Who Will be Using the Trans Am Name

[muggle not]

Which racing series will be using the Trans Am name next year. Or will the 38 year run of the longest road racing series come to and end. I understand that current agreement to use the name by P.G. will expire at the end of December.

Will SCCA grant the continued rights to OWRS who now owns P.G.'s Trans Am Racing Group.
Will SCCA grant the rights to another series like the new one that is being started and is starting to generate some real interest.
Could/would World Challenge change its name to use the Trans Am handle. A lot of previous TA drivers are moving to World Challenge.

Another question, there is a cetain amount of fan loyalty to the Trans Am name. What do those fans do, keeping in mind that most fans cannot afford to attend races of all the different types of road racing no matter how much they enjoy them. My guess is that Trans Am fans will continue to be fans of whatever series ends up using the Trans Am name.

Just some food for thought. Everything is in a state of uproar right now.

[paul-collins]

Well, that's an easy one for me to answer. Whatever shows up at Mosport (with or without the name) is where I'll be, and right now that's the upstart series. I'd like to see them get the name, for multiple reasons, but the main one is that Trans Am belongs at Mosport on Victoria Day.

[billnchristy]

I am also looking forward to seeing some kind of tube frame mean snarling cars at LRP, and once again, looks to be the new series...cant wait to find out, I emailed the guy who is starting the series again to see if he has any updates...I will keep you guys posted

[Fogelhund]

Of course, the Trans Am series will be using the name.

[GP Racer]

I find it kind of hard to believe, that Paul "the white knight" Gentilozzi, has rode into town to save CART, but in so doing, theres a good chance that he shot the Trans Am series in the ass!

So what is he, an angel or a devil in disguise?

What a silly season this has been...

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
Of course, the Trans Am series will be using the name.

Ok, smart guy, which cars will be in the series? (Beyond the obvious "Trans Am cars.")

I hope they can get enough of a field together to satisfy Mosport's staff. What a good idea that was, for them to hook up with that track...

[billnchristy]

I got some news today, just waiting for the ok. to let it fly!

[gttouring]

wow come B-N-C!
looking at Trans-Am history if SpeedGT took the name of Trans-Am it would be appropriate, as porsche was one of the orginal member manufacturers, and series winners. I like the big snarling tube framers, and would love to see that continue but maybe PG did neglect it and the name needs to go elsewhere, or he should invite all the tube framers back and help rebody them to something current.

[mountainstar]

I am not a fan of the tube framed things. I would not mind a V8 supercars type series to take the place of the current trans am.

[billnchristy]

The news is about the new series.

It is taking shape as we speak.

The plan is to call it: American Muscle Car Challenge.

The series will be open to all '03 spec T/A, GA GTS, and SCCA GT1 cars.

There are 2 classes GTS and GT1.

A single point will be awarded for every car you place ahead of, so the points system will vary race to race with car entries (an idea I like a lot). These points are also set up so a GT1 driver could win the championship also.

Rules are still being hashed out but will probably remain true to GT1 and T/A current rules. Weight might be added to equalize competition and if any car has an "unfair" advantage the rules will be tweaked to fix that.

The series plans to run at:
Easter weekend Road Atlanta
May 18th Mosport (We can be the feature)
June Carolina Motorsports Park
July 4th Lime Rock Park (With ALMS)
August Pocono Long Course (With a car club)
September Mid West
October Dominican Republic (Sponsorship shared and transport travel and lodging consideration possible)

All this of course depends on car count and cost of venues, but talks are in the works.

(and now for my opinion)

If this series makes it off the ground it could become very popular. It has all the elements that are lacking in T/A on paper. The ability to compete for no extra money for GT1 drivers and a T/A equality that does not exist. I for one am very excited!

[Waco Racer]

gttouring, you took the words right out of my mouth. I've always felt that Speed GT was what Trans Am should be - manufacturers hottest cars on track together.

[muggle not]

The way that World Challenge is picking up ex-Trans Am drivers it may as well be called Trans Am.

The 2 latest, of course, being Lou Gigliotta and Leighton Reese. I remember in season 2000 at Mosport when Leighton wa running TA and called Mosport a "real" drivers track.

Perhaps it is really the end for the Trans Am name. GM no longer pays anything to the series since they stopped producing the Trans Am car.

[GP Racer]

Whose series is this going to be?

Is it the Gentlozzi spin-off, or an SCCA series? Is it going to compete with T/A or evolve into it? Is it independent of other series?

If somebody can slow down for a minute and help me understand this, it would be greatly appreciated.

[RM40]

IIRC, it is independent and is just a bunch of guys who have the cars and want to race them competitively somewhere.

[thebear]

:confused: Just a bit of information on how General Motors ******-up it's opportinities.

Start with the name "Trans-Am". GM has PAID the Sports Car Club of America ~$4/car for the use of the name "Trans-Am" on over one million Pontiac cars over the last 30+ years.

:confused: They have paid International Speedway Corporation (NA$CAR/Daytona International Speedway, etc.) a similar ammount for the use of "Grand-Am" on various Pontiac cars in the same time period.

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by GP Racer
If somebody can slow down for a minute and help me understand this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Indeed.

In fact, slow right down. Stop! Wait for me!!

How many T/A style series are there going to be now... - current T/A, the "rebel" series mentioned in an earlier post, and... - another one??

This could be a new fractalisation world record - no sportscar/GT racing championship I know of has ever broken up into 3 independent series from one year to the next.

