Hollywood, CALIFORNIA – March 11, 2022 – The Trans Am Series has long had a strong connection with the entertainment business and that is certainly the case with the announcement this week from Showtime Motorsports. The hugely popular comedian, author, radio personality and podcaster, Adam Carolla has teamed up with the emerging force in Trans Am, the Tennessee-based Franklin Road Apparel Team led by Ken Thwaits. The race weekend is slated for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, April 23.
Host of the The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show that set the record as the “most downloaded podcast” by Guinness World Records, Adam will be behind the wheel of the meticulously prepared No. 5 Franklin Road Apparel Showtime Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. This is the sister car to the No. 7 Camaro driven by team principal Ken Thwaits to a podium finish on the opening weekend of the Trans Am season at Sebring International Raceway.
Although primarily known for his show business career, Carolla is an experienced driver and is eager to drive the 850 BHP muscle car in professional competition. Indeed, he already has a Trans Am podium to his credit, having finished P3 at Willow Springs in a Corvette C7.R in the West Coast Championship back in 2017.
This time Carolla will be competing in the National Championship for the first time in what’s sure to be a bigger field. A big fan of vintage racing, in particular the Datsun and Nissan cars raced by his Hollywood Trans Am forerunner Paul Newman, Adam was understandably thrilled to have the opportunity to race in the great muscle car series again.
“I’m excited to take part in the upcoming Trans Am race at Laguna Seca and drive the Franklin Road Camaro,” stated Adam Carolla. “Thank you to Ken at Showtime for this opportunity and AVD Motorsports for putting it together. I’m looking forward to it.”
Team owner and driver Ken Thwaits, who has made a terrific start to his own season in 2022 with a podium finish at Sebring added, “Adam is a great driver in his own right and it’s a great fit to have him in the car. If anything, Trans Am cars have gotten faster since Adam drove the Corvette a few years ago, but they’ve also got more grip and handle better. We’ll do our best to make sure he’s fully comfortable in the car and he’s familiar with some members of our team. I’m looking forward to having him alongside me on track and a part of the Franklin Road team!”
Carolla is no stranger to motorsports and in addition to Trans Am, he has track experience racing several vintage cars including the 1979 Le Mans class-winning Porsche 935. Carolla has an enviable car collection that includes 13 of Paul Newman’s original race cars, which is a frequent topic on his automotive podcast, CarCastShow.com.
On the California race weekend, Carolla will be showcasing the Franklin Road Apparel brand – a great feature for Showtime Motorsports and their partners. The Trans Am Apparel available on the Franklin Road website now includes these “look like a boss” button shirts as well as polos, caps and jackets, click here.
The racing venue for the action is the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. It’s a glorious and storied track, with multiple elevation changes, sweeping and tight turns, as well as straight that stretches long enough for big cars like the current Trans Am contestants to really stretch their legs.
Be sure to check out Adam Carolla’s website at https://adamcarolla.com/ and follow @AdamCarolla on most social media platforms.
All the action can be streamed on the SpeedTour and Trans Am YouTube channels. The CBS Sports broadcast date and time will be announced soon.
Check out the Showtime Motorsports Facebook page and @ShowtimeMotorsp on Instagram!
About Showtime Motorsports:
The Showtime Motorsports brand includes Ken Thwaits’ racing team and race cars, and an outstanding classic Camaro collection. Providing professional racing programs, Showtime Motorsports brings together a dynamic staff who employ diverse talents and share a passion for cars, racing and care for clients like they are our own family members.