Munroe Falls, Ohio – Amy Ruman was strong on the track throughout the weekend coming into Saturday’s Round 6 Race of the 2016 Trans Am Championship for the First Energy Trans Am 100 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
In a grueling hot weather weekend with temperatures in the mid 90’s and very humid, the rain and thunderstorms held off for all Trans Am sessions. Ruman, in the No. 23 McNichols Co. Corvette, was first in both practice sessions posting top times and had the top time in a shortened qualifying session until Cliff Ebben pulled out a flier on the last lap to nab the pole.
For Saturday morning’s race, Ruman started on the front row in 2nd place next to Ebben. On the back straight, after taking the green flag, Ruman and Ebben were charging side-by-side when they made slight contact coming into the brake zone on the end of the straightaway. The contact broke the valve stem off Ruman’s right front tire and the tire immediately started to go flat. Ruman promptly went to pit lane and the crew quickly replaced the tire and sent her back out before the leaders came by, allowing her to stay on the lead lap.
Ruman went to work and started to make her way through the pack, running lap times equivalent to the leaders. Around lap 14 a double yellow came out for oil on the track and a crash. However, just as that happened, Ruman’s transmission locked in 4th gear. Unable to get out of 4th gear and into neutral or any other gear, Ruman took a chance and pitted while the double yellow still flew. Unfortunately, the crew was also unable to disengage the transmission and dispatched Ruman to continue the 24 laps remaining with only one gear to use. The transmission problem severely limited Ruman’s ability to reach the front of the pack, but she still ran very impressive lap times in the 1:27-28’s with only one gear. She persevered and kept up forward momentum advancing a few more spots until a late race caution halted her rise at 10th place. The race was shortened due to a lengthy late race caution which brought out the checkered flag on lap 38.
“I just can’t believe it, another very disappointing race for us here at Mid-Ohio. The McNichols 23 was incredibly solid and handled well for the race despite the contact. We were planning to run a steady, patient race today, but all those plans went out the window by the first turn. We tried hard to make the best out of the hand we were dealt today. We’re already focused on Road America in two weeks and I’m confident we’ll have a strong finish there.” said Ruman.
Ruman still maintains the TA class points lead with 155. Pintaric moves into second with 134, followed by Ebben with 129 in third, Gregg in 4th with 126, and Hitt rounds out 5th spot with 122.
The Mid-Ohio races will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network featuring the First Energy Trans Am 100 TA/3/4 race airing on Saturday, August 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET, and the Pura Vida Tequila Muscle Car 100, Presented by ETE REMAN Transmissions TA2 race, airing on Saturday, September 17, at 10:30 a.m. EST.
Sponsor: McNICHOLS CO. is the nation’s largest distributor of Perforated and Expanded Metals; Wire Mesh; Bar, Plank, and Safety Gratings; Stair Treads; Matting; and more. Products are carried in all styles and materials–stocked for 24 hour shipment. “Inspired to Serve”™ 800.237.3820 mcnichols.com.
For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow Ruman Racing and the Trans Am Series on Twitter: @rumanracing and @gotransam. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Go Trans Am.
Race Info/Scoring/Results: www.gotransam.com Live Timing/Twitter Feed: www.gotransam.com/live-timing-and-scoring/
