2016 SCCA Pro Trans Am Series (50th Anniversary)

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Of the five classes, does any allow GT4 cars?

Yes, the former TA3 class did, there were a couple of GTS-ish Camaros and Mustangs plus an Aston Martin Vantage competing. There'll be more Astons next year (entered by Breathless Racing) and I expect the Camaros + Mustangs to return as well. We'll probably see quite a few Cup Porsches and perhaps a new Cayman in the new Porsche class as well.

[nasportscar]

Here's our quick 2016 season preview http://nasportscar.com/a-quick-look-at-trans-am-2016/

[nasportscar]

Trans Am will be in Detroit with Indycar June 3-5. Here's some old videos from their time in Detroit http://nasportscar.com/trans-am-at-detroit-in-video/

[canamman]

Originally Posted by nasportscar

Here's our quick 2016 season preview http://nasportscar.com/a-quick-look-at-trans-am-2016/

Any idea why Road Atl. has not put this event on their website? I called
the track 4 weeks ago and asked about the TA weekend and the young
lady had not heard anything about TA coming. Really strange for
a great series. I thoroughly enjoyed them at Daytona this past
Nov. and still plan to go since they have a schedule published for the
weekend.

http://www.roadatlanta.com/events/event-schedule

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

Any idea why Road Atl. has not put this event on their website? I called
the track 4 weeks ago and asked about the TA weekend and the young
lady had not heard anything about TA coming. Really strange for
a great series. I thoroughly enjoyed them at Daytona this past
Nov. and still plan to go since they have a schedule published for the
weekend.

http://www.roadatlanta.com/events/event-schedule

I've been thinking the same. I thought it would be a nice day at the track. Nothing in the Atlanta region SCCA site. Odd.

[Madkart]

Originally Posted by canamman

Any idea why Road Atl. has not put this event on their website? I called
the track 4 weeks ago and asked about the TA weekend and the young
lady had not heard anything about TA coming. Really strange for
a great series. I thoroughly enjoyed them at Daytona this past
Nov. and still plan to go since they have a schedule published for the
weekend.

http://www.roadatlanta.com/events/event-schedule

Glad I'm not the only one here that is asking the same question. I'll be at RA once this event gets confirmed. It's very strange to not see it on the RA site.

[nasportscar]

I know for SCCA events at Road Atlanta you can only purchase them at the door. I'm not sure if that's the case for Trans Am, but it is odd it's not on the event schedule

[canamman]

Here is the word on the Trans Am race at Road Atlanta straight
from the PR dept. I thank them for the reply . Looks like some
sort of hoop to jump through if you are interested in going.
I will try contacting NARRA to see if its possible at least to
get a Sunday pass. It is Masters weekend so I won't beg too hard.


"Hi there,

Currently, the Trans Am event at Road Atlanta is a non-spectator event. Trans Am is on the NARRA event weekend, so you could potentially reach out to that organization and see if there’s a way to purchase a single-event membership to attend.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Thank you!"

[nasportscar]

Originally Posted by canamman

Here is the word on the Trans Am race at Road Atlanta straight
from the PR dept. I thank them for the reply . Looks like some
sort of hoop to jump through if you are interested in going.
I will try contacting NARRA to see if its possible at least to
get a Sunday pass. It is Masters weekend so I won't beg too hard.


"Hi there,

Currently, the Trans Am event at Road Atlanta is a non-spectator event. Trans Am is on the NARRA event weekend, so you could potentially reach out to that organization and see if there’s a way to purchase a single-event membership to attend.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Thank you!"

hmmm...this seems...dumb..is dumb the right word?..yes. dumb.

[canamman]

OK , I just did emails with NARRA and GOTRANSAM.com.
They replied instantly so kudos to them. BUT.......
there definitely will be no spectator tickets sold at the gate
and about the only way to get in is by getting your name
on a team list somehow. Since I don't know any teams
personally, I guess I will settle in with the Masters.
Second thought, I might shoot an email to a TA team
geographically closest to me and see what the chances are.

Certainly strange but true. I wonder if tv will be there taping
for a future broadcast? Oh well.

[Deleted]

You know it's a club series when they forbid you to see it

Anyway I hadn't seen Road America on fog before this (last year):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxqa7sr1rKw

[fieldodreams79]

Road Atlanta; WTF?!

Oh well, I've seen those cars 10 years ago and will see some similar at the Mitty towards the end of April.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Road Atlanta; WTF?!

Oh well, I've seen those cars 10 years ago and will see some similar at the Mitty towards the end of April.

Certainly the weirdest thing I have ever heard of.
I sent an email to a Ga. based TA team to plead my case.
I will post if I hear from them.

