For Immediate Release: August 3, 2011
Contact: Amy Ruman 330.813.2323 cell

Munroe Falls, OH – Ruman Racing will field sisters Amy Ruman and Niki Ruman Skinner at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, Quebec street race this weekend. Amy will be in the red #23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette for Round 5 of the 2011 SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series. Ruman Skinner will run the #23 McNichols Co./Goodyear Spec Racer for Rounds 5 & 6 of the SCCA Pro Spec Racer Series.

Trans-Am: The SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series returns to action this weekend at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres after a two month break. Amy Ruman has been keeping busy the last few months competing in SCCA GT-1 National events, but is ready to get back to Trans-Am competition. Ruman’s last Trans-Am event in May was also north of the border in Canada, where she brought back a podium 3rd place finish in Round 4 at Mosport International Raceway. “I am really looking forward to running this weekend. When my Dad (Bob Ruman) raced Trans-Am here, it was a very exciting street course to watch, so I know it is going to be awesome to run!” exclaimed Ruman.

Trans-Am will take to the 1.52 mile street circuit for two practices Friday at 10:25am and 6:45pm. Qualifying will be early Saturday morning at 7:50am followed by the 60-lap race on Sunday at 9:20 am.

Pro Spec Racer: Niki Ruman Skinner returns to the SCCA Pro Spec Racer Series after competing in SCCA National events for the past few years. Ruman Skinner participated in the Pro Spec Racer Series from 1998-2002 in road courses throughout the country as well as street circuits such as Reno, San Diego, and Grand Rapids.

“I’m thrilled to return to the Pro Spec Racer Series, which continues to have excellent racers and close competition,” said Ruman Skinner. “I’m particularly excited to return to Trois-Rivieres as a driver this year rather than a crew member. I attended many events here with Trans-Am in the past. The fans are fantastic.”

There will be two Pro Spec Racer events this weekend. Friday will be the busiest day starting with a practice session, qualifying, and then Race 1 at 7:30pm. Saturday will be qualifying for race 2 which will be on Sunday at 8:25am. GoRacingTV.com will produce a 30 minute highlight video of the Pro Spec Racer events.

For official Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres information visit: www.gp3r.com– tune in for LIVE timing at: http://www.dl2-timing.com/live/

Sponsors: McNichols Co., headquartered in Tampa, FL, is the largest U.S. distributor of “Hole” products with service centers across North America. McNichols’ product selection is the most diverse in the industry. McNichols stocks perforated products, both metal and plastic. A toll free number 800-237-3820 connects you to the McNichols Co. distributor in your area and the company’s extensive website,www.mcnichols.com, has online customer service and online ordering. Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a Ruman Racing sponsor as well as the Series sponsor for Pro Spec Racer. Cenweld Corp., a well-established manufacturer and distributor of truck bodies and equipment throughout Ohio, is also long-time Ruman Racing sponsor.

For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow Ruman Racing and the Trans-Am Series on Twitter @rumanracing and @TransAmSeries. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Trans-Am Racing.

UPCOMING RACES:
August 18-20 – Amy Ruman in Round 6 SCCA Pro-Racing Trans-Am Series at Road America, WI

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2011
Contact: Amy Ruman 330.813.2323 cell

Munroe Falls, OH – The Ruman Racing team returned home after a very busy weekend, with Amy Ruman hitting the podium again and sister Niki having two tough races. The two competed in the SCCA Double National at Watkins Glen International Raceway, NY. With a big turnout in both classes, the competition was stiff. The GT-1 class had 12 entries and the Spec Racer class had a 43 car class this weekend.

