Fans of wheel-to-wheel racing flying around on a road course will love the 100-mile feature races Brainerd International Raceway is hosting Sunday, July 2, as the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli returns.
Mustangs, Corvettes, Camaros and Challengers will be running side by side on BIR's 2.5-mile Competition Road Course. It's a nod to the days of the Trans Am Series at BIR, which dates back to 1969.
Trans Am races are part of BIR's 31st annual PleasureLand RV Show and Go Friday, June 30, through Sunday, July 2. In addition to the Trans Am Series, the event includes the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) on the road course, the second leg of the three-race Muscle Car Series on the drag strip, fireworks, a classic car show and live music.
This will be the third year the Trans Am Series will be the Show and Go's finale. The first 100-mile, 40-lap race is the Ryan Companies Muscle Car Challenge at 11 a.m. Sunday and features the series' TA2 class. Duluth's Tommy Archer finished second both years while Gar Robinson took home the checkered flag last year after being chased by a 7-car pack during the final 20 laps.
At 2:30 p.m. Sunday, the Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic begins with another 100-mile, 40-lap showdown. The TA, TA3 and TA4 classes will be on the track at the same time. Last year, Paul Fix sat in second place behind Cliff Ebben for 37 laps before passing him on the final lap when Ebben's car started smoking.
Practice sessions are at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, and 20-minute qualifying sessions start at 2:30 p.m. More than 50 cars are expected to fill the field.
"This is a great chance for fans to see some world-class road racing," BIR owner Jed Copham, who will be racing in the TA class, said in a news release. "These are professional drivers that have amazing skills and cars that really fly around the track.
"We have bleachers set up on the best places to watch all the action, and fans can move around the track to watch from different vantage points, so it's a lot of fun for everyone."
For those who can't watch the races in person, both races will be televised on the CBS Sports Network. The Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic will be televised at 11 a.m. July 22. The Ryan Companies Muscle Car Challenge will be on at 11 a.m. Aug. 5.
When the Trans Am Series isn't on the track, the SCCA will have regional drivers competing in several different classes. The SCCA will have practice and qualifying sessions Saturday and 12-lap races Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT
On the drag strip, the Muscle Car Series will provide three days of non-stop action with cars showcasing huge horsepower and speed. The fastest cars in the top classes exceed 200 mph and close in on the 5-second mark. Time trials and qualifying are Friday and Saturday, while elimination rounds are Sunday.
One drag racer to watch is Kevin Sand, who hasn't lost a race since July 3. He's won 26 elimination-round match-ups and has ended up in the winners' circle six times in the last two events.
Saturday's schedule includes a classic car show, a fireworks display and live music by Gel.
Daily admission is $25. Kids 12 and under are free. Parking is free, as is rustic camping with a multi-day ticket.
