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Racing News: Ebben Captures Hometown Trans-Am Series Win at Road America

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  Cliff Ebben in the No. 36 McMahon Group/StumpfFord/Lamers Ford Mustang passes Tony Ave in the No. 4 Lamers/Beebe Racing Optech/PME Chevrolet Corvette. Photo Credit: Mike Callahan

Ebben Captures Hometown Trans-Am Series Win at Road America
Cliff Ebben, of Appleton, Wisconsin, earned his second-career Trans-Am Series win at Road America—part of the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase. Daniel Ramoutarsingh, of La Romain, Trinidad, and Carlos de Quesada, of Coral Gables, Florida, completed the podium.

Ebben started second in the No. 36 McMahon Group/StumpfFord/Lamers Ford Mustang and spent much of the race chasing down Trans-Am Series Drivers’ Championship point leader Tony Ave, of Maiden, North Carolina. At one point, Ave led by more than seven seconds over Ebben. But twice, Ave’s substantial lead was negated due to two full-course cautions. This allowed Ebben to stay within striking distance.

Ave led the first 21 of the 25-lap race. On lap 21, Ave’s No. 4 Lamers/Beebe Racing Optech/PME Chevrolet Corvette ran over something on the track and the car’s left front tire started to go down. This enabled Ebben to pass him with just four laps to go. Once Ebben got by Ave, he cruised to a 9.318-second win over Ramoutarsingh. Both of Ebben’s two-career Trans-Am Series wins (2009 and 2011) have come at Road America.

Starting fourth in the No. 18 Trinrico Steel & Wire Products Jaguar XKR, Ramoutarsingh spent most of his race battling Amy Ruman, of Kent, Ohio, for third place. On lap 19, the back-and-forth battle finally ended when Ruman’s No. 23 McNichols/Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette made contact with the Turn Six wall and ended her day. At that point, Ramoutarsingh inherited third place. With one lap to go, Ramoutarsingh passed Ave for second, which is where he finished.

De Quesada rolled off today’s grid sixth in the No. 22 Alegra Motorsports/Vitalz Jaguar XKR and dropped to eighth by lap five. But, that’s when he starting working his way up and was in fifth by lap 10—a position he would hold until lap 19. When Ruman’s day ended, de Quesada inherited fourth place. In fact, de Quesada had resigned himself to the fact that was where he was going to finish until he made a last lap pass on Ave for the final podium spot. Ave finished fourth. This was the first time Ave did not finish on the podium this season and it breaks his four-race win streak. Dave Ruehlow, of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, finished fifth in the No. 31 McMahon Group/StumpfFord/Lamers Ford Mustang.

Ave leads the Trans-Am Drivers’ Point Championship with 774 points, followed by Simon Gregg (598 points), David Jans (486), Doug Harrington (425), and Ruman (420). The SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series next heads to Brainerd International Raceway for the Coca-Cola Muscle Car Shootout September 2–4. For more information, visit www.trans-amracing.com.

Jarid Vollmer Pushes Bully Dog Diesel Drag Truck to Career Best in Oregon
Last weekend at the NHRDA Pacific Coast Diesel Nationals in Oregon, Jarid Vollmer pushed the Bully Dog diesel drag truck to a career best—a 9.83 second-quarter mile at 143 mph. Vollmer went on to win the Pro Street Division 1 title (as well as runner-up in the night's Pro Stock competition), and is establishing the Bully Dog Dodge as a consistent nine-second performer. He will race at the World Finals on September 10.

Last Saturday's Amsoil USAC/CRA and California Lighting Sprint Race Available Online
The complete replay of the August 20 Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car and California Lightning Series race is available now on the PAS video website for $4.99. Produced by Jeff Kristensen of Raceway Video and Henry Clarke Sr., the complete show includes qualifying, heats, the B main and A main events. The race action is called by Scott Daloisio with Chris Holt and Ronnie Everhart supplying the interviews. Relive Matt Mitchell's rim ride to his second USAC/CRA win of the year, the crash of Johnny McCall in qualifying, along with all of the drama in the CLS main event. View the web cast here.