The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Aschenbach To Pilot JGR Porsche 997 in SPEED GT

For Immediate Release

 

Aschenbach To Pilot JGR Porsche 997 in SPEED GT

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (Jan. 10, 2006) - Jon Groom Racing has announced that
Lawson Aschenbach, of Gaithersburg, Md., will pilot the team's No. 66
AXA Financial Porsche 911 GT3 (997) for the entire 2006 SCCA Pro Racing
SPEED World Challenge GT season.

 

Aschenbach, 22, made immediate waves in the series in 2005, placing
third at the CENTRIX Financial Grand Prix of Denver, the first SPEED
World Challenge event of his career.  He followed that performance with
a 10th-place finish at the year's final event at Mazda Raceway Laguna
Seca despite an early race spin.  

 

He joins a Jon Groom Racing team that turned in a solid 2005 campaign,
scoring one win and helping Porsche to a second-place finish in the
SPEED GT Manufacturers' Championship Presented by RACER Magazine.

 

"We're really excited to have Lawson on board to lead our effort to win
the championship in 2006, especially having come so close last year,"
JGR Owner Jon Groom said.  "I first met Lawson in 2002 when we both
raced in the SCCA F2000 series and he impressed me then. He has
continued to impress me since, particularly last year when he did such a
great job finishing third in his first World Challenge GT race at the
challenging Denver street course."

 

Prior to joining SPEED World Challenge at the end of last season,
Aschenbach was a three-time World Karting Association Grand Nationals
winner before moving to cars at age 16.  He won the Southeast Formula
Ford title in 2001, moved on to the SCCA Pro F2000 series and won the
Road to Indy Oval Crown Championship in that series in 2002. 

 

Deciding to make the move to sports cars in 2003, Aschenbach won in only
his second IMSA GT3 Cup race at a very wet Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

 

Armed with his experience, Aschenbach is ready to join his new team at a
planned test session Jan. 27-Feb. 14 in Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina in preparation for the season's first event at Sebring
International Raceway March 15-17.  

 

"I am very excited to be joining Jon Groom Racing this year," Aschenbach
said. "Their experience and dedication has shown during their very
successful season in 2005. I'm looking forward to continuing that
success in 2006." 

 

Groom said his team's efforts toward a successful 2006 have been
non-stop.

 

"The team has been working flat out since the last race of 2005," Groom
said.  "And they are determined to be in a position again to fight for
both the Drivers' and Manufacturers' titles."

   

For more information about Jon Groom Racing, visit
www.jongroomracing.com.

 

For more information about SCCA SPEED World Challenge, visit 
www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/> .

 

About AXA Financial

 

AXA Financial is one of the premier U.S. organizations providing
financial protection and wealth management through its strong brands:
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, AXA Advisors, LLC, Alliance
Capital Management, L.P., Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC, AXA
Distributors, LLC, and the MONY family of companies, including MONY Life
Insurance Company, U.S. Financial Life Insurance Company, Advest, Inc.,
and Lebenthal, a division of Advest, Inc. (Member: NYSE, NASD, SIPC.)
AXA Financial had approximately $551.3 billion in assets under
management as of September 30, 2004. AXA Financial is a member of the
global AXA Group.

 

-30-

 

Photo Credit: SCCA (c) 2005

Photo Caption: Lawson Aschenbach will pilot the No. 66 AXA Financial
Porsche for Jon Groom Racing.  

Curt K.
_______________
Curtis Kitchen
Public Relations Manager
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Inc.
ckitchen@scca.com  
800-770-2055