On This Day in Trans Am History: July 15, 1990

July 15, 1990

Tommy Kendall won for the second consecutive weekend on a temporary circuit in 1990 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli competition. One week after winning at Cleveland, Kendall won the Ruan Greater Des Moines Grand Prix.

Kendall averaged 71.24 mph in the 124.2-mile race, with his No. 01 ICI/Olivetti Chevrolet Beretta beating teammate Chris Kneifel’s No. 3 Beretta by 29.639 seconds.

Darin Brassfield rounded out the podium in the No. 5 Neo-Life Oldsmobile Cutlass, followed by Bob Sobey in a Camaro, the Olds of Irv Hoerr and the Camaro of Jim Derhaag.

Scott Sharp won the pole in the No. 33 Duracell Camaro, taming the 1.8-mile downtown circuit in 1:30.937-seconds.

Sharp led the opening 11 circuits before giving way to Kendall, but regained the lead five laps later. Kendall regained the lead on the 25^th of the 69 laps, with Sharp an accident victim after 46 laps.

Kendall dominated the month of July, taking his third victory two weeks later at Road Atlanta. The Californian went on to win three additional races – six in all – en route to his first of four Trans Am titles.

The event was the second of six Trans Am races at the Iowa circuit. Dorsey Schroeder won the inaugural event in 1989, in addition to capturing the 1994 finale. Scott Sharp won in  1992, while George Robinson triumphed in 1991. Des Moines also hosted the ARCA stock cars in 1994, won by Scott Lagasse – father of the current TA2® contender.