Ebben and Loshak grab Trans Am poles at Mid-Ohio
August 12, 2016
Kinsland and Francis lead production classes in Fast Five Qualifying
MANSFIELD, Ohio. [August 12, 2016] – Cliff Ebben and Lawrence Loshak will start on pole for their respective races tomorrow in the First Energy Trans Am 100, featuring TA, TA3 and TA4, and the Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100 Presented by ETE Reman Transmissions, featuring TA2, after setting the fast times in Fast Five Qualifying for the TA and TA2 classes at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The two were joined by Randy Kinsland and Ernie Francis, Jr., who also set fast laps around the 2.258-mile course in the TA3 and TA4 classes as the Trans Am Series holds Round 6 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship.
Lawrence Loshak’s time of 1:25.843 shattered the previous TA2 qualifying track record by over a second, securing his third career pole and second at Mid-Ohio, the first of which came back in 2014 in his first Trans Am appearance. Now, Loshak, in the No. 5 Pennzoil Platinum/MOMO/ETE Reman Chevrolet Camaro, will attempt tomorrow to shake the proverbial monkey from his back in his pursuit of his first-ever Trans Am victory in the Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100 Presented by ETE Reman Transmissions.
Joining Loshak in the front row will be Tonis Kasemets, in the No. 03 Newman Wachs Racing Ford Mustang, making his first-ever Trans Am appearance. Kasemets took little time getting up to speed turning a 1:26.084 in the session. Loshak’s Mike Cope Racing teammates Justin Haley, in the No. 99 Braun Foundation Ford Mustang, and Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Mike Cope Ford Mustang, secured third and fourth starting positions with times of 1:26.268 and 1:26.408, respectively. Shane Lewis, driver of the No. 72 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, secured the final position in the TA2 Fast Five with a 1:26.807.
Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/ McMahon Group/ Lamers Ford Mustang, secured his career first TA pole at Mid-Ohio with a 1:22.154 lap time, edging out hometown driver Amy Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, for the top spot—with Ruman turning a 1:23.086. The pole will see Ebben once more face off with Ruman, who have held multiple front row battles throughout the year; and while Ebben is yet to win in 2016, he has secured victory at Mid-Ohio before, his win coming in 2016, while Ruman is still chasing her coveted first Mid-Ohio win.
Joining Ebben and Ruman in the TA class Fast Five were Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, and Paul Fix, in the No. 50 StopFlex.com/ TheCarCoach.com/ Chevron Techron Chevrolet Corvette, who turned 1:23205 and 1:23.637, respectively. Fix is currently coming off two consecutive TA class wins and is the defending victor at Mid-Ohio, meanwhile Gregg last won at Mid-Ohio in 2012 and has not secured a TA win since 2013 at Virginia International Raceway. John Baucom, in the No. 86 RoadRaceParts.com/ Baucom Motorsport Ford Mustang, secured the final spot in the TA class Fast Five with a 1:23.856 lap.
In TA3 Randy Kinsland managed to power the No. 11 Crossroads Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette to the top spot with a 1:28.837 lap, edging out Conor Flynn, in the No. 95 Irish Mike’s Automotive Porsche 997, who turned a 1:29.256 lap for the class’s top spot. Fellow rookie Mark Boden, in the No. 47 Fall Line/ Calypso/ Beverage Flavor International Porsche 997, was third quick with a time of 1:29.277; while Randy Mueller, in the No. 0 BizBloom.com/BMW M3, and Milton Grant, in the No. 5 Sentry Self/ Court Yard by Marriot Porsche 997, were fourth and fifth fast in the class with times of 1:29.536.
Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 98 Beta Tools/ Liquid Performance, captured pole for the TA4 class for the third consecutive year at Mid-Ohio with a time of 1:30.219. The two-time champion will continue his pursuit of his third championship and third consecutive win at Mid-Ohio tomorrow in the First Energy Trans Am 100, alongside the TA, TA3 and TA4 classes.
Francis was followed in the session by Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Tremec/ SKF/ Backstreet Chevrolet Camaro, who turned a 1:31.324 and Tristan Herbert, in the No. 33 DC Prime Steak & Lobster/ Tilton Chevrolet Camaro, who turned a 1:31.626. Brian Kleeman, Francis’ primary challenger for the championship, was fourth in the TA4 class with a time of 1:32.279 in the No. 07 DWW Motorsports Ford Mustang, while Rich Jones was fifth in class with a time of 1:34.402 in the No. 37 JOMAC/ Sparta Steel Ford Mustang.
Fans can keep up with all the action throughout the First Energy Trans Am weekend, the First Energy Trans Am 100 and the Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100 Presented by ETE Reman Transmissions at www.gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com and on Twitter at @gotransam.
TA Fast Five Results - Provisional
TA2 Fast Five Results - Provisional
TA3, TA4 Fast Five Results - Provisional
How to Watch on CBS Sports Network
The First Energy Trans Am 100, featuring TA, TA3 and TA4 - Saturday, August 27 at 12:00 PM ET
The Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100 Presented by ETE Reman - Saturday, September 17 at 10:30 am ET
Remaining First Energy Trans Am Weekend Schedule
Friday, August 12
4:10 – 4:30 PM TA2 Practice 2
4:30 – 4:50 PM TA/TA3/TA4 Practice 2
4:55 – 5:10 PM 2nd Chance to Qualify
Saturday, August 13
9:30 – 10:45 AM First Energy Trans Am 100
12:45 – 2:00 PM Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100 Presented by ETE Reman Transmissions
*All times Eastern
About Pura Vida Spirits Company
Pura Vida is Spanish for “Pure Life,” an expression often used to celebrate the joy of life. It is a toast and tribute to those who live life to the fullest. Founded in 2011, Pura Vida Spirits Co. has created a fine line of elixirs all carefully hand crafted and imported from Mexico: four award-winning, super-premium tequila expressions crafted from 100% blue weber agave in the highlands of Jalisco; NARANJA, an authentic Mexican orange liqueur which was used to make the first margarita in 1941 at Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, Mexico; Sangrita and Bloody Mary Maria mixes which are handmade using El Guapo’s secret family recipes.
About ETE Reman
ETE Reman is the world’s largest transmission-focused provider of warrantied, better-than-new remanufactured automatic transmissions for domestic and import cars and trucks. With over 225,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing facilities, operations nationwide, and more than 450 employees, ETE is one of the fastest-growing companies in the automotive aftermarket. Family-owned and operated, ETE is a recognized industry leader in technology, innovation, and R&D, with extensive testing facilities as well as the ability to test its materials, lubricants, processes and people on the race track.
