Daytona, FL – It was set to be a history making weekend for the Ruman Racing Team – and history was made for the second time at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, in the final round of the 2015 Trans Am Championship season. Amy Ruman was victorious once again at the iconic Florida track, capturing back-to-back Daytona wins in the Bullet Liner 100 and securing her first Trans Am Championship title.
Ruman put an exclamation point on her dream season by taking home her eighth win after starting second on the grid for Saturday’s race. Ruman only needed to take the green flag in order to secure the coveted TA class Trans Am Championship. When she could’ve taken it easy and cruised to a finish, Ruman never let up in her No. 23 McNichols/Don Sitts Auto Chevrolet Corvette. After several lead changes among the top five, Ruman charged past former TA Champion Doug Peterson with six laps to go and never looked back.
The Ohio based Ruman Racing team has competed in the Trans Am Series for nearly 20 years, fielding Ruman’s father Bob before Amy. Ruman’s name is now included on the sought-after list of Trans Am Champions, making her mark in the 49th year of the Series’ history as the first female Champion. In her pursuit of the Championship, Ruman brought her overall Trans Am win total to thirteen, securing eight wins this season alone. Ruman also became the first woman to capture a professional road racing title, adding to her long list of firsts.
“It’s an amazing feeling; I feel so blessed,” said Ruman. “I’m so excited for my team and my parents—my mom and dad who have been at this for so long. Most of the guys on our team have been with us the whole time—nearly 20 years of Trans Am Racing. We’ve had McNichols onboard all these years, and this team together for so long…to finally bring it home after everything is just awesome.”
“I think finally it all just gelled and came together. We have a really well-prepared car. We switched to PME motors; they’ve been strong for us all year and that was a great move. My dad has dialed in the setup on the car; we’ve had it for three or four years now. I think finally all the pieces of the puzzle came together, and we had a really good year. I drove smart and we were there at the end when we needed to be. We had some absolutely dominant wins and some where we had to come from the back a few times. There was a little bit of everything, but it was just a fantastic year for us.”
After being asked about adding her name next to former Champions like Mark Donohue, Tommy Kendall, and Dorsey Schroeder, she remained humble.
“You know,” Ruman said, “I don’t think it has really sunk in yet. It’s a great list of names to be included with, the female aspect, being the first—it’s always fun to be the first at anything and to be amongst those drivers’ names is just a blessing.”
A number of top management from McNichols Company as well as many family members were in attendance this weekend to watch the Championship winning race at Daytona.
“I am filled with triple excitement and joy for our family, personally and professionally,” said McNichols Company Chairman and CEO Gene McNichols, “I am especially proud of Amy, the Ruman Racing Team and the McNichols Company and each of their roles in this celebrated event. The Championship title is not only an historical event for Ruman, it is a win for the entire team, including the dedicated Ruman Racing crew. Amy has a crew of outstanding team members who have worked hard over the years to reach the top of their sport, and McNichols is proud to play a part in her record-breaking victory.”
Ruman finished the year with 345 points over Paul Fix’s 311, with John Baucom taking third place in the final tally in the race for the 3-Dimensional Services Trigon Trophy Championship.
Don’t forget to tune in and catch all the exciting action from the Bullet Liner 100 Championship weekend! The race will air on CBS Sports Network Sunday, December 6th, at 1:00pm ET.
Sponsors: 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.
Don Sitts Auto Sales, Inc. is a family owned and operated dealership in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Stop in for all your vehicle needs, over 200 cars in stock – for more info and inventory list, visit DonSitts.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/
Ruman Racing, Inc., is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.
