Once more, the race is on

April 8, 2015

Trans Am Muscle Car Challenge reinvigorates memories of yesterday, visions of tomorrow

April 2, 2015 --Last week the Trans Am Series announced the addition of the Trans Am Muscle Car Challenge at select events over the course of the 2015 Trans Am Championship. At several race weekends throughout 2015, Trans Am’s TA2 class will have its own stand-alone races, putting the muscle cars it features front and center in a battle for supremacy within the Big Three.

The Chevrolet Camaro, the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang will take to the track in a show all of their own, racing for more than just Trans Am silverware. These three models, these three cars, have meant much more for motorheads, car lovers, and generations throughout their existence than simply a means of transportation—for some of us they’re heirlooms, family members, prized possessions and coveted legends. They’re a part of our culture, and now they play a pivotal role in another step forward for Trans Am’s road racing renaissance, Detroit iron, center stage, fighting for the pride of manufacturers, fans and racing teams in America’s Road Racing Series, undiluted and in a pure distillation.

The rise of TA2 has coincided with the return of the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger to our streets. Now, just as they’ve returned to our garages and driveways, they’ve made a resurgence on our racetracks. Within racing there is a certain power, somewhere in the intangibles, the spectacle of speed and the roar of the engines there’s something more. The testing of man and machine working together as they approach their physical limits and do so against the toughest of competition—skill, teamwork, strategy and bravery all come into play. But when you combine that already potent mix with the legendary Mustang, Challenger and Camaro, the concoction becomes something far greater.

These models are more than just cars, appliances that get us from point A to point B, they’re symbols of our identity and a part of our unique stories, both as individuals and as a nation. For generations they’ve been those ongoing symbols for something uniquely American— pride in ingenuity, engineering and performance with a dash of irreverence for the rules. These cars carry with them different emotions for everyone that’s owned one, driven one or simply seen one drive by. It’s a power that cannot be accurately described with the specificity that it truly deserves, but, know this, when they enter a race they carry with them far more than just their driver.

Now when TA2 takes to the field, we all get to relive those emotions, memories and legacies with every lap, pass and victory. It’s more than just pride on the line; it’s our own stories, our own legacies.

The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger have retaken our streets, now thanks to TA2 they’re retaking our racetracks and our hearts. Once more, the legendary race for supremacy between these three models is on. There was a time before when similar circumstances arose, and it was proudly labeled by many as the golden age of Trans Am. Now we may very well be entering a new golden age, not just for Trans Am, but the big three and the muscle cars that mean so much more to us than many of us even realize.

The inaugural Trans Am Muscle Car Challenge will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Round 2 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship, Sunday, April 12 at 12:25 p.m. ET.

Televised Trans Am Muscle Car Challenge races on CBS Sports Network:

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 12:00 PM ET
FOAMETIX MUSCLE CAR CHALLENGE-ROAD ATLANTA, GA
Round 3, 2015 Season, Trans Am Championship, TA2, featuring Mustang, Camaro, Challenger

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 12:00 PM ET
3DIMENSIONAL SERVICES MUSCLE CAR CHALLENGE-LIME ROCK, CT
Leg 1 of the 3-Dimensional Services Triple Shot Showdown
Round 4, 2015 season, Trans Am Championship, TA2, featuring Mustang, Camaro, Challenger

SATURDAY, SEPT. 5, 10:00 AM ET
FIRST ENERGY MUSCLE CAR CHALLENGE-MID OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE
Leg 2 of the 3-Dimensional Services Triple Shot Showdown
Round 7, 2015 season, Trans Am Championship, TA2, featuring Mustang, Camaro, Challenger

The TA2 Class will also be televised on these dates:

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 10:00 AM ET
NEXT DIMENSION 100-ROAD AMERICA, WI
Leg 3 of the 3-Dimensional Services Triple Shot Showdown
Round 8, 2015 season, Trans Am Championship featuring TA, TA2, TA3 classes

SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 1:00 PM ET
FOAMETIX 100-DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, FL
2015 Championship Round, Trans Am Championships on the line in TA, TA2, TA3 classes