Ave, Fix lead second practice sessions, Francis sets pace for TA3
May 22, 2015
Three drivers elect for second chance to qualify
LAKEVILLE, Conn. (May 22, 2015) – The Trans Am Series closed out the opening day of the Next Dimension 100 at Lime Rock Park, Round 4 of the Trans Am Championship, with a final practice session and a second chance to qualify for drivers looking to improve their standings for the start of tomorrow’s respective races.
The TA2 class took to the 1.5-mile Lime Rock Park track for an independent practice session in preparation for their race tomorrow, The 3-Dimensional Services Muscle Car Challenge; and it was Tony Ave who set the pace for the class from behind the wheel of the No. 70 Lamers Motor Racing Ford Mustang with a 54.139 lap time.
Ave was followed by tomorrow’s polesitter, Adam Andretti, who was second fastest in the session with a time of 54.366 in the No. 44 Engineered Components Ford Mustang, and JJ Haley, in the No. 99 BraunAbility Chevrolet Camaro, in third position for the session with a time of 54.642.
Haley’s teammate, Scott Heckert, in the No. 24 Mike Cope Racing Ford Mustang, was fourth quickest in the session with a time of 54.644 as he continues his Trans Am debut. Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 UniFirst/PPG Ford Mustang, was fifth in the session with a time of 54.677.
The TA and TA3 classes followed in a session of their own, getting in critical last laps before tomorrow’s Next Dimension 100. Once more it was Paul Fix who set the tone for the session with a 51.257, the best of the second practice. Fix, tomorrow’s polesitter, was followed by Amy Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 51.656, second best in the session. Simon Gregg was third with a time of 52.179 in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, while Doug Peterson, in the No. 87 3-Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, and Jim McAleese, in the No. 03 McAleese & Associates/ Jetco Chevrolet Corvette, rounded out the top five with times of 52.379 and 52.687.
In TA3, defending American Muscle group Champion Ernie Francis, Jr., followed up his pole placement from earlier today with a time of 57.083, once more strong enough to lead the TA3 class from behind the wheel of the No. 98 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro.
Russ Snow, in the No. 20 Guardian Services/AIM Sports Chevrolet Corvette, was second in the session with a time of 58.088 while Michael Camus, in the No. 08 Epic Motorsports/MCM Holdings BMW M3, was third quickest with a time of 58.455.
Three drivers elected to participate in the “second chance to qualify.” Kerry Hitt, in the No. 19 Advance Composite Products Chevrolet Corvette, re-qualified to the tune of a 53.703 moving up into 11th position for the start of the Next Dimension 100. Justin Napoleon, in the No. 90 TurnKey Industries/ Comm State Bank Chevrolet Camaro, and Ted Sullivan, in the No. 09 www.bigboytoysllc.net Ford Mustang, both elected to re-qualify for the TA2 class with Napoleon moving up five positions to start 19th for tomorrow’s 3-Dimensional Services Muscle Car Challenge, while Sullivan moved up to 21st position on the grid.
Tomorrow’s races, the TA2 class exclusive 3-Dimensional Services Muscle Car Challenge and TA and TA3 class Next Dimension 100, will take place at 1:00 PM and 3:15 PM, respectively, with each race constituting 67 laps around the Lime Rock track, approximately 100 miles.
Fans of Trans Am can keep up with all the weekend’s action from Lime Rock Park at www.gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com and on Twitter at @gotransam.
