Millville, NJ (26 August, 2008) -- With wins in two of the last three races, 2007 KONI Challenge Champions Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood are the hottest drivers in KONI competition as the series gathers once again this weekend for round 8 of the 2008 championship season at a new venue in the Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Burrows and Hopwood, who doubled up their win tally on the season with a fantastic run to the checkered flag at Trois Rivieres a fortnight ago, will look to add their names to the history book with another strong run to the podium in the No. 76 Fischer Skis Compass360 Racing Acura TSX on Saturday in the first professional race at the freshly built 2.25-mile 14-turn New Jersey Motorsports Park facility.

“This track is going to be new for everyone, and that gives us even more confidence because we know that Compass will have the Fischer Skis Acura TSX all sorted, and we both have a lot of experience learning new tracks quickly, so this should be another good weekend for us,” said Hopwood. “We switched it up for Trois Rivieres with me qualifying and Adam finishing the race and that obviously worked out well, so we will see what strategy Ray Lee has us on this weekend.”

“There are going to be nearly 70 cars on this track, which isn’t that big, so being smart and patient with the mixed class event is going to be really important,” said Burrows. “Winning races was a big goal for us and now we have the taste for it, we’re pretty hungry to do it again! The Compass360 guys have done an awesome job with the car and we’d like to take as many championship points as we can from the weekend. We know we have a lot of ground to make up, but there is a lot of racing yet to go this season, so we’re going to try to make the most of this weekend.”

A promoter test day will open the weekend on Thursday, with Friday practice preceding Saturday’s qualifying session. Sunday is scheduled for an early 8:45 AM race start.

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Trois Rivieres, Quebec -- Trevor Hopwood and Adam Burrows combined for their second Grand-Am KONI Challenge victory in three races after making an impressive run to the checkered flag at the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres in Compass360 Racing's No. 76 Fischer Skis Acura TSX on Saturday.

Hopwood qualified on the outside pole on Saturday morning and then moved to the lead once the race started before turning the Acura over to Burrows, who made several strong moves to the front before establishing a nearly ten-second lead on the field.

A late-race caution erased his advantage, but the defending KONI Champ had no problem fending off the advances of Pierre Kleinubing in the final moments of the race, setting the fastest lap of the race after taking the white flag to charge to the checker.

"This is just perfect, to dominate and win a race like this," said Burrows. "We switched roles to have Trevor qualify and me finish the race today, and it worked out perfectly. You have to be conservative with the brakes here, but we were still able to get up front and build a good lead without using up the car at all. The Cobalt Brakes were perfect all the way through and held up exactly as you would hope. I’m really happy to be a winner on this track because this event has so much history, and I’m excited that we are part of it. This feels great, and I can’t thank all the guys at Compass360 enough, they did a great job once again."



Trois Rivieres, set on an unforgiving, concrete-lined and tight street course layout, has seen names like Villeneuve, Tagliani, and Empringham grace the top step of the podium in the over thirty years of the annual August race weekend. Long a student of the sport, Hopwood was happy to add his name to that list of winners at Trois Rivieres.

"I had a lot of fun qualifying this morning and the car was just perfect, the Compass360 guys did a great job," said Hopwood. "I was able to just set a pace and was still just saving the car for Adam. Ray Lee called a great race for us and the car was perfect. It felt great to win at Watkins Glen and this is even better to do it again. We were disappointed with what happened at Iowa, but we just shook it off and now we're back on top of the podium, so it feels fantastic. This is such a great event, that to be a winner here is a special thing, and that we can do that for a Canadian team is awesome. They are going to need a merchandise trailer here for these guys next year!"

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Trois Rivieres, Quebec -- Kenneth Lau, car chief of Compass360's #74 Honda Civic, took to the track this weekend in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car races. On Saturday afternoon he piloted the #39 Durabond Honda Civic to a solid second place, and followed that up with a fantastic win on Sunday morning. Best of all, his team's other Hondas, driven by Rapone brothers Andre and Andrew, finished second and third, giving them a clean sweep of the podium. Congratulations guys!