GT-1 Amy battled for top spot with fellow Trans-Am Series competitors Carlos de Quesada, Doug Peterson, and Simon Gregg. Ruman qualified 3rd for race 1 on Saturday and 2nd for race 2 on Sunday. Peterson did not make either race after suffering a mechanical problem on Friday, so that moved Ruman to the front row for race 1. In Saturday’s race, Ruman and de Quesada were neck in neck into turn one and de Quesada took the lead. The two sprinted out from the field. de Quesada lead Ruman flag to flag taking the win, with Ruman second, and Gregg third. Sunday’s qualifying battle was tight with de Quesada (1:49.446) inching out Ruman (1:49.529) by 8 hundredths of a second for the pole. The drag race was on at the start, and the two went deep into one. Ruman won over de Quesada, but both washed out wide allowing Jack Busch to sprint out in front of turn 1. Busch, Ruman, de Quesada, and Gregg headed up the esses nose to tail. Ruman and de Quesada both passed Busch coming out of turn 8 heading three abreast down the hill into 9. de Quesada came out in front of Ruman, and the two ran a very fast paced race running 1:50 and 1:51 lap times most of the race, smoking Ruman’s previous track record of 1:52.460. The top 3 finishers were the same as Saturday’s race, de Quesada (1:50.209 new TR), Ruman (1:50.848), and Gregg (1:54.237).

“The #23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette was fast this weekend, but unfortunately Carlos was faster than us,” remarked Ruman. “It was like two mini TA races this weekend, we had fun battling it out!”

Spec Racer The Spec Racer field was tight, with the top 27 of the 43 car field within 3.4 seconds of each other in qualifying. Niki Ruman Skinner qualified 27th for Saturday’s race and was running solid until a mechanical failure forced her to into the pit lane one lap before the checkered flag. For Sunday’s race, she started 27th again, moved up to 20th by lap three, when she spun while avoiding another car that had spun in the downhill right-hander after the “bus stop.” She then fought her way back through the pack to finish 25th. “I love racing at the Glen, but I did come away a bit disappointed with this weekend’s finishes. Still, Sunday’s race was particularly fun, with close running with a lot of cars. I am looking forward now to street racing at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, in August,” said Ruman Skinner.

McNichols Co., headquartered in Tampa, FL, is the largest U.S. distributor of “Hole” products with service centers across North America. McNichols’ product selection is the most diverse in the industry. McNichols stocks perforated products, both metal and plastic. A toll free number 800-237-3820 connects you to the McNichols Co. distributor in your area and the company’s website,www.mcnichols.com, has online customer service and online ordering.

For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow Ruman Racing and the Trans-Am Series on Twitter @rumanracing and @TransAmSeries. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Trans-Am Racing.

UPCOMING RACES:
August 5-7 –
Amy Ruman in Round 5 SCCA Pro-Racing Trans-Am Series, Trois Rivieres, Canada
Niki Ruman in SCCA Pro-Racing Pro Spec Racer Series Doubleheader, Trois Rivieres, Canada

For Immediate Release: July 7, 2011
Contact: Amy Ruman 330.813.2323 cell

Munroe Falls, OH – The Ruman Racing sisters will be back in action this coming weekend, both driving in the SCCA Double National at Watkins Glen International, NY. The two will compete on the Watkins Glen 3.4-mile “long course,” where Amy Ruman still holds the GT-1 track record at 1:52.460 seconds set in July of 2010.

Last year at the Glen Double Nationals, Amy Ruman scored back to back GT-1 wins and will be trying to score her third & fourth GT-1 wins of the season in this weekend’s races driving the #23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette. “I’m hoping to defend my wins here from last year,” remarked Ruman. “This is one of my favorite tracks to race and the #23 has been strong this year.”

Coming off her 2nd place finish at the SCCA Summit Point, WV National in May, Niki Ruman will be climbing back in the cockpit driving her #23 McNichols Co./Dynasty Motorsports Spec Racer in her second race of the season. “The Glen races always have full SRF fields with lots of competition, so I am looking forward running these races,” commented Ruman.

The sisters will hit the track with two qualifiers on Friday, qualify and race on Saturday, and qualify and race again on Sunday. Amy will be in Group 2 and Niki in Group 6.

