ASTON MARTIN TO RACE IN NORTH AMERICA WITH THE RACERS GROUPASTON MARTIN TO RACE IN NORTH AMERICA WITH THE RACERS GROUP

Gaydon, 29 November 2012 – Aston Martin’s new portfolio of race cars; Vantage GTE, V12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 will be seen in domestic competition in North America from next season after TRG (The Racers Group) were today appointed by Aston Martin Racing as an official partner.

Under a new partnership; TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America, LLC (hereafter; TRG-AMR), the two companies will work together with the aim of bringing Aston Martin race cars to all of the major sports car racing series’ in the United States.

California-based The Racers Group (TRG) has a legacy of motorsport success that dates back to the 1990’s with extraordinary wins and championships that include the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (four times, once overall), the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Petit Le Mans and two Grand-Am championships amongst a host of podium finishes. TRG-AMR will initially have 10 new race cars available for the new motorsport season with the aim of competing in varying sports car series’ across the country.

The partnership’s new Aston Martin Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the Sebring winter test session in February (7th-8th) ahead of the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. Meanwhile, the TRG-AMR Vantage GT3 is undergoing final homologation with a view to being available for competition in The Grand American Rolex Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Series. Examples of V8 Vantage GT4 – which enjoyed success with Multimatic Motorsports in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge throughout 2012 - will be available from January.



John Gaw, Managing Director of Aston Martin Racing commented: “We are delighted to form this innovative new partnership with TRG which presents great potential across a variety of racing competitions.

“In TRG we have a proven race partner who clearly knows how to be competitive and win races, helping us achieve new levels of success in North American motorsport for Aston Martin.”

Kevin Buckler, Chief Executive Officer of The Racers Group added: “What we have crafted via this new partnership is a means of competing in all major race series’ with multiple teams.

“We are assembling an infrastructure and management team capable of assisting any customer team that wants to race an Aston Martin in North America. We want to assist these teams with the highest level of support and see Aston Martin competing for podium places in competitions across the country.”

The Aston Martin Vantage GTE – which bears a close relation to Aston Martin’s roadgoing Vantage as the two cars share a bonded aluminium structure and fundamental engine and suspension designs – made its competitive debut in North America at the 12 Hours of Sebring as part of Aston Martin Racing’s FIA World Endurance Championship programme earlier this year, scoring a podium finish. The new Vantage GTE has since gone to achieve success in competition around the globe, including a third in class position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and finishing second in the overall 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The V12 Vantage GT3 is a direct replacement for the Aston Martin DBRS9, which first competed in 2006 and went on to score many race and championship wins including the 2007 British GT Championship and the 2009 FIA GT3 Teams’ Championship. Sharing Aston Martin’s renowned bonded aluminium VH body structure and 6.0-litre V12 engine with the road-going V12 Vantage, the new racer is the culmination of six years’ experience competing at the forefront of all major international GT series.

The GT4 race car is based on the critically-acclaimed V8 Vantage Coupe, with a bespoke 4.7 litre V8 engine producing 420bhp and 346lb.ft torque. The advanced body structure of the V8 Vantage is the key to its superb handling and responsiveness making it a class-leading chassis for race car transition. The new GT4 scored 11 race victories in its debut season.

Aston Martin returned to GT racing as a factory team in 2005 with the DBR9 GT1, which went on to record back-to-back victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, as well as winning the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2011.

Julian Jenkins, Vice President of Aston Martin The Americas concluded: “There has long been a strong appetite from owners, enthusiasts and race fans alike to see Aston Martin in regular motorsport competition in North America so this partnership with TRG is an excellent opportunity to further realise that ambition as we approach our centenary year.”