On This Day in Trans Am History: May 19, 1991
May 19, 2020
May 19, 1991
Scott Sharp outlasted a competitive field to win the 1991 Copa Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the fifth and final appearance for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli in Mexico City.
The 22-year-old Connecticut resident led twice for 16 of the 45 laps in the No. 33 Duracell Chevrolet Camaro, leading Ron Fellows in the No. 4 AER Manufacturing Ford Mustang to the checkered flag by 5.710-seconds.
Fellows captured the pole with a lap of 97.274-seconds, and was joined by Sharp on the front row. Third-best qualifier Bob Sobey got the jump on the 22-car field and led the opening two laps before Fellows got by. Also taking turns in the lead were Greg Pickett, in the No. 3 Cytomax Camaro, and Darin Brassfield, in the No. 5 Neo-Life/Olivetti Oldsmobile Cutlass, but the final 21 laps came down to a battle between Fellows and Sharp.
Pickett finished third, followed by Jack Baldwin in the No. 28 Skoal Bandit Camaro, Sobey and Jim Derhaag in the No. 40 Electric Wire Products Camaro. Seventh in the Marlboro Mustang went to Michel Jourdain Sr., father of the future CART driver. Jourdain was the Duralt Rising Star of the Race, while 11th-place finisher Bruce Nesbitt in the No. 50 Orion Motorsports Camaro was named the Champion Hard-Charger.
This was the third and final appearance for Trans Am in Mexico City. The venue served as the series’ finale in 1978 and season opener in 1979.
Sharp went on to win six races and his first of two Trans Am titles, outpointing teammate Baldwin by 70 points.
Cover photo by Mark Windecker: Scott Sharp in 1991 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli action at Mid-Ohio
