Compass360 Racing enters WC series

COMPASS360 RACING LAUNCHES WORLD CHALLENGE TOURING CAR PROGRAM
Grand-Am Champions Expand Their Honda Effort With Two TC Hondas For 2011 Season

(Toronto, ON, Canada) -- Two brand new Honda Civic Si's recently found a new home at Compass360 Racing's shop in Toronto. Their arrival is the culmination of months of planning on the part of the C360R team and Honda Performance Development in Santa Clarita, CA.

""We had a great run together in 2010 and we'll try to continue that in WC.|Lawson Aschenback|right

The cars, which feature a striking white/black/silver livery, will take to the track at St. Petersburg, Florida on March 25th and will mark the debut of C360R's World Challenge Touring Car (TC) program.

Compass360 Racing has a remarkable track record, having brought home Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Championship trophies in 2010, 2009 and 2007. With support from Durabond, the team also won the Canadian Touring Championship in 2010.

Multiple championship winner Lawson Aschenbach will drive the team's #71 Honda, and front-running regional racer Tom Ehlen will pilot #72. Aschenbach is one of only a few drivers that have won championships in World Challenge and Grand-Am competition. Last year he won the Continential Tire ST title with co-driver David Thilenius in Compass360's #74 Honda, and was the World Challenge GT champion in AXA's Porsche 911 in 2006.

"I'm thrilled to be working with Ray (Lee) and Karl (Thomson) and the Compass360 team again this year," enthused Aschenbach. "We had a great run together in 2010 and we'll try to continue that in WC."

The cars were built last year by Honda Performance Development (HPD), with one being campaigned for a few races by Nick Wittmer and P.D. Cunningham. "We owe a lot to all of our partners who helped put this program together," noted Team Principal Thomson. "It wouldn't have happened without Lee Niffenegger and the folks at HPD, our technical partners Skunk2, Ultimate Racing, Stoptech, WPC, or without Gord and Ross Bentley at Speed Secrets."

Tom Ehlen becomes the newest of the drivers in Compass360's Driver Development program. He will take advantage of Speed Secrets coaching at every World Challenge event this year. "Moving up to the pro level is the next step in my racing career, and I know the guys at Compass360 and Speed Secrets will help me get the job done," noted Ehlen.

In addition, C360R will extend its support of the Children's Tumor Foundation's Racing4Research program, using race weekends as fundraising opportunities for the charity, which helps kids and families living with neurofibromatosis (NF). Said CTF Program Director Jill Beck, "More races mean more chances to meet our NF Heroes and to do some fundraising. We're aiming to raise a million dollars through Racing4Research this year!" Donate at http://racing4research.org.

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg takes place March 25-27, and will be televised tape-delayed on Versus.

-source: c360r