Corvette loses hood…and race at Road America

# 31 Randy Hale, Hale Propeller Old Saybrook CT was fastest in the XGT class, encountering vibrations at high speed after the hood of his car flew off.  Randy still had the race in hand…until he suddenly spun out on a patch of rain-slickened paint exiting Canada Corner.  

Rules that apply to his ex-Grand Am Corvette can require a front-opening hood which might have been a factor. (example shown above)

# 26 Aaron Pierce, LSI Inc/Sam Pierce Chevrolet Fishers IN led the SGT class before dropping all the way to fifth, loss of power for reason unexplained. 

 It’s almost uncanny that castoff C6 Corvettes like these have what it takes for the lower echelons of Trans am; while Corvettes in the 850 hp+ TA class are floundering.

# 23 Amy Ruman, Ruman Racing/McNichols Company Stow OH qualified almost 5 seconds off pace and finished tenth in TA.  Her many years of success might be nearing an end.  Hopefully the team revives over the long break until Watkins Glen on Sept 7.

# 98 Ron Malec, a local from the town of Elkhart Lake WI was a one-shot entry driving a well-traveled C7 supplied by Tony Ave Racing.  Ron finished eleventh in class, 6 seconds off the pace and 2 laps down.

# 30 Richard Grant, Grant Racing Germantown TN is a TA veteran and the family patriarch, now enjoying his later years shepherding his son, grandson and nephews driving Porsches and a Mazda in the lower classes.  Richard finished thirteenth in class.

# 2 Kaz Grala, Technique Chassis/Steel-it Mooresville NC Pancho Weaver Dodge Challenger became the youngest winner since Ernie Francis, besting the Mustangs of Chris Dyson, Paul Menard and Thomas Merrill in the 25-lap race.

 Photos courtesy of Chris Clark.