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Watkins Glen, NY (5 July, 2008)— Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood raised eyebrows during the 2007 KONI Challenge season, impressing with pole position qualifying efforts and scoring a record-breaking number of podiums to take the championship in their rookie year of KONI competition.

Despite the accomplishment, the two were still frustrated by the one thing that their KONI portfolio was missing—a victory. So just two weeks after a disappointing race outing at Mid-Ohio, the duo decided to move their focus to victory lane rather than the champions banquet.

That decision paid immediate dividends on Saturday night, as the two combined to take a thrilling maiden Watkins Glen 200 race win in the in the No. 74 Fischer Skis Acura TSX campaigned by Compass360 Racing.

Burrows started the race from third on the grid, and moved into the lead before turning the car over to Hopwood, who returned in 55th position overall. Hopwood replicated the field-scything skills he showed at Lime Rock Park, moving forward to second position with just over 15 minutes remaining before battling for the lead, taking it, and then never looking back.

“Trevor and I are thrilled to be on the top of the podium,” said Burrows. “We’ve worked really hard this year to adjust to racing a front-wheel drive car and we came to grips with it a little bit more at Mid-Ohio. Obviously Trevor did a great job to get us back to the lead at the end. This Fischer Skis Acura was great all weekend. We had a good run in qualifying, and the race was fantastic. We took a chance with our strategy and Ray Lee made a great call to bring us in when he did. It was a little bit of a gamble but it came back to us perfectly, and I couldn’t be happier to take this win with Trevor and now who knows what lies ahead with this championship.”



“Yesterday was my parent’s anniversary so they weren’t here this weekend, but this is the best gift I could give them,” said Hopwood. “I want to thank Fischer Skis and Compass360 Racing, they gave us a great car again. I also want to thank Karl (Thomson) for giving us this opportunity and Ray Lee made a great call. Winning the championship with a friend and teammate like Adam was a great experience, and now to be on the top step of the podium in KONI is really fantastic. Tom (Long) and I had a great battle-side by side for several corners, several laps, and never touched each other so that was great. It’s great to get this monkey off our backs after what happened at Mid-Ohio so this is a great payback to the team. I’ve had a lot of wins here at Watkins Glen, but this is the best one of them all.”

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Mansfield, OH (21 June, 2008) -- An ideal race outing for Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood turned sour after a mechanical failure on the No. 74 Fischer Skis/Skunk2 Acura TSX Sunday in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge ST race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as part of the EMCO Gears Classic.

After qualifying on the front row for the two hour and thirty minute race, Burrows slotted into second at the start, and held station as the field settled into a clean run to start the race. Hopes were high for a breakthrough race podium or even better for the defending champs, but those were put to rest when Burrows pulled in for an unexpected early pit stop before an hour had elapsed.

Hopwood took over from Burrows and went out on track only to generate significant television attention as the left rear wheel dislodged from the Acura at speed. Most drivers would have had a hard time keeping the car from crashing, but the defending champ was able to not only keep the car under control, but he also brought the car safely back to the garage for repairs.

"It is a shame because the car was really fast and I had just settled into a good pace and was saving the tires and the brakes for Trevor (Hopwood)," said Burrows. "But I felt a vibration and so I had to bring it in early. The team thought that the problem was with the wheel studs, but it turns out to have been a bigger problem with the wheel hub, so when Trevor went out, the entire hub assembly came apart. It’s a good thing Trevor is God’s gift to car control because he did an excellent job to keep it on the track and and get the car back in to the pits for repairs. I have to thank (Car Chief) Ivan for the job he did getting the entire left rear fixed and getting us out in time to get some points. Disappointing day today, but we’ll look forward to the Glen."

