Just the Facts:
GAYDON, England — Aston Martin Racing confirmed that it is teaming with The Racers Group for a wide-ranging program in North America.
Aston Martin's new portfolio of racecars, including the Vantage GTE, 12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 will be seen in domestic competition in North America from 2013 onwards, according to the new deal.
The new entity, dubbed TRG-AMR, will have 10 new racecars available for the new motorsport season.
Aston Martin will team with Kevin Buckler's The Racers Group (TRG) to mount a campaign in various
American sports car racing leagues, including both the Grand-Am and American Le Mans series.
TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America launches a switch for Buckler, who has had a long association with Porsche. The effort will include car sales, race parts, engineering and technical support at races, rebuilds and repairs.
The Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the ALMS winter test in February at Sebring, Florida, while the Vantage GT3 will not be ready until after the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Grand-Am Rolex and Pirelli World Challenge series season opener.
The Vantage GT4 will compete in the Continental Tire Challenge.
"We want to welcome and assist these teams at the highest level of support and professionalism in any of the sports car series in North America," Buckler said.
American Le Mans Series President Scott Atherton welcomed the announcement.
"Over many seasons, TRG has been a benchmark competitor in both ALMS and Grand-Am, scoring many victories and championships," Atherton said. "Today, we're marking a point in North American motorsport that speaks to the confidence of the world's premier automotive brands in our unified vision."
Grand-Am President Ed Bennett agreed that Aston Martin's move is significant.
"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," Bennett said. "This announcement by TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America is concrete evidence that our belief is bearing fruit — and quickly."
The two series will operate independently in 2013 and merge into a single series, under a name yet to be disclosed, the next year.
Edmunds says: TRG has one of the most diversified resumes in motor sport, with race victories and championships in a wide variety of sports car series, including class victories at Le Mans and Daytona and one overall Rolex 24 win, plus ventures in ARCA and NASCAR stock car racing.
- Aston Martin Racing confirmed that it is teaming with The Racers Group for a wide-ranging program in North America.
- Aston Martin's new portfolio of racecars, including the Vantage GTE, 12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 will be seen in domestic competition in North America from 2013 onwards, according to the new deal.
- The new entity, dubbed TRG-AMR, will have 10 new racecars available for the new motorsport season.
GAYDON, England — Aston Martin Racing confirmed that it is teaming with The Racers Group for a wide-ranging program in North America.
Aston Martin's new portfolio of racecars, including the Vantage GTE, 12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 will be seen in domestic competition in North America from 2013 onwards, according to the new deal.
The new entity, dubbed TRG-AMR, will have 10 new racecars available for the new motorsport season.
Aston Martin will team with Kevin Buckler's The Racers Group (TRG) to mount a campaign in various
American sports car racing leagues, including both the Grand-Am and American Le Mans series.
TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America launches a switch for Buckler, who has had a long association with Porsche. The effort will include car sales, race parts, engineering and technical support at races, rebuilds and repairs.
The Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the ALMS winter test in February at Sebring, Florida, while the Vantage GT3 will not be ready until after the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Grand-Am Rolex and Pirelli World Challenge series season opener.
The Vantage GT4 will compete in the Continental Tire Challenge.
"We want to welcome and assist these teams at the highest level of support and professionalism in any of the sports car series in North America," Buckler said.
American Le Mans Series President Scott Atherton welcomed the announcement.
"Over many seasons, TRG has been a benchmark competitor in both ALMS and Grand-Am, scoring many victories and championships," Atherton said. "Today, we're marking a point in North American motorsport that speaks to the confidence of the world's premier automotive brands in our unified vision."
Grand-Am President Ed Bennett agreed that Aston Martin's move is significant.
"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," Bennett said. "This announcement by TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America is concrete evidence that our belief is bearing fruit — and quickly."
The two series will operate independently in 2013 and merge into a single series, under a name yet to be disclosed, the next year.
Edmunds says: TRG has one of the most diversified resumes in motor sport, with race victories and championships in a wide variety of sports car series, including class victories at Le Mans and Daytona and one overall Rolex 24 win, plus ventures in ARCA and NASCAR stock car racing.
