For Immediate Release:
Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
(317) 908-2975 – Mobile

Munroe Falls, Ohio (2 May 2013) – With the days growing longer and the temperatures making welcome visits north on the thermostat, spring is in the air. As the season turns, the call of the track is growing louder for the Ruman Racing team, which will head to Summit Point Motorsports Park this weekend for the SCCA Double Major race weekend.

Amy Ruman, who opened her 2013 Trans Am campaign in March with a run to third place in the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear Corvette in Round 1 at Sebring International Raceway, will not be the only member of the family in action this weekend. Ruman’s sister Niki Skinner will also be behind the wheel, piloting the No. 23 McNichols Spec Racer machine in the Major races as she builds on her extensive experience in the category.

For Amy Ruman, the move from Trans Am to the SCCA GT-1 scene is a natural one, but still means that she’ll have some adjusting to do as she competes in the Double National event.

“We have a different tire that we run for club races and there are a few other minor changes that happen to the Corvette between running in Trans Am and in SCCA, but this team is really good at optimizing the car for both,” said Ruman. “We are using this weekend as a warm up for the Mosport Trans Am race in a few weeks, since we have been on a break since the Sebring Trans Am race in March. This is will be some good seat time to get a very busy season of racing going, and having Niki there also racing will make it even better. Hopefully we can get some cooperation from the weather– it should be a great weekend!”

Skinner has a huge resume in SCCA competition that stretches back to her first run in the pro SRF ranks in 1998. The Summit Point weekend is a “hometown” race for Skinner, who calls the Washington, DC area home. “I’m excited to get back in the car after such a long winter!” exclaimed Skinner. “I’m looking forward to a fun weekend, especially since it is a double race weekend, so we will have double the action.”

Sponsors: McNICHOLS Nationwide Service Centers 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 Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a Ruman Racing sponsor as well as the Series sponsor. 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 @gotransam. Be sure to “Like” our official pages on Facebook: Ruman Racing, Amy Ruman (Official Fan Page), McNichols Company, and Go Trans Am.

Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
(317) 908-2975 – Mobile

Sebring, Fla. (5 March 2013) – Amy Ruman kicked off the 2013 Trans Am championship with a run to the podium in the season-opening event, driving the No. 23 McNichols Corvette to third in the 27-lap, 100-mile race held at Sebring International Raceway.

Though many anticipated some warm Florida weather to open up the season, the area experienced unseasonably cool temperatures which made for some challenges in set up as teams chased the handling of the cars.

But Ruman Racing’s hard work over the off-season showed when Ruman qualified the No. 23 Corvette fifth on the 16-car Trans Am grid on Saturday. The qualifying session not only saw the pole sitter set a new track record but several others in the field setting very competitive lap times with the third through fifth positions separated by only seven hundredths of a second. Ruman’s time of 2:01.650-seconds saw her set the fifth fastest time – just behind Cliff Ebben whose lap was a mere three-one-thousandths of a second quicker.

The No. 23 McNichols Co. Corvette lined up on the inside of Row 3 for the start and immediately moved up to third position on the opening lap. But Ruman’s forward momentum was halted when the track went yellow just three laps into the race.

Ruman slipped into fourth on the restart as the top-five battled for position. She stuck right with the lead group of cars as the No. 23 ran fourth in line through a stint of green flag laps.

A lengthy yellow was displayed on Lap 12 when a car caught fire and rescue crews responded to extinguish the blaze. The Trans Am field circled under caution for five long laps prior to a final 11-lap green flag run to the finish.

On the restart, the No. 36 of Ebben edged by Ruman and then made his way around Simon Gregg. Ruman hounded Gregg’s No. 1 machine for several laps before finally making her way by and setting her sights back on Ebben. But, with so much time spent fighting for the third position, there were not enough laps left in the race for Ruman to catch back up to the frontrunners despite her strong late-race pace and she brought the No. 23 to the checkered flag third in line.

“It was a great start to the season,” said Ruman. “It would have been nice to get by Gregg a little earlier than I did because I think we could have challenged for second. Unfortunately, we just lost too much time there, so I’m happy with the third. It was a good warm up to the season and the car was mechanically great all weekend. Too bad we have to wait so long until the next race, I was just getting back into the groove!”

