Subaru Drivers Twice Climb To Third in Lime Rock Park GRAND-AM Race
 
– Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Season Finale –
 
Phoenixville, Pa. – Sept. 30, 2012 – Both drivers of the Subaru Road Racing Team’s (SRRT) Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude, carved their way through the 26-car field to as high as third place with the race lead in sight in the season finale of GRAND-AM’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT.
 
Their winning aspirations, however, were cut short when a following driver, Bill Auberlen, collided with Aquilante, as both drivers steamed into the first turn, forcing the #35 WRX STI into the guardrail on the 98th of 136 laps of the 1.53-mile road course. The collision caused sufficient damage that the Subaru team was unable to finish the race.
 
Aquilante had climbed from 22nd place to fifth when the mishap happened.
 
“Up to that point, this really was an excellent weekend for the entire team,” said Subaru Road Racing Team principal Joe Aquilante, who owns Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, where the Subaru Impreza race cars are prepared and maintained.
 
“I’m disappointed by Auberlen’s move as he’s usually a much smarter driver. Bill [Auberlen] was behind A.J. for a big chunk of the race up to that point and was simply not close enough to pass cleanly.  You have to wonder what he was thinking. And as a direct result, we finished 24th in a 26-car field when a podium was well insight. A disappointing way to end the season, especially considering how steadily our Subaru’s performance increased as the season went along.”
 
Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., started the 4-door Subaru Impreza WRX STI from the 9th position and within 25 laps was up to third position, a spot he held for the next 20 laps before turning the cockpit over to Aquilante for the final time this season. AJ took over on lap 47 and worked his way back up to third before pitting on lap 82 for the final fuel load.  By lap 96, Aquilante was up to 5th and closing on the leaders before the errant BMW ended his day.
The team’s 2012 season was highlighted by a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park, a third place finish at the Homestead-Miami Speedway round, and a strong run to second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca by the final lap.
 
Added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “The frustration at a missed podium due to an errant driver is still too recent to overlook easily.  When you look at the macro view of things, there are some key and encouraging takeaways:  our #35 WRX STI has the performance to set or match the pace in the GS field, our pit stop strategies and implementation are closer to optimizing outcomes, and overall, the team is demonstrating the consistency and pace to attack as championship contenders next year.  Needless to say, we’re looking forward to 2013.”

Subaru Team Gears Up for GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Finale

-Drivers Aquilante, Spaude Ready to Tackle Round 10 hosted at Lime Rock Park-
Phoenixville, Pa. – Sept. 26, 2012 – After experiencing a near miss at the top step of the podium at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) travels back eastward to contest the season finale of GRAND-AM’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Ct. Running as high as second at the previous round has added to the team’s motivation to complete this season with a strong finish.
 
SRRT including their race-winning drivers, A.J. Aquilante of Phoenixville, Pa., and teammate Bret Spaude of Bushnell, Fla., are very familiar with the characteristics and nuances of the tight and fast-paced racecourse at Lime Rock Park, having raced at the venue many times in the past.
 
To date, the team’s season has been highlighted by a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park, a third place finish at the Homestead-Miami Speedway round, and a strong run to second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca by the final lap.  The team takes the rollercoaster season in stride while confident in the performance from their 4-door #35 Subaru Road Racing Team WRX STI.
 
“Though it’s unfortunate that the car’s outright performance, solid driving from our drivers, and clockwork car preparation and development plus pit work from our team isn’t accurately reflected in some of this season’s race results, we know our team and car represent a championship-contending package,” said SRRT Principal Joe Aquilante, whose Phoenix Performance outfit prepares the race cars for Subaru of America, Inc.
 
Added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., “It’s been a frustrating season for our Subaru Road Racing Team at times, but I’m confident in the people and processes within our program that have worked to establish consistency, good practices, and helped tap the significant performance potential of our Subaru WRX STI.”  “As much as Lime Rock [Park] is a singularly challenging track with its relatively short single lap distance and truncated passing zones, I think our team will perform well here by applying shrewd pit stop strategy and some heads-up driving.”

Subaru Road Racing Team Challenges to the Checkers at the Penultimate Round of GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
– Aquilante to 2nd Until Last-Lap Contact With Race Leader-

Phoenixville, PA. – Sept. 8, 2012 – It was a mixed race weekend for the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) which showed strong promise after a run up to 2nd place by the last lap but ultimately resulted in a 15th place finish at the race’s end.
 