[muggle not]

At this point the current Trans Am "is no more", unless Gentilozzi can negotiate the purchase of the name from SCCA which I kinda doubt will be accomplished. Even if Gentilozzi proceeds with or without the TA name the series has deteriorated to the point where almost all the respected teams/drivers have left.

The new independent series as described in the memo above looks promising and very well could field cars the way most would like to see in a sports car road racing series.

At this point World Challenge is attracting good teams to their series in addition to the already good lineup. I personally believe it is remote that World Challenge would take on the "Trans Am" name.

A lot is going on right now in the field of road racing. It will be interesting to see how it all falls out.

[muggle not]

Just to keep the record straight, this is a copy of the entire latest GTS series update. Among others, I was sent a copy by Woodson awhile back.

GTS Discussion Update
December 18, 2003
First on behalf of Bob Sharp, Irv Hoerr and Myself I would like to thank everyone who supported the idea of a new series through comments and suggestions. Your input has been incorporated into the following memo. Those of you who offered to help will regret it because the next time your phone rings it may be me accepting your offer.

We are calling the series the American Muscle Car Challenge at the moment. Any one with a better idea may send it in for consideration.

The series is being created to provide exciting racing for the drivers while containing costs. The series philosophy is to extend to each competitor the opportunity to create a friendly fraternity where deliberate rough driving will earn an instant black flag, disqualification, forfeiture of any earned prizes and the withdrawal of future invitations.

Initially we believed that the natural ceiling for a new tube frame series would be a club event. However, after the talking points memo was disseminated we began receiving calls to bring “the show to town”. After all: these cars are exciting to watch, racing is in flux, car counts are down everywhere and most existing road race series fail to provide affordable easy to identify with, car racing. Perhaps it remains a club event, however consistent mid-twenty car counts coupled with exciting races could lead to something of a more professional series. Without TV it will be impossible to transition into a full-fledged professional series. Remember your car and the series has no chance of success or sponsorship if it is sitting on blocks in the barn. Bring it out race cleanly and we will do our best to deliver sponsorship.

We have the opportunity to put a very exciting first year schedule together. To continue discussions at each venue I need a car count approaching mid 20’s.

• Status of the project:
o Rules: we are currently working on a rules package that would be fair and inclusive of everyone. There are two classes GTS and GT-1. There may be slight final variations after further discussion but GTS will include cars that conform to the 2003 Grand-Am GTS rules and 2003 Trans-Am rules. GT-1 will include cars conforming to the 2003 SCCA rules for the GT-1 class. After final consideration weight may be added. Rules will remain very close to the existing rules as specified by the corresponding sanctioning body for each class. However if it is discovered that one class has an obvious advantage rules will be adjusted throughout 2004 until a final super competitive event is the norm.
o Schedule: Understand that this is tentative all venues are under discussion. When enough hands are raised I will try to conclude the discussions and bind the dates.
 Easter weekend Road Atlanta
 May 18th Mosport (We can be the feature)
 June Carolina Motorsports Park
 July 4th Lime Rock Park (With ALMS)
 August Pocono Long Course (With a car club)
 September Mid West
 October Dominican Republic (Sponsorship shared and transport travel and lodging consideration possible)

o Payout: Payouts will be front loaded for the podium and flatten out quickly.
 Fastest Qualifier in each class $500
 Fastest Race Lap in each class $500
 Overall and class victories will receive a purse as will positions as far back as possible. The extent of the purse will depend on car counts cost of venues and sponsorship.
 We are also working on a sponsor for overall series and class champions.
o One championship point will be awarded for each car a competitor finishes ahead of.
o Membership: each driver owner and crew crewperson will be required to join the association.
o Entry Fees:
 One Thousand Dollars. There will be a provision for hard ship applications.
o Races will be timed events of one hour. A typical race weekend will consist of two thirty-minuet practices, 15 minuets qualifying and a one-hour feature.

We seemed to have picked up some momentum please keep it going by responding with your hand raised or explain what you believe to be the stumbling blocks.

Please commit to a number of races (indicate which races), request a car number (29 &48 are already reserved) forward bios (Wbduncan@optonline.net) and photos (photos in Jpeg format) so we may begin construction of the website and solidify the schedule.

Woodson Duncan

[muggle not]

For cybersdorf: A photo of Marybeth Harrison's "stable" of cars at Las Vegas. BTW, she finished 3rd in the Canadian GT Chgampionship race at Calgary last year.

[GP Racer]

Thanks for the up-date, muggle!

[Mags]

But the Trans Am series that is running with CART in 2004, this is the one that Pruett drives in, right? This must be 2 totally different series?

[Cheyne]

Yes two different series. If there is a TA in 2004 it will most run with what ever CART becomes. Scott Pruett will most likely not be driving in the series. He will be driving for Chip Ganassi in Grand-Am with a Riley & Scott Toyota DP. I have heard that he is contract to drive in 4 or 5 TA races, but that this may not happen due to his Grand-Am deal.

Cheyne

[Mags]

DOH!! I had forgot about that! He is driving with Papis in a DP car, right?? Hope he has lots of bailing wire to keep the door closed!!!

[muggle not]

Geez, rumor has it that France may be negotiating the use/purchase of the Trans Am name. This is probably one of the more interesting off-seasons in many a year.

[Zinger]

I think he probably a good bet to get it and maybe combine with the muscle car thing. It seems as its What ever he can do to upset OWRS at the momemnt. Maybe a race at Watkins Glen for Muscle Care Challenge (Sorry 2004 Trans Am series)