Trans Am heads to BIR as season enters final stretch for 2014
August 29, 2014
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 26) – The Trans Am Series is set for Round 8 of the Trans Am Championship at Brainerd International Raceway as the Series enters the final four races of the 2014 season.
One of the true historic homes for the Trans Am Series, Brainerd has developed a reputation of being a survivor’s course throughout the Trans Am paddock. Now that very survival at Brainered may have significant implications in the Championship chase for all three classes.
As the final races of the season approach, many eyes are focused on the No. 1 Miller Racing Dodge Challenger SRT of defending TA2 Champion, and current points leader, Cameron Lawrence.
Lawrence began the year in the same fashion as he finished the 2013 season, with a victory, this time at Sebring International Raceway, jumping to a quick lead- in the points, a lead that grew consistently and increased throughout the remainder of the season, piloting the bright red Miller Racing Camaro to success.
Now Lawrence has joined Tommy Kendall, as Miller Racing transitions to the Dodge Challenger SRT platform, which debuted at Mid-Ohio. The weekend proved to be an eventful one for Lawrence, last minute work on the No. 1 delayed its arrival at the Ohio track until the night before the race— missing the qualifying session out right.
Lawrence started the race near the back of the grid, in 25th position in the 26-car class, eventually working his way up to 10th at the end of the race, despite an early pit stop and an additional drive through for a speeding violation—all in a car he’d never raced before.
“I think now, after running the car for the first time, we know what to expect,” said Lawrence. “We know what we need to do to make the car more competitive and run up front. It was a strong first outing, and we’ve gained confidence from it going forward.”
Lawrence still holds the championship points lead with 206 to Adam Andretti’s 189. Andretti, current points runner-up and driver of the No. 44 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro, is also coming off a hot streak with six consecuative podiums and a win at Mid-Ohio last round. However, Lawrence holds the distinct advantage of going into Brainerd having raced at the track before, something Andretti has not.
“I don’t consider it a major advantage, but it will help us out to some degree,” said Lawrence. “We know what we need the car to do going into the weekend, so hopefully we roll of the trailer pretty close to what we need. The track has a cool flow to it, and I feel my consistency will help us out towards the end of the race.”
Lawrence’s experience should give the defending Champion a boost as he continues to master his new Challenger SRT, or at least enough to keep Andretti at bay for yet another race.
“We always attack every race the same way no matter the circumstances,” said Lawrence. “Every weekend we want to win and expect to run up front. Being last year’s champion and leading the points now does add some pressure, but I’m just as hungry as ever to keep winning and, now, to bring home a Championship for Miller Racing and Dodge SRT.”
In TA, Doug Peterson, driver of the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, has managed to extend his points lead in his pursuit of a consecutive TA class Championship with two wins in the last two races at Mid-Ohio and Road America. The victories have increased his points lead to 33 over runner-up Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, who leapfrogged third place holder Amy Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Chevrolet Corvette, at Mid-Ohio, albeit by just one point.
Going into the final stretch of the season, Peterson, Gregg and Ruman are all contenders for the TA Championship, albeit Peterson is the heavy favorite. All three will be in attendance for this weekend’s race at BIR, along with Cliff Ebben, Kerry Hitt and Jim McAllese, putting all but one of the top 7 points runners in attendance.
TA3 will feature a solid entry for the American Muscle Group, with current points leader Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 9 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro, and two-time defending Champion Chuck Cassaro, in the No. 76 StackData/Aermotive/Metallica Ford Mustang, both in attendance. Cassaro remains second in the points, only thirteen down from Francis, and has the added bonus of having raced at Brainerd the past two seasons.
Norman Betts, in the No. 82 Hoosier/VP Fuels Chevrolet Corvette, and Jerry Greene, in the No. 93 Ever Greene Jewelry Porsche GT3 Cup, will both be featuring for the International Group. Betts, in particular, has the most to gain from a strong performance at BIR; a victory would be enough to propel him up into second place in the points and help close the gap with current group leader Russ Snow, who will not be in attendance.
Trans Am will first take to the track at Brainerd International Raceway on August 29 at 10:20 a.m., CDT for practice in preparation for a split qualifying session at 2:40 p.m. later that day. The 100-mile, 40-lap Trans Am Race will conclude the weekend at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 31, for Round 8 of the 2014 Trans Am Championship.
Fans can keep up with all the action at www.gotransam.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gotransam, and on Twitter at @gotransam.
