(DETROIT)–One of the most popular racing series to compete in the Motor City will make its return to Belle Isle and help Detroit start its summer. The Trans Am Series will race to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, June 3rd thru 5th, 2016.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016, the Trans Am Series will return to Detroit for the first time in 15 years as it last raced on Belle Isle in 2001. The Trans Am cars will host two invitational races on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 at the 2.3 mile Raceway at Belle Isle Park street circuit. Over the course of its 18-year history racing at the Detroit Grand Prix, beginning on the downtown streets in 1984 and moving to Belle Isle to compete from 1994-2001, the Trans Am Series consistently provided some of the most exciting races witnessed in Detroit, with events known as the “Motor City 100.” Some of the best road racers in history won at Detroit over the years including Wally Dallenbach Jr., Scott Pruett, Dorsey Schroeder, Scott Sharp, Ron Fellows and Tommy Kendall.
“We’re excited to bring back some history, some heritage and even more on-track excitement with the return of the Trans Am Series to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix,” said Bud Denker, Chairman of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. “Our racing fans will be thrilled to see the competition between Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, BMW, Aston Marti and more in the Trans Am field all weekend long and we’re honored to bring back the tradition of the Trans Am Motor City 100.”
With the addition of the Trans Am Series, the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will feature one of the best and most diverse weekend lineups in all of motorsports. The Verizon IndyCar Series returns to Detroit with the only doubleheader weekend on the schedule–the Chevrolet Duel in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans. The exotic sports cars of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will battle wheel-to-wheel on Saturday in the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers and the high-flying trucks of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks presented by TRAXXAS race all three days at the Grand Prix. With eight races in one action-packed weekend, the Grand Prix will bring tremendous entertainment and value to fans on and off the track at Belle Isle Park.
“Everyone in the Trans Am Series is ecstatic to return to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix,” sad John Ciagett, President of the Trans Am Series. “We’re excited to reintroduce the modern Trans Am Series to fans in the Motor City 100 and continue the legacy of great Trans Am races in Detroit.”
Founded in 1966, the Trans Am Series features five different classes ranging from the world-renown GT cars in TA, the return of the pony wars in TA2 and pure production racing in TA3, TA4 and TA5. Cars representing each class are expected to compete in the invitational races on Belle Isle. Manufacturers in the series include Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, BMW, Aston Martin and more.
reported by Bob Benko
