Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis , Jr ., collect TA3 and TA4 victories at Brainerd
Gar Robinson and Paul Fix celebrated the Fourth of July weekend in style with race victories at Brainerd International Raceway ( BIR ). Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis , Jr ., were also victorious with wins in TA3 and TA4 classes .
The weekend featured two 100-mile Trans Am races around the 2.5-mile competition course at BIR : The Ryan Companies Muscle Car Challenge , an independent TA2 race , and a TA , TA3 , TA4 multi-class race , the Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic , with both comprising Round 5 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship .
For Robinson , in the No . 74 Pura Vida Tequila / 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro , the TA2 race saw him start fourth and make his way up to the front of the field over the first 15 laps , while fending off challenges from Justin Haley , Lawrence Loshak and Tommy Archer over the second half of a race that saw the top eight cars nose-to-tail for the vast majority of the time . Robinson would hold the lead until the 35th lap when the course went under yellow for a multi-car incident .
For Robinson , the defending TA2 champion , the victory is his second of the year and pushes him into first position in the championship points standings as the season approaches the halfway mark . Robinson was joined on the podium by Tommy Archer , driver of the No . 54 ECC / KolarChev . com Chevrolet Camaro , and Dillon Machavern , in the No . 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang , who finished second and third , respectively .
The TA2 top five was completed by Lawrence Loshak , in the No . 5 Pennzoil Platinum / MOMO / ETE Reman Chevrolet Camaro , and Tony Buffomante , in the No . 34 Mike Cope Racing Ford Mustang , who finished fourth and fifth , respectively .
The top 10 also featured Shane Lewis , Adam Andretti , Keith Prociuk , Cole Carlson and John Atwell , in that finishing order .
Paul Fix , behind the wheel of the No . 50 StopFlex . com / TheCarCoach . com / Chevron Techron Chevrolet Corvette , started the multi class race in sixth position and quickly surged through the field claiming second position after only two laps of green racing — settling into a race-long pursuit of pole sitter Cliff Ebben , in the No . 36 Stumpf Ford / McMahon Group Ford Mustang , that lasted until the final lap . With barely a minute remaining in the race , the No . 36 of Ebben , who then had a second gap on Fix , began to smoke and slow , leaving Fix to make the pivotal pass in turn four on the final lap en route to the checkered flag .
Fix was joined on the podium by Ebben , who was able to maintain second position until the checkered flag , and David Pintaric , in the No . 57 Kryderacing Chevrolet Corvette , who finished second and third , respectively . The podiums marked the second of the year for both , with Ebben now holding second in the points with 110 and Pintaric in third with 107 .
The TA class top five was completed by Jim McAleese , in the No . 03 McAleese & Associates Chevrolet Corvette , and Simon Gregg , in the No . 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette , finishing fourth and fifth . The top ten saw Kerry Hitt , Claudio Burtin , Tim Rubright , Amy Ruman and Mickey Wright , all feature in that finishing order .
Ruman maintains the championship points lead with 137 to her name despite a ninth place finish , the result of a pit stop after having lost power steering due to an impact from another car on the first lap .