Fix, Andretti take Fast Five poles for Foametix Trans Am 100 at Road Atlanta

Paul Fix

Paul Fix led the way for the TA class during “Fast Five" qualifying for the Foametix Trans Am 100 at Road Atlanta, claiming pole position for tomorrow’s race with a time of 1:20.120.

This will be Fix’s first pole position of the year and should serve as a strong springboard for his Championship aspirations; as he currently sits second in the point standings to Amy Ruman. However, during today’s qualifying session, it was Ruman who was in second, but only just. The current points leader turned a time of 1:20.246 from behind the wheel of the No. 23 McNichols Company Chevrolet Corvette—strong enough to solidify second position for tomorrow’s race and a top of the table showdown with Fix.

Trans Am veteran Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang, turned a 1:20.379. Ebben is currently tied with Fix for second position in the points; and his position ensures he’ll have the opportunity to mix it in with Fix and Ruman, as he looks to stake his own claim on the points table.

John Baucom, in the No. 86 Roadraceparts.com/Baucom Motorsports Ford Mustang, and two-time defending Champion Doug Peterson, in the No. 87 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet Corvette, rounded out the TA class “Fast Five" with times of 1:21.080 and 1:21.196, respectively.

In TA2 it was Adam Andretti, in the No. 44 Engineered Components Company Ford Mustang, who led the way in a yellow-shortened session with a time of 1:26.455. Andretti set the pole for, and subsequently won, last year’s race at Road Atlanta; he’ll look to repeat that performance from behind the wheel of his brand new Ford Mustang tomorrow in the Foametix Muscle Car Challenge, the second independent TA2 class race of the year.

Following Andretti was two-time defending Champion, and current points leader, Cameron Lawrence, in the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge Challenger, with a time of 1:27.077, strong enough to secure second position on the TA2 grid. Lawrence and Andretti finished one-two in the 2014 Championship standings come the end of the year, and tomorrow’s front row will see a return of the marquee rivalry of last year’s season.

Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Bestline Superior Lubricants Ford Mustang, was third quickest in the session with a time of 1:27.235; he’ll start with Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 UniFirst/PPG Ford Mustang, alongside—the result of Machavern’s 1:27.278 lap time. Shane Lewis rounded out the TA2 Fast Five from behind the wheel of the No. 72 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro with a time of 1:27.360.

In TA3’s International Group Randy Mueller, in the No. 0 MCM/Bimmerworld/Redline/MCS/PFC BMW M3, set the pace and claimed the pole in his first-ever Trans Am appearance courtesy of a 1:30.627. Mueller was followed by Russ Snow, in the No. 20 Guardian Services/AiM Sports Chevrolet Corvette, with a time of 1:30.712, strong enough for second in the group. Lee Saunders, in the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper, was third quickest with a time of 1:31.911; while Jerry Greene, in the No. 93 Temp Air Porsche 996, was fourth with a time of 1:35.372. Richard Grant, in the No. 30 Grant Racing Chevrolet Corvette, was fifth with a time of 1:37.045.

Ernie Francis, Jr., in the No. 9 Breathless Performance Chevrolet Camaro, led the American Muscle Group with a time of 1:31.853 in a return to form for the defending Champion after a disappointing first two outings to the year. Francis was followed by current points leader Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Tremec/SKF/Backstreet Chevrolet Camaro, with a time of 1:33.090 in second, and Homestead-Miami victor Thomas Ellis, in the No. 00 Palm Express/Averitt/Steeda Ford Mustang, in third with a time of 1:33.889.

Chris DeSalvo, in the No. 61 Baucom Motorsports Ford Mustang, and Jason Fichter, in the No. 79 Turn 71 Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, finished fourth and fifth quickest in the session with respective times of 1:34.369 and 1:35.594.

While the top five drivers in each class have their positions secure, the rest of the field had an opportunity to re-qualify later in the day.

Nine TA2 drivers elected to capitalize on the second chance to qualify, key amongst them Joe Ebben, in the No. 14 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang; Bob Stretch, in the No. 16 Bulk Nation/CBRT Ford Mustang; and Jason Kennedy, in the No. 06 New Orleans East Medical Rehab Chevrolet Camaro. Ebben improved his starting position from 36th on grid to 15th, Stretch from 18th to 16th and Jason Kennedy from 38th to 23rd.

The two 100-mile Trans Am races will take place tomorrow; the Foametix Muscle Car Challenge, featuring TA2, will take place at 9:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 9, followed by the Foametix Trans Am 100, featuring TA and TA3, at 11:40 a.m. In total, 73 cars are expected to participate in the day's events.