Green Flag for the 2025 Season
The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli will kick off the 2025 season at the site of its inaugural race in 1966, Sebring International Raceway, as part of the Sebring SpeedTour. The challenging 3.74-mile track has hosted 29 previous Trans Am races and has served as the season-opener for the series every year since 2013. This weekend, Sebring will host more than 60 cars between the TA/GT race and the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, in addition approximately two dozen Historic Trans Am cars in the HTA races.
Watch LIVE
There are two great free streaming options for watching this weekend’s TA/GT, CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, and Historic Trans Am races. The events will stream live on Trans Am’s YouTube channel, @TheTransAmSeries, as well as on SPEED SPORT 1. SPEED SPORT 1 is the first network dedicated to free, live motorsports, presenting hundreds of live events and thousands of hours of premier motorsport content and lifestyle programming from around the globe annually. SPEED SPORT 1 can be watched on its dedicated app on Android and iOS, as well as Amazon Prime Freevee, PlutoTV, Sling Freestream and more. For more information on how to watch, click here.
Trans Am Hall of Fame
On Friday, February 21, the inaugural class of the Trans Am Hall of Fame will be inducted during a celebratory dinner at Sebring. The new Trans Am Hall of Fame was announced in November to honor the longest-running professional road racing series in North America. The inaugural class consists of 18 legendary drivers, team owners and series officials: John Clagett, Wally Dallenbach Jr., Mark Donohue, Chris Dyson, Ron Fellows, George Follmer, Ernie Francis Jr., Paul Gentilozzi, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Tommy Kendall, Roger Penske, Greg Pickett, Scott Pruett, Willy T. Ribbs, Jack Roush, Amy Ruman and Bob Tullius.
Three of the inductees will be on track with us this weekend: Wally Dallenbach Jr., (No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang), Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang), and Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette). Paul Gentilozzi will also be in the paddock as the owner of 3GT Racing.
Lyn St. James Named Grand Marshal
Lyn St. James will serve as the Grand Marshal for this weekend’s Sebring SpeedTour. St. James will give the command before the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race on Saturday, as well as Sunday’s Historic Trans Am race. An icon for women in motorsports, St. James became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of The Year in 1992, ultimately making seven starts in the race. St. James was also an accomplished endurance driver, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona twice, the 12 Hours of Sebring, racing twice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and once at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The veteran of 53 Trans Am starts, she earned seven top-five Trans Am finishes and several IMSA GT wins. She also set 21 national and international speed records and was named one of the “Top 100 Female Athletes of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. A long-time advocate for women’s racing involvement, St. James is the co-founder of Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA), an organization devoted to supporting opportunities for women across all disciplines of motorsports.
Make-A-Wish Foundation Guest at Sebring
Joining us in the paddock this weekend is a guest from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who is being hosted by TA2 competitor Bob Accardo (No. 39 Make-A-Wish America/Cope Ford Mustang). On March 6, 2024, Kevin began a fight for his life with his first chemo treatment to battle Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The following six months were very tough, with severe side effects from his chemotherapy treatments. Nausea, frequent vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, and hives were just a few conditions that Kevin had to endure and overcome. In addition to the physical side effects, Kevin had to break his perfect attendance record at school, which he had maintained proudly since kindergarten. His strength and resilience prevailed, and on September 5, 2024, his prayers were answered when he received the wonderful news that he had entered remission. Now 16 years old, Kevin dreams of being a racecar driver. Kevin will be giving the command to start engines before Sunday’s TA/GT race.
Trans Am Drivers Powering Diversity
Five Trans Am Series drivers have been named recipients of the Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) Powering Diversity Scholarship, assisting them as they continue their careers in North America’s longest-running professional road racing series.
After winning last year’s SGT Championship, Kaylee Bryson (No. 02 Logical Systems Inc. Chevrolet Corvette) will move up to the faster XGT Class with Sam Pierce Racing. Two-time TA champion Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette) will mentor several of the younger drivers, as she once again returns to the Trans Am Series’ TA class with her family-owned Ruman Racing team. In Trans Am’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, Silver Hare Racing’s Rafa Matos (No. 57 Concord American Flagpole/SHR Chevrolet Camaro) will serve as an additional mentor for the younger members of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship class after winning last year’s TA2 championship. Nitro Motorsports teammates Julian DaCosta (No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) and Tyler Gonzalez (No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) will both utilize support from the scholarship to fight for podiums and search for their first wins in the TA2 Series.
Past Sebring Winners
13 drivers in this weekend’s field have previously driven to GYM WEED Winners Circle at Sebring International Raceway. Lee Saunders in the SGT class has the most Sebring victories by far, with seven wins dating back to 2014.
