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TRANS AM: Ruman repeats as champion with Daytona win

Saturday, 12 November 2016 Amy Ruman captured her second consecutive Trans Am championship in the final round of the series' 50th anniversary season. Ruman's title-clinching victory was her third in a row at Daytona from behind the wheel of the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet and saw an up-and-down season for the defending champ end on a high note.

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TRANS AM: Ruman reflects on Trans Am Championship

Mark Dill / Images by Chris Clark & Amy Ruman

RACER caught up with Amy Ruman shortly after she sealed the deal on her second consecutive Trans Am championship by winning the final round of the 2016 season at Daytona this past Saturday. With that victory, she cracked into the top ten of Trans Am's all-time winners at the top level with a career total of 16. She also became one of only five drivers to win consecutive championships in the series, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
In 2015 Ruman made history by becoming the sport's first female champion with a dominating performance of eight race wins. This year's battle was decidedly more challenging as she entered the final race nine points down to her top rival Paul Fix and clearly the long shot in the title chase. Early mechanical failure for Fix opened the door for Ruman who brought her McNichols Company Corvette home a convincing winner.
In this interview Ruman reflects on her place in Trans Am history, the significance of being a woman champion in a male-dominated field and where she might go from here – including the potential of tackling the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours Sebring.
RACER: So, two in a row? Honestly, did you have any doubts going into the race? It looked like long odds.
Amy Ruman: I suppose you can say I had some doubts – but never in my team or myself. Paul Fix had the momentum. But it's racing. If you still have the mathematics on your side, you can't throw in the towel. We just kept persevering. You have to have positivity to win. I had a tough race at COTA the week before. My whole thing is keeping a positive attitude. That's what racers do. Hey, I'm from Cleveland, look at our sports. Believe in your team; believe in yourself.
RACER: Obviously, it was a big deal to win your first championship last year. How does winning it a second consecutive time compare?
Ruman: Winning the first one was such a relief. It was a long time coming, our seventh season. Last year we were pretty dominant with eight wins. This year was a completely different path. It was a season of ups and downs. The main thing about this season, though, is that we backed it up. We're still the team to beat. Nobody can say last year was a fluke – this team is for real.
RACER: Paul Fix has kept you honest the last two seasons (BELOW), and you guys have really been the drivers to beat. Obviously, he must be disappointed. Any thoughts for Paul at this moment?
Ruman: Paul Fix (LEFT) doesn't need any moral support from me. He knows what it takes, and he is confident of his abilities. I'm sure he's frustrated; I understand that. I have lived it. My hat is off to their team. They had a great second half. I feel for them. Unfortunately in racing as a lot of times in life, there is only one first place.
RACER: Since your team is a family operation and your father, Bob Ruman was a long-time Trans Am driver does this carry a special meaning for you?
Ruman: Obviously, Trans Am is what I grew up with. It is and always was a family operation. It's always been our shared passion. I love the series. I love the cars. Look at all the great drivers over the past 50 years. Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Peter Gregg, Dorsey Schroeder, Tommy Kendall – there are so many more. It's hard to believe my name is on that list. It's really just sinking in.
RACER: Do you think your father feels like he has won the championship himself?
Ruman: My Dad is very proud. Mom is too. It's a team effort and at the core of it is our family. Without my Dad, I couldn't have accomplished what I have. He's the engineer, and also the driving force. I feel like we are such a unit that it would be really weird to drive for another team. Dad did fine on his own when he drove, and learned a lot through those years. He brings that to the table today. In his time he was up against some major factory efforts.
RACER: Where do you go from here? You seem like a perfect candidate for a GT or prototype ride at the Daytona 24 or 12 Hours of Sebring. Any thoughts?
Ruman: Let's just say we have a few irons in that fire. We have looked at some opportunities, but it has to be the right fit. We're not going to just do it to say we have. I don't need to do that. I see myself entering in a GT class. GT is similar to what I am familiar with, and what I know would easily transfer to that situation. I really can't say more at this point though. I'll be happy to share if get things in place.

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Ruman especially hopeful of Road Atlanta Trans Am rescheduling

Images via Trans Am
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emailBy RACER Staff | 8 hours ago

The postponement of the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta second round of the 2020 Trans Am presented by Pirelli series was especially disappointing for former two-time champion Amy Ruman, who has enjoyed much success at the Georgia circuit through the years.

Indeed, the Ohio-based driver of the No. 23 McNichols Co. Corvette found a second home at the 2.54-mile circuit carved out of the red Georgia clay, becoming the first female driver to win in a Trans Am Series race with a victory there in the 2011 season finale.

Following that breakthrough, Ruman has gone on to win 16 races, including eight in 2015 that led to her taking the first of two consecutive championships.

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“Road Atlanta is a very special track for us, because it’s the place where I won my first Trans Am race,” said the 46-year-old driver. “I was breaking barriers because I was a woman in the Trans Am Series, so there have been a lot of firsts.”



Ruman won again at Road Atlanta in 2015, her fourth consecutive victory in a streak that began at the 2014 season finale at Daytona. She also won there from the pole in 2016, and has finished second, third on three occasions, and fourth twice.

“Road Atlanta is a tough track,” she said. “You have to be consistent there, for sure. There are a lot of challenges, especially the downhill Esses and the downhill coming down to the front straight.”

Trans Am racing is a family affair for the Ruman clan. Amy’s dad, Bob, competed in 95 career races, posting 30 top-10 finishes. Daughter Amy made her series debut with a seventh-place finish at Cleveland in 2005 and she became the first woman to capture a Trans Am pole in only her third start – at Topeka, Kansas, during the abbreviated 2006 season.

“I’ve found a home in Trans Am,” she said. “We love it. We’re part of the Trans Am family, and I’m proud to be part of the Trans Am legacy. We know the cars – and these are cars that we like to run. There’s so much horsepower. They’re fast and fun to drive, and we love the format — 100-mile races with no pit stops, re-fueling (or) a lot of crew members.”

Ruman opened her 2020 campaign with a third-place finish at Sebring.

“Our competition is getting pretty deep,” she said. “Trans Am is where it’s at. A lot of people are coming (into) our series, and we’re matching up against a lot of top drivers, a lot of top teams. It’s very competitive, but that’s what makes it fun.”

For now, Ruman – along with everyone in the Trans Am family – can only wait for the “all clear” to resume action, including another visit to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Amy Ruman, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Trans Am