The suburban Philadelphia-based team traveled cross-country to the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., for the season’s next-to-last round of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge professional road racing series.
 
The final race results show team drivers Bret Spaude and Andrew “AJ” Aquilante finished 15th in the 26-car Grand Sports Class with their #35 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, one lap down to the eventual winner.  But a moment before the final tally was taken and on the final lap, Aquilante had been harrying the race leader for the win, and was right on the rear bumper of the lead car.

“The story of this race will always be about our cool-headed, experienced pit crew as we executed a seamless final pit stop where we topped up on fuel to make a late race charge for the lead,” said Phoenix Performance team owner Joe Aquilante. “On an earlier [pit] stop, we burned precious time as another team’s car inadvertently blocked the entrance to our pit box.”
 
“The race had 11 full-course-caution flag situations. The safety car was used to control the field for an amazing 39 of the race’s 71 laps. That’s an awful lot of safety car time, and each one of them forces you to constantly recalculate pit stop strategies.”
 
The Subaru Road Racing Team entry took the green flag from 10th place in qualifying, with Bret Spaude successfully avoiding problems caused by fellow competitors during his 17 laps at the controls of his #35 Subaru Road Racing Team WRX STI.
 
SRRT teammate AJ Aquilante slotted into the car as Spaude pitted, while circulating in a solid 7th spot. The tactics for the day were dictated when mishaps caused the safety car to lead the field nine of the first 17 laps.
 
“AJ made some good passes toward the end to move from 10th to second in 10 laps, but then things went awry. There was no reason to believe he couldn’t have passed the race leader, John Edwards, for the win.  But by that point in the race, Edwards had already been hit in the rear and his car had lost its rear bumper. Moreover, though, John’s brake lights weren’t operational.  Brake lights are a mandatory within GRAND-AM’s safety rules,” added Joe Aquilante.
 
“With a win in sight, AJ tapped the leader’s car from behind while initiating the pass, but John’s exposed rear bumper structure tore through our car’s radiator, causing both a coolant and oil leak plus perhaps a small oil fire.  Half a lap from a potential win, and suddenly we’re 36th overall, 10th in class, and a lap down.”
 
“Our team made the most from a race fraught with laps run 11 times and 39 of 71 laps under  full-course yellow conditions,” added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc.  “We came very close to putting our #35 Subaru WRX STI on the top podium step, and we’re carrying a healthy level of confidence going into the last round of the series at Lime Rock Park in a two weeks.”

Subaru Road Racing Team Prepares for Penultimate Round of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge

– Laguna Seca Raceway to Host Ninth Round of Series –

Phoenixville, PA. – Sept. 6, 2012 – The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) travels to Monterey, Calif. this weekend to compete in the ninth round of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Having been over a month since their last race, SRRT has put the time to good use preparing for the final two events of their season.  SRRT will travel first to Monterey before heading back east to the season-closer at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.
 
Team drivers Andrew “A.J.” Aquilante and Bret Spaude are set to contest both events with their #35 Subaru Impreza WRX STI in the Grand Sports class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC).
 
The team’s season so far has been highlighted by a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park and a third place finish at the Homestead-Miami Speedway round.
 
“We’ve run competitive lap times at the four races since our win at NJMP,” noted SRRT Principal Joe Aquilante, whose Phoenix Performance crew prepares the Subaru race cars. “Our WRX STI has led a fair amount of race laps this season, and we’re shining a positive light on the capabilities of both the Subaru WRX STI and our two team drivers.”
 
Added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., “As much as every race in this championship is important, these last two rounds of the season will be pivotal for our program in an effort to regain momentum and propel us into next season.  Our team has developed the #35 SRRT WRX STI into a legitimate championship contender, and our focus will be to capitalize on its available performance, keep our pit stops tidy, and optimize the pit stop strategies made available to us.”
 
This weekend’s race, on a 2.238-mile road course, will see practice and qualifying on Friday and Saturday, Sept.7-8, with the 2 ½-hour race taking the green flag Saturday at 5:30pm ET.
 

