2014 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Trans-Am, America's oldest professional road racing series, dates back to 1966. The championship was successful for many years, but in 2005 the series stopped. There were two major primary reasons that organizers ended the Trans Am championship - automotive manufacturers were no longer supporting the series and there was a lack of interest among the competitors.

The championship was revived in 2009 with cars prepared to the Sports Car Club of America's GT1 rules to keep costs down and encourage amateur racers to participate.

Since the end of the 1979 season, when Category I and II were eliminated, only one class has been competing in the series. In 2013, series officials broke TA3 into two categories resulting in four groups - Trans-Am, Trans-Am 2 and the new Trans-Am 3 American Muscle and Trans-Am 3 International.

Trans-Am (TA) – This is the series quickest class. These tube-frame race cars are powered by a naturally aspirated 366-cu.in. pushrod V8 engine, which produces over 850-horsepower. From a technological standpoint, the vehicles are kept relatively simple – no superchargers, turbochargers, anti-lock braking systems or traction control. The body styles used are the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Jaguar XKR and Chevrolet Corvette.
Trans-Am 2 (TA2) – These are also purpose-built tube-frame chassis cars. Unlike the TA category, these vehicles use electronic fuel injection and intake restrictor plates to limit the horsepower to approximately 490. The series officials set the maximum price for shock absorbers, wheels, brake pads, and calipers to keep expenses down. Many of the chassis parts are based on circle track technology and components. This category is also restricted to using a four-speed manual transmission with no overdrive. They run on a ten-inch wide tire. Teams are also prohibited from using superchargers, turbochargers, anti-lock braking systems or traction control. The most common body style is the Chevrolet Camaro, but the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Chevrolet Impala SS are also eligible.
Trans-Am (TA3 American Muscle and TA3 International) – Competitors in the TA3A and TA3I race production-based vehicles rather than the purpose-built tube-frame cars used in TA and TA2. Vehicles eligible for the TA3A division include the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. The BMW M3, Porsche GT3 Cup, Ferrari 430 Challenge, Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette are in the TA3I group.

The 2014 season consisted of eleven rounds - opening in March at Sebring International Raceway and ending at Daytona International Speedway in November.

March 2 - Sebring International Raceway
March 9 - Homestead-Miami Speedway
May 10 - Road Atlanta
May 18 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
June 1 - New Jersey Motorsports Park
June 21 - Road America
August 16 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
August 31 - Brainerd International Raceway
September 20 - Lime Rock Park
September 28 - Virginia International Raceway
November 15 - Daytona International Speedway

Round four of the 2014 SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series was held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the Victoria Day Speedfest Weekend. Drivers would compete in a 100-mile contest around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.

Ron Fellows qualified on the pole for round four of the Trans-Am series in the No. 6 Derhaag Motorsports prepared Chevrolet Corvette. The event marked his 100th Trans Am start and first series appearance since 2004. He prevailed through all 100 miles, three full-course cautions, and multiple challenges from Amy Ruman, going flag-to-flag for his twentieth Trans Am victory at his home track.

The defending TA2 champion Cameron Lawrence had a terrific battle with Tony Buffomanter last season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park before finishing second. He led this year’s TA2 points chase after three rounds. The driver of the No. 1 Trick Titanium Chevrolet Camaro was gridded third for the race at CTMP but fell to fourth early in the contest. Late in the event, Lawrence battled with Adam Andretti for the win.

Another local racer delivering an excellent performance was TA3A competitor Joe Chan. Chan drove the No. 08 Paragon Competition Chevrolet Camaro and was gridded third in class for the 100-mile contest. He inherited second-place when the leader, Todd Napieralski, retired on lap-6. Twenty-six circuits later the new class leader, Ernie Francis Jr, pitted with a loose muffler. Chan held the top spot for the remainder of the race.

Amy Ruman qualified second in her last outing at Road Atlanta but finished fourth in the No. 23 McNichols Chevrolet Corvette. Round four would be an opportunity for some redemption. Ruman was the third fastest in the qualifying session. She moved into second with a pass on the first lap and hounded Ron Fellows for the remaining 100 miles. Ruman finished second and moved from fifth to third in the points chase.

Canadian Kevin Poitras drove the No. 73 Mike Cope Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the TA2 category and was committed to an entire season in 2014. Poitras opened his campaign with three fifth-place finishes. At the familiar Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, he qualified second in class. On lap-13, he lost a position to Cameron Lawrence. Poitras caught Adam Andretti late in the contest and passed in the final corner for second-place.

Another driver benefitting from the issues of the race leaders, Todd Napieralski and Ernie Francis Jr, was the defending TA3 champion, Chuck Cassaro. At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Cassaro qualified twenty-third overall and fourth in the TA3A category. The driver of the No. 76 StackData / Aeromotive / Metallica Ford Mustang captured a runner-up finish in class and moved to the top of the point standings.

After three rounds, the 2012 Trans-Am champion, Simon Gregg, had two fifth-place finishes and a runner-up result at Homestead-Miami, which put him second in the title chase. At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Gregg qualified on the outside of the front row in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette. Amy Ruman passed him on the opening lap and crossed the finish line in third place.

Adam Andretti, the son of Aldo and nephew of Mario, was in his second season of the Trans-Am series piloting the No. 44 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro in the TA2 class. Andretti claimed his first win of the year in the previous round at Road Atlanta. He qualified on the category pole at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, but in the race, he lost first place to Cameron Lawrence and subsequently finished third.

Ernie Francis Jr split his time between the Trans-Am series and World Challenge. He raced the No. 9 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro in the TA3A category. Francis qualified on the class pole at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, but lost the lead to Todd Napieralski at the start of the race. Napieralski would retire; however, a loose muffler forced Francis to pit. He returned to the contest and finished third.

FIN.	START	DRIVER	CLASS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Ron Fellows	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
2	3	Amy Ruman	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
3	2	Simon Gregg	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
4	6	David Pintaric	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
5	8	Kurt Roerhig	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
6	7	Kerry Hitt	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	41	-
7	12	Cameron Lawrence	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	41	-
8	11	Kevin Poitras	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	41	-
9	10	Adam Andretti	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	41	-
10	17	Ron Keith	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	41	-
11	16	Tom West	TA2	Ford Mustang	41	-
12	15	Harry Steenbakkers	TA2	Ford Mustang	41	-
13	9	Allan Lewis	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	40	-
14	18	Mel Shaw	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	39	-
15	22	Joe Chan	TA3A	Chevrolet Camaro	39	-
16	23	Chuck Cassaro	TA3A	Ford Mustang	39	-
17	20	Ernie Francis Jr	TA3A	Chevrolet Camaro	39	-
18	24	Rob Bodle	TA3A	Ford Mustang	39	-
19	25	Fernando Seferlis	TA3A	Chevrolet Camaro	37	-
20	26	Norman Betts	TA3I	Chevrolet Camaro	37	-
21	13	Bob Stretch	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	27	Mechanical
22	14	Mike McGahern	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	13	Accident
23	19	Tom Sheehan	TA2	Chevrolet Camaro	13	Accident
24	5	Andrew Romocki	TA	Ford Mustang	10	Mechanical
25	21	Todd Napieralski	TA3A	Chevrolet Camaro	6	Mechanical
26	4	Doug Peterson	TA	Chevrolet Corvette	3	Mechanical

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