Subaru Cars Solid in Canadian Race

- Factory Team Focuses on ‘Home Town’ Race -

The #141 ICY / Phoenix Racing Subaru driven by Don Knowles and David Rosenblum (Langhorne, Pa.), and the team’s #111 Subaru driven by Chuck Hemmingson and by Kris Skavnes (Sparta, N.J.) navigate the scenic Trois-Rivières circuit in Québec.

 

Phoenixville, Pa. – Aug. 16 2008

 

“It took our drivers four races to go from 11^th in the Drivers’ Championship points to the lead, and we stayed there for almost three months,” noted Joe Aquilante, co-partner of the ICY / Phoenix Racing team of Subarus which race in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge road racing series.

 

“It is bittersweet to give up that lead, but it is only by a couple of points,” he added, “and we have three races remaining where we can get back on top – all races at tracks which should favor our cars. We’re still contenders for the championship.”

 

Round seven of the Grand-Am KONI Challenge road racing series was contested Saturday on the 1.52-mile Le Circuit Trois-Rivières, Québec east of Montreal. Both race-prepared Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B cars performed as anticipated. “The crowd was fantastic and many, many enthusiastic fans strolled the pits all weekend. That was good to see. This is a very traditional weekend for the Canadian fans.”

 

Co-drivers Chuck Hemmingson, West Des Moines, Ia., and Kris Skavnes, Sparta, N.J., finished eighth in the 75-lap event on the concrete barrier-lined canyon public streets and bumpy fairgrounds roads in the picturesque city along the St. Lawrence River.

 

Their teammates, ICY / Phoenix team co-owner David Rosenblum, Langhorne, Pa., and Don Knowles, Pittsboro, N.C., were 16^th in the 33-car field. Knowles filled in for regular driver Andrew Aquilante, who was ill.

 

“The ICY / Phoenix crew can spend the next two weeks preparing the Subarus instead of repairing them,” added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc.

 

“The next race, Aug. 31, is on the Thunderbolt Raceway layout of the New Jersey Motorsports Park near Millville. That’s close to Subaru of America’s headquarters – and we’re going to have a large employee presence,” said Han.  “Kris Skavnes is a New Jersey resident, the ICY / Phoenix Racing shop is just across the Delaware River near Philadelphia, and most of the crew is from the area.”

 

The Subaru Road Racing Team is sponsored by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA), Automotive Racing Products, Lista, Rotary Lifts, JRZ, EcuTek, Perrin, Cusco, Carbonetic, Hawk Brakes, Quarter Master Industries, Disc Brakes Australia, Freem, and Racing Radios. The cars are prepared by ICY/Phoenix Racing.

About ICY/Phoenix Racing
Based in Phoenixville, Pa., ICY/Phoenix is a collaborative partnership between Dave Rosenblum (ICY Racing) and Joe Aquilante (Phoenix Performance) which has over 70 years of cumulative racing experience. This organization represents the factory Subaru effort as the Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) in the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series. The team's 4000 sq. ft. race shop is located approximately 35 miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia. Drivers Chuck Hemmingson, Dave Rosenblum, Kristian Skavnes, Andrew Aquilante and Don Knowles race two Legacy 2.5GT spec.B cars. Last season, ICY/Phoenix celebrated a winning year, finishing the season with one pole position and two ST Class wins in six races. For more information about the team and the cars, go to www.icyphoenixracing.com or call Dave Rosenblum at (215) 801-7827; or Joe Aquilante at (610) 482-0141.