SCC: Mosport: Kensai/Compass360 preview

KENSAI/COMPASS360 HEADS HOME TO MOSPORT

Toronto, ON, Canada -- After having their great success in the KONI Challenge this year, the Kensai Racing with Compass360 team is excited about the opportunity to race, and win, at their home track, Mosport.

"We are thrilled to have the KONI Challenge return to our own back yard," enthused Crew Chief Ray Lee. "Three of our six drivers call this track home, and the others have had really good result here." Indeed, Karl Thomson, who with co-driver Billy Johnson sits second in the KONI Driver's Championship, has numerous wins at Mosport and a regional championship in 2003 which included Rookie of the Year honors.

"The Father's Day weekend at Mosport is a Canadian tradition," noted Thomson. "The KONI Challenge is sharing the bill with NASCAR's Canadian Tire series, and it will be just amazing to put on a show for our hometown fans."

With cars that have proven to be fast all season long, the Kensai/ Compass360 team certainly has reason to expect success. The largest team in Grand Am's ST-class -- fielding three Acuras -- they currently are second (#76 TSX) and seventh (Matt Pritiko, in his rookie year in the #74 RSX-S) in the championship. Torontonian Dave Ciekiewicz joins Pritiko for the Mosport race, and he brings recent track success to the team, as he's currently sitting in third place in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship in his E30 BMW.

With Thomson/Johnson in the #76 car, and Pritiko/Ciekiewicz in #74, the team's confident that their #75 TSX will be ably handled by Beau Buisson (hailing from Georgia) and Taz Harvey (California). Both drivers have had good success here, Buisson having won Grand Am's ST1 class in 2002, and Harvey racing to a final podium spot on SPEED World Challenge competition in 2000.

"Mosport is one of the great driver's tracks in North America," remarked Johnson. "It requires commitment and focus, and a little local knowledge doesn't hurt!"

In advance of the event, Thomson spent some time with News Editor Norris McDonald of Ontario's largest newspaper, the Toronto Star. The result is an article that will appear in the June 16th issue, as well as a live Star Podcast that can be heard here: http:// media.thestar.com/audio/070608_autoracing.mp3

Obviously, the team is excited about the coming race, as well as the one at Mid-Ohio a week later, where the team has also faired very well (a 4th last year for Thomson, and a 2nd place qualifying for Johnson a year prior). For sure, it will be a great race from green to checkered flag!

-credit: kensai/compass