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Pro Drives Todd Harris Enters Rose Cup TransAm Race



Professional racing driver Todd Harris has thrown his hat into the ring of entrants anticipating the return of Sports Car Club of America Trans-Am racing to Portland International Raceway on Sunday, June 14.



Harris, the 2007 winner of the Rose Cup feature event and runner-up in 2008, will pilot a Jaguar XKR from the Greg Pickett racing stable for his Trans-Am racing debut. Greg Pickett, of Benicia, Calif., captured his 17th-career Trans-Am win at Road Atlanta, the season-opener for the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series, earlier this year.



I may have an advantage over the Trans-Am series regulars in knowing PIR, which is home to our racing school, but I'sll be at a disadvantage when it comes to stepping into the Pickett Jaguar for the first time against series regulars that already have three events under their belts. Harris explained. Still, it will be fun taking on some of the best GT drivers in the country.



Ironically, the GT1 Derhaag Corvette Harris piloted to the Rose Cup victory in 2007 is also entered in the Trans-Am race by car owner and SCCA Regional Champion Nick Fluge.



Nick has been a great teammate and student these past two years and it will be an honor to compete against him on race day, Harris explained of his friend, fellow race driver and Trans-Am event sponsor Nick Fluge. But, when the green flag drops on race day he will be just another competitor I'sm trying to beat on the track during the 1 's189; hour race.



Harris is successful in racing a wide variety of cars, from Spec Miatas and Spec Racer Fords to Ferraris and Corvettes. Driving the same kind of Spec Racer Fords he instructs students with at the Pro Drive Racing School, Harris finished third in a class of 88 competitors at the 2008 Road America June Sprints.



He was also sixth in the GT1 Corvette, after being knocked from third place by another driver on the last lap of the race. Harris also sponsored the Pro Drive Spec Racer Ford Championship in 2008 at PIR, won by Chris Jackson of Vancouver, Wash.



The Fluge Global Adventures Rose Cup Classic, Round Five of the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series, will serve as the feature race Sunday, June 14 on the action-packed Portland Rose Festival Rose Cup Races weekend presented by Temp-Control Mechanical.



About Todd Harris



The son of an amateur race car driver, Todd was immediately attracted to the sights and sounds of competitive auto racing and started his racing career in go-karts. Before moving into the world of car racing, Todd won many regional and state karting championships. The transition from karts to cars went smoothly for Todd, as he claimed many victories during his rookie season of car racing.



The Tigard, Oregon resident continued his success by becoming the Northern Pacific and Oregon Region Champion while setting track records at race tracks up and down the west coast. During a two-year period, Todd won 17 races in a row while racing in Sports Car Club of America'ss most competitive class, Spec Racer Ford. In 1997, Todd received the National Driver of the Year award from the Sports Car Club of America'ss Oregon Region.



In recent years, Todd has been competing and winning races in a wide range of race cars including sports racers, formula cars, and grand touring cars. If it has four wheels and a motor, chances are Todd is going to be fast in it.



This exceptional driving versatility was most recently evident when he entered races in a 125cc go-kart, a Mazdaspeed Miata, a Spec Racer Ford, and a 650 horsepowered GT1 Camaro all within a few weeks. He finished with three wins and a second.



When Todd is not behind the wheel of a race car, he is coaching drivers ranging from amateur club racers to professional racecar drivers competing in the likes of NASCAR and IndyCar. He can also be found on local television and radio stations offering valuable driving advice to motorists.



Todd is a graduate of Portland State University, an avid guitar player, and classic film buff. He and his wife Jennifer have two sons, Calvin and Taylor. They love to watch their daddy race! Todd has combined his passion for racing with his extensive teaching skills and engaging personality to become a highly respected professional in the driving industry.



For further information, please visit www.prodrive.net.



About the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series



The most revered brand in American road racing, the Muscle Milk's174; SCCA's174; Trans-Am's174; Series returns for its 42nd season in 2009 after a two-year hiatus. Featuring ground-pounding, 700 horsepower, purpose-built Corvettes, Jaguars and Mustangs today, the series's past champions include iconic road racing names like Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, Peter Gregg, Scott Pruett, Tommy Kendall and Paul Gentilozzi. Jointly-sanctioned by SCCA, Inc. and SCCA Pro Racing, the series plans an eight-race schedule in 2009. For more information, please visit www.sccatrans-am.com.






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