Ruman Racing sees over a two-month long break in race action before Trans Am travels to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario on May 19 for Round 2 of the championship.

Sponsors: McNICHOLS Nationwide Service Centers 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. Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a Ruman Racing sponsor as well as the Series sponsor.

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: www.gotransam.com/live-timing-and-scoring/

Looking ahead: Round 2 – Canadian Tire Motorsports Park-Bowmanville, Ontario || Round 3 – Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut

Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
(317) 908-2975 – Mobile

Munroe Falls, Ohio (28 Februray 2013) – For generations, the snow and cold weather of late winter have inspired thousands to make the trek south to Florida for a little bit of sun and relaxation.

But for 2012 Trans Am Championship runner up Amy Ruman, there is an entirely different motivation as she prepares to head South to Sebring, Florida this weekend.

Trans Am will stage Round 1 of the 2013 championship at the historic Sebring International Raceway as the series makes a return to the same track that played host to the first-ever Trans Am event in 1966. Ruman, who became the first woman to win a Trans Am race in 2011, scored two wins and seven podiums in 2012, and closed the season just 11 points shy of the championship crown, is looking forward to getting a strong start to 2013 with a big result at the famed facility.

The 2013 championship sees an expanded schedule with Trans Am traveling to 11 different race venues. The season-opener at Sebring International Raceway is a new addition to the schedule and Ruman is eager to get the season going at the 3.7-mile Florida road course as the event is set to have the largest field in a decade.

“I am really excited about the Trans Am schedule for 2013–getting to race at Sebring and Daytona in the same season is a great opportunity, and with the momentum that the series has, I know that the competition will be even stronger,” said Ruman. “I haven’t raced at Sebring for a couple of years, so I am really looking forward to running here again!”

Ruman will once again pilot the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear Corvette with Bob Ruman overseeing the preparation and race engineering for the effort. The team made significant gains in 2012 and will look to continue those efforts in 2013.

“It was a big change for us last season to move to the new Corvette, but we’ve got a good feel for the car now and the biggest thing will be to consistently come home with points, every weekend,” said Ruman. “I am excited to get down to Sebring and get the racing season started–you always get anxious to get back to competition during the winter so this weekend can’t come fast enough!”

Adding to the anticipation for the event is the renewed partnership between Ruman Racing and the McNichols Company (http://www.mcnichols.com/viewer.htm).

“We are proud to ink another year of sponsorship with Amy and the Ruman team,” commented Scott McNichols, President of McNichols Co. “We are confident in 2013, the No. 23 will be out in front vying again for the championship!”

The Industrial and Architectural Hole Product Solutions company is the long time prominent sponsor of the Ruman Racing effort. Ruman will also see some “on the ground support” this weekend as some members of the McNichols Hole Team will be on site at the Sebring event to take in the opening round of the 2013 season.

Trans Am will take to the track for practice on Friday, March 1 at 10:05 AM (ET) followed by another practice at 2:55 PM (ET). Official qualifying will take place Saturday, March 2 at 11:10 AM (ET) with the race set to go green at 2:30 PM (ET) on Sunday.

Sponsors: McNICHOLS Nationwide Service Centers 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. Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a Ruman Racing sponsor as well as the Series sponsor.

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/

Looking ahead: Round 2 – Canadian Tire Motorsports Park-Bowmanville, Ontario || Round 3 – Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut

Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

Munroe Falls, Ohio (29 November 2012) – After making history as the first woman to win a Trans-Am race with her breakthrough victory in the 2011 season-finale race at Road Atlanta, Amy Ruman looked to build on that record-setting accomplishment as she set her sights on a successful 2012 season.

Those ambitions were met as Amy Ruman and her Ruman Racing squad posted a stellar season of results in 2012.

Entering Ruman’s sixth year of Trans Am competition and looking to build on the strong third place points finish to 2011, the Ruman Racing squad took ownership of a new C6 Corvette sponsored byMcNichols Co., Goodyear, and Cenweld Corp.

Though the new machinery brought a learning curve for the team, the Bob Ruman-led group quickly got acquainted with the new chassis early in the season and put those lessons to work.

