Trans Am opens Homestead-Miami weekend with practice

 

In the TA class Cliff Ebben, in the #36 Stumpf Ford, McMahon Group Ford Mustang, led the way with a time of 1:25.043.  In doing so, Ebben edged out the likes of TA Champion and Round 1 victor Doug Peterson, in the #87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, who put in a time of 1:25.300, and RJ Lopez, in the #06 Disco Optical Lopez Chevrolet Corvette, who rounded out the top three with a time of 1:25.31.  This race will mark Lopez’s return to Trans Am after a yearlong hiatus, and will be his sixth Trans Am start.  Lopez also won the 2011 Trans Am Race at Sebring International Raceway.

 

TA2 was led by Cameron Lawrence, driving the #1 Trick Titanium Chevrolet Camaro, with a time of 1:30.722.  Lawrence, the 2014 TA2 Champion, is coming off a TA2 victory at Sebring just last week and seems set to continue his nearly year long streak of success in TA2; but Lawrence will not be without challengers as the TA2 class has 20 entrants this weekend.  Trans Am rookie Kevin Poitras, in the #73 Mike Cope Racing Chevrolet Camaro, was second fastest during the session with a time of 1:33.063 and was followed closely by Tom Sheehan, in the #97 Fix Rim Chevrolet Camaro, who put in a lap time of 1:33.063. 

 

In TA3 International rookies took center stage as Jason Berkeley, in the #67 BMG Management Chevrolet Corvette, set the pace for the session with a time of 1:33.546 and was followed by Russ Snow, in the #20 Carbotech Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:34.519, and Michael Camus, in the #7 MCM Holdings BMW M3, with a 1:34.695.    Both Berkeley and Camus are making their first ever Trans Am appearances.  

 

Dean Martin, in the #52 Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang, easily led TA3 American Muscle with a time of 1:34.527.  Steve Kent, Jr., in the #17 XLR8Diesel Trucks/SKS Equipment Ford Mustang, at 1:37:118 was second followed by Ernie Francism Jr., in the #9 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro, in third with a time of 1:40.076.  

 

Trans Am will take to the track again for the second practice of the day at 4:15 p.m. EST.  On Saturday, March 8h, Trans Am will have three separate qualifying sessions with TA at 11:25 a.m., TA2 at 12:45 p.m. and TA3 at 1:15 p.m..  The 100.395 mile TA2 race will take place on Sunday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m. EDT while TA and TA2 will follow suit at 2:50 p.m.