Subaru Road Racing Team Readies for Indianapolis Motor Speedway
– Event marks GRAND-AM Racing’s inaugural visit to “The Brickyard” –

Phoenixville, PA. – July 25, 2012 – Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) drivers Andrew “A.J.” Aquilante and Bret Spaude will race Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of the most historic auto racing tracks in the world, as GRAND-AM Road Racing brings its two series to the world-famous “Brickyard.”
 
The SRRT #35 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is one of 36 cars in the Grand Sports class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC). Adding in the Street Tuner class entries, the series boasts over 70 cars competing in the 2 ½-hour race on the 2.534-mile circuit at Indy, a fast layout that combines an infield road course integrated into the oval track used at the Indianapolis 500 and at Saturday’s Brickyard 400 for NASCAR teams.
 
The CTSCC race is the opening event of the Kroger Super Weekend at “The Brickyard”, an event which combines the two sports car shows on Friday with the NASCAR Nextel Cup race Saturday and Sunday.
 
“Testing here at Indy a few weeks ago gave us a great baseline performance to work off of and helps us better prepare for this race weekend,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI race cars. “As always, quick and consistent pit work by our crew and prudent driving by AJ and Bret should help us pick up some positions.”
 
For the first time in the history of the series, the CTSCC teams will practice, qualify, and race in a five-hour span of the same day. The 2 ½-hour race takes the green flag Friday at 1 p.m. CT, and will be televised on SPEED TV Aug. 5 at noon ET.

Subaru Road Racing Team Starts/Finishes 12th at Watkins Glen Sweat-Fest
– Drivers run qualifying lap speeds during 2 ½-hour race –

Phoenixville, PA. – June 30, 2012 – On a blazing, cloudless Summer day, the likes of which would cause a Gila Monster to seek shade, the world-famous Watkins Glen International road racing course near Watkins Glen, N.Y., took its toll on race cars and their drivers in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series.
 
Refusing, however, to succumb to a scorching sun that had the Devil himself smirking, the Subaru Road Racing Team’s pit crew and drivers Andrew “A. J.” Aquilante and Bret Spaude,  qualified their #35 Subaru WRX STi race car 12th quickest in a field of 29 Grand Sports class competitors, and finished the 2 ½-hour race in 12th.
 
“There must have been a decree that we would be the 12th place car this weekend,” conceded Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STi race cars. “We’ve done better than that this season, and we’ve done worse.
 
“A. J. and Bret drove smart, our enthusiastic pit crew got them in and out quickly, and that was the best we could do. GRAND-AM made an re-adjustment to our Subaru’s turbocharger boost pressure, which they had allowed us the last couple races, and which is their prerogative. Twelfth quickest isn’t where we’d like to be, but in a 29-car class, we’re still a contender.”
 
Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., qualified the car at The Glen and raced the first 34 minutes before pitting for gas and tires, and slotting “AJ” Aquilante, of Chester Springs, Pa., into the seat for the cockpit for the final 44 laps.
 
Two subsequent, efficient pit stops by the SRRT crew brought AJ to as high as second place on laps 38 and 39, before his final stop dropped him to 18th.  Picking up four positions between laps 56 and 58, he worked his way back to 12th, where the team had started the race.
 
“Other cars caused seven full-course yellow situations that ate up 22 laps that we could have been racing. That didn’t help our progress today, but we had a trouble-free Subaru to race, a much-appreciated veteran crew, and did as best we could with our new rules parameters,” said Joe Aquilante.
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.

Watkins Glen Looms Large in Subaru Road Racing Team’s Schedule
– SRRT Looks to Make Up Ground After Difficult Race –

Phoenixville, PA. – June 29, 2012 – The world-famous Watkins Glen International road racing course near Watkins Glen, N.Y., the site of round seven of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series, has long been a favorite venue for the Subaru Road Racing Team.
 
“Returning to race at Watkins Glen is like going home,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI race cars. “The Glen has long straights and steep elevation changes which will pose challenges for the entire Grand Sport field.”
 
Subaru Road Racing Team drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude are also familiar with  the 3.4-mile “long course” layout used for Saturday’s 3pm race that will last two-and-a-half hours.
 
Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., will qualify the 4-door #35 Subaru WRX STI at The Glen and race until it is time to slot teammate “AJ” Aquilante, of Chester Springs, Pa., into the cockpit for the charge to the checkered flag.
 
“Our team endured a difficult race at the last round in Road America,” commented James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc.  “Without warning from course workers waving yellow flags, Bret unknowingly drove into another car’s oil and found himself crashing at a very high-speed section of the race track.
 