After the Compass360 Racing crew got the Acura back on track with Hopwood at the controls, the No. 74 moved up from last in the running to take 29th at the checkered flag as Hopwood made the most of challenging conditions to make a dramatic move forward. Unfortunately, the strong pace was not enough to overcome the mechanical set back before the race ran its course.

"I felt like a hero out there," joked Hopwood about the passing clinic he put on in the rain and variable conditions. "But this result really is a big blow for us in the championship. Mid-Ohio has just not been good to us the last two years. But we know we are fast at the Glen so we’ll just be focused on getting back on the podium again there in July."

SPEED will broadcast the Mid-Ohio race on June 28 @ 2:00 PM ET.

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2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Champions Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood finished a fighting fifth in the #74 Fischer Skis/Compass360 Racing Acura TSX at Mosport International Raceway on Saturday after Grand-Am officials made a rules change midway through the opening caution period which set the duo too far back in the field to make a return to the Mosport podium.

Burrows opened the race from eighth on the grid, and was quickly up to third in the ST Class order early in the two and a half hour race as the champs were hoping to go one better than their second place finish from the 2007 Mosport event as he gave chase to a remarkably fleet 01 entry from Georgian Bay Motorsports.

“The Cobalt’s were so fast in a straight line that it just didn’t make any sense to use up the car to try to fight with them, so I just settled into a good pace and kept the gap behind me growing to turn the car over to Trevor in good shape,” said Burrows. “The car was great, and even though the track was getting pretty greasy, I was able to just keep a good pace before that yellow came out.”

The race got off to a clean and green race start, running nearly an hour before a full-course caution slowed the field. After initially ruling the pits to be closed, officials allowed several competitor cars to pit and then subsequently decided that the penalties would not be enforced.

The rules change saw Burrows forced to wait an extra lap before turning the car over to Hopwood, who returned to the field back in tenth after some quick pit work from the Compass360 squad. But showing the same smart speed that he did at Lime Rock Park, Hopwood was able to move up to take fifth at the finish and improve the duo’s championship points tally in advance of round four next weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.



“The car was really good and it was just too bad that we had to make up so much ground after the pit stop ruling,” said Hopwood. “But the car was really fast right to the finish, and even though we were not as good on the restarts as we could have been, we were able to make some of that ground we lost back up. This is a solid finish and while we obviously could have been further up front had the pit stop decision gone our way, there was no way we’d have had anything for those Chevy’s. They are really fast in a straight line.”

Burrows and Hopwood will return to race action next weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as the Mansfield facility hosts an ST Class-only event on Sunday, June 22.

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BOWMANVILLE, ON -- With two of their team cars placed solidly in second and third in the Driver's Championship standings following Grand Am's Memorial Day feature at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut, Compass360 Racing (C360R) is working hard to solidify (and improve) those positions during the KONI Challenge Father's Day event at Mosport this weekend.

Californian Christian Miller and North Carolina's Kevin York co-drive the team's #75 Acura TSX, sponsored by 034Motorsport and GoEnzo.com. Currently second in the Driver's Championship, this duo has managed two sixth-place spots in the first two KONI outings. "The car's been great, and the Compass360 guys have called great strategy," remarked Miller.

"Mosport is our home track, and we've got a lot of confidence here," said Team Manager and Crew Chief Ray Lee. "I think we've got a good chance to podium with any of our Acuras."

Indeed, the competition is intense in Grand Am's KONI Challenge, with less than a second or two covering first through 20th in early practice. With nearly 70 cars scheduled to take the green flag (31 Grand Sport and 37 Street Tuner, in which C360R competes), it promises to be an interesting race!

Last year's ST champions, Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood, driving the #74 Skunk2/Fischer Skis Acura TSX are no strangers to the podium, currently third in the Championship. Ironically, the duo was poised to take victory at Mosport last year, while driving in a BMW, when Karl Thomson's then-co-driver Billy Johnson staged a daring last-lap pass, giving Johnson and Thomson their third win of 2007. "Adam and Trevor were fast here last year, and they've made the transition to our front-wheel drive Acuras really well," noted Thomson. "Travis and I are going to have our work cut out keeping up in the RSX!"

