Five Things to Watch for during the Trans Am Season Opener

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli begins its 2023 season this weekend (Feb 24-26) at Sebring International Raceway. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 200-race winner Richard Petty will be the Grand Marshal for the event. The TA2 race starts Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET, while the TA/XGT/SGT/GT event is set for Sunday at 1:10 p.m. ET. Both races at 27 laps, with a 75-minute time limit. The full event will be live-streamed on the series’ YouTube channel: TheTransAmSeries – YouTube

Here are five things for fans to watch ahead of the series coming to Lime Rock Park over Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-29):

1. The Chris Dyson Trifecta – Poughkeepsie-area driver and Lime Rock fan favorite Chris Dyson is attempting to capture his third-consecutive Trans Am TA championship. Dyson won six races and six poles in 11 events to successfully defend his crown last season. Dyson will also be looking for his third-straight win in the Sebring opener when he gets behind the wheel of the No. 16 Gym Weed Ford Mustang.

2. TA2 Lands Series Sponsor – With record fields of more than 50 cars in many of the 2022 events, TA2 is looking for an even bigger presence in the upcoming season. The class will now be known as the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series. The Sebring entry boasts a 47-car TA2 field, with a total of 70 cars among the five classes.

3. Close Competition– Last year’s TA2 championship went right down to the wire, with Thomas Merrill capturing the championship on a tie-breaker. Merrill entered the finale at Circuit of The Americas trailing Rafa Matos by 32 points. However, Matos’ day ended early and Merrill scored his third victory of the season to claim the title. Matos opened the campaign with a victory at Sebring, but won only one additional race to trail Merrill in the tie-breaking category. The season saw 71 competitors take the green flag in TA2, with close competition again expected in the exciting category.

4. Diversity Program Expands – Parella Motorsports Holdings have named five female competitors as recipients of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship for 2023. Trans Am drivers Michele Abbate and Amy Ruman join F4 U.S. drivers Hannah Greenemeier and Ava Dobson plus SVRA competitor Kaylee Bryson. Ruman, a two-time Trans Am champion, will serve as scholarship ambassador for the class.

5. New Television Packages – MAVTV Motorsports Network will broadcast all 12 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli National Championship event races in 2023, which includes Lime Rock Park, in addition to live streaming for all rounds. The events will be televised on the Thursday evenings following each of the 12 event weekends. The Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series will air at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the TA/XGT/SGT/GT race at 9 p.m. The one-hour race programs are produced by Greenlight TV. Each race will initially air live in its entirety on the Trans Am and SpeedTour YouTube channels.

Lime Rock Park’ kicks off its 66th season Memorial Day weekend (May 26-29) with the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic, featuring races from Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), International GT (IGT) and the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. For tickets and more information visit: Memorial Day Classic – Lime Rock Park