Munroe Falls, Ohio – It was another disappointing outcome for Amy Ruman and the team this past weekend at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) in Danville, VA, where she suffered a mechanical failure while running in 2nd place.
This was not the result Ruman had hoped for heading into Round 8. While she had a tough qualifying session, starting the No. 23 McNichols Chevrolet Corvette 7th on the grid for the Saturday morning race, the race started off well. She sailed past three competitors and moved into 3rd place by the exit of turn one, very nearly grabbing 2nd place by the third turn. Next, she had a great battle with Jim McAleese, vying for 2nd place and eventually achieving just that. She set off after the race leader, Paul Fix, but with 14 laps remaining in the race, Ruman felt something break in the rear of the car. She radioed to the crew that she would have to pit. Once the crew assessed the situation and realized it was not fixable, Ruman was unable to continue the race.
“What a shame that things didn’t go our way today. We had a great car for the race and it showed by turn one. We were really running strong and I was starting to catch the leader when the watts link broke on the rear suspension. The crew tried to achieve a quick fix to get me back out but it’s not something you can fix in pit lane,” remarked Ruman. “We managed to sustain the points lead, however the chase is really heating up! It is shaping up to be a thrilling end to the season!”
In the pursuit of her second Championship, Ruman maintains the points lead in TA class with 190 points, Paul Fix moves into second with 180, followed by David Pintaric in third with 179, Cliff Ebben slips to fourth with 178, rounded out by Simon Gregg with 164. The Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for Round 9 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship October 9th, 2016.
Sponsor: 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.
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Race Info/Scoring/Results: www.gotransam.com Live Timing/Twitter Feed: www.gotransam.com/live-timing-and-scoring/
