Rocketsports Racing Trans-Am pre-race report: Virginia

After scoring two top-six finishes during the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series season opener at Road Atlanta, the Rocketsports Racing duo of Tomy Drissi and Daniel Ramoutarsingh are eager to get back on track this weekend for Round 2 at VIRginia International Raceway.

VIRginia International Raceway is located in Southern Virginia and is known for being one of the world’s finest road courses. The legendary climbing esses and Oak Tree are waiting for the Trans-Am cars to rip up the asphalt. While VIR offers four road course configurations, the Trans-Am Series will be utilizing the 3.27-mile Full Course.

Both the team and Drissi have previously raced at VIR. Back in 2002, the team fielded three Trans-Am cars earning one top-five result. Drissi, started 8th on the grid and finished 13. For Ramoutarsingh, it will be his first time.

“I am looking forward to going to VIR; it is a beautiful race track,” said Drissi, driver of the #5 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Jaguar XKR. “I have only raced there one time, so I don’t have a lot experience on this track. I am going to have to just learn the track as fast as I can. It is going to be important to get as much track time as possible before the race on Sunday. The track features some esses there that are really daunting. Figuring out the fastest way to get through them is going to be what separates the fast guys from the rest this weekend. We will have to do the best we can and I am confident with the #5 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Jaguar XKR and the Rocketsports Racing team after our first race. I am looking forward to really going to battle there and being strong.”

Driving the #8 Trinrico Steel & Wire Products Jaguar XKR, Ramoutarsingh will have exactly the same focus as his teammate Drissi. “As exciting as it is to be a part of the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series, it is definitely hard to be a rookie,” said Ramoutarsingh. “Each track on the schedule is going to be a new experience for me and I have a lot to learn. I have never been to VIR, but I am really looking forward to driving the #8 Trinrico Steel & Wire Products Jaguar XKR there. It’s known to be one of the best tracks in the U.S., so it is definitely going to be a challenge. I am going to do my best to learn as quickly as I can and we will see how things go from there.”

The race weekend kicks off on Friday, April 17 with two days of practice. Sunday morning will host Trans-Am qualifying with the 28-lap race scheduled to take the green flag at 3:10 p.m. A race recap will be available on www.rocketsportsracing.com following the event.
16 April 2009