“Thankfully, our driver walked away uninjured, which is a strong testament to both the structural integrity of our Subaru WRX STI, and the quality roll cage and safety equipment built by our race team.  Having a car ready to race at The Glen less than one week later just shows the level of preparation by SRRT.”
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.
 

Road America Next Venue for Subaru Road Racing Team
– Drivers and Crew Eager to Capitalize on Performance Potential in Subaru WRX STI –

Phoenixville, PA. – June 22 – Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) drivers Andrew Aquilante (AJ) and Bret Spaude look with enthusiasm to the second half of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Championship racing season as they travel to round six; hosted on the famed Road America track, located north of Milwaukee and near Elkhart Lake, Wis.
 
A third place finish at Miami, a win at New Jersey, and a run as high as second place at Mid-Ohio have given Aquilante and Spaude a quiet confidence mainly grounded in expectations of their #35 SRRT WRX STI around the 4.048-mile race course this weekend.
 
“Road America is a very fast track with long straights that seem to stretch to the horizons, plus breathtaking downhill runs into a heavy braking,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI racecars.  “The all-wheel-drive capability from our Subaru will give AJ and Bret a lot of ’dig’ coming out of the turns.”
 
As is the case all season, team driver Bret Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., will qualify the Subaru at Road America. Spaude will start the race until it is time to slot teammate Andrew Aquilante, of Chester Springs, Pa., into the cockpit for the charge to the checkered flag.
 
“We have momentum, confidence, and determination in our Subaru WRX STI and ongoing race preparations by each of our team members,” added Joe Aquilante. “Our race starts have been strong and we want to continue to show that consistency.”
 
James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. said, “SRRT’s efforts and preparations haven’t always played out in race results, but our car’s performance is highly consistent and accessible.  Our all-wheel drive WRX STI is a great foil to the rear-wheel drive-based eight-cylinder cars which make up the bulk of the Grand Sport field.  We’ll approach the balance of this season determined to make good on the performance that our Subaru shows in qualifying.”
 
The two-and-a-half hour race takes the green flag Friday at 6:15pm (CT).
 

Subaru Road Racing Qualifies 4th at Mid-Ohio
– Aquilante, Spaude Continue to Contend for Win –

Phoenixville, PA. – June 12, 2012 – Both Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude ran the Subaru Road Racing Team’s Subaru WRX STI race car as high as second place in last weekend’s GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio.
 
However, mid-way through the 75-lap race on Mid-Ohio’s 2.258-mile course configuration, and with Andrew Aquilante driving, an aftermarket rear suspension toe link failed. The six laps lost in the pits while a replacement part was pressed into service, resulted in an 18th place finish in the 24-car Grand Sport (GS) field.
 
“Our crew quickly identified the problem and replaced the component, and sent Andrew back, where he continued to run the same pace the race leaders were running, even though we had lost six laps in the pits,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI race cars.
 
“The silver lining is that, as has been the case for the last three races, our Subaru Road Racing Team program has run up front against a competitive field of teams fielding cars from six different makes,” he added. “Here at Mid-Ohio, the fastest four cars qualified within one-tenth of a second of each other.”
 
Team driver Bret Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., qualified the 4-door Subaru WRX STI fourth quickest out of 24 Grand Sports class entries, and immediately jumped to second place at the drop of the green flag. He was fifth place in the running order when the team pitted him under Full Course Yellow conditions on lap 26, turning the driving duties over to Andrew (AJ) Aquilante.
 
AJ took the green flag in 11th place, 3.087 seconds out of the lead, and ran as high as second place on lap 46, but the suspension component issue soon raised its head, dashing the hopes for a for the Subaru team’s second consecutive win.
 
“We pitted, the crew quickly fixed the suspension, we went back out and continued to lap the track as fast as the race leaders until the end of the race – except we were six laps down,” added Joe Aquilante. “We’ve been competitive for the last three races. Coming to a track and knowing your odds of winning are as good as the best of them, drives up our confidence level.”
 
James Han, motorsport marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., added, “This result was a difficult one to accept given our strong performances in qualifying and into the first half of the race.  Our team will perform a post-race deep dive analysis as we always do and make the necessary adjustments before the next race.  On the positive, both Bret and AJ ran strong and our pit stop strategy was on-target.”
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.

