September 06, 2006 – Munroe Falls, OH – The Ruman Racing Team just returned home from a very busy and successful Trans-Am/SCCA National weekend in Topeka, KS.
Bob Ruman was scheduled to make his 96th start in the Trans-Am series this past weekend. He qualified the car Monday morning in 8th position. Unfortunately, Bob suddenly took ill with food poisoning and decided he was not well enough to race. Daughter Amy started the #23 McNichols/SafetyToday/Cenweld Corvette from the back of the field for the “Trans-Am Thunder in the Heartland” race.
This was Ruman’s second career Trans-Am start; her first was at the Cleveland Grand Prix last year. Ruman had a bird’s eye view from 17th position for the lap one, turn two crash involving Edison Lluch Sr. and Paul Gentilozzi (positions 5th and 6th). The field continued to race after the incident. Ruman was working her way up the pack and she had nearly completed a pass on the 19 car, Gene Nicholas, when he hit her in the left rear quarter panel sending her off the track. Ruman got going again, and luckily the field went under a double yellow, due to the first incident. Ruman pitted to check for damage and the crew cleaned the grill. Once again she found herself at the back of the pack. On the restart, Ruman raced through the pack very quickly. She was starting to reel in Lluch Jr. with 3 laps to go for 4th position. Ruman was pushing hard for Lluch, when the field fell under another double yellow with 2 laps to go. The race was cut short by one lap due to the incident, and thus the finishing order was established on lap 24. Gentilozzi finished first, followed by Drissi, Pickett, Lluch Jr., and Ruman. This was Amy Ruman’s first top-5 Trans-Am finish.
“I was really excited to run the Trans-Am event, however, I felt really bad about my Dad becoming ill. It was kind of fun starting in the back; it’s like you’re in a video game and you are on a mission to the front,” stated Ruman. “I am really happy to score a top five finish in my second Trans-Am race.”
“I was able to qualify the car in 8th, but it took all I had out of me,” exclaimed Bob Ruman. “I was suffering from food poisoning, and I was very ill when I got out of the car during the qualifying session. I rested, but felt Amy could do a better job that day. I put her in the driver’s seat literally at the last minute, to start from the back. I couldn’t be happier with her 5th place finish!”
Ruman used this weekend’s SCCA National race to familiarize herself with the Heartland Park Topeka course. The grid shaped up for Sunday’s National race with Diaz Jr. on the pole, followed by Gray, Drissi, Scarallo, Lluch Sr., Ruman, Baucom, Simms, Canney and Lluch Jr. to round out the top ten.
“I had a good start until I missed a shift and Baucom, Simms, and Canney got by me into the first turn,” stated Ruman. “I was able to recover and work my way back up, passing all three back. Then, Simms and I battled and he passed me back – I got too wide and half spun in the marbles. I lost a few more positions, but again worked my way back through some of the field to finish 6th.” Diaz Jr. won, with Drissi in second, and Scarallo in third.
Amy Ruman ends the season as the Northeast Division points champion in GT-1. Ruman will head back to Heartland Park Topeka October 9th thru 15th for the National Championship Runoffs. The Ruman Racing team also plans to field an entry in the second Trans-Am race at Heartland Park October 8th.
Topeka, KS – Page 2
TOPEKA, Kan. – Final race results from Monday’s 24-lap, 60.0-mile SCCA Trans-Am race from Heartland Park Topeka, with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car and laps complete.
1. (5), Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, Mich., Jaguar XKR, 24.
2. (2), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Jaguar XKR, 24.
3. (3), Greg Pickett, Benicia, Calif., Jaguar XKR, 24.
4. (8), Edison Lluch Jr., Puerto Rico, Chevrolet Corvette, 24.
5. (17), Amy Ruman, Kent, Ohio, Chevrolet Corvette, 24.
6. (10), Mike Canney, Placidia, Fla., Chevrolet Corvette, 24.
7. (13), Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., Chevrolet Camaro, 23.
8. (7), John Baucom, Matthews, N.C., Ford Mustang, 23.
9. (4), Jorge Diaz Jr., Puerto Rico, Jaguar XKR, 22.
10. (15), Carl Janin, Dallas, Texas, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 22.
11. (9), Shawn Gray, Lafayette, Ark., Chevrolet Camaro, 21.
12. (14), Dan Downs, Bellevue, Neb., Chevrolet Camaro, 21.
13. (11), David Fershtand, Fort Worth, Texas, Ford Mustang, 19.
14. (1), Joey Scarallo, Hauppauge, N.Y., Chevrolet Corvette, 17.
15. (16), Eugene Kraus, Lake Forest, Ill., Oldsmobile Cutlass, 16.
16. (12), Ryan McManus, Westfield Center, Ohio, Ford Mustang, 7, Mech.
17. (6), Edison Lluch Sr., Puerto Rico, Chevrolet Corvette, 0, Crash.
Time of Race: 46 minutes, 38.941 seconds.
Margin of victory: 25.809 seconds, under yellow.
Average race speed: 77.172 mph
Lap leaders: laps 1-5, #06 Joey Scarallo; laps 6-18, #08 Jorge Diaz Jr.; laps 19-24, #10 Paul Gentilozzi
Fastest Race Lap: 1:37.295 (92.502 mph), #10 Paul Gentilozzi (Record)
Fastest Qualifier: 1:36.922 (92.858 mph), #10 Paul Gentilozzi (Record)
Cautions: Two for five laps
Sports Car Club of America, Inc., and Heartland Park Topeka reached an agreement earlier this year for the track to promote two Trans-Am races in 2006. This marks the 40th anniversary of the series, which is the longest continuously-running road racing series in North America. The second, and final, Trans-Am race in 2006 will be held Sunday, Oct. 8. Both races run under sanction of SCCA Club Racing.
For additional information about the events, please visit www.rumanracing.com or www.hpt.com.
Next up: October 6th-15th:
Trans-Am Race and SCCA National Championship Runoff’s at Heartland Park Topeka, KS
rumanracing.com McNichols.com safetytoday.com
