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Lopez Tops Time Charts in Opening Practice at Autobahn


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JOLIET, July 30, 2010: Carrying the momentum of his first career SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series race victory at Toronto two weeks ago, RJ Lopez, of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, posted the quickest time in Friday morning’s opening practice session for the Harrah’s Autobahn Grand Prix presented by Mazda.

Driving the No. 6 Disco 106/ECR Engines/Goodyear Chevrolet Corvette, Lopez posted a best lap of 2:19.539 (91.845 mph) around the 3.56-mile, 19-turn Autobahn Country Club full circuit. He has finished on the podium in five of this season’s six races and looks to start a winning streak this weekend.

Lopez was more than 1.5 seconds quicker than his next closest competitor, point leader Tony Ave of Maiden, N.C. Ave logged a best lap at 2:21.101 (89.297 mph) in the No. 4 Lamers Racing/McMahon Group/Optech/PME Chevrolet Corvette. Ave won the previous three consecutive Trans-Am races before a second-place outing at Toronto.

Tomy Drissi, of Hollywood, Calif., was third in the opening session at 2:21.146 (89.269 mph). Drissi, the defending series champion, is once again piloting the No. 5 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Jaguar XKR this weekend as he goes in search of his second victory of the season. Drissi won the season-opening race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in May.

Amy Ruman, of Kent, Ohio, was fourth quickest in Practice 1 thanks to a best lap at 2:21.487 (89.054 mph) in the No. 23 McNichols/Goodyear/Cenweld Chevrolet Corvette. Ruman is looking for her third straight Trans-Am podium result this weekend after third-place performances at Toronto and at Road America last month.

Simon Gregg, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., rounded out the top five in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette with a best lap at 2:24.920 (86.944 mph). Gregg has finished inside the top five three times thus far in the 2010 Trans-Am Series.

This weekend’s Trans-Am race will include a “race within a race” for Pro STO cars utilizing engines with a displacement of 3.0 liters or less. Joe Koenig was the quickest STO driver in Practice 1 at 2:33.498 (82.085 mph) in the No.70 Trim-Tex Drywall Products /Fall-Line BMW M3.

A second Trans-Am practice session is scheduled to run from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT this afternoon.