Lux Performance Looking for a 'Brake' at Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 22, 2016| Road America has been very, very good to Lux Performance Group over the years. In 2015, the Aloha, Oregon-based raced team brought its pair of Dodge Viper ACR-X machines to the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin track and captured the top-two steps on the Trans Am Series’ TA3 class podium. Ten years earlier, Cindi Lux (Aloha, Oregon) came to the track for the first time and walked away as only second woman in history to win the June Sprints. On Saturday, August 27, Lux and Steve Streimer (Sherwood, Oregon) make their third start of the 2016 Trans Am Series looking to defend Streimer’s 2015 series’ win. With the circuit’s long straights and quick lap times, the ETE Transmissions Muscle Car 100 Presented by Pura Vida Tequila will most likely come down who can still stop their American muscle cars most effectively as the brakes succumb to lap after lap of abuse. 

At 4-miles long with a variety of configurations in its 14 corners, significant elevation changes and a race scheduled for 100-miles, Lux and Streimer will have work to do. 36 cars will start the 25 lap or 70-minute race, 10 of which are in the TA3 category that the V10-powered ACR-X competes. That makes for heated competition and a variety of speed and braking disparities. 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 open for Trans Am TA3 competition, the challenge for the drivers is to make them last. 

To celebrate Trans Am’s 50th Anniversary of racing, Lux Performance will be giving away a special edition, unique to the weekend, t-shirt at Road America. Fans on-site for the event can visit the Lux Performance trailer in the Trans Am paddock on Friday from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and on Saturday 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm for a chance to receive their memento of the historic anniversary. The shirts, which features the pair of Lux Performance-prepped Dodge Viper ACR-X and the Trans Am logo, will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. 

Lux Performance Group is running a limited schedule in 2016 – this weekend marking on the third event weekend for the team – but has already enjoyed success. Streimer won the class in the No. 42 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper ACR-X at their most recent round – held at Brainerd (Minnesota) International Raceway in early July while Lux brought her No. 45 home in third there. That was the second double-podium for the operation run by Fred Lux this year. They opened the season at a wet and cold Watkins Glen International in New York with Lux taking second-place and Streimer third. The operation will close Trans Am’s 50th Anniversary year at VIRginia International Raceway (September 21-24), NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana (October 12-15) and the Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas (November 3-5). 

CBS Sports Network will televise race on Sunday, September 18 at 4:00 PM ET. For the full slate of race’s on CBS Sports, visit http://gotransam.com/news/index.cfm?cid=64719.  

Quotes 

Fred Lux, Team Principal/Engineer, Lux Performance Group | "Setup is key at Road America. The long straights mean relatively low downforce to maximize top speed.  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 Vipers. Maybe the bigger challenges is how hard Road America is on our brakes. We’ll be reminding both of the drivers to manage their brakes all weekend. With the lap time being long here, you don't get many laps in practice sessions. Keeping Cindi and Steve 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 | "There’s no other track I look forward to more than Road America. It’s a classic racetrack that has everything I thrive on: it’s fast, has great elevation changes and its extremely  challenging. It's just somewhere I've always seemed to run well. I can't really put my finger on exactly what it is but I am not going to question it. I'm just super-comfortable at the track. Having confidence in the car is huge and Fred and the crew always give us a great Viper ACR-X every time we leave the pit lane. There are typically several yellows in our 70 minute races, we had a big one at Road America last year on the last lap so you need to be very smart on how to take care of your equipment. First priority is to make sure you have something at the end. I’ll be very focused on that this weekend."

Steve Streimer, No. 42 Lux Performance Group Dodge Viper ACR-X | "From start to finish, Road America is an incredible time. This track has got to be one of the best in the country to visit both as a driver and a fan. As a driver Road America is fast, challenging and very hard on brakes. As a fan, I don't think there is a better track for watching road racing anywhere. From the park-like camping sites to the multiple viewing opportunities, Road America  has been set-up to cater to the fan. This track is definitely America's National Park of Speed!"