Former NASCAR Cup Race Winner Paul Menard Notches Trans Am Triumph

Former NASCAR Cup Series racer Paul Menard continued his strong start in the TransAm Series presented by Pirelli season with a win in the Memorial Day Classic at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut on Sunday.

Menard, who almost didn't get to start the race when his car initially wouldn't start on the pre-grid, went on to win the TA class race from the fourth-place starting position to make it two wins in the first three races of the young season.

Menard and his Menards Master Force Tools Ford Mustang made the most of others' misfortune in the race, moving up from his fourth-place starting spot when third-place starter Adam Andretti made contact with second-place starter Chris Dyson early. That contact knocked Dyson to the back of the class. Andretti took the lead from pole sitter Tomy Drissi by Lap 3.

Menard got past both Drissi and Andretti on the next lap—after Andretti lost momentum when he put a wheel off course—and never looked back the rest of the way in the 68-lap race.

The race ended under caution due to a stopped car on the track with three laps to go. Dyson finished second, followed by Andretti and Drissi. Amy Ruman finished fifth.

The race included not only the TA class, but also cars in XGT, GT and SGT. Car count was low for this one, as just five cars competed in TA, two in XGT, five in GT and three in SGT.

Eleven of the 15 cars in the race claimed podium finishes.

Other class winners on Memorial Day were Ricky Sanders in XGT, Joe DaSalva in GT, and Jenn Krpata in SGT.

The 43-year-old Menard, who also won at Sebring to open the season. Leads the TA standings with 270 points. Dyson is next at 262 and Andretti third with 248.

Menard made 471 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2003 through 2019. His lone win came in the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.