APRIL 4, 2018

(Chris Clark/Trans-Am Series)
Chris Dyson (No. 20 Plaid/ CD Racing Ford Mustang) secured his first career Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli victory in the TA class at Road Atlanta. Dyson passed pole sitter Ernie Francis, Jr. (No. 98 Frameless Shower Doors Ford Mustang) before turn one of the 40-lap, 101.6-mile race around the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit. Contact between Francis and Dyson on the 37th lap saw both cars spin and Francis take the lead, but stewards ruled the contact avoidable on the part of Francis and ordered the position be given back to Dyson with two laps remaining.  Francis would yield to Dyson with the latter retaking the lead. The No. 20 and No. 98 would run nose-to-tail for the remainder of the race, with Dyson holding off Francis for the win. The win is the first for Dyson and the recently formed CD Racing team, announced only 30 days ago after a busy week of testing before Sebring. “From where we started a month ago, I’m thrilled to be here,” said Dyson. “I’m thrilled to be in the Series it has a tremendous heritage and I’m honored to come here to one of my favorite tracks— Road Atlanta. For us to win our second time out really puts us in good shape in the points battle; we went head-to-head, straight up, with Francis, Jr., who’s the benchmark. We were fortunate to come out on top—I know we’re going to have hard fights all year, and I’m really looking forward it.” Simon Gregg finished third in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette.
(Chris Clark/Trans-Am Series)
Rafa Matos (No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Chevrolet Camaro) captured his first career Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli victory at Road Atlanta in the TA2 Muscle Car Challenge powered by AEM. Matos, making his seventh start, captured the win with a second-to-last lap pass over pole sitter Justin Haley (No. 99 Fraternal Order of Eagles Ford Mustang) during the 40-lap, 101.6-mile race. Haley was second and Tony Buffomante (No. 34 Mike Cope Racing Ford Mustang) finished third. “I learned from Sebring,” said Matos. “I definitely learned from Sebring. I conserved my tires all race long, I conserved by brakes, I studied Justin (Haley) a lot.  I studied where I was quicker than him— our car was very fast in the infield but he had more power in a straight line.  I was, kind of, happy in second position—it would have given us the points lead—but when he caught lapped traffic I was able to pass.” Paul Tracy, putting his toe in the waters of competitive racing again, started the No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Chevrolet Camaro for team owner Doug Peterson. Tracy originally qualified in tenth position but was forced to change a set of badly flat-spotted tires, moving the No. 87 back to 25th starting position. Tracy moved up rapidly, taking tenth before a full-course yellow and overtaking Keith Prociuk for eighth on the final lap.