Machavern Captures Pole at CoTA
AUSTIN, Texas. [November 4, 2016] – With only two rounds remaining in the 2016 Trans Am Championship, Paul Fix and Dillon Machavern both secured pole positions for their respective 102.81-mile Trans Am races at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). They were joined in post-qualifying celebrations by Ernie Francis, Jr., and Todd Napieralski, who captured poles for the TA3 and TA4 classes, as Trans Am concluded the day’s activities around the 20-turn, 3.427-mile circuit.
In TA2, Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang, captured his first career Trans Am pole with a 2:15.074 lap time, well beneath the existing TA2 qualifying record of 2:16.00. His qualifying effort puts Machavern in prime position to pursue what would be his third career victory, with previous wins coming at Brainerd International Raceway in 2015 and Watkins Glen International earlier this year.
The 2016 Trans Am Championship has seen Machavern finish on the podium four times thus far, albeit none of those appearances have come in the last five rounds—events that have seen the Charlotte, Vermont, driver battle torrid luck with contact and mechanical issues ending his races despite running up front multiple times. Now Machavern has the starting position to put those issues behind him and potentially mount a challenge for the year0end podium.
Shane Lewis, driver of the No. 72 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, was second quick in the session with a time of 2:15.318, earning his own position on the front row as he pursues his third consecutive podium. Machavern’s Mike Cope Racing teammate, Lawrence Loshak, in the No. 5 Pennzoil Platinum/MOMO/ETE Reman Chevrolet Camaro, was third quick in the session with a time of 2:15.546.
The TA2 qualifying top-five was completed by Justin Haley, in the No. 99 Braun Foundation Ford Mustang, and Tonis Kasemets, in the No. 03 Wachs Fabrication Ford Mustang, with times of 2:15.900 and 2:15.930, respectively.