Indeed, Thomson and 2008 co-driver Travis Walker have switched to the team's back-up car, an Acura RSX-S, after the untimely demise of their brand new Honda Civic Si at the Lime Rock round. "During the Lime Rock race, I got tagged going into Big Bend," explained Thomson. "The contact ended up throwing the Civic into a five-barrel-roll which saw the car finally land on it's lid. The car was a write-off." Thankfully, Thomson emerged unscathed, but the loss of points moved him and Walker from first (after Daytona) to twelfth. "We've got some work to do," exclaimed Walker, "but I love the RSX and Mosport is a track I'm really confident at, so we are hoping for a really good result."

Canadian racing legend Kenny Wilden will co-drive the #73 Pure Shampoo + Body Wash TSX with Oakville, Ontario's Jeremy Willard. Although contact with another car put them out of contention at Lime Rock, the two expect to do well at Mosport. "Kenny's got so many laps here he can probably run it blindfolded," laughed Thomson. The duo are new additions to the C360R team, but their initial performance at Lime Rock showed that they've got the pace to be at the front.

Mosport promises, as it always does, to be a truly amazing race! The KONI Challenge event starts at 1:00pm on Saturday, June 14th. For more information visit http://www.mosport.com.

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Bowmanville, ON -- Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood took a record-setting number of podiums on their way to the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge ST Class championship, and will look to return to the ST Class rostrum again this weekend as the series ventures North to Canada’s famed Mosport International Raceway outside of Bowmanville in Ontario. The race weekend is the first of two back-to-back KONI Challenge events, which will return Stateside for round four at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 22.

The duo were well-positioned to win the Mosport event late in the race last year, but over-worn tires left them unable to defend the lead on their way to a podium result. The Champions will look to rectify that this weekend, as they campaign the No. 74 Fischer Skis/Compass360 Racing Acura TSX, the same car that took the win last year.

The two arrive in Canada fresh off a thrilling Lime Rock Park race weekend, which saw them overcome a last-place starting position to race forward and finish seventh at the checkered flag.

“Our comeback at Lime Rock was really fun but obviously we’d rather run up at the front of the pack than go through it, so hopefully we can do that this weekend,” said Hopwood. “Having the split-class race on a place as tight as Lime Rock was key, but I am sure that having both GS and ST at Mosport is going to be busy. Compass360 was obviously strong here last year. My dad is going to be keeping track of us on the web timing and scoring, so hopefully we can bring him and the team another good result this weekend and keep moving up in the points.”

“We were pretty disappointed with the outcome at Mosport last year, so we are really motivated to do well this weekend,” said Burrows. “Trevor did a great job at Lime Rock getting us up the order which allowed us to move up in the championship and that is going to be the focus again this weekend, trying to stay out of anyone else’s trouble and bring home as many points as possible. My father’s enthusiasm for crazy old French cars and British roadsters that always needed repairs was a big part of how I decided to become a racer myself, so hopefully we can make it a good Fathers Day weekend with a good race result.”

Sessions will be carried with live timing and scoring on the Grand-Am website. Thursday is a promoter test day, with Friday setting the grid in advance of the 1:00 PM Saturday race start for the 2.5-hour event.

PR inquiries about Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood should be directed to Matt Cleary at Sunday Group Management; 317.908.2975 (mobile) or media@sundaymanagement.com.

Compass360 Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. For details visit www.compass360.com/racing or email racing at compass360 dot com.

PR inquiries about the Compass360 Racing team should be directed to Team Principal Karl Thomson at (416) 465-2299 x21 or email karlt at compass360 dot com

Labels: news

The C360R #75 Acura TSX was on display during Mosport's media launch today.

