New Class to Utilize High-Performance, Tube-Frame Car Produced by Chris Evans Inc.
CHARLOTTE (November 18, 2024) — The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli announces the unveiling of a new racing class for the 2025 season. Named TA Cup, the class will utilize high-performance spec tube-frame vehicles with silhouette bodies, which will be eligible for competition in the Western Championship, as well as in the National Championship under the Pick 6 Challenge. The machines are produced by Chris Evans Inc. (CEI), owned by two-time Western Championship title winner Chris Evans.
The 600 rear-wheel horsepower vehicles have been competing in the Western Championship’s XGT class since 2023, but with the growing number of current and prospective car owners, the cars are now being separated into their own class to allow for greater competition and differentiation between the single-builder cars and the production class. The 2900-pound cars run on 18” Pirelli P ZERO slicks and utilize the previous generation of NASCAR engines.
“In 2023, Trans Am formalized a partnership with Chris Evans, Inc. to produce a spec tube-frame car with a performance envelope that fell into the XGT class,” said TA Technical Director Aaron Coalwell. “For the last two years, the CEI cars have competed in that class, but based on the number of cars that CEI has already sold, Trans Am feels that there is significant potential for the number of these cars to grow substantially, and that it is time to separate out the CEI cars from the other XGT cars so that the TA Cup brand may be developed further.”
“One of the benefits of having a spec car built by one supplier is that it is easier to inspect and control developmental drift that you see in most classes,” continued Coalwell. “This class will continue to race with the TA and GT classes until the number of cars grows enough to warrant their own race group. We look forward to seeing the TA Cup class grow and become synonymous with the Trans Am Series over the next few years.”
“Our cars are a collaborative effort between Jerry Pitts, Jeff Jefferson, and Aaron Coalwell, as well as Chris Rohm, who is helping fine tune how we’re building things and the quality that we’re putting into them,” said Chris Evans. “We think that these are a great value for the car’s capability. The whole idea is that the concept is very simple, the rules are very straightforward, and therefore, very easy in the technical inspection line. We’re able to look at these from a manufacturing point of view, rather than a custom build, which is going to keep the costs down a bit looking into the future. We’re really happy about TA Cup.”
“The Trans Am Series is such a strong racing authority across the country with a solid foundation, so to have a class under their roof is exceptional,” said Jeff Jefferson. “TA Cup is the perfect name for our type of cars. We are excited for the future of the Trans Am Series and TA Cup.”
“The CEI racecars have become one of my main focuses for good reason,” added Chris Rohm. “It’s one of the only racecars on the market with the main focus being simplicity and speed. The cars are about racing, not about outspending or outwitting the other guy.”
The Chris Evans Inc. racecars were most recently on the track earlier this month at Circuit of The Americas in the XGT class piloted by Evans (No. 92 Central Welding Supply Ford Mustang), Will Rodgers (No. 12 Chris Evans Inc. Chevrolet Camaro) John Moore (No. 27 JM Environmental Ford Mustang) and Ken Sutherland (No. 85 Kallberg Construction/Wyatt Fire Protection Dodge Challenger). Rodgers was the top finisher in both National and Western Championship competition, winning the race and finishing second overall.
Trans Am Series | Photos: Trans Am Series
