Doug Peterson triumphant over 33-car Watkins Glen field, increases points lead

 

Over the course of the 2013 Trans Am Season, Doug Peterson has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with on the track.  Now, it seems he is the man to beat as the 2013 season progresses.  

 

Peterson began the day in third starting position, behind teammate Paul Fix and pole sitter David Pintaric.   Pintaric, driver of the #57 Kryderacing/WRP Investments, put in a strong showing in yesterday’s qualifying—enough to edge out Fix and the #4 StopFlex/Beebe Racing/PME/Lamers Chevrolet Corvette by two hundredths of a second. 

 

Pintaric led the first few laps of the race as the front-runners kept pace with one another, seemingly feeling out the historic course.  Unfortunately, Pintaric’s time in front of the pack was short lived as he encountered difficulty with the Watkins Glen ‘bus stop’ and entered the pits a lap later, eventually retiring due to transmission issues. 

 

Paul Fix was quick to capitalize, powering the #4 Corvette into first place during the fourth lap, taking advantage of his knowledge of what he considers to be his home track.  Fix would lead the Trans Am pack for a series of laps until he encountered transmission issues, allowing Peterson to take the lead.  

 

The Tony Ave Racing duo continued in that order for the remainder of the race, continuing to build a solid lead on the rest of the TA class, and finished first and second—the reverse order of their finish at Lime Rock Park where Fix, in his first Trans Am race back after a hiatus, came in first and Peterson second. 

 

The victory was Peterson’s third of the year and his fourth podium placement, and adds to his growing points total which has him in the lead for the TA class.  Peterson’s 82 points give him a healthy margin over runner up Simon Gregg’s, the defending TA Champion’s, 55. He attributes his success in the 2013 Trans Am Season to many things but primarily his newfound dedication to consistency. 

 

“I try to be consistent throughout the race now,” Peterson said. “I want to have a consistent start, a consistent middle and a fast finish.  In the past, I’ve led a lot of races in the beginning and lost them in the end.  I try to let the race come to me now; I’m patient with it and the car—so far the results have been great.”

 

Peterson has led a charge by Tony Ave Racing that has produced tremendous results so far.  The team has claimed seven podium placements so far this year and all four first place finishes.   That first place finish streak for Tony Ave Racing goes back into the 2012 season and consists of six first place finishes in all, and eight of the last nine races.   Peterson briefly spoke on the streak.

 

“It’s been awesome,” Peterson said.  “It’s great to have a car with a good setup race in and race out.  You can’t overstate Tony’s experience and what he brings to the table with the cars and his experience as a driver.  He’s a great resource and a great asset to any driver.”

 

While second place finisher Paul Fix had experienced transmission issues, it didn’t put a damper on his day or his return to Trans Am. 

 

“I couldn’t be more happy with today; Tony Ave and Larry Beebe gave me a great car,” Fix said. “I lost third gear on lap 10 and all I had was fourth and fifth; but I was able to bring it home, so I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I love Trans Am.  I love the history of Trans Am; I wouldn’t want to race anywhere else.”

 

While teammates Peterson and Fix kept pace to the checkered flag, defending TA Champion Simon Gregg was entrenched in a back and forth battle with John Baucom and the Baucom Motorsport/Roadraceparts.com Ford Mustang.  Gregg, in the #1 Gregg Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, began the race in fourth position and Baucom in fifth.  Baucom quickly over took Gregg, as did Amy Ruman, in the #23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, as both drivers moved ahead of the defending champ.

 

Then, Ruman unexpectedly returned to the pits, leaving Baucom in third and defending his position against a persistent Gregg.  Finally, persistence paid off and the defending Champion proved his mettle and overcame Baucom for third place, a position he would hold until the conclusion of the race. 

 

Ruman finished multiple laps down, but came away with the fastest lap of the race at 1:51.075.  The Ruman Racing team is still working on returning the #23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette to full speed after a rough collision at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park earlier this year but will be looking forward to brighter days once the Corvette gets back into the form that helped Ruman make her way to a second place finish in the TA Championship points last year. 

 

In TA2, two-time defending Champion Bob Stretch started on pole in the #98 Wheels America/Fix Rim Mobile Chevrolet Camaro with Cameron Lawrence in second position.  Both Stretch and Lawrence got off to a blistering start, breaking the track record in the second lap of the race. 

 

After a few laps, Stretch managed to build a slight buffer between himself and the #11 Ctek/Motorstate/NorthStar Battery Chevrolet Camaro of Lawrence.  However, it was not a buffer that he was able to sustain, as Lawrence eventually began to close on Stretch.  After challenging Stretch multiple times, Lawrence was finally able to overcome the champion during the 11th lap.  

 

“When you’re racing against Bob Stretch, you never know when you’ll get an opportunity to go by him,” Lawrence said. “When that opportunity presents itself you have to make a move and commit.  The only way you can address racing with Bob is you have to go flat out because that’s just how he races.  You can’t sit back and let him do his thing or he’ll just leave you behind.  I just wanted to run with him and see if I’d have a chance to make a move and thankfully I did.”

 

Lawrence was able to defend that position for the duration of the race finishing ahead of Stretch by a solid margin.  His victory came on the day of his one-year anniversary with Miller Racing; his first race with the TA2 team also came at Watkins Glen one year ago. 

 

“Last year I had a good year and a good team and good equipment,” Lawrence said.  “But I was just here to drive.  Now, with Miller Racing, I’m involved with the setup and constantly learning from Pete (Halsmer) and Mr. Miller (Mike Miller); and we’re making the car more to my liking—not just a general baseline or the way Pete sets his car up.  Having the first race of the year at my home track (Sebring) really helped me run hard and do well, and it set the tone for the rest of the year so far.”

 

Stretch was able to hold second place in the class, despite car trouble. 

 

“I’ve very happy to be here,” Stretch said. “For most of the race, I thought something was wrong with the car and we’d have to bring it into the pits; so I’m very glad to be standing here now.   The competition is a lot tougher in the class this year, and it makes it even more of a reward to be up here.” 

 

Stretch walks away with the new TA2 Watkins Glen record lap at 1:57.350, breaking his own record set last year. 

 

Coming in third was Lawrence’s teammate Pete Halsmer in the #12 Ctek/Motorstate/NorthStar Battery Chevrolet Camaro.  This was Halsmer’s second podium finish of the year. 

 

In TA3, Trans Am’s production class, two podiums were featured—one for each subgroup in the growing class.  In the American Muscle subgroup, first-time participant Steve Kent, Jr. won the race in the #17 XLR8Diesel Trucks/SKS Equipment Ford Mustang.  Joining Kent on the podium were Rich Jones in the #37 JOMAC Bodies & Crances/Deb’s Peppers Ford Mustang and Rob Bodle #16 Caribbean Food Delights Ford Mustang. 

 

“It’s been a good experience coming here and racing with Trans Am,” Kent said. “We’re happy to come away with a win, and we look forward to the next time.”

 

In the TA3 International group, the #9 Northern Light Porsche 996 GT3 of David Seuss ended up victorious, just like at the previous round at Lime Rock Park.  Seuss was able to come away victorious after a long and hard fought battle with the #43 Mills Racing BMW M3 of Mickey Mills. 

 

“I knew he (Mills) would be faster than me on the straights,” Seuss said.  “I had to do my work in the corners and do my best to keep up with him as best I could. Fortunately, I came out on top in the end; and it’s great to have another win in the Northern Light Porsche.”

 

The Trans Am Series now heads north to Road America to join the NASCAR Nationwide Series and ARCA on Friday, June 21, 2013, for Round 5 of the 2013 Trans Am Series. 

 

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