The performance of the new Corvette, the knowledge and expertise of Ruman Racing, and Amy’s stout talents behind the wheel combined for a brilliant 2012 season which saw Ruman fighting for the Trans Am championship title all year long.

Ruman amassed an impressive seven podium results in 10 races – including two victories at New Jersey Motorsports Park and Brainerd International Raceway.

Those results saw Ruman finish the Trans Am season runner-up in the championship – just 11 points shy of the title. In addition to Trans Am, she also picked up three wins and two pole positions in SCCA GT-1 National competition. She went on to finish fourth in the highly competitive SCCA GT-1 National Championship Runoffs held at historic Road America.

After finishing sixth in the season opening event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Ruman first stood on the podium at Lime Rock Park – the second stop on the Trans Am schedule. It was Ruman’s debut at the quick 1.5-mile Connecticut road course but she wasted no time finding the fast way around the track. Looking like a Lime Rock veteran at the high-speed circuit, she opened the race from fourth on the grid before driving to third at the finish.

Next up was Ruman’s home track of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course located just a couple of hours south of the Ruman Racing shop in Munroe Falls, Ohio. With a large crowd of family, friends, and Ohio fans in attendance, Ruman started third and immediately moved into second at the start. She would take over the lead following a restart to lead her first-ever Trans Am laps at her home track. Despite a drink bottle failure during the 100-mile race held under the extremely hot Midwest summer conditions, Ruman remained busy behind the wheel making the most of the available in-car adjustments to compensate for the continuous changes in handling due to the extreme heat. The changes helped but were not enough to hold off a hard-charging Simon Gregg. After a valiant side-by-side battle for the lead, Ruman ultimately ceded first place and took second at the checkered flag.

Following her two consecutive podium finishes, Ruman was ready to stand on the top step as she continued to gain ground in the championship points. And she did just that in Round 4 at New Jersey Motorsports Park as Ruman dominated the final stages of the race and crossed the finish line with a 20.090-second gap over the rest of the field. But the win didn’t come easy for Ruman when unfortunate contact with Tony Ave jeopardized her shot at victory and the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Corvette machine sustained a flat tire forcing her to pit lane for a tire change. But luck was on Ruman’s side and the track went yellow while the No. 23 was on pit lane. Ruman managed to stay on the lead lap and the No. 23 lined up third with just seven laps to go. Ruman improved to second with five laps to go and regained the lead on the following lap and never looked back to claim her first Trans Am victory of the season.

Ruman followed up that effort with a run to second place at historic Watkins Glen for her fourth consecutive podium as Trans Am marked the half-way point of its race season.

It was a busy weekend of on-track action at the Glen with Ruman also competing in SCCA GT-1 competition. A mechanical issue saw the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Corvette start from 19th on the GT-1 grid but Ruman made it look easy as she maneuvered from the rear of the field to claim her third GT-1 victory of the year.

Heading into Round 6 at Road America, Ruman entered the weekend second in the championship and had hoped to keep her podium streak going.

But a strong run was cut short when contact with the No. 87 of Doug Peterson saw the No. 23 sustain damage forcing Ruman to pit for repairs. Great work from the Ruman Racing crew kept the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Corvette on the lead lap and Ruman restarted 17th with 10 laps to go – the No. 23 running without its hood. Ruman made the most of the restart to move up six spots to run 11th with nine laps to go and ultimately took ninth at the checkered flag.

Focused forward, Ruman Racing set their eyes on the next race – a double header event at Brainerd International Raceway. While tire issues prevented Ruman from adding to her podium tally when she scored fourth in Race 1, she seamlessly drove to victory in Race 2. Holding a 16-second advantage over the rest of the field at one point in the race, she defended against a late-race charge from Simon Gregg to claim her second win of the year with a .673-second advantage.

With a two-month break between the Brainerd International Raceway rounds and the season-finale event, Ruman Racing was well-prepared for the final two rounds as they returned to the site of Ruman’s breakthrough victory at Road Atlanta. Once again at the controls of theNo. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Corvette which had proven to be quick all season long, Ruman capped off an incredible 2012 season with a double podium weekend of two third place results.

