Aquilante Mustang claims PWC GTS Round 1 win

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About Phoenix Performance
Phoenix Performance, Inc., owned by Joe Aquilante, is based in a 32,000 sq. ft. race shop in Phoenixville, PA, 40 miles west of downtown Philadelphia. Phoenix Performance-prepared cars have won 18 SCCA National Club Racing Championships since 1999, two professional series Driver and Manufacturer Championships, and the GM Motorsports Winner’s Circle Award.

For more information, call 610-482-0141 or visit www.phoenixperformanceinc.com and www.phoenixperformance.net.

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Aschenbach was seeking a spectacular debut with the new Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, a new sports car recently developed by Chevrolet, Pratt & Miller and the Blackdog Speed Shop. But the Blackdog team didn’t receive their two new machines until last week and actually had a shakedown run in Savannah this week.

“There was a lot of work and dedication, a lot of focus and many people behind this new Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R machine,” said Aschenbach, the four-time PWC series champion. “When you have people like Chevrolet, Pratt & Miller and Blackdog Speed Shop behind the project, you know you are going to have a great car.

“I was very surprised that we rolled off the trailer and ran strong. I knew we were in the ballpark after the first couple of laps in Thursday practice. You go to a track with a new car and you don’t really know what to expect. And, for us, it like plug and play. It has been a little nerve-racking. We put a lot of miles on the test car but the new cars (No. 10 and 11) have been at the shop less than a week. We shook them down at Savannah on the way to St. Pete. I think it is amazing that we just got the cars, shook them down, won the pole (with a new track record) and finished second and is a testament to everyone behind this car. Hopefully, Saturday we can do one position better.”

Meanwhile, Buford had even a shorter time to prepare for his first St. Petersburg event, as the veteran racer received the phone call to join the Racer’s Edge squad with local driver Jason Bell in the middle of race week. Buford won three GTS races in 2016 with the No. 45 Sin R1 GT4 sports car.

“It was a wild week for me as the Racer’s Edge team called me to drive the No. 45 car on Tuesday this week. Then I got a call to compete in the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show in April at Daytona. I am a rock climber as well as a car racer. I’m very excited. I didn’t expect to be here or for any of that to happen. I have never been to the St. Pete race before but I was told the track was really fun. And they are right. It is awesome to drive. I had some great racing with Andrew and Lawson today, nose-to-tail racing, and I was close to the walls several times today. I can’t wait to get in the car tomorrow for the second GTS race of the weekend. We are starting on the front row on Saturday, but the top three times are incredibly close. It could be anyone’s race.”

The GTS Round 2 50-minute sprint event is set for Saturday at 12:55 p.m. ET. MotorTrendOnDemand will live-stream the event; this and live TSL Timing and Scoring links can be found on the PWC St. Petersburg event page.

The following awards were also issued for the race:

● The Optima Best Start Award was given to Rodrigo Baptista (No. 3 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR) for his 3-position jump at the start from his eighth-place qualifying position up to fifth place.

● The Cadillac Best Move of the Race went to race winner Andrew Aquilante for his pass of pole qualifier Aschenbach for the lead and ultimate win.

● The VP Racing Fuels Hard Charger Award was issued to Tony Gaples for his 8-position gain over the course of the sprint in the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R.

RESULTS:

Position, Car No., Class, Place in Class, Driver Name, Make Model – Team Name, Fastest Lap, Trap Speed.

1,32,GTS,1,Andrew AQUILANTE,Ford Mustang Boss 302 – Phoenix Performance, 1:21.4, 75.63

2,10,GTS,2,Lawson ASCHENBACH,Chevrolet Camaro GT-4 – Blackdog Speed Shop,01:21.6,75.57

3,45,GTS,3,Jade BUFORD,SIN R1 GT4 – Racers Edge Motorsports,01:21.5,75.54

4,3,GTS,4,Rodrigo BAPTISTA,Porsche Cayman GT4 Club Sport MR – Flying Lizard,01:22.7,74.65

5,80,GTSA,1,Martin BARKEY,KTM XBow GT4 – Mantella Autosports,01:22.7,74.44

6,14,GTS,5,Nate STACY,Porsche Cayman GT4 Club Sport MR – Flying Lizard,01:23.1,74.38

7,11,GTSA,2,Tony GAPLES,Chevrolet Camaro GT-4 – Blackdog Speed Shop,01:23.0,74.33

8,2,GTSA,3,Jason BELL,SIN R1 GT4 – Racers Edge Motorsports,01:22.6,74.32

9,13,GTS,6,Frankie MONTECALVO,KTM X-Bow – ANSA Motorsports,01:22.8,74.3

10,8,GTS,7,Anthony MANTELLA,KTM XBow GT4 – Mantella Autosports,01:23.1,73.86

11,62,GTSA,4,Mark KLENIN,McLaren 570S GT4 – KPR,01:23.4,73.76

12,4,GTSA,5,George KURTZ,McLaren 570S GT4 – GMG Racing,01:23.9,73.26

13,17,GTS,8,Adam MERZON,Porsche Cayman GT4 – Case-it Racing,01:25.0,72.51

14,7,GTSA,6,Cameron MAUGERI,Porsche Cayman GT4 Club Sport MR – KRUGSPEED,01:24.8,72.5

15,9,GTSA,7,Bill ZIEGLER,KTM X-Bow – ANSA Motorsports,01:27.1,70.33

16,18,GTS,9,Cameron CASSELS,Porsche GT4 Clubsport – Case-it Racing,01:25.2,66.99

17,19,GTSA,8,Parker CHASE,GINETTA G55 – Performance Motorsports Group,01:22.3,66.65

18,69,GTSA,9,Harry GOTTSACKER,GINETTA G55 – Performance Motorsports Group,01:22.6,65.97

SRO America