TA
Paul Menard, No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang: 2024
Wally Dallenbach Jr., No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang: 2023, 2022 (TAH)
Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang: 2022, 2021
Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette: 2015
XGT
Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT4: 2024, 2023
Billy Griffin, No. 14 Griffin Auto Care Mercedes AMG GT3: 2022 (GT)
SGT
Lee Saunders, No. 84 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper: 2024, 2023, 2020, 2019, 2016 (SGT) 2015, 2014 (TA3-I)
GT
Chris Coffey, No. 97 Traffic Grafix/Chill Out Motorsports Maserati MC GT4: 2024
CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series
Thomas Merrill, No. 26 HP Tuners/Franklin Road/Cope Ford Mustang: 2021
Mike Skeen, No. 48 CUBE 3/Franklin Road/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro: 2020
Rafa Matos, No. 57 Concord American Flagpole/SHR Chevrolet Camaro: 2023, 2022, 2019
Doug Peterson, No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang: 2014, 2013 (TA)
CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge
Barry Boes, No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro: 2024
In addition to those who have won in the Trans Am Series, Roberto Sabato (No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang) has won at Sebring in IMSA’s L2 class, and Matt Griffin (No. 67 Griffin Concrete Construction Chevrolet Camaro) has won at the track in SCCA.
Recent Success in the Sunshine State
In January, the SCCA Super Tour competed at Sebring, and several Trans Am drivers took part in the event, finding success at this weekend’s venue.
TA
David Pintaric, No. 57 Kryderacing Ford Mustang
Won GT1 Race 1, Third in class in GT1 Race 2
XGT
Billy Griffin, No. 14 Griffin Auto Care Mercedes MAG GT3
Second in class in GTX Race 1 and Race 2
Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT
Third in class in T1 Race 2, Fourth in class in T1 Race 1
GT
Jeff Lindstrom, No. 41 Griffin Auto Care Ford Mustang
Third in class in GTX Race 1
TA2
Barry Boes, No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Ford Mustang
Second in class in GT2 Race 1
Patrick Utt, No. 49 RaceQuip/Driven Racing Oil Chevrolet Camaro
Fifth in class in GT2 Race 2, Seventh in class in GT2 Race 1
Jared Odrick, No. 00 Black Underwear Ford Mustang
Won in GT2 Race 2, Fourth in class in GT2 Race 1
In addition to all of those who found success at Sebring, Tyler Gonzalez (No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) won the MX-5 race at Daytona International Speedway on Rolex 24 weekend, driving from the back of the field after starting 14th.
Trans Am Connections in Daytona
The racing world’s attention has been focused a few hours north of Sebring at Daytona International Speedway, where NASCAR kicked off its 2025 season with the Daytona 500 last weekend. This year, several drivers in “The Great American Race” had previous experience in the Trans Am Series, including Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Austin Dillon, Ty Gibbs, Justin Haley, Riley Herbst, Tyler Reddick and Daniel Suarez. Of those competitors, Tyler Reddick, who competed in Trans Am in 2018, had the best result, finishing second in NASCAR’s biggest race.
In addition to the competitors in the Daytona 500, Trans Am alum Jesse Love won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, and the top-seven finishers in that event all had previous experience in Trans Am. The top-three finishers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, which was won by Corey Heim, are also Trans Am alumni.
Sunshine State at Sebring
There are 13 drivers who will be racing close to home in Florida this weekend.
TA
Wally Dallenbach Jr., No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang (Punta Gorda)
SGT
Patrick Utt, No. 49 RaceQuip/Driven Racing Oil Chevrolet Camaro (Riverview)
Lee Saunders, No. 84 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper (Lakeland)
GT
Billy Griffin, No. 14 Griffin Auto Care/Sheehan’s Towing Ford Mustang (West Palm Beach)
Jeff Lindstrom, No. 41 Griffin Auto Care Ford Mustang (Lake Worth)
CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series
Noah Harmon, No. 7 Streetside Classics/Flanagan’s Chevrolet Camaro (DeLand)
Tyler Gonzalez, No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang (St. Cloud)
Jordan Menzin, No. 18 Performance Tech Motorsports Ford Mustang (Delray Beach)
Julian DaCosta, No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang (Myakka City)
Rafa Matos, No. 57 Concord American Flagpole/SHR Chevrolet Camaro (Boca Raton)
Roberto Sabato, No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang (Bonita Springs)
Matt Griffin, No. 67 Griffin Concrete Construction Chevrolet Camaro (Howey-in-the-Hills)
Doug Peterson, No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang (Bonita Springs) |