Road to the Championship
November 19, 2020
Road to the Championship
Columbia City, Ind. – The Trans Am presented by Pirelli’s TA2 championship reaches its conclusion this weekend at Road Atlanta. Stevens-Miller Racing (SMR) with its driver, Mike Skeen, has led the championship from the start and are ready to see it to its end.
SMR’s Owner Joe Stevens said, “The road to the championship has been quite the journey for Mike Skeen and our Liqui Moly, Turn 14 Distribution, Katech, Ford Mustang. Besides dealing with COVID and a reshuffle of the schedule, we’ve had an incredible amount of crash damage including building a new car after the Road America debacle.
“The 30-car entry includes all the players, and we are hoping to have a clean race and come away as champions. COTA was brutal with heavy damage sustained on lap one, but we did what we wanted to do, and that was to survive. For Road Atlanta, the pressure only builds. It’s all to play for in this weekend’s double header and the competition knows it. Our approach will remain the same: to race clean and to be the best we can be.”
Driver Skeen said, “It’s been a long season in Trans Am, but it just got shorter with the cancellation of the double header at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. The cancellation really puts the pressure on us to execute this weekend as we need to wrap up the TA2 Championship for Liqui Moly and Turn 14 Distribution. The Stevens-Miller Racing crew has given me an excellent car all year – and I'm sure this weekend will be no different. We’ve only finished off the podium once this season. Consistency, preparation, and engineering have given us the 37 points to lead the championship. Joe’s guys never let up and I know my car is 100 percent every time the green flag drops.
“Road Atlanta is the first place I raced in Trans Am back in 2009 and also one of my favorites. I started last in TA and finished second. It's also the first place I raced TA2 – a race I won in my only TA2 appearance prior to this season. The track is very high speed with little room for error, so we need to keep it clean to get the best result. There's 30 cars entered, with a few new comers I expect will run inside the top five, so it won't be easy.”
The SMR team has the opportunity to take home all three of the TA2 National Tour championships. Alex Wright in the SMR Berryman Products Mustang has already taken the Northern Cup, while driver JP Southern Jr. in his ProcureIT Network, PittRace, SaaS Oversight, Camaro just needs a few points to win the Southern Cup. With a good weekend it could be a clean sweep for the northern Indiana team, as well as going back to back as TA2 drivers and team champions.
Southern said, “Going into this weekend we’ve got a bit of ground to make up if we want any chance at winning the Southern Cup Championship. It’s my last opportunity to show everyone what I’m capable so there’s a couple extra levels of stress heading into this weekend. Special thanks to Saas Oversight, ProcureIt Network, PittRace, Moco Express, and Cortez Deep Sea for all of the work and time they’ve invested in our program this season. I would not be here without them.”
Stevens said, “It’s been a long road since we kicked off the year by winning Sebring back in March. We’ve had some really close races and some dramatic finishes. Road Atlanta is one of Mike Skeen’s home tracks and one where JP has battled for wins in other series. I like our chances and I have a gut feeling that we’re not done winning in 2020.”
PHOTO BY CHRIS GREEN
About Stevens-Miller Racing:
Stevens-Miller Racing (SMR) has one of the highest winning percentages in Trans Am’s TA2 category. SMR’s staff has earned 40-plus podiums, three championships, multiple Hard Charger Awards, Rookie of the Year, and more. The team’s focus is achieving the driver’s desired goals. SMR has what drivers need, be it GT2, SVRA Group Six, or TA2. Whether it’s to have fun, develop your driving ability, or win a championship, SMR does it all and has the winning history to back it up. See www.stevensmillerracing.com for more details about our programs and Arrive & Drive and car prep opportunities.
