Mike Joy Kicks Off Sonoma Weekend Racing in Another Series

Getty Mike Joy is competing at Sonoma Raceway.

The FOX portion of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule comes to a close in June at Sonoma Raceway. Broadcaster Mike Joy will kick off the weekend by racing in another series.

According to a press release, the driver-turned-broadcaster will take part in an event on the Historic Trans Am Series schedule. He will join son Scott in the lineup on Saturday, June 10, as they race historically accurate cars that have been restored to fit the 1966-1972 rules.

The Historic Trans Am Series race will kick off a doubleheader on June 10. Joy and the other competitors will face off in the morning and then the Xfinity Series drivers will compete at Sonoma Raceway for the first time later in the day.

Joy’s weekend will start behind the wheel, but it will end in the booth. He will call the Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 11, while closing out the FOX portion of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

The Historic Trans Am Series Features Authentic Muscle Cars

FOX SportsMike Joy poses during a FOX Sports production day.

The Historic Trans Am Series has a shorter schedule compared to other racing series. There are only seven race weekends in 2023, six of which are in California. The lone exception is a trip to Road America in Wisconsin on July 13-16.

What makes the Historic Trans Am Series unique is that the drivers are using actual muscle cars from the era, which have been restored. These aren’t reproductions with modern bells and whistles under replica bodies.

The list of cars available in the Historic Trans Am Series is extensive. It includes the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Dart, Ford Mustang, AMC Javelin, Mercury Cougar, multiple Pontiac models, Dodge Challenger, Plymouth Barracuda, Chevy Nova, and Ford Falcon.

Joy, in particular, has been in control of a Ford during previous events on the Historic Trans Am Series schedule. He has driven the No. 89 Ford Mustang owned by Ken Epsman at multiple tracks and in a variety of weather conditions.

Joy Has Showcased the No. 89 Ford Mustang on TV

Joy has previous experience competing in the Historic Trans Am Series, and he has taken the time to showcase the vehicles from the series during a special TV segment.

Joy and Epsman both appeared on “Jay Leno’s Garage” ahead of the 2023 Cup Series season, and they shared details about the Historic Trans Am Series and some of the cars that contend on a regular basis.

One key detail from this conversation is that NASCAR reigned supreme in the Southeast during the 1960s and 1970s. However, the Trans Am Series was a big deal across the country, one that drew in such names as racing legend Dan Gurney.

Joy explained during the appearance that the early days of the Trans-American Challenge Series featured mostly stock cars. The drivers could remove the carpets and headliners before putting in the roll cages, but they had to keep the backseat and other interior features.

As part of the appearance, Joy showed off one of the cars with which he is extremely familiar. He and Leno climbed into the No. 89 Ford Mustang and drove it around the streets of Southern California. Though it was partially illegal in that it had no turn signals.