Returning champ Tomy Drissi takes pole at Mid-Ohio, sets track record

 

The 2009 Trans Am Series Champion, Drissi, in the #4 The Counselor Chevrolet Corvette, returned to the Trans Am paddock to find a series far different than the one in which he last competed in 2010.  Upon his return, Drissi has found larger car counts, different classes and steeper competition.  Yet at the end of the qualifying session, Drissi proved that once you are a champion, you are always a champion. 

 

Drissi set a new track record on his way to claiming pole position with a time of 1.21:241, breaking the previous qualifying record of 1:21.645—set by Tony Ave.   It only seemed fitting that Drissi, as a driver for Tony Ave Racing, in a car built by Ave broke Ave’s record. 

 

“We’re extremely pleased with Tomy’s pole,” Ave said.  “I expect Tomy and Doug to do very well tomorrow.  As for the record, it think it shows that we’re continuing to develop these cars and they keep getting faster—I’m very proud of our drivers and our cars.  It’s been a good weekend so far for Tony Ave Racing, and I’m ready to keep it going.”  

 

Following Drissi was another Tony Ave Racing driver, current TA points leader Doug Peterson.  Peterson, driver of the #87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, put in a time of 1:21.375, still lower than Ave’s prior record. 

 

“I’m on the front row, but I’m not exactly where I want to be,” Peterson said. “But everyone always wants to be on pole.  It’s a long race and we’ll see what happens; as always Tony did a great job and we have a pair of great cars—it’ll keep things interesting.”

 

Following teammates Drissi and Peterson was the #1 Gregg Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette of defending Champion Simon Gregg, with a time of 1.21:863.  Gregg is currently second in the TA point standings, to Peterson, and will need a solid showing in tomorrow’s race to remain within closing distance of Peterson and the #87 Corvette if he wants to retain his TA Championship. 

 

After the top three were Ohio-native Amy Ruman, in the McNichols Company/ 1-800-HURT-NOW Chevrolet Corvette, and Jim McAllesse and the  Jim McAlleese & Associates/ Jetco Chevrolet Corvette. 

 

In TA2, two-time defending TA2 Champion Bob Stretch, in the #98 Wheels America/Fix Rim Mobile Chevrolet Camaro, broke the TA2 track record with a time of 1:27.255—a record that was his own.  A victory tomorrow will make it two in a row for Stretch at Mid-Ohio. 

 

“The track was great, it feels great to be back at Mid-Ohio,” Stretch said.  “I did well here last year and it feels good to be back on top.  I’m looking forward to a good clean race, all our cars are running well and it should be a good show.  TA2 is very competitive, even more so than last year, it’ll be a good race.” 

 

Following Stretch was current TA points leader, and largest threat to Stretch’s hunt for a third championship, Cameron Lawrence.  Lawrence, driver of the #11 Ctek/Motorstate/NorthStar Battery Chevrolet Camaro, logged a time of 1:28.219 during qualifying—good enough for second position in TA2.  

 

TA3 featured two separate sub-groups within the qualifying session, as it will during tomorrow’s race—the American Muscle and International Groups. 

 

American Muscle was largely dominated by two fresh faces to the Trans Am paddock, both making their first ever appearances for the series.  In the end, after a series of one-upping each other’s times, Dane Moxlow overcame Todd Napieralski to claim pole for the American Muscle Group.  

 

Moxlow, in the Trenton Forging/Cardinel Energy Ford Mustang, set a time of 1:32.009, overcoming Napieralski’s time of 1:32.999, in the #39 TPR/SKF/TREMEC/Backstreet Performance Chevrolet Camaro. 

 

“It’s been a great day and this was my first professional pole—so I’m looking forward to bragging about that one a little bit.” Moxlow said.  “It’s been a long time coming—tomorrow’s going to be a long race, it’s one of the longer races we’ve done in sprint format, that’ll definitely make it interesting.  I think traffic is going to be one of the bigger issues, with the multiple classes it can be a bit of a push around game.  We’ll see what happens. Either way, I’m very pleased with what we accomplished today.”

 

Rich Jones, in the #37 JOMAC Bodies & Cranes/Deb’s Peppers Ford Mustang, followed the first-time duo of Moxlow and Napieralski with a time of 1:33.895, good enough for American Muscle’s third postion on the grid tomorrow. 

 

In TA3’s International Group, David Seuss, driver of the #9 Northern Light Porsche 996 GT3, led the way with a time of 1:32.464.  Suess is a veteran of multiple eras of Trans Am and is the current points leader for the International Group—he will look to build that lead with a solid finish in tomorrow’s race.  

 

Trans Am will take to the track at 12:00 pm EDT for the 100 mile race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course before the NASCAR Nationwide Series. 

 

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