Canadian racing legend Scott Maxwell and C360R's Karl Thomson were in attendance to give a presentation to the invited media, and to provide some background on the KONI Challenge and road racing. Three drivers in the NASCAR Canadian Tire series were also in attendance, and there was an interesting discussion of what comprised a "stock car!"

The #75 currently sits second in the ST championship and was parked in front of the Mill Street Brewery, which resides in one of Toronto's hip urban downtown hot-spots, the Distillery District. The event was very well attended by the media (encouraged, we're sure, not just by the opportunity to hear from the drivers but also to sample some of Mill Street's finest ;-) and we had the opportunity to talk about our unique marketing partnership with Harper Collins Canada, promoting the book, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.

We're figuring for some really good national and local press for the event, and a good fan turn out.


(Scott Maxwell at left, Karl Thomson on the right.)<

Labels: news

Kevin York and Christian Miller finished in sixth place driving the No. 75 GoEnzo.com, 034 Motorsport, C360R.com ACURA TSX in the Grand Am KONI Challenge Series ST-class race at Lime Rock Park. The race result is the pair’s second such finish of the 2008 season.

York qualified the car in eighteenth position of the forty-six car grid -- first amongst the Compass360 team.

York started the race and maintained position while fending off other competitors. At the one-hour mark of the two and one-half hour race, York pitted during a caution period. During the stop, York and Miller swapped spots as planned. With fresh tires and a full fuel tank, Miller took off on his charge to the front of the pack.

Moving up as high as the top-five, Miller finally settled on sixth place at the finish -- again, first amongst the Compass360 team. Of note was that the #75 car was relatively unscathed; unique in an event that saw much car-to-car contact with resultant damage.

"Kevin did really well in qualifying," cited Miller before the race. "Lime Rock is a difficult place and with so many cars on-track, finding a clean lap to put down a decent time is challenging. Kevin did a great job."

After the race York said, "I could not ask for a better effort from my teammate, Christian. He fought many battles but kept his composure while moving us up into the top-ten for the second race event in a row. I’m very pleased."

Announced at Lime Rock, Grand-Am has instituted the MESCO Building for the Future Rookie of the Year Award for certain KONI Series drivers. Even though York is a seasoned competitor, by the guidelines of the program he will be eligible to run for Rookie of the Year honors. The winner will be determined by finishing position in the final championship standings. The MESCO Building for the Future Rookie of the Year will be honored at the season-ending KONI Challenge Series awards banquet.

The Compass360 team will be doing everything they can to ensure Kevin, or team-mate Jeremy Willard (who is also eligible) takes this new award!

York is sponsored by GoEnzo.com, a website promoting the new, best-selling book, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Miller receives support from California-based tuning shop 034Motorsport.

Labels: news

LAKEVILLE, CT — Canton, Connecticut’s Adam Burrows and Lee, New Hampshire’s Trevor Hopwood finished seventh with the No. 74 Fischer Skis/Compass360 Racing Acura TSX in the Gran-Am KONI Challenge Classic ST Class race at Lime Rock Park on Saturday. The race result is the pair’s second top-ten finish of the 2008 season.

The 2007 KONI Challenge Champions were hoping to make a podium appearance on their home ground at Lime Rock Park, but were instead forced to stage a massive comeback during the race, starting from dead last after an electrical problem in qualifying kept Hopwood from setting a time.

Hopwood started the race as the caboose in the 46-car field train for the two and a half hour event. But he quickly began bolting to the front right from the drop of the green flag. Keeping his championship challenge in mind while also looking to make it to the front, Hopwood moved up to fifteenth before turning the car over to Burrows, as his good decisions and patience were rewarded with forward progress and a car that didn’t have a scratch on it to boot.

“That was fun,” said Hopwood. “I was frustrated with qualifying this morning, but we had a good car for the race and moving all the way up like that was really a blast for me. Adam did a great job with his long stint at the end, and after starting where we did, a good way to finish on our home race. Hopefully we can have another good run on Monday in the GS race.”

