No one kicks off the Atlanta area racing season quite like Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) & Trans Am.
The early spring pilgrimage to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta consistently brings tight racing among a whole host of classes.
2023 was certainly no exception.
Under beautiful blue skies, Thursday’s test day gave an exciting glimpse of the speed that would be on tap for the weekend. Friday’s early morning practice sessions and later qualifying races showed the competition would be bumper to bumper in most classes.
And while practice sessions are usually humdrum affairs, that wasn’t the case on Friday. Instead, while flying down the backstretch, Scott Borchetta’s windshield was hit by a large bird.
The flagrant fowl, probably a wild turkey, hit with such force that it struck Scott through the windshield. Fortunately, the Chairman of Big Machine Vodka had his helmet visor down and the driving skills necessary to avoid what could have been a severe accident.
An EMT unit took him to the hospital to assess his injuries, where he was listed in stable condition.
Young Guns Rule
Young Gun drivers are leaving their mark in this year’s Trans Am 2 (TA2) class. These talented Young Gun drivers aged 16 or younger account for two of the first three TA2 wins of the 2023 season.
The “or younger” part of that prior sentence gives me hope for the future of this series. One of the rising stars to keep an eye on is Connor Zilisch.
Connor has been close to victory in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series. This time he finally broke through and notched his first win at the Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour.
The 16-year-old Young Gun earned his victory by getting by two past champions to reach the top step on the podium in the Bennett/BridgeHaul 100 sponsored race.
Chris Dyson, a perennial top driver, earned his second-consecutive victory on the demanding Road Atlanta road course. Starting from the pole, Chris never looked back as he captured the checkered flag in his #16 Gym Weed Ford Mustang.
This was Chris’s 21st win of his highlight-filled career in the Bennett/BridgeHaul Classic at the Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour. This win broke the tie with Corvette racing legend Ron Fellows for sixth on the all-time Trans Am TA class win list.
Ahead of Chis is Scott Pruett, fifth on the leaderboard with 22 wins.
Trans Am Results
SimCraft Brings The Realism
There I was, throttle mashed to the floor, flying down the front straightaway as the fans cheered me on. The infamous Road Atlanta Turn One was coming up fast, much too fast, the little voice in the back of my head emphatically pointed out.
In hindsight, I should have listened to that voice as I soon slid off the course and crashed the SimCraft simulator. But, bruised ego aside, it felt like I was piloting a race car on the track.
New for 2023, SimCraft is the latest partner to join SpeedTour events as the “Official Simulator of Trans Am, SVRA, FR Americas and F4 U.S. Championship.” This partnership lets drivers and fans become acquainted with SimCraft’s products through a simulator on-site at SpeedTour events.
Honestly, words can’t convey the realism this simulator brings. As you might know, SimCraft Motion Technology worked with sports scientists, neurologists, race professionals, and software and design engineers.
Many would say this is the premier “professional racing simulator” in terms of fidelity and accuracy. I, for one, wouldn’t doubt it, given the roughly $140,000 price tag.
As far as corners go, if a car accelerates or decelerates on a turn, you must exert a force parallel to the direction of travel. This generated force is added to the centripetal force to find the total force that friction must exert to prevent a skid.
In other words, listen to that little voice in your head and definitely hone your race skills on the SimCraft simulator.
A Very Tasty Sponsor
Needless to say, it would be tough to have an SVRA / Trans Am level event without corporate sponsorship. Modern-day racing requires strong collaboration among several like-minded corporations to make four-day events like Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta a reality.
And, over the years, SVRA has been fortunate to have many great sponsors. It’s just we can’t remember one that tasted so good.
Especially one that was as genuinely friendly and giving as the people of MISSION. Their free red bags of chips were in everyone’s hands, which makes sense.
MISSION is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. In addition, they are globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas, and Mexican food products, with a presence in over 112 countries.
They started with SVRA in 2021 and expanded their partnership to include three additional series the following year.
For 2022, Mission Foods also partnered with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. Also in the partnership were Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas) and Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.).
Exhilarating Racing
The Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour was a great weekend of racing. From the first practice session to the final podium ceremony, it had it all.
Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, International GT, PSSA, FRP, and the Trans Am Series, presented by Pirelli, held races.
In addition to the action on the track, getting a chance to walk the paddock area and talk with your favorite drivers is a treat that’s hard to beat. Especially in the SVRA series because those cars often represent the “golden age” of racing in the United States and Europe.
These owners are often eager to talk about the history of the car and their exploits on the track. Try getting that level of interaction from drivers in NASCAR or F-1.
All told the Mission Foods Altlanta SpeedTour at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was a great start to Atlanta area racing for 2023.
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