Trans Am takes to wet track at Lime Rock for unofficial session

After a rainy evening and night yesterday, a contingent of the Trans Am competitors braved the damp track in rain tires at 11:40 a.m. EST.   While the session will be considered a wet one, making the practice unofficial, competitors still pushed their cars in an attempt to adjust to the track at Lime Rock Park.

 

Simon Gregg, in the #1 Gregg Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro led the session with a time of 55.664, good enough for a .729 second lead over recent returnee Paul Fix, driver of the #4 Stop Flex/Beebe Racing/PME/Lamers Racing Chevrolet Corvette, who now races under the banner of Tony Ave Racing. 

 

Running behind both Fix and Gregg was Ted Sullivan, another Trans Am veteran.  Sullivan drove the #13 Big Boys Toys Chevrolet Camaro and timed in with a lap of 56.747.  

 

Points leader Cameron Lawrence and the #11 Ctek/Motorstate/NorthStar Battery Chevrolet Camaro was one of the many TA2 drivers to take to the course.  He was rewarded with a lap time of 58.070 for his efforts, placing him at the head of the TA2 group.  

 

Following Lawrence were teammate Pete Halsmer, in the #12 Ctek/Motorstate/NorthStar Battery Chevrolet Camaro, and defending two-time TA2 Champion Bob Stretch in the #98 Wheels America/Fix Rim Mobile Chevrolet Camaro. 

 

All TA2 drivers were using new Hoosier tires.  This season marks the first year of the partnership between Hoosier and Trans Am. So far, TA2 drivers have been very pleased with the result of the new deal.  Robert Huffmaster, current runner-up in the TA2 point standings weighed in on the new tires in the rain:

 

“These Hoosier rains have been really solid,” Huffmaster said. “The car handled really well in the wet, I was pretty comfortable with the car, I could feel if it started to go or grip and could react.  We were able to get some speed going as well. They're a great tire and I haven't raced on anything else in the rain in my career.”

 

Rain is possible for the rest of the afternoon and it is yet to be determined how the second practice and qualifying session will be handled, as they remain weather dependent. 

 

The second practice takes place at 2:50 p.m. EST. Qualifying will follow at 5:10 p.m., with the split-session lasting until 5:40 p.m.  On Saturday, Trans Am will begin the 100.5-mile race, 67 laps on the Lime Rock course, at 1:30 p.m.