SCC: Homestead: Subaru Road Racing Team preview

Subaru Road Racing Team Moves Focus to Miami Race
- Subaru Drivers ready to race all-wheel drive Subaru WRX STI at Homestead-Miami Speedway -

Phoenixville, PA -- March 1, 2010 - Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude will contest round 2 of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series Homestead 200 race scheduled for March 5-6 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in South Florida.

"Having raced a Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B here last year in the ST class, I'm familiar with this track," said Aquilante. "In a way, the layout of the Homestead road racing course, which is a combination of their NASCAR oval track and an infield circuit, is very similar to Daytona Speedway where we raced in January. Only...a mile shorter!"

"The 'dig' that our all-wheel drive has coming out of the infield turns should close the gap between our car and the V-8 engined Mustangs, Camaros, 911s and M3s we race against," added the 22-year old Aquilante, now in his third season of racing for Subaru in this series.

Aquilante's co-driver this year is 22-year old Bret Spaude, of Bushnell, Fla. "After the Daytona race and the performance we had there, I feel excited for Homestead. The car's performance capabilities make it fun to drive with great power and handling. Plus, the team is one of the best in the garage and on pit road. I'm really excited!"

SRRT's Impreza WRX STI is race-prepared and tuned by Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa. Team owner Joe Aquilante said the Daytona race offered a lot of lessons for both him and crew chief Kurt Omensetter.

"We learned a few lessons at Daytona," said Aquilante, wistfully. "After missing qualifying due to some technical hurdles and thus, having to start at the rear of the field in 40th spot, both Bret and Andrew did a fine job to work their way back to 15th. This is a very competitive field of cars, and we hope our ongoing development helps us run with some of the larger motor BMWs, Chevrolets, Fords, and Dodges, as well as the Porsches."

One of the team's advantages at Daytona has been the valuable input from new Technical Director, John Heinricy, whose car setup and driving skills helped him win 40 professional sports car races, four season championships, and 11 SCCA National Championships -- 10 of which have came in cars from the Phoenix Performance shop.

"I jumped at the chance when Joe asked me to help him with the technical aspects of his team and cars" said Heinricy. "And working with great, young drivers, Andrew and Bret, allows me to tap into my own experience as a driver and engineer and help them to have successful careers as road racing drivers."

"Working on the Subaru STI -- a technically advanced AWD, turbocharged four cylinder package -- is a personal challenge for me, too," he added. "Joe and I first hooked-up in 1993; his cars were under me for 11 of my race wins and two driver championships. This is another extension of a mutually-beneficial relationship we've developed over the years."

"Andrew and Brett can learn a lot this year from John, as will the rest of the team. John brings a wealth of experience, a will to win and attention to detail that is second to none," said Joe Aquilante. "I think of John as our team's "Grand Master" to our young drivers, teaching and mentoring."

-source: srrt