McNichols Co., headquartered in Tampa, FL, is the largest U.S. distributor of “Hole” products with service centers across North America. McNichols’ product selection is the most diverse in the industry. McNichols stocks perforated products, both metal and plastic. A toll free number 800-237-3820 connects you to the McNichols Co. distributor in your area and the company’s website,www.mcnichols.com, has online customer service and online ordering.

For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow Ruman Racing and the Trans-Am Series on Twitter @rumanracing and@TransAmSeries. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Trans-Am Racing.

UPCOMING RACES:
August 5-7 –
Amy Ruman in Round 5 SCCA Pro-Racing Trans-Am Series, Trois Rivieres, Canada
Niki Ruman in SCCA Pro-Racing Pro Spec Racer Series Doubleheader, Trois Rivieres, Canada

PR Redistributed from www.trans-amracing.com
Contact: Trans-Am PR Manager – Nate Siebens

Trans-Am Competitors Keeping Busy During “Summer Break”

TOPEKA, Kan. (June 30, 2011) – With Independence Day on Monday, the summer vacation season is now in full swing. That’s also the case in the SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series, where competitors have had some time to themselves since a busy, three-race month of May.

So what are they doing to pass the time?

Derhaag Motorsports owner Jim Derhaag went hunting in Argentina, where he got a bit of an extended vacation courtesy of volcanoes in Chile. Others have been busy building new racecars.

“We have a new Camaro going together that should see its maiden race at Trois-Rivieres,” says Trans-Am 2 (TA2) front-runner Bob Stretch. “Watch for a Hugger orange Camaro to be there…”

“We have been working flat out sending cars and parts overseas, plus I tested some stock cars for teams running the various road course events during the break,” adds defending Trans-Am Series champion and current points leader Tony Ave.

RJ Lopez, the 2010 Trans-Am Series runner-up, has returned to his native Dominican Republic to do some work. But, like many of his fellow competitors, he’s itching to get back to racing.

“I have been busy getting back to work here,” Lopez says. “Within our business in the Dominican Republic, we have acquired a network affiliation license with ESPN Radio. It’s a very exciting opportunity for our company, as well as a first for the Dominican Republic in terms of local media developing an affiliation with a multi-national broadcasting network. It’s been fun, but I can’t wait to get back on track!”

That’s a common sentiment among many Trans-Am Series racers. And many of them have taken matters into their own hands, finding other places to get their racing “fix,” all the while knowing that nothing can truly substitute for Trans-Am Series action.

For drivers like Simon Gregg and Amy Ruman, that means healthy doses of SCCA Club Racing, which allows them to run the same Chevrolet Corvettes they race in Trans-Am in GT-1 Club competition. Ave, too, was busy on the Club Racing front during June Sprints at Road America. He looked after four customer cars, including the one that past Trans-Am race winner, Cliff Ebben, won in, and also the one driven to the third-fastest lap by another Trans-Am racer, 2011 Rookie of the Year points leader David Jans.

Ruman, meanwhile, had a great weekend on June 11-12 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near her home in Kent, Ohio, winning both races of an SCCA Double National and setting a new Mid-Ohio track record.

“Man, what a great weekend for our team,” Ruman said. “It felt good to be back on the top step of the podium! We had a lot of fans cheering for us, so I was glad we came in first in both races.”

Ruman then returned to Mid-Ohio the Monday after the Double National to participate in an all-day photo shoot for the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette brochure and online marketing campaigns, where she turned a number of hot laps in the new ‘Vette.

“I was excited when I received a phone call that they were looking for a pro driver for the day,” Ruman said. “I jumped at the opportunity to drive a bunch of 2012 Corvettes around. Who wouldn’t want to do that?”

Indeed, driving 2012 Corvettes at Mid-Ohio sounds like a cool way to get some seat time. Another way was the route taken by a pair of Trans-Am racers last weekend, who got the opportunity to climb through the driver’s side window on some NASCAR machinery.

