Munroe Falls, OH – Amy Ruman and the Ruman Racing team are heading to Elkhart Lake, WI tomorrow to compete in two races being held at the renowned racing course, Road America. Ruman will run in the 2009 season finale of the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am race this weekend Sept. 20th, which kicks off the week-long 46th annual running of the famed SCCA National Championship Runoffs from Sept. 21-27th. SCCA moved the 2009 Runoffs to the 14-turn, four-mile Road America circuit this year, after being held at Heartland Park Topeka, KS the previous three years.
With the rebirth of the Trans-Am Series in the 2009 season, Ruman made the decision to divide her time and focus on running select Trans-Am races and enough GT-1 Nationals to qualify for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. She competed in four Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am races. Ruman qualified in the top-10 for all four races, grabbing a 3rd place and her first podium finish in the series at Road Atlanta, GA in the season opener. She was 6th at VIR, 12th at Mid-Ohio (mechanical problems), and a 4th at Watkins Glen. Ruman placed 3rd in the GT-1 Northeast National Points Division, capturing 3 pole positions out of 5 races, scoring 3 wins and a second place finish which earned her a spot in at the 2009 Runoffs.
The SCCA Runoffs brings together the top national drivers from across the country to compete for the title of National Champion in their respective car classes. Only those who place in the top-10 in their Division points standings are eligible to compete. Ruman Racing will field the familiar #23 McNichols/Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette in Ruman’s seventh appearance at the Runoffs. Ruman’s best finish at the Runoff’s was 5th in 2003. Ruman’s luck is bound to turn around this year: in 2008 she placed 14th after a wing failure, in 2007 she did not finish due to damage from being hit, she earned a 7th in 2006, 6th in 2005, and 9th in 2004 after having car problems during the race.
Ruman will hit the track for Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am practice on Saturday Sept. 19th at 9:10am and 3:20pm. Qualifying will take place on Sunday morning at 8:00am followed by the final Tran-Am race of the season at 1:00pm (all times are CDT).
For the GT-1 Runoffs, Ruman will run the first of three qualifiers beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd at 11:30am, followed by Wednesday at 8:35am and Thursday at 4:25pm (all times are CDT). This year’s GT-1 Championship race will be on Sunday, September 27th at 2:30pm.
“I am excited to get back in the car again! We have been off for about a month since the July race at Watkins Glen. I am glad we are having a Trans-Am race the weekend before the Runoffs,” exclaimed Ruman. “I’m hoping to be on the podium again for Trans-Am and I feel that we have a good shot to win the Runoffs this year. I also want to thank my sponsors, McNichols, Goodyear, and Cenweld for all of their outstanding support. For these final two races, I will be sporting Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) decals thanks to a special Tech Alumni supporter Bob Chandler.”
Sports Car Club of America, Inc. announced that every race from the 2009 SCCA National Championship Runoffs® will be broadcast live on the Internet from Road America. Speedcast Productions will exclusively carry the LIVE action during race days through www.SpeedcastTV.com, as well as on demand versions of each of the 24 races with additional content after the event has concluded.
For full coverage, news, and LIVE timing and scoring of the 2009 Runoffs, visit the official SCCA National Runoffs website at: http://www.scca.com/event.aspx?hub=1&event=13506. To view entry lists, schedules, results, and info about the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series visit: http://www.sccatrans-am.com/.
For all race weekend updates and quick news, you can now follow the Ruman Racing team online at: http://twitter.com/rumanracing.
