Subaru Road Racing Team at Daytona International Speedway This Weekend
Subaru Road Racing Team Kicks Off Its 2008 Season at Daytona International Speedway SRRT to Compete in the Daytona Fresh Florida 200 of the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series This Weekend Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - January 23, 2008 - The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) left an indelible impression in the Grand-Am record books last season, taking one pole position and two ST Class wins in only six races. This season, the energized team will appear at the KONI Challenge Fresh From Florida 200 on January 25 at the Daytona International Speedway. The race begins at 2:15 PM on Friday, January 25. Entries for the KONI Challenge GS/ST class race will be one of the largest fields with 46 Grand Sport and 51 Street Tuner cars already registered. SRRT raced in Grand-Am events the last two seasons, with a Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Wagon in three events in 2006, where they took a podium; last year, the team secured two in-class wins campaigning two Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B Sedans. Collectively and individually, the team has years of prior racing experience, beginning with partners Dave Rosenblum and Joe Aquilante, who together represent more than 70 years of racing. Rosenblum will pilot #141 along with new co-driver 20-year old Andrew Aquilante. Young Aquilante is not without experience himself, having made his professional debut last year, winning the SCCA Touring-1 National Championship and the SCCA's prestigious President's Cup Award. "Even with our limited race schedule in 2007, SRRT achieved strong results which may have surprised some competitors but only reinforced our assessment in the performance capabilities of the Legacy platform and justification of the team's efforts", says James Han, representative from Subaru of America, Inc. "Building on last year's achievements, 2008 should be another positive season, and I look forward to the addition of Andrew [Aquilante] to the team." The #111 Subaru will be co-driven by two racers who placed 1-2 for Subaru in the 2005 and 2006 SCCA National Championship Runoffs - driving Subaru Impreza WRX STI cars. Hemmingson caught quite a few competitors off guard last year with his pole position in the first race that SRRT entered at Homestead-Miami. Later in the season, Hemmingson/Skavnes went on to collect wins at rounds in Lime Rock Park and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. For the 2006 season, ICY/Phoenix Racing drivers Dave Rosenblum, Chuck Hemmingson, and Kristian Skavnes accounted for 12 national SCCA Club Racing wins, seven lap records, two divisional titles, and the premier SCCA National Championship. In looking ahead to the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge series, the team feels that the Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B Sedan has proven itself extremely capable and looks forward to proving the car's competitiveness even further. Starting at Daytona International Speedway on January 25, the SRRT expects to see Grand-Am action in the Grand America KONI Challenge. Sponsors for ICY/Phoenix Racing include Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STi), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), Automotive Racing Products, Lista, Rotary Lifts, JRZ, EcuTek, Perrin, Cusco, Carbonetic, Hawk Brakes, Quarter Master Industries, Disc Brakes Australia (DBA) and Racing Radios. About ICY/Phoenix Racing Based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, ICY/Phoenix Racing is a collaborative partnership between Dave Rosenblum (ICY Racing) and Joe Aquilante (Phoenix Performance) which boasts over 70 years of cumulative racing experience. This organization represents the factory Subaru effort as the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) in the 2008 Grand-Am Koni Challenge Series. The team’s 4000 sq. ft. race shop is located approximately 35 miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia. With plans to run at select races, drivers Chuck Hemmingson, Dave Rosenblum, Kristian Skavnes and Andrew Aquilante will pilot two Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B race cars. Last season, ICY/Phoenix Racing celebrated a winning year, finishing the season with one pole position and two ST Class wins in six races. For more information about the team and the cars, go to www.ICYRacing.com or call Dave Rosenblum at (215) 801-7827.