Ave, who is no stranger to NASCAR competition, drove the No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford at Infineon Raceway in hopes of participating in the Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 last Sunday. Unfortunately, he did not qualify for the race owing to transmission problems. Doug Harrington, meanwhile, made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Road America in the No. 41 New Orleans Voodoo Ford. He finished 30th in the Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards.

The Trans-Am summer break will extend through the month of July, where competitors will continue to keep themselves busy. Some will compete in additional club events, and at least one plans to use this break to find a way to beat Ave when things crank up again at Trois-Rivieres on the first weekend in August.

“For the Lopesport team, this was a much-needed break,” Lopez admits. “After a great start to the season, we had several mechanical difficulties with the car and we were able to take this time off to go through the car and get it where it needs to be.

“We are very realistic and recognized the fact that Tony Ave and his crew have stepped up their game. Hats off to them for the job they have done this year, but I can honestly say that their good performance has only made us hungrier. We are doing our homework to narrow that gap, and we are very excited for Trois-Rivieres, as we believe we will be able to give them a run for their money.”

We’ll all find out if that’s the case on August 7, when Trans-Am returns to action north of the border. It’ll be here before we know it.

Image: Tony Ave drives the No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Infineon Raceway. Credit: Nate Jacobson (To use a web-resolution sized image, right click the image and “save as”.)

For Immediate Release: June 30, 2011
Contact: Amy Ruman 330.813.2323 cell

Munroe Falls, OH – Coming off of Amy Ruman’s SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series podium 3rd place finish last month at Mosport, Canada, Ruman captured her first wins of the season at the SCCA GT-1 Double National Race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH June 11th and 12th.

Ruman and fellow Trans-Am/GT-1 competitor Ryan McManus swapped qualifying positions for each race, with Ruman qualifying 2nd and McManus on the pole for Saturday’s race, and Ruman on the pole for Sunday’s race with McManus starting 2nd.

The weather was great for both days of racing for the five-car GT-1 field during their 19 lap – 45.6 mile races. Ruman drove the #23 McNichols Co./ Goodyear/ Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette to victory in both races –leading flag-to-flag. She bettered her track record both days, securing a new record of 1.26.478.

“Man, what a great weekend for our team. It felt good to be back on the top step of the podium! We had a lot of fans cheering for us this weekend so I was so glad we came in first in both races,” exclaimed Ruman.

Other News:
On another note, Ruman participated with the production company handling General Motor’s creation of 2012 GM Corvette brochure and online marketing campaigns. Ruman headed back down to Mid-Ohio on Monday June 13th for an all day photo shoot, where she was included in still shots as well as video featuring the new machines during some hot laps around the course. Many shots were taken at Mid-Ohio as well as other venues, but we hope to see Ruman in some of upcoming GM marketing materials! “I was excited when I received a phone call that they were looking for a pro driver for the day,” stated Ruman. “I jumped at the opportunity to drive a bunch of 2012 Corvettes around, who wouldn’t want to do that!”

The team will be fielding two cars in the upcoming SCCA Double National race at Watkins Glen International Raceway, NY July 8-10. Amy Ruman will be running again in GT-1 and Niki Ruman Skinner will be running in Spec Racer.

Ruman’s sponsor, McNichols Co., headquartered in Tampa, FL, is the largest U.S. distributor of “Hole” products with service centers across North America. McNichols’ product selection is the most diverse in the industry. McNichols stocks perforated products, both metal and plastic. A toll free number 800-237-3820 connects you to the McNichols Co. distributor in your area and the company’s website,www.mcnichols.com, has online customer service and online ordering.

For quick news and updates during race weekends, please follow Ruman Racing and the Trans-Am Series on Twitter @rumanracing and @TransAmSeries. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Trans-Am Racing.

UPCOMING RACES:
July 8-10 – Amy & Niki Ruman at SCCA GT-1/SRF Double National at Watkins Glen, NY