SCC: Trois-Rivieres: Subaru Road Racing Team preview

Subaru Road Racing Team Drivers Edge Toward Championship
Season's Final Three Races Kicks Off in Quebec

This Saturday marks the start of a three-race mad dash for what Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) teammates Andrew Aquilante and Kristian Skavnes hope will result in a Drivers' Championship in the Street Tuner class of the Grand American Racing KONI Sports Car Challenge.

Held on a 1.52-mile, 10-turn circuit through the streets of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, an hour east of Montreal, the unique, 90-minute event is the shortest of the KONI Challenge season and the only one not held on a purpose-built race track.

Aquilante and Skavnes enter the race tied for second place in the Driver Championship points, a mere 18 points out of the lead and eight points ahead of the third place competitor.

Their ride to bid for the title is the team's #111 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B., prepared by Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, Pa. Subaru is one of nine car manufacturers represented in the KONI series' Street Tuner class.

Team owner Joe Aquilante noted the consistency in the team's last three races. "A fourth place and two thirds is good given the toughness of the competition," he said. "What we need now are podium finishes. We had wins in 2008 and 2007, and we've led races this year, but we would really like to lead the final lap of each race.

Aquilante owns the Phoenixville, Pa.-based SRRT Phoenix outfit which prepares the team's Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B race car and serves as factory road racing partner for Subaru of America, Inc. This is SRRT's third season racing the Subaru Legacy.

"You don't make a mistake at Trois-Rivières and escape without paying for it," Aquilante said. "The track is both fast and narrow, so any position gains are made with a certain element of risk. Kris and Andrew just have to drive smooth and drive smart. And that's one of their strong suits. They're drivers with the big picture in mind -- knowing we have three races to go and championships still possible, the approach will be to limit risks."

James Han, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Subaru of America, Inc. said, "These final three races will offer points-earning opportunities for Subaru to earn our first stateside road racing championship. I feel confident in our chances based on the racing experience of both Kris and Andrew piloting our competitive Legacy 2.5GT spec.B which sports a Subaru Boxer engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive."

-credit: srrt