Two familiar names make their mark in 2025 Trans Am opener at Sebring
Amy Ruman claimed third place by outlasting several faster cars in the TA class.
Kaylee Bryson finished second in the XGT class.
Ruman # 23 McNichols Corvette, 2016 & 2017 TA champ is starting her 18th season
Bryson # 02 LSI Corvette, last year’s XGT champ is starting her 2nd season. Notably they were the only Corvettes and the only women to appear in the race.
Ruman gained three spots from the early retirements of Chris Dyson # 16 GYM WEED Mustang, Brent Crews # 70 Nitro Motorsports Camaro and Keith Grant # 7 Trench Shoring/Motul Camaro. She then bested her “friendly nemesis” Tomi Drissi # 8 Trench Shoring/Motul Camaro to the checkered flag.
Pole-sitter and 2024 TA champ Paul Menard, # 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Mustang controlled the action and won the race overall.
Bryson’s crew gambled that fresh tires would improve her chances, even if it meant starting at the back.
The bet paid off when a caution flag bunched up the field which led to an aggressive chase that nearly caught former Indy Team Penske Star Paul Tracy in his # 10 Innovation IRC Mustang.
While the field of SVRA Corvettes diminished to just 3 cars, front-runner Peter Klutt # 59 from Canada won his class in group 6, Steve Yarborough # 76 from Reno, NV finished mid-pack and Callaway Racing stalwart John Kyle # 67 from Davie, FL provided the best eye candy in group 10 in a former winner at the 24 hour race at SPA in Belgium.
A greater number of Corvettes, eleven in all (C3 through C8) were entries at Sebring, the first of nine events at major tracks across the USA, sanctioned by the Ultimate Street Car Association (USCA). A prime example is Ryan Matthews # 121 GTL shown above.
FYI these are street legal race cars that compete for fastest time vs wheel to wheel. More examples are Ron Scott # 55 GTV, Joseph Boyer # 57 GTS, Christine Crutcher # 278 GTS, Beth Conoway # 127 GTL.
And even more here are Aime Baron # 178 GTS, Tony Pruch # 151 GTS, Justin Peachey # 145 Outlaw class.
Photos thanks to Larry VanScoy, Chris Clark and Ultima Battery.