Revitalized Subaru Road Racing Team Looks forward to Mid-Ohio Event
– Drivers Aquilante and Spaude hold series’ best-average finish in last two races –

Phoenixville, PA. – June 6, 2012 – With a series-best average finish of second place in the two most recent GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Championship events – a third at Miami and a win at New Jersey – Subaru Road Racing Team drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude are focused on another podium finish this weekend at the famous Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio, a venue where the team has twice won in previous years.
 
“As was the case at both Homestead-Miami and New Jersey, Mid-Ohio is a track which really highlights our car’s handling and cornering abilities,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI racecars.
 
As is the case all season, team driver Bret Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., will qualify the 4-door #35 Subaru WRX STI at Mid-Ohio, and race until it is time to slot teammate Andrew Aquilante, of Chester Springs, Pa., into the cockpit for the charge to the checkered flag.
 
“Our race finishes have improved with every race this season,” added Joe Aquilante. “Now that we’ve won a race, we want to continue producing consistently-high finishes.”
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.

Aquilante and Spaude “Storm” New Jersey Track, Subaru Team Wins on Home Turf.
– Subaru WRX STI Climbs From 45th to First in 45 Laps. –

– Drivers Aquilante and Spaude Look to Build on Third Place Finish at Previous Round –

Phoenixville, PA. – May 9, 2012 – This weekend the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) travels to New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), near Millville, N.J., for the fourth round of the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Championship. The B+ Heroes 200, a two-hour, 30-minute sprint race, is scheduled for Saturday, May 12 at 3:15pm (EST). Two weeks ago, SRRT drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude surfed the waves of the rain-swept Homestead Miami Speedway to put their 4-door #35 Subaru WRX STI race car into third place; the team is eager and confident for this weekend’s race.
 
“Reaching the top of the podium this Saturday would mean a great deal to our team as NJMP is the closest GRAND-AM event to our race shop and less than an hour’s drive from the national offices of Subaru of America,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., which prepares the team’s Subaru WRX STI race cars.
 
Team driver Bret Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla., will qualify the 4-door #35 Subaru WRX STI, and drive until it is time to slot teammate Andrew Aquilante of Chester Springs, Pa., into the cockpit for the charge to the checkered flag.
 
“Our success at Homestead Miami Speedway was a culmination of our crew’s collective sweat and determination over the past six months along with continued support from Subaru,” said Joe Aquilante. “Bret put in a blistering lap time during qualifying to place the #35 Subaru on pole for the race start, and Andrew put the all-wheel drive capabilities of our WRX STI to effective use when the heavy rain fell.”
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.
 

Subaru Road Racing Team Reaches Podium at Miami GRAND-AM Race
– Team Driver Bret Spaude Sets GS Class Qualifying Record in #35 WRX STI –

Added team driver Bret Spaude, “I enjoyed a great first stint and didn’t feel much of any pressure [from the competitors] from behind in the wet [conditions].  Our STI really stuck well in the corners, and I was able to keep the lead right up to my first pit stop.  After handing off the car to my teammate, AJ [Aquilante] picked up right where I left off and made some incredible passes to help us get onto the podium.”
 
Aquilante and Spaude were among 67 cars entered in two classes in GRAND-AM Road Racing’s largest participatory series.
 
“We’re pleased to take away a podium finish from the Homestead round, and our team has been working hard in tapping the performance potential of our Subaru WRX STI,” remarked James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc.  “Both Bret and Andrew put in some great drives under difficult and changing weather conditions while maneuvering through heavy traffic.  We’ll build on this result for our next race in two weeks.”
 
The race-prepped #35 SRRT 4-door WRX STI is developed to compete against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.
 
The next race, the B+ Heroes 200, will be May 11-13 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, near Millville, NJ, and relatively nearby both the team’s race shop location and corporate headquarters for Subaru of America, Inc.

– Drivers Eager to Gain in Points Standings at Next Race –

Phoenixville, Pa., April 25, 2012 – The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) has set its sights on a solid points-earning finish for its Subaru WRX STI to be driven by Andrew Aquilante of Chester Springs, Pa., and co-driver Bret Spaude of nearby Bushnell, Fla.  The 2.3-mile infield road course at Homestead-Miami Speedway, south of Miami, Fla., will host round three of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge this Saturday.
 
Aquilante and Spaude are one of 39 teams competing for the win in the Grand Sports class. The team’s race-prepped #35 SRRT 4-door WRX STI is developed specifically to race against rival teams fielding cars producing over 400 horsepower.
 
“At both Daytona [International Speedway] and Barber [Motorsports Park], we proved that Subaru can run ahead of many of the V8-powered cars,” said SRRT owner Joe Aquilante, principal of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., where the SRRT Subaru WRX STI is prepped and maintained.  “Our lap times have been competitive at both races this year, and we expect the same level of performance in this next event.”
 
Added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., “To say that we’re looking forward to this next race at Homestead[-Miami Speedway] is an understatement.  Our #35 Subaru WRX STI has been performing at a very high level, and the team has made significant developmental inroads.  We simply have to convert our impressive potential into solid race results.”
 
Qualifying is Friday at 4:15pm (ET). The 2 1/2-hour race takes the green flag Saturday at 2:45pm (ET). The 11-turn layout combines much of the banked NASCAR oval track at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with a flat-as-Florida twisting infield road course to throw all the configuration variables at the teams.

Leveraging a two-month lull after the first event of the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series, the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) travels to Birmingham, Al., after a productive period identifying and completing refinements on their #35 Subaru WRX STI 4-door race car in preparation for this highly-anticipated race.  This weekend’s event will be run on the popular, 2.3-mile Barber Motorsports Park circuit.
 
Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., and Bret Spaude, Bushnell, Fl., will share cockpit duties in the race-prepped, 2012 Subaru WRX STI developed specifically to compete in a field of road racing cars developing over 400 horsepower.

Phoenixville, PA. – Jan. 27, 2012 – Facing a 40-car field in the Grand Sport class of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Championship racing series, Subaru Road Racing Team’s (SRRT) drivers ran as high as third place in their 4-door #35 Subaru WRX STI at the season-opening race held at the world-famous Daytona International Speedway.
Subaru driver Andrew Aquilante, Phoenixville, Pa., worked his way to the third spot and held the position from laps 36 through 38, but an on-track incident on the last lap of the race involving another Grand Sport class competitor knocked the team’s #35 Subaru out of the race and eventually classified in the 28th spot.
Teammate Bret Spaude, Bushnell, Fl.  qualified seventh fastest for the race, only one mph off the pole sitter’s qualifying speed. He raced the first 24 laps of the 58-lap, 2 ½-hour race on Daytona’s 3.56-mile combinational oval track and infield road course. The pair shared a race-prepped 2012 4-door Subaru WRX STI developed specifically to go against rival teams within a class in which cars customarily produce over 400 horsepower.
“Our Subaru’s performance in practice, qualifying and the race was solid and the preparation by the crew simply excellent.  We learned a bit during the practice days and applied them into this weekend,” said Joe Aquilante, principal of Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa., where SRRT makes its base operations.
“Brett qualified seventh fastest and was in fourth place at the end of the first lap. He did an excellent job in his 24 laps. Then, A.J. [Andrew] got up to third place on lap 38.  The last lap collision came while he was attempting a pass in the bustop [section of the race course], and a car ahead of him unexpectedly spun and contact was unavoidable.  Now that our car will be back at our race shop for two months before the next round, we’ll dig deeper and find those extra tenths of a second [per lap].”
Added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., “Our final race result from Daytona [International Speedway] won’t accurately reflect the on-track performance from our STI and the polished teamwork displayed by SRRT, but our program shows great promise, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming rounds in the championship.”

The Subaru Road Racing Team wrapped up its 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season with a 15th place finish at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio, racing in a 39-car Grand Sports class field.
 
The SRRT effort included eight race laps in the lead, and determined runs up through the field by both of the car’s drivers, and strategic pit stops supported with heads-up pit action by the crew.
 
Bret Spaude, Bushnell, Fla., qualified the #35 SRRT Impreza WRX STI in 15th place and moved up to 6th by the end of his 50-min stint in the driver’s seat.  Teammate Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., took over at that point, re-entering the race in 26th place. He moved through the field quickly, emerging in the race lead on lap 39 and remained there for eight laps.
 
Aquilante made a second refueling stop with 40 minutes to go in the 2.5-hour race and worked his way back to 13th place, before late race cautions bunched the field.

The Subaru Road Racing Team, with co-drivers Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., and Bret Spaude, Bushnell, Fla., is headed to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio for the 10th and final round of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge to be held on Saturday, Sept. 17.
 
Given the team’s past successes at Mid-Ohio, winning in both 2007 and 2008, the team is looking to this race with optimism.
 
“Any time you go to a race where you have been successful in previous years, history gives you the confidence to know you can do the job,” said SRRT owner Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance Inc., in Phoenixville, Pa., where the SRRT cars are race-prepared.

Saturday’s 2 ½-hour race on the world-famous 2.258-mile road course is also the final race of the 10-race GRAND-AM Continental Tire series season.
 
“This year has not been without its trials, but we’ve made a lot of progress in our efforts to develop the ‘package’ with which we compete against seven other automotive brands,” said Joe Aquilante. “Our STI has become very competitive and we have achieved new levels of performance this year.”
 
James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., noted, “We were under no illusions when we kicked off this campaign in January that we would be laying the groundwork for a championship-contending effort, and our team has performed well against a robust field of competitors throughout the year. [The] Mid-Ohio [round] represents the culmination of a technical development program that has been a collective effort by all our team members this season.”
 

Having just completed their longest haul to a race this season – a 6,000-mile round trip from Phoenixville, Pa., to Monterey, Calif., Subaru Road Racing Team co-drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude this weekend are racing as close as possible to the team’s home – Millville, New Jersey, a mere 73 miles from their race shop in Phoenixville.
 
Their 2 ½-hour race on a flat, 2.25-mile configuration of New Jersey Motorsports Park, will be the penultimate event of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season.
 
The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) prepares and races a 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI 4-door model in the series for Subaru of America, Inc.
 
Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., and Spaude, Bushnell, Fla., are coming off their season’s-best sixth place at Elkhart Lake, Wis., and what could have been another top 10 finish in California had the car not suffered a broken shock absorber.

“This is our home track,” said Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance Inc., in Phoenixville, Pa., where the SRRT cars are race-prepared. “We’ve used it for development testing for Subaru so our drivers know the track.”
 
“The car is getting much faster and handling better as our development progresses. And with that, the drivers need to keep an extra vigil to make sure they don’t get caught up in a contact situations,” Aquilante added. “Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System should be a big help this weekend.”
 
James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., noted, “As much as we look forward to every race weekend in the series, this is the one venue which is that little bit more special based on its proximity to our race shop and national corporate office for Subaru.”
 
Added Han, “This weekend’s weather forecast calls for humid and very warm temps, which will be taxing on both drivers and crew, so minimizing mental errors both on and off the track will be key.  That said, I’m confident in our team’s ability to cope with the challenging conditions and added pressure of performing in front of our ‘home’ crowd.”

Hot on the heels of their season-best top six finish on the longest track of the series, Subaru Road Racing Team co-drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude now face one of their season’s most-compact circuits in their race this Saturday at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, Calif.
 
Their challenge this Friday in the Phoenix Performance-prepared Subaru Impreza WRX STI is a 2.238-mile layout with a long, fast uphill climb to the Laguna’s world-famous Corkscrew turn, then a mega-horsepower, winding “bobsled run” downhill to the start-finish line, and do it all over again for 2.5 hours.
 
Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., and Spaude, Bushnell, Fla., are coming off their season’s-best sixth place in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series on the long, wide-open circuit comprising 4.048 miles which is the Road America layout in Wisconsin.
 
The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) prepares and races a 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI 4-door model in the series for Subaru of America, Inc.

Andrew Aquilante returned to the cockpit after a two-race absence. He relieved Spaude behind the wheel one-hour and six minutes into the race, in sixth place, temporarily picked up one position for laps 27- 35, settled into a safe run to the checkered flags while those around crashed with abandon.
 
“Laguna Seca is very much like Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, in terms of its geographical features, except its length is a mile longer,” noted Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance Inc., in Phoenixville, Pa., where the SRRT cars are race-prepared.
 
“Our Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System should help AJ and Bret get the tires just that much quicker than some of our competitors, and fractions add up over two and a half hours of racing,” he added.
 
James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc., noted, “After a solid result at a race course which emphasizes horsepower and top end speed, I’m looking forward to seeing how well we perform at a distinctly different track like Laguna Seca.”