In Race 1, Ruman started third before taking over second in the early stages of the race. She would run second for most of the event before contact with nine laps to go saw the No. 23 sustain damage but rally to third at the finish. With Race 2’s qualifying order set by the results of Race 1, Ruman opened Sunday’s race from third on the grid. Unfortunately, a quick spin on Lap 1 saw Ruman playing catch up for most of the race. Running lap times faster than the leaders, Ruman began to dig into the nearly 30-second gap between her and the lead pack of cars. Ruman Racing welcomed a late-race caution as the field bunched back up. Running second at the restart, the stage was set for an eight-lap dash to the finish making a valiant battle between Peterson, Ruman and Ave for the win. Ruman eventually relinquished second place to finish third for her seventh podium of the year.

A very impressive season combined with the strong results in the season-finale saw Ruman solidify her runner-up finish in the 2012 Trans Am Championship.

“We made a big commitment this season to go to the new car, and I think the results backed up our decision,” said Ruman. “It can be a risk any time you change equipment, but my team did a fantastic job learning the car and the preparation was outstanding all year long. I’m really grateful to have this kind of group–a great family around me. We had another very strong year, and I think the new management of the Trans Am Race Company did an outstanding job as well. I’m looking forward to continuing to see the Series grow and to keep getting stronger in the future. I can’t believe the season is already over, but we are already working on our plans for 2013!”

For more information on Amy Ruman and the Ruman Racing team, check out www.rumanracing.com and 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.

Munroe Falls, Ohio (1 November 2012) – When the Trans Am Series staged its season-finale last year at Road Atlanta, Amy Ruman broke through and made history as she became the first woman to win a Trans Am race in the 45-year history of the series.

Entering this weekend’s season-finale double-header holding on to second place in the championship, Ruman will target a repeat result this weekend in the No. 23 McNichols Co./Goodyear/Cenweld Corvetteat the 2.54-mile Georgia road course as she also eyes the 2012 Trans Am championship title.

Ruman will have two opportunities to deliver wins this weekend as Trans Am stages a 30-lap race on Saturday and a 40-lap race on Sunday.

Ruman has taken that breakthrough win from last year and built on the result with several impressive outings during the 2012 season. Five podium finishes with highlight wins at New Jersey Motorsports Park and Brainerd International Raceway have made for a remarkable season for Ruman.

“It has been a great season for the Ruman Racing team and I don’t think our success is something where you can point to just one thing,” said Ruman. “We have a very good group, and our team has raced together for a long time. We acquired a new car this year and that was a big step for us, but as far as performance, the biggest thing was how quickly the team learned their way around the new car and how well they have prepared it. Once I found my groove, I started gaining a lot of confidence in it and was able to start being quick right out of the trailer.”

The 2012 event will mark Ruman’s fourth Trans Am start at Road Atlanta having finished third at the track in 2009 and fourth in 2010 in addition to her 2011 win. Ruman drove to victory in a field of 17 cars in last year’s race after taking the lead in Turn 1 at the second to last restart of the race. She led the final laps to breakthrough for her first victory.

While Ruman eyes the championship crown, she and the Ruman Racing team will maintain their same focus of winning races, just as they have done all season long.

“Obviously, Road Atlanta is a special track for me with having my first Trans Am win there last year,” reflected Ruman. “I’m trying not to get caught up in all of the points possibilities for the championship race, we just need to have two strong races and see where the chips fall. We’ve worked to get the best finish we can out of every race. I have been focusing on making the most of each weekend and trying to win races, and the Road Atlanta races will not be any different.”

The season-finale event will see practice at 11:30 AM (ET) Friday followed by qualifying at 3:40 PM (ET). Race 1 is set for Saturday at 4:00 PM (ET) with the results setting the grid for Sunday’s Race 2 at 12:30 PM (ET). Sunday will also feature a 20-minute morning warm-up beginning at 9:00 AM (ET).

Live timing and scoring can be followed throughout the weekend at www.gotransam.com/live-timing-and-scoring or on your mobile device at http://www.livetiming.net/scca/trans-am/html.asp.

Sponsors: McNICHOLS Nationwide Service Centers 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 Goodyear Tire & Rubber is a Ruman Racing sponsor as well as the Series sponsor. 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 @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/

Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.