Indy at Barber is calling my name again the Mitty weekend.
That show was too good last year with the Newgarden win plus
all the PWC, and road to indy classes racing.

[Lanky Turtle]

That is not a good sign for a "growing" series when they feel it's not even worth it to try to sell tickets to spectators. They could at least do like the IMSA test at Sebring this year, where you had to go in the ticket building and sign a waiver to get in. That way they don't have to staff extra security or ticket takers, and if people wander somewhere stupid and get hurt, then it's their own fault.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

Certainly the weirdest thing I have ever heard of.
I sent an email to a Ga. based TA team to plead my case.
I will post if I hear from them.

Indy at Barber is calling my name again the Mitty weekend.
That show was too good last year with the Newgarden win plus
all the PWC, and road to indy classes racing.

I wish I could go to Barber, I just don't think I'll go back. Hate the place as a visitor / camper and 50th anniversary of CanAm at Road ATL. C'mon!



Ok, back to the topic. Let us know what comes of visiting an actual TA meeting at Road Atlanta. It would be kinda cool with the place being empty!

[canamman]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

That is not a good sign for a "growing" series when they feel it's not even worth it to try to sell tickets to spectators. They could at least do like the IMSA test at Sebring this year, where you had to go in the ticket building and sign a waiver to get in. That way they don't have to staff extra security or ticket takers, and if people wander somewhere stupid and get hurt, then it's their own fault.

There has to be something bigger going on here that we are not aware of.
I mean really, I gladly paid $10 to watch a 14 hr Chump race at the gate.
Sign the waiver, $10, in. I hate it because there are going to be a bunch
of cars according to the entry list at the TA website. Nothing like 40 ground
pounders hussling through T2,3,and4 at the start!

[Madkart]

WTF ROAD ATLANTA AND TRANS-AM!? I was so looking forward to attending this event! I'm gutted!

[rwintle]

I think this is even worse - having the race run but not being able to buy tickets - than not having it at all (hello Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, I'm looking at you). What a shame. Sorry for all you RA fans.

[nasportscar]

I'm still waiting to hear back from the Series, but a team did tell me that the series is now working on a solution to let fans in and we should hear by early next week. I really hope they do and also hope it's not too late

[canamman]

Interesting . Thanks!

[nasportscar]

After some more digging, here's what I'm finding out - a resolution for fans to get in probably won't come for Road Atlanta (and some of this is out of TA's control), but if you were to go up to the main registration desk and said you were a guest of Trans Am, they would probably point you in the direction of Trans Am registration, which happens to be in the infield.

This is a really odd situation and I'll hopefully have a full post early next week about it

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by nasportscar

After some more digging, here's what I'm finding out - a resolution for fans to get in probably won't come for Road Atlanta (and some of this is out of TA's control), but if you were to go up to the main registration desk and said you were a guest of Trans Am, they would probably point you in the direction of Trans Am registration, which happens to be in the infield.

This is a really odd situation and I'll hopefully have a full post early next week about it

Thanks for checking into this. However, I'll be up there in month for something I really want to see and this sounds like entirely too much effort for the potential of being turned away at the gate.

[nasportscar]

So, a resolution will not be made to get fans into the event. A lot of this seems like it's out of Trans Am's hands, but the decision to run w/ NARRA probably wasn't for hte best. http://nasportscar.com/trans-am-at-r...a-a-follow-up/

[Coach Ep]

A highly unsatisfying explanation imo, TA did the deal with NARRA knowing fully well their status as a club racing series and wasn't interested in making a more premium deal - like they did with the drifters (not saying that was the right combo but it worked for getting spectators in - a lot of them!) - but made what looks like the cheaper deal. Although it seems TA isn't willing to cough the extra bucks to open up their joint event at Road Atlanta to spectators, the simply fact is they don't have the money for it (the series is run on a shoestring budget).

Mazda is probably gonna bail them out for Watkins Glen - good for them and the fans will know who to thank.

Again, it makes me wonder why TA doesn't team up with PWC for some joint events. The fact that SCCA Pro series have a lot of the same staff (logistics, tech, grid, stewards, etc.) supporting the different racing series would make it a no-brainer.

This fiasco will hurt the TA series badly.

[fieldodreams79]

Agreed, Coach. TA has been essentially a club series for sometime now, but this is certainly a bad look.

Originally Posted by nasportscar

So, a resolution will not be made to get fans into the event. A lot of this seems like it's out of Trans Am's hands, but the decision to run w/ NARRA probably wasn't for hte best. http://nasportscar.com/trans-am-at-r...a-a-follow-up/

Your efforts clear this up for us and doesn't leave us wondering. Thanks again, Matt.