Munroe Falls, Ohio – After a hard crash at Road America just a few short weeks ago, the Ruman Racing team turned its focus toward repairing the No. 23 Corvette and preparing for the next two rounds of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli championship this weekend at Watkins Glen International, NY (WGI) of the 2026 schedule.
Road America Recap: What was shaping up to be another weekend of progress for Amy Ruman and team, ended abruptly Saturday morning at Road America.
During the morning practice session for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, a steering component failure sent Ruman’s No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette into the wall in turn 7, causing extensive damage that prevented the team from competing in Sunday’s TA race.
“It was completely unexpected,” said Ruman. “A steering component broke in the morning practice, leaving me as a passenger and sending the car into the wall. Unfortunately, the No. 23 sustained too much damage and weren’t able to make the race.”
Ruman was evaluated by the Safety Team following the incident and was cleared by medical personnel.
“I’m thankful to be okay,” Ruman added. “I’m so sorry to all of the fans who came out to support us this weekend. After working so hard to get back behind the wheel, this is certainly heartbreaking for our entire team. We’ll regroup, get the car repaired, and get back to work.”
The unfortunate incident comes just one week after Ruman made her long-awaited return to Trans Am competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway following her recovery from an offseason injury.
Watkins Glen Preview: The Series heads to the legendary Watkins Glen International this weekend for a doubleheader event. Drivers will tackle the iconic 3.4-mile “long course,” including the challenging “Boot” section.
“I’m excited to get back to my favorite track, especially for a double race weekend,” said Ruman. “The crew has worked incredibly hard to repair the No. 23 Corvette after the Road America accident, and I can’t thank them enough for their dedication. Our aim is to put together two strong races and have a shot at the podium.”
Forty-seven competitors are entered across all classes, with eight running in Ruman’s TA class. Testing, practices, qualifying, and races will take place Thursday through Sunday. The Trans Am TA/GT races will be Saturday July 18, 2026, at 10:30am and Sunday at 2:05pm ET. The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2® Series races will be at 1:20pm and Sunday at 11:05am ET. All races are 30-laps/75min (102-mi) – all times listed are ET. Please visit theglen.com, gotransam.com, for tickets, schedules, and all other weekend information.
After Round 6, Matthew Brabham leads the TA National class championship with 727 points, followed by Paul Menard in second – 693, Tomy Drissi in third – 626, David Pintaric fourth – 605, and Simion Gregg sits in fifth – with 325 points.
LIVE BROADCAST:
The Trans Am events will stream live on @TheTransAmSeries Channel on YouTube, RacingAmerica.TV, Racing America 24/7 Channel. Other Trans Am programming includes another season of the docuseries Road to Glory, which showcases a behind the scenes look of teams and drivers throughout the Trans Am paddock as they navigate the season.
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 | sales@mcnichols.com
Valley Automotive Group and Valley Truck Centers, is a leading car and truck dealership network with locations throughout Ohio and Michigan, featuring Fleet One Rental & Leasing, and Final Vehicle Solutions through Cenweld Corp./Buckeye Body.
Follow Ruman Racing on all social media platforms for updates throughout the season – Ruman Racing, Inc. is based in Munroe Falls, Ohio.
