Paul Fix and Buffomante showcase speed as Trans Am opens VIR weekend
September 23, 2016
Randy Kinsland and Francis, Jr., lead way for production classes in practice
ALTON, Va. [September 23, 2016] – Paul Fix and Tony Buffomante opened Round 8 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with strong statements of intent, leading their respective classes in practice on the 3.27-mile road course. Randy Kinsland, in TA3, and Ernie Francis, Jr., in TA4, joined fix and Buffomante atop the class charts for the session.
Historically, VIR has been good to Fix and the No. 50 StopFlex.com/ TheCarCoach.com/ Chevron Techron Chevrolet Corvette, with the Williamsville, N.Y. driver winning the past two Trans Am events on the course. Fix’s lap from practice, a 1:47.872, edged out the closest competitor, Simon Gregg, by nearly two full seconds, posing a daunting challenge for the rest of the TA class field.
Despite the aforementioned gap, Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, was comfortably secure in his second position on the charts with a 1:49.708 lap, while Virginia native Jim McAleese, in the No. 03 McAleese & Associates Chevrolet Corvette, was third quick with a 1:50.947. Defending champ Amy Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette, and Vincent Allegretta, in the No. 41 TA Sights & Sounds Chevrolet Corvette, completed the TA class top five for the session with lap times of 1:51.030 and 1:51.578, respectively.
In TA2, Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Mike Cope Racing Ford Mustang, finished where he left off last round at Road America atop the charts, this time thanks to a 1:53.390 lap faster than his own qualifying track record. Buffomante was joined in the TA2 class top three by a duo of his Mike Cope Racing teammates with Justin Haley, in the No. 99 Braun Ability Ford Mustang, and Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang, turning 1:53.545 and 1:54.027 laps to give the team a sweep of the top three.
Road racing veterans Shane Lewis, in the No. 72 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, and Tony Ave, in the No. 04 Roehrig Engineering Chevrolet Camaro, were fourth and fifth quick in the class with times of 1:54.171 and 1:54.286.
In TA4, Randy Kinsland a native of nearby Whittier, N.C., in the No. 11 Kinsland Racing Chevrolet Corvette, led the way with a 1:57.291 lap, narrowly edging the 1:57.970 lap of current points leader Randy Mueller, in the No. 0 Epic Motorsports/BizBloom.com BMW M3. They were joined in the TA3 class top five by Russ Snow, in the No. 20 Guardian Services Chevrolet Corvette, who turned a 1:59.033 lap, and the duo of Connor Flynn, in the No. 95 Irish Mike’s Automotive Porsche 997, and Cindi Lux, in the No. 45 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper, with times of 2:00.727 and 2:01.004.
In TA3, two-time defending champion Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 98 Beta Tools/ Liquid Performance Ford Mustang, continued his year-long hot streak with a class leading 2:01.682 lap, beating out Mike Geldart, in the No. 43 Racers Edge Ford Mustang, who turned a 2:05.689 lap for the top spot. Rich Jones, in the No. 37 Sparta Steel Ford Mustang, was third quick in the class with a time of 2:07.826.
Fans can follow along with the action throughout Trans Am’s VIR weekend at www.gotransam.com, on Twitter at @gotransam and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam.
TA, TA3, TA4 practice results in full
Remaining Event Schedule:
Friday, September 23, 2016
4:35 PM – 4:55 PM TA One Shot Qualifying
4:55 PM – 5:15 PM TA and TA3 One Shot Qualifying
5:15 PM – 5:35 PM TA2 One Shot Qualifying
Saturday, September 24, 2016
11:25 AM – 12:35 PM TA, TA3 and TA4 Race
5:05 PM – 6:15 PM TA2 Race
All times eastern
Upcoming Trans Am Broadcasts
Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 7:00 AM – The ETE Reman Transmissions Muscle Car 100 at Road America
Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 12:00 PM – The Trans Am 100 at Road America
