sessions at Watkins Glen International today with a TA, TA3 and TA4 class practice session in preparation for Saturday’s Watkins Glen Trans Am 100.
Entering the weekend on the back of a Road America victory in the No. 21 Monster Energy/ Weaver Racing Dodge Challenger, Boris Said picked up where he left off—topping the TA class charts with a 1:48.353 lap around the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Grand Prix circuit at WGI.
The event marks Said’s fourth appearance of the season in his Trans Am return, with the 2002 series champion making the 71st start of his career in the TA class.
Following Said in the session was the No. 2 Pennzoil/ ETE Reman/ GoShare Chevrolet Camaro of Lawrence Loshak, turning a 1:49.889. Loshak enters Watkins Glen looking to rebound following a disappointing race at Road America that saw the No. 2 sidelined after debris damaged the car’s power steering while in the race lead.
Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, was third quick in the session with a time of 1:49.915, while New York native Paul Fix, in the No. 4 StopFlex/CarCoach Ford Mustang, and Chris Dyson, in the 20 Plaid Racing Ford Mustang, completed the TA class top five with times of 1:50.411 and 1:50.474, respectively.
Also turning times in the top ten of the 17-car TA field were, in order: Amy Ruman, David Pintaric, Tomy Drissi, Tim Rubright and Zach Monette.
Setting the pace for Trans Am’s TA3 class was Dirk Leuenberger, in the No. 35 Lux Performance Dodge Viper, turning a 1:58.033 lap. Leuenberger, like Said, enters the weekend with some momentum of his own, coming off the last round at Road America with the first podium appearance of his career.
Second quick in the session was 2017 Watkins Glen TA3 race winner Mark Boden, in the No. 46 Fall-Line Motorsports Porsche 991 with a time of 1:59.526, followed closely by Brian Kleeman, 2017 TA4 class winner now racing in TA3, with a time of 1:59.636 in his No. 07 DWW Motorsports Ford Mustang.
The TA3 top five also included Fall-Line’s Tom Herb, in the No. 16 Fall-Line Motorsports Porsche 991, and rookie Marko Radisic, in the No. 11 Precision Driving BMW M4 GT4, with times of 2:00.081 and 2:00.980, respectively.
Bill Baten, in the No. 38 Priority Communications/ Van Winkle Baten Chevrolet Camaro, was the only member of the TA4 class who elected to participate in the session, turning a 2:03.566 lap.
Trans Am will return to the track at Watkins Glen tomorrow, Friday September 7, at 12:00 PM for TA2 Practice 1, as the class makes preparations for their Watkins Glen Muscle Car Challenge, an identical 30-lap, 102-mile race of their own held on Sunday September 9 at 10:55 AM ET.
Both Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli races at Watkins Glen International will feature in a weekend recap show on CBS Sports Network, Sunday September 23 at 2:00 PM ET.
Fans can keep up with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli throughout the event at www.gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam and on Twitter at @gotransam.
2017 Trans Am Series at Watkins Glen:
Winners: Andy Lally (TA), Tony Buffomante (TA2), Tim Kezman (TA3), Brian Kleeman (TA4)
Pole Sitters: Andy Lally (TA), Jason Hart (TA2), Cindi Lux (TA3), Brian Kleeman (TA4)
Trans Am Event Schedule:
Friday September 7, 2018
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM TA2 Practice
5:30 PM – 5:47 PM TA Qualifying
5:52 PM – 6:10 PM TA3/TA4 Qualifying
Saturday September 8, 2018
10:55 AM – 11:15 AM TA2 Practice
11:20 AM – 12:30 PM TA, TA3 and TA4 Race
4:25 PM – 4:45 PM TA2 Qualifying
Sunday September 9, 2018
10:55 AM – 12:10 PM TA2 Race Powered by AEM
all times Eastern Daylight
Broadcast:
Trans Am’s races at Watkins Glen will be broadcast, tape delayed, on CBS Sports Network:
Watkins Glen International Trans Am Recap – September 23, 2:00 PM ET
Session Coverage:
Live Timing: All on-track sessions can be followed at www.gotransam.com and on the Race Monitor app available on Windows, Android, iOS and OSX.
Text Commentary: Updates provided throughout sessions on Twitter at @gotransam.
