AUSTIN, Texas (5 October 2019) | It was a game of patience for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli drivers during Saturday’s multi-class TA/SGT/GT 100-mile feature at Circuit of The Americas.
The SGT class race was exciting. From the start, pole-starter Cindi Lux (No. 45 LuxPerformanceGrp/BlackRockCoffee / Dodge Viper), Ken Thwaits (No. 5 Wilwood Brakes/Franklin Road Apparel Audi R8) and Aaron Pierce (No. 26 Logical Systems Inc/Sam Pierce Chev Chevrolet Corvette) battled three-wide through turns and straightaways for multiple laps, until Pierce experienced mechanical issues and was forced to retire the race early. But, Adrian Wlostowski (No. 96 F.A.S.T. Auto Ford Mustang) was there to take Pierce’s place, inserting himself into the mix.
Thwaits paid back Lux from qualifying using her drafting move to take first. He was able to hold on to claim his first win of the season and the Cool Shirt Cool Move of the Race Award. Lux took second and Wlostowski rounded out the SGT class podium in third.
Quotes |
Cindi Lux | "The personality of COTA has really changed. The bumps have gotten a lot more aggressive and harder on racecars. Fred had to really had to change our setup to not break the car into pieces! However, once we made some major changes, the car really responded well. It was an exciting race with Ken in the GT3 Audi and Aaron in his Corvette for the first 10 laps or so. The heat was insane. I didn’t have the guts to look at my Motec to see how hot the drivers compartment got! It was a nice way to end the season with a positive run."
Aloha, Oregon, August 20, 2019| Road America has been very good to the Lux Performance Group over the years. Each season, the Oregon-based Trans Am Series race team travels 2,053 miles east to America’s National Park of Speed. Typically, the load is heavier on the trip back to the Northwest because lead-driver Cindi Lux (Aloha, Oregon) has raced her way to the Road America podium and brought the trophy back with her. The 13-time Road Racing champion returns to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin this weekend with the intention to add to her victory hardware at the 4.0-mile track behind the wheel of the No. 45 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper ACR-X. Also returning to the team for the August 24 Ryan Companies 100 will be Dirk Leuenberger (Redmond, Washington) in the No. 35 Dodge Viper ACR-X.
Now in her fifth-season of Trans Am, Cindi drove this same V10 beast to Road America podium finishes the last two Trans Am seasons. The black and red Viper narrowly missed victory last year finishing in second-place, only 0.7-tenths of a second behind the leader when the checkered flag fell. She was third in 2016. In 2015, the program raced the pair of American-made machines to a track qualifying record and captured the top-two steps on the Trans Am Series’ SGT – then TA3 – class podium. Going further back, in 2004 and 2006, Lux won the prestigious June Sprints driving a Corvette and Viper respectively.
With a race scheduled for 100-miles, Lux will have work to do. The packed entry list of sports cars – the largest SGT class of the season to-date – makes for heated competition with each machine having a variety of speed and braking differences. That puts a premium on the brake systems and the drivers who regulate their use. While the meaty disc brakes are the best on the market for Trans Am competition, the challenge for the drivers is to make them last. Lux has long been known as an ace at managing her car while husband Fred Lux is renowned throughout the paddock as “The Mad Scientist” with panache for perfect preparation.
Joining Black Rock on the No. 45 Viper will again be CoolShirt Systems, Forgeline Wheels and Motion Control Suspension.
CBS Sports Network will broadcast the Ryan Companies 100 on a tape-delayed basis. Check local listings for exact times in your area.
Quotes |
Fred Lux, Team Principal/Engineer, Lux Performance Group Viper ACR-X | "Setup is key at Road America. The long straights mean relatively low downforce to maximize top speed. A fast setup will produce 'grey hairs' for our drivers! It is typically an understeer track – especially the long 'Carousel' corner – which means the car wants to push to the outside at every turn. We'll adjust the suspension to find a good balance for the Viper. With the lap time being long here, you don't get many laps in practice sessions. Keeping Cindi and Dirk focused on setup and not lap times will be a challenge. Our drivers never want to be slow; but tell me a driver who does? Better yet, don’t. I am not looking for anyone like that on this team."
Cindi Lux, Driver, No. 45 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper ACR-X | "We are a little late getting to the party this year… as usual. But, there’s no other track I look forward to more than Road America. It’s a classic race track that has everything I thrive on. It’s fast, has great elevation changes and it’s extremely challenging. I can't really put my finger on exactly what it is but I am not going to question it. It’s just like when you put on your favorite, comfortable old shoe… it just feels right. When you’re comfortable, you perform well. I have had some of my best wins and worst crashes at this track. Busted-up ribs and punctured a lung back in 2005 but I couldn’t wait to come back in 2006. I have a lot of respect for this track but I love pushing the limits here more than normal.
I thrive on turning my motivation into dedication. I need to race smart which sounds easy. However, with the level of competition in SGT class, you need the entire package. But I found some tricks at Road America that seem to work especially on the long runs. First priority is to make sure you have something left at the end. I’ll be very focused on that this weekend."
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