Munroe Falls, Ohio – Two words can describe the weather at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this past weekend – wet and miserable. The Thursday track test day was the only day the Trans Am drivers saw the sun, and for the rest of the official weekend the rain never stopped.
Friday qualifying was called off due to safety in the rain, so the grid was set by the championship points standings, with Amy Ruman in her No. 23 McNichols/Don Sitts Auto Chevrolet Corvette starting Sunday’s race from the pole position of the 49-car field. The green flag flew under rainy and wet conditions, and Ruman stayed out front leading the pack in first for 7 laps, with Fix running in second. It didn’t take long for the race to see its first cautionary period after a few incidents.
The race went back to green and the ever changing track conditions caught up with Ruman as she slid a bit into turn one allowing Fix to get by. The next lap wasn’t good for Ruman as this time she slid off track causing the grill to fill with grass forcing a pit stop to clean the grill out. She rejoined the combined three class field in 37th position, 8th in TA class, and immediately went back to work when the course went green again. Ruman, who has been known to “come back” in a few races this year, managed to garner a 5th place TA class finish, and 11th overall.
“What a dreadful weather weekend this was for racing! Unfortunately, we cannot control mother nature and she played a huge factor in the outcome of our race. When we went back to green after the first caution, I think oil was on the track, and the conditions totally changed. People were sliding off all around me. I was in a great rhythm the first five laps, and I thought I had it. I managed to work my way through the pack, but then the race was checkered early or I think I may have had a few more spots,” explained Ruman. “It’s not how I anticipated the weekend to go, and Fix closed the gap on us, but there are three races left – and I am in it to win it. We still have to take it one race at a time to win this championship!”
Ruman remains first in the championship points standings, but her 24 point gap was impacted as second place runner Paul Fix won the race, cutting her margin to 14 with three races remaining on the schedule.
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.
