Gregg, Loshak lead final practice of 2015 Season
November 13, 2015
Ragginger and Martin set fast times for TA3, second chance qualifying cut short
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The Trans Am Series held its final practice session of the 2015 Trans Am Championship this afternoon in a continuation of Bullet Liner Championship Weekend as teams and drivers alike made final preparations for the Bullet Liner 100, the final race of the season.
Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, led the TA class around the Daytona International Speedway “roval” course in practice with a time of 1:47.098— the best time for any of the 40 drivers who elected to participate in the session. Gregg was followed in the TA class by fellow Florida native RJ Lopez, in the No. 16 Optica Lopez Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:48.381. Polesitter Paul Fix, in the No. 4 StopFlex.com/TheCarCoach.com, was third quickest in the session with a time of 1:48.420. Mario Barcenas, in the No. 35 Alfa Vigor/Financial Turbo Cash Chevrolet Corvette, and John Baucom, in the No. 86 RoadRaceParts.com Ford Mustang, rounded out the top five for the TA class with times of 1:49.497 and 1:51.488, respectively.
Lawrence Loshak, in the No. 5 Raybestos Powertrain Ford Mustang, led the TA2 field with a time of 1:52.251 making his mark on a very tight practice session. Gar Robinson, in the No. 74 74 Ranch Racing Chevrolet Corvette, was just behind with a time of 1:52.317, edging out Tommy Archer, in the No. 54 c3controls Chevrolet Corvette, who turned a 1:52.728, for the second spot in the session. Two-time defending Champion Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1MOPAR Dodge Challenger, and Tony Ave, in the No. 04 PD For Life Chevrolet Camaro, were fourth and fifth with times of 1:53.010 and 1:53.120.
TA3’s American Muscle Group was led by Dean Martin, in the No. 51 Picture Cars East Ford Mustang, who turned a 1:56.985 lap time. He was joined atop the group’s charts by Trans Am newcomers Cameron Maugeri, in the No. 06 BTI Motorsports Ford Mustang, and Brain Kleenman, in the No. 88 ICS Learning Group Ford Mustang, who turned laps of 1:58.742 and 1:59.748, respectively, to complete the group’s top three.
Martin Ragginger, in the No. 47 Foametix Porsche GT3, once more led the International Group, continuing his dominance atop the charts this weekend with a lap time of 1:55.145. The International Group top three was completed by Frank Lussier, in the No. 53 NFS Autosport LLC/KSR Dodge Viper, with a time of 1:57.856 and Russ Snow, in the No. 20 Guardian Services, AiM Sports Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:58.461.
The practice session was followed immediately by “second chance” qualifying. Unfortunately, the qualifying session was cut extremely short as a car made a heavy impact in turn five, damaging the car and guardrail. Emergency vehicles responded immediately and the driver was transported to a local hospital and was released from the hospital at 3:50 p.m. et.
Unfortunately repairs to the track would take longer than the session allowed causing the session to finish early and under a red flag. Due to the extreme brevity of the session, race officials allowed drivers who elected to re-qualify to use either their fast lap from the second chance session or from “Fast Five” qualifying.
The shortened session had a major impact on the starting position of two-time defending Champion Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge Challenger, who was absent from yesterday’s “Fast Five” qualifying session. Lawrence was only able to turn one lap, a 2:06.553, before the incident—which would have him start 26th in the TA2 field.
Lawrence is in the midst of a Championship battle with Gar Robinson and Adam Andretti, who will start fifth and second, respectively. Lawrence, who has a 13 point lead on Robinson and 17 point lead on Andretti and has never lost at Daytona in TA2, will have 29 laps to move his way up the field on his home track and find his way into a position that will secure his third consecutive Championship.
Lawrence’s final starting position and that of all Trans Am drivers will be releases in a combined grid shortly.
The Trans Am Series will return to the track tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. for the final race of the 2015 Trans Am Championship, the Bullet Liner 100, to close out Bullet Liner Championship Weekend.
Fans can keep up with the action at www.gotransam.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/gotransam and on Twitter at @gotransam.
