Trans-Am Series Adds New Global GT Class

SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series officials announced today the creation of the new Trans-Am Global GT (GGT) class for racecars such as the Porsche GT3 Cup, Ferrari 430 Challenge, as well as the potential to include other similar vehicles. The new category is effective immediately.

Three Porsche racers – Tim Gray, Scott Tucker and Gary Stewart – have competed thus far in the 2011 Trans-Am championship as part of the Trans-Am 2 (TA2) class. However, series officials determined a new and separate class would more accurately represent those cars' heritage and international racing pedigree.

The former TA2 Porsche drivers have now been separated out into the new GGT category, putting Gray into the GGT points lead with 220 points ahead of Tucker with 137 points, and Stewart with 121 markers heading to the Road Atlanta finale on Sept. 30. Additional GGT Porsche entries and at least one Ferrari are anticipated to compete at Road Atlanta.

"The expansion of the Trans-Am Series to multiple classes toward the end of last season opened the door for a number of exciting racecars to participate," said SCCA Pro Racing President Tom Campbell. "We've discovered over the course of this year that we could further broaden our base by creating a Global GT class for racing stalwarts like Porsche and Ferrari, as well as other potential entries. We look forward to the enormous potential this new category has to help us continue to grow the series."

The TA2 category will continue to be the playground for racecars such as the Chevrolet Camaro and others eligible to compete in SCCA Club Racing in the GT2 and GTA classes. Bob Stretch, who fields the No. 98 Wheels America Racing Camaro, wrapped up the 2011 TA2 championship with a pair of victories in a doubleheader at Brainerd International Raceway earlier this month.

It is anticipated that the Trans-Am 3 (TA3) class, which ran as an exhibition in the 2010 Trans-Am finale at Road Atlanta and was eligible to compete for points in 2011 will see its first entries of the season in the 2011 finale. TA3 cars are generally tube-frame racecars from a variety of domestic and foreign manufacturers using four-cylinder engines less than 2.5 liters. Any racecar currently eligible in the SCCA Club Racing GT3 class will also be eligible to compete in the TA3 class.

All classes run alongside the original Trans-Am (TA) class, which continues to feature 800-horsepower, purpose-built racecars like the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and Jaguar XKR. Tony Ave wrapped up his second consecutive Trans-Am championship at the Brainerd doubleheader by picking up his fifth and sixth victories of the season.