October 09, 2006 – For Immediate Release: October 9, 2006
Contact: Amy Ruman 330.813.2323 cell
Ruman Starts Race in Pole Position
Topeka, KS – Amy Ruman scored a second top-5 finish in only her third Trans-Am race yesterday at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS, finishing 4th. She was 5th in the Trans-Am race here in September. The 2006 Trans-Am Championship Series consisted of two races, both at Heartland Park – Ruman thus finished 4th in the 2006 Trans-Am Championship point standings.
Ruman qualified 4th out of 15 for the Trans-Am race. Trans-Am continued this year with the Aristocrat Jaguar Fast Five Invert procedure whereby the top-five qualifiers are inverted, so that the 5th place qualifier starts on the pole, the 4th place starts 2nd, and so on. Two technical penalties among the top-five qualifiers set a different grid than expected. Thus in the final grid Ruman, in the #23 McNichols/SafetyToday/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette, moved up to start in the pole position followed by Tomy Drissi, Jorge Diaz, Jr., Paul Gentilozzi, and
Phil Simms.
The start of the race proved exciting as Drissi, next to Ruman on the front row, suddenly pulled into the pits as the field came around to take the green. Subsequently the starter waved off the start as the front row was incomplete. As the field came around again, Diaz moved up to fill the second starting position and the green flag was flown. Diaz and Gentilozzi raced with Ruman on the first lap, both eventually getting by her. Ruman then held 3rd until lap 17 of the 25 lap race. At that point in the race a lapped car that had gone off course came back on track right in front of Ruman, causing her to take evasive action which allowed Simms to gain and pass her. Then, Mike Canney caught her as Ruman’s engine developed some issues that slowed her pace a bit. A full course yellow flew with three laps remaining, bunching up the field. Canney got a jump on her on the front straight as the green flew for the final lap, but Ruman held the position into turn one. She took the checkered flag in 4th place.
“This Trans-Am race was certainly an exciting one. I was thrilled to start from the pole position with the inverted fast-5 and enjoyed racing with everyone. I would have rather finished on the podium, but I won’t complain about a strong 4th place finish. Trans-Am competition is the best and I hope to have the opportunity to do more next year,” said Ruman. “I’m focused now on working for that podium finish at the Runoffs.”
Amy Ruman was first in the 2006 GT-1 Northeast Division points standings. She secured six pole positions, scored three wins, and posted four new track records this year. Ruman won races at Summit Point, NHIS, and Nelsons Ledges. She had two close second place finishes at Pocono and a third place at Watkins Glen. She finished 6th at Topeka and fell out of BeaveRun after breaking an input shaft.
For more information on the Trans-Am Series go to www.scca.com
rumanracing.com McNichols.com safetytoday.com
