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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 sponsorship from Muscle Milk, a company owned by former series champion Gregg Pickett. The cars were prepared using the Sports Car Club of America’s GT1 rules to keep costs down and encourage amateur racers to participate. The basic car specs for a Trans-Am series prepared vehicle is a tube frame chassis fitted with a stock-appearing body with some modifications. The engines are a 358-cu.in. V8 with 13:1 compression. The induction system uses a Holley 390 four-barrel carburetor; this combination produces 700-800 horsepower @ 8,000 rpm. The cars are also equipped with a five-speed transmission. The minimum vehicle weight is 2,800-lbs. without fuel or the driver. The 2009 season consisted of seven rounds - opening in March at Road Atlanta and ending at Road America. Teams were originally slated to compete in an eighth event at Bluegrass Motorsports Park, but it was cancelled.
Round three of the 2009 Muscle Milk Trans-Am Series was held during the Victoria Day Speedfest Weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Drivers would compete in a thirty-seven-lap contest around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.
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The pole-sitter, Jorge Diaz Jr., driving the No. 2 JD Racing Jaguar XKR, leads a field of thirteen starters into Mosport International Raceway’s turn one for round three of the 2009 Muscle Milk Trans-Am Series. Immediately behind Dias is the other front-row starter, Tony Ave, in the No. 10 Tony Ave Racing Ford Mustang. Trailing the fastest qualifiers are the Jaguar of Tomy Drissi and the Corvettes of Michael Skeen and Blaise Csida. |
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Klaus Graf entered the second race of the season at Virginia International Raceway and started from the rear of the field to claim the win. Under similar circumstances, the driver of the No. 6 Pickett Racing Jaguar XKR would collect his second victory of 2009. At Mosport, the Jaguar’s rear wing height failed the post-qualifying technical inspection. Graf started last, but he was in the lead by midway through the race and grabbed the victory. |
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After finishing fifth in the first two rounds, Tomy Drissi was second in the points chase. In previous events, Mosport has been good to Drissi; he’s finished on the podium. He qualified third fastest driving the No. 5 Rocketsports Racing Jaguar XKR. Drissi chased the pole-sitter Jorge Diaz Jr. until lap-30 when he successfully passed for second place. He crossed the finish line 11.456-seconds behind the winner, Klaus Graf. |
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Jorge Diaz Jr. made his first start of the season at Virginia International Raceway and finished sixteenth after starting fifth. Round three provided some redemption for Diaz as he started on the pole in the No. 2 JD Racing Jaguar XKR. However, his place at the top of the lap chart ended when Tony Ave passed him. Diaz would fall to fourth place but earn the final position on the podium when Ave had a tire issue. |
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Tony Ave was the championship leader after the first two races of 2009. Ave qualified on the pole at Road Atlanta but finished thirteenth and was the fastest qualifier at Virginia International Raceway and finished in the runner-up spot. He started second at Mosport in the No. 10 Tony Ave Racing Ford Mustang but moved into the lead early. Unfortunately, he blew a right front tire and finished eighth. |
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Former Spec Racer standout and two-time Formula Mazda National champion James Goughary Jr. drove the No. 72 Luna Sueno Racing Chevrolet Corvette. Goughary started on the out side of the front row at Virginia International Raceway and finished a disappointing twelfth. The rookie was the fourth-fastest qualifier at Mosport but started twelfth after an engine change. However, Goughary was fourth at the checkered flag. |
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The podium at Mosport International Raceway for round three of the 2009 Muscle Milk Trans-Am Series. Standing in the center for the second time this season is the winner, Klaus Graf, from Pickett Racing. Graf set a new fastest race lap four times during the contest. On the left side of the rostrum is the Trans-Am veteran and runner-up finisher, Tomy Drissi. Completing the podium is the pole-sitter, Jorge Diaz Jr. |
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| FIN. | START | DRIVER | CAR | ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Klaus Graf | Jaguar XKR | Pickett Racing | 37 | - |
| 2 | 3 | Tomy Drissi | Jaguar XKR | Rocketsports Racing | 37 | - |
| 3 | 1 | Jorge Diaz Jr. | Jaguar XKR | JD Racing | 37 | - |
| 4 | 4 | Jim Goughary Jr. | Chevrolet Corvette | Luna Sueno Racing | 37 | - |
| 5 | 8 | Edison Lluch Sr. | Chevrolet Corvette | Loyas Racing | 36 | - |
| 6 | 6 | Blaise Csida | Chevrolet Corvette | BC Race Cars | 36 | - |
| 7 | 7 | Simon Gregg | Chevrolet Corvette | Derhaag Motorpsorts | 36 | - |
| 8 | 2 | Tony Ave | Ford Mustang | Tony Ave Racing | 36 | - |
| 9 | 11 | Jerry Kinn | Chevrolet Corvette | JDK Motorsports Inc. | 36 | - |
| 10 | 9 | Daniel Ramoutarsingh | Jaguar XKR | Rocketsports Racing | 35 | - |
| 11 | 12 | Glen Jung | Mazda RX-7 | Rotary Xtreme Team | 33 | - |
| 12 | 10 | Elmer Shannon | Chevrolet Corvette | Team Shannon | 10 | Mechanical |
| 13 | 5 | Michael Skeen | Chevrolet Corvette | Atlantic Autosport | 4 | Mechanical |
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