Amy Ruman leads first practice on home track, edging out tight TA field

Amy Ruman, driver of the #23 McNichols Company/1-800-HURT-NOW Chevrolet Corvette, made a statement during the first official practice session for the Trans Am Series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.   Ruman, an Ohio native, has not had an ideal start to the 2013 season.  She has been the victim of contact, mechanical issues and a streak of bad luck.  But now, back in her home state, on her home track, that streak may finally be behind her. 

 

Ruman led a field of 37 Trans Am entries out on to the fabled Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and came away with the fast lap of the session.  Ruman’s time of 1:22.113 set the pace for what was a compact, and highly competitive, TA class—with five drivers within a second of each other.  If Ruman is able to replicate this success throughout the weekend, on a track she knows better than any other, that elusive 2013 win may finally be within reach. 

 

Following Ruman was current TA point leader Doug Peterson, in the #87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:22.135.  Behind him was Tony Ave Racing teammate Tomy Drissi.  Drissi, a former Champion, has rejoined the Trans Am Series for the weekend in the #4 The Counselor Chevrolet Corvette and put in a time of 1:22.404—both will want to extend the Tony Ave Racing win streak that dates back to last year. 

 

Rounding out the top five of the TA class were defending TA Champion Simon Gregg, in the #1 Gregg Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, and Trans Am Veteran Cliff Ebben in the #36 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang with times of 1.22.450 and 1.22.956. 

 

In TA2, two-time defending Champion Bob Stretch, in the #98 Wheels America/Fix Rim Mobile Chevrolet Camaro, beat out Trans Am rookie Adam Andretti for the practice’s fast time in the TA2 class.  Andretti, in the #44 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro, traded top times with Stretch throughout the session, finishing with a 1:27.720 to Stretch’s 1:27.480, before going off course towards the end of the session. 

 

Cameron Lawrence, driver of the #11 Ctek/Motorstate/Northstar Battery Chevrolet Camaro, current TA2 points leader was in third position at the end of the session with a time of 1:28.178.

 

In TA3 two Trans Am newcomers battled it out for first position, with Dane Moxlow, in the #20 Trenton Forging/Cardinal Energy Ford Mustang, coming out on top with a time of 1.32.982, just enough to overcome Todd Napieralski, in the #39 TPR/SKF/TREMEC/Backstreet Chevrolet Camaro, who logged a 1.32.993. 

 

Both Moxlow and Napieralski are making their first ever Trans Am Series appearance and are members of the TA3 class; Trans Am’s recently added production-based class.   Their instant success is sure to put the rest of the TA3 paddock on notice and makes them a duo to watch throughout the weekend. 

 

Trans Am will take to the track at Mid-Ohio again at 12:30 p.m. EST for the final practice session of the weekend and again this evening at 3:45 for qualifying.  The 100 mile Trans Am race will take place at 12:00 p.m. EST tomorrow, Saturday August 17th. 

 

As always, keep up with all the action at www.gotransam.com, on Twitter @gotransam and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam.