Aston Martin, TRG Combine To Broaden Iconic Brand’s Footprint In North American

Yet another iconic, world-wide brand – Aston Martin – comes to the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in 2013. The highly-competitive Vantage GT3 will compete alongside Ferrari, Porsche, Chevrolet, Audi, BMW and other manufacturers beginning with the season’s second event March 2 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The Aston Martin factory and The Racer’s Group (TRG) have announced the formation of a partnership to bring the program to the United States. Aston Martin will compete in a variety of events: GRAND-AM, the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and the American Le Mans Series.

California-based TRG, previously a powerhouse Porsche organization, has a legacy of motorsport success that dates to the 1990s with four championships and more than 50 racing victories including the Rolex 24 four times and once overall. TRG also won at Le Mans.

“This program is massive and far-reaching,” said Kevin Buckler, who will head the new organization as its CEO. “What we have crafted with Aston Martin Racing is the ability for TRG-AMR North America to compete in all the major race series with multiple teams and to manage and support all customer programs.”

The initiative also will create a one-marque Aston Martin GT4 series and an “Arrive and Drive” program for corporate clients and customers.

While the Vantage GT3 remains under development and unfortunately will not participate in January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, the manufacturer will increase its presence in GRAND-AM’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

“The new Vantage GT4 will debut at the January test days and will be ready to race in support of and alongside the highly successful Multimatic team already running in the (CTSCC) championship,” said Buckler. Multimatic, a Canada-based organization with multiple GRAND-AM titles plus a Rolex 24 DP victory, finished ninth in GS standings in 2012. Drivers Joe Foster, Scott Maxwell, Jade Buford and Tonis Kasemets drove the Vantage to podium finishes this season.

The Aston Martin Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the American Le Mans Series’ annual Winter Test on Feb. 7-8 in preparation for the March 16 running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida.

“We’ve believed from the beginning that the merger of GRAND-AM and ALMS would be a game-changer on the North American motorsport landscape,” said GRAND-AM President and CEO Ed Bennett. “This announcement by TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America is concrete evidence that our belief is bearing fruit – and quickly.”