2023 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) introduced the Trans Am series in 1966. The championship was created during the introduction of Detroit's 'American Pony Car' period. The Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro proved to be very popular with consumers and the best way for manufacturers to demonstrate their potential was 'To race on Sunday and sell on Monday.'

In 1966, vehicle classification and rules were based on the SCCA's A and B Sedan amateur classes. A Sedan was called the Over 2.0-Liter category. The cars competing in the group were limited to a 5.0-liter engine and provided a platform to showcase the new 'Pony Cars.' The Under 2.0-Liter category included BMW, Alfa Romero, British Leyland and Porsche vehicles.

The Trans Am series and its regulations have evolved over time. The championship has changed the race formats, vehicle eligibility and rules governing the cars.

Currently, the races are 100-miles in length with no opportunity for a pit stop to change drivers or tires and refuel the car. Teams can also compete in two championships – Trans Am Championship and Trans Am West Coast Championship.

Trans Am Championship

February 23-26 - Sebring International Raceway
March 9-12 – NOLA Motorsports Park
March 23-26 – Road Atlanta
May 26-29 – Lime Rock Park
June 2-4 - Detroit Grand Prix (TA2 only)
June 15-18 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway (TA/XGT/SGT/GT only)
June 23-26 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
July 6-9 – Road America
August 3-5 – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (TA2 only)
September 6-10 – Watkins Glen International
September 22-24 – World Wide Technology Raceway
October 5-8 – VIRginia International Raceway
November 2-5 – Circuit of the Americas

Trans Am West Coast Championship

March 3-5 – Thunderhill Raceway
April 27-May 30 – Sonoma Raceway
May 5-7 – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
June 9-11 – The Ridge Motorsports Park
July 21-23 – Portland International Raceway
October 20-22 – Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch
November 2-5 – Circuit of the Americas

In 2023, there are five classes – Trans Am, Trans Am 2, Xtreme Grand Touring, Super Grand Touring and Grand Touring. Trans Am, Xtreme Grand Touring, Super Grand Touring and Grand Touring compete in the same event. Tran Am 2 drivers have their own race.

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, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Challenger.
Trans Am 2 (TA2) – These are also 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. To keep expenses down, the series officials set the maximum price for shock absorbers, wheels, brake pads, and calipers. For example, shock absorbers are limited to $850 each. This category is also restricted to using a four-speed manual transmission with no overdrive. 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 and Dodge Challenger are also eligible.
Xtreme Grand Touring (XGT) – This class was created to give former FIA GT3 cars a place to race. The category is open to a wide range of GT3 vehicles - Audi R8 LMS, Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup, Mercedes AMG GT3 and Chevrolet Corvette.
Super Grand Touring (SGT) – In 2019, TA3 was renamed SGT and included many production-based vehicles. Unlike TA and TA2, which are restricted to North American models, European manufacturers may compete in this division. As a result, the list of vehicles eligible for SGT is long and ranges from the BMW M3 to the Dodge Viper. Some cars are fitted with restrictor plates or carry additional weight to maintain parity.
Grand Touring (GT) – The Grand Touring was previously called TA4. A wide range of European and American vehicles are also eligible to compete in this group – the list is not as lengthy as the Super Grand Touring category. This is viewed as an entry-level category that only allows limited preparation. To equalize performance, some cars may carry additional weight or the engine may be fitted with a restrictor place.

Round seven for the TA, XGT, SGT and GT categories of the 2023 Trans Am Championship presented by Pirelli was held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Drivers would compete in a forty-five-lap contest around the thirteen-turn 2.258-mile road course.

Twenty drivers head into the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course's 'Esses' for round seven of the 2023 Trans Am Championship. The pole-sitter, Justin Marks, driving the No. 99 Trackhouse Chevrolet Camaro is at the front of the field. Keeping pace with Marks is the second fastest qualifier, Boris Said, in the No. 2 Weaver Dodge Challenger. Behind the two quickest starters is Chris Dyson driving the No. 16 Gym Weed Ford Mustang.

Chris Dyson drove the No. 16 Ford Mustang. Dyson, who has two wins in 2023, qualified third fastest at Mid-Ohio. He passed the pole-sitter, Justin Marks, for second place on the opening circuit. Fifteen laps later, Dyson got by the race leader, Boris Said. He came under pressure from Marks until the fastest qualifier slid off the track. Next, Dyson had to contend with his teammate, Matthew Brabham but held on for the victory.

