Labor Day is a Double-Race Weekend for Trans-Am Series

Event is combined with Muscle Car Shootout, Jack Pine Sprints

Race fans won't be seeing double Labor Day weekend but they'll get plenty of chances to watch phenomenal professional road racing when the Trans-Am Series takes on BIR's 13-turn, 2.5-mile Competition Road Course. Racing takes place Sept. 1-2.

Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pro Racing provides great racing action this weekend, as professional drivers get two chances to earn series points - once on Saturday and again on Sunday. And with only one weekend left on the series schedule (Road Atlanta in November), points will be at a premium as drivers pull out all the stops to move up in the standings. It'll be intense competition for drivers and fans alike as both races will be 40 laps (100 miles).

On the track at the same time as the Trans-Am Series racers will be cars cmopeting in the Trans-Am 2 class, which will feature horsepower and driver skills that are a small step down from the Trans-Am class but they will still generate some great action on the track. And the best part for fans is that both Trans-Am classes will be on the track at the same time as they chase separate championships, so the car counts should be somewhere between 30-40, making for outstanding racing for the fans.

Last year, Tony Ave clinched the series championship by sweeping both races at BIR, but it wasn't easy. Ave started Sunday's race in the pole position but spun out on the first lap on the 90-degree Turn 12. Most of the field passed him, including Amy Ruman, who had a 30-second lead on Ave and was in first place. He chipped away at the lead and benefited from a rain shower, that slowed the field - except for Ave, who keep the pressure on. Ave eventually reclaimed the lead on Lap 12 and never looked back, winning by 9.5 seconds.

For results of last year's Trans-Am Series race at BIR, click here.

The Trans-Am Series is part of a racing smorgasbord Labor Day weekend at BIR. It's all part of the 24th Annual Muscle Car Shootout, which also features the Muscle Car Series on the drag strip and the SCCA Jack Pine Sprints on the road course. The Jack Pine Sprints will race when the Trans-Am Series isn't practicing, qualifying or racing. Fans will be treated to a variety of race classes, including Pro Formula Enterprise, Spec Racer Ford and other classes that feature race cars like GTs, Lolas, muscle cars and more. Drivers represent the SCCA's Land O' Lakes Region.

In addition to outstanding racing on the race track, the Muscle Car Shootout will feature some popular standards, like a classic car show in front of the brick condos Saturday and live music Saturday night at the Wheelie Bar & Grille by Common Ground.

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A single event ticket can get fans into BIR where they can go back and forth between all  events, at no extra cost. And for those who may be concerned with the weather (rain delays drag racing), the Tran-Am Series and Jack Pine Sprints will go on rain or shine.

Photos courtesy of Rick Corwine