Grabbing the honours in the XGT category was Will Rodgers. Rodgers drove the No. 16 Chris Evans Race Cars and Design Ford Mustang. During the qualifying session, he was fourth fastest overall and started the forty-five-lap contest on the class pole. Rodgers went unchallenged in his first XGT start of the season and finished in the fifth position. He crossed the finish line two laps ahead of Danny Lowry, who was second in class.

Chris Coffey entered the opening round of the 2023 Trans Am Championship at Sebring International and finished second in the GT category. At the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the driver of the No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia / Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GTA started last. However, the class pole-sitter, Billy Griffin, was bumped off course at the 'Keyhole.' Coffey moved up the order and captured the GT victory.

The No. 20 Chis Dyson Racing Ford Mustang was driven by former open-wheel racer Matthew Brabham. Brabham entered the Mid-Ohio event with two victories and is second in the title chase, just one point behind team principal Chris Dyson. Problems before qualifying at Mid-Ohio prevented him from recording a time. Starting eighth and last in TA, Brabham moved to the front and finished second by a margin of 0.956-seconds.

Trackhouse team owner, Justin Marks, qualified on the pole for round seven at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. After three starts in 2023, Marks entered the weekend sixth in the standings with a victory at Lime Rock Park. At the beginning of the race, he was passed by Boris Said. On lap-23, Marks attempted to take the lead from Chris Dyson. He locked his brakes and went off course. Marks fought from last to finish third.

SGT competitor Lee Saunders has driven two different cars in his quest to secure the 2023 class championship. Saunder's regular ride is the No. 84 Landsearch Dodge Viper. However, he drove a Ford Mustang to a third-place result at Road Atlanta. He qualified first in his category and sixth overall at Mid-Ohio. Saunders had a pressure-free race and went flag-to-flag, his fourth victory of the season.

This season the 2002 series champion, Boris Said, is campaigning the No. 2 Weaver Technologies Racing Dodge Challenger. He has competed in two events – Sebring and Road Atlanta, where he finished second. At Mid-Ohio, Said qualified second fastest but grabbed the lead on the opening lap. The eventual winner, Chris Dyson, passed him on the nineteenth circuit. Said used up his rear tires and finished fourth.

The podium for round seven of the 2023 Trans Am Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The points leader and winner, Chris Dyson, stands in the center for the third time this season. On the left is Dyson's teammate, who has two victories this year, and the runner-up, Matthew Brabham. Completing the rostrum from Trackhouse Racing is the third-place finisher, Justin Marks.

FINISH	START	CLASS	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS
1	3	TA	Chris Dyson	Gym Weed / Ford Mustang	45
2	8	TA	Matt Brabham	Gym Weed / Ford Mustang	45
3	1	TA	Justin Marks	Trackhouse / Chevrolet Camaro	45
4	2	TA	Boris Said	Weaver / Dodge Challenger	45
5	1	XGT	Will Rodgers	Chris Evans Race / Ford Mustang	45
6	7	TA	Amy Ruman	McNichols Co. / Chevrolet Corvette	45
7	6	TA	David Pintaric	Kryderacing / Ford Mustang	45
8	1	TAH	Wally Dallenbach	Ultimate Headers / Ford Mustang	45
9	2	XGT	Danny Lowry	Bridgehaul / Mercedes AMG GT3	43
10	1	SGT	Lee Saunders	Landsearch LLC / Dodge Viper	43
11	2	GT	Chris Coffey	TrafficGrafix / Maserati MC GTA	43
12	4	SGT	Ricky Sanders	Pitboxes.com / Porsche 991.1 GT3	43
13	2	SGT	Carey Grant	Grant Racing 2 / Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup	42
14	1	GT	Billy Griffin	Sheehan'sTowing / Ford Mustang	42
15	3	SGT	Milton Grant	Sentry Self Storage / Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup	41
16	5	TA	Kerry Hitt	Advanced Composite Products Inc / Chevrolet Camaro	41
17	3	GT	Jack Rinke	Turn Key / Chevrolet Camaro	41
18	4	GT	Michael Attaway	Pitboxes.com / Audi R8	39
19	4	TA	Tomy Drissi	Lucas Oil / Ford Mustang	13
20	3	XGT	Chris Evans	Central Welding Supply / Ford Mustang	9
DNS	5	GT	Todd Napieralski	Turn Key / Chevrolet Camaro	-

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