Burrows took the controls as the race neared the fifty-lap mark, with quick pit work from Compass 360Racing helping him rejoin the field in 13th. With a wide range of experience on the fast little 1.53-mile circuit in Northwest Connecticut, Burrows used every trick he knew to try to preserve the tires under him as he surged up to seventh at the checkered flag after a long stint at the wheel.

“That was a lot of work out there but after we started from last in this huge field, it’s great to come out of this with a seventh place finish,” said Burrows. “I was trying to save the tires as well as I could, but by the end the rears were pretty much shot, so I had to be a little conservative because it was very loose. But after the way the day started, this is a great result and now we’ll look forward to Mosport.”

The No. 76 Compass360 entry of Karl Thomson and Travis Walker was out of the race before mid-race after being sent off track and then flipping over in corner one with Thomson behind the wheel. Fortunately, the Compass360 Racing principal emerged unscathed and with this competitive focus in tact.

“Well, the guys on the team really needed a yellow so this was good for them, but of course I didn’t want to be the cause of it!”

The Memorial Day race weekend is far from over for Burrows and Hopwood, who will be back in race action on Monday as the two make their KONI Challenge GS debut in the Shock Doctor BMW M3 with Kinetic Motorsports. Burrows will start the race from 15th on the grid after locking into the grid spot in Saturday’s qualifying session.

Next KONI Challenge Race:
Mosport International Raceway
June 14, 1:00 PM ET.

-----

PR inquiries about Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood should be directed to Matt Cleary at Sunday Group Management; 317.908.2975 (mobile) or media@sundaymanagement.com

Compass360 Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. For details visit www.compass360.com/racing or email racing at compass360 dot com.

Labels: news

LAKEVILLE, CT (21 May, 2008) – The fastest drivers always keep their eyes up and looking way ahead, whether they are looking from corner to corner for a fast race lap, or further down the road for good opportunities in their racing career.

Adam Burrows of Canton, CT and Trevor Hopwood of Lee, NH, have long had their vision locked in on the GS Class of KONI Challenge competition, and this weekend, the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge ST Class Champions will get the chance to test the waters in GS as Burrows and Hopwood have been signed to make their GS Class debut at Lime Rock Park in the No. 80 Shock Doctor Kinetic Motorsports BMW M3.

It will be a busy Memorial Day weekend for the duo at the famed Northwest Corner facility, which is the home Grand-Am race track for both Burrows and Hopwood. In addition to their GS Class debut, the two will also be looking to keep their ST Class Championship title defense moving forward in the Compass360Racing Acura TSX in Saturday afternoon’s two and a half hour enduro.

The GS Class start is the first for both Hopwood and Burrows, who scored the ST class pole in qualifying at Lime Rock Park last year. Lime Rock Park has been the site for several firsts for both racers, as Hopwood made his ST Class debut at the track in 2005, scoring 6th on the grid in his first-ever qualifying effort.

“I’m really excited about the Lime Rock Park weekend and thrilled that Kinetic is giving us this chance in the GS car,” said Hopwood, who has extensive high-horsepower experience behind the wheel of GT-1 class machinery. “There are a lot of very talented drivers and several strong car and team combinations, so we know it is going to be really competitive. But for us to get a chance to step up and see what GS is all about is an awesome opportunity and its even better that we get to do it at Lime Rock Park.”

The GS debut will also come with a familiar brand, as the two took their ST Championship behind the wheel of a BMW 330i last season before taking on the challenge of racing with front-wheel drive in the Acura TSX for 2008.

“It is a little like coming home in terms of racing with a BMW again this weekend,” said Burrows, who made his first-ever race start at Lime Rock Park as well as scoring his first career pole and win at the track in SCCA competition. “We are going to be busy going back and forth between the Acura and the BMW and that will be its own interesting challenge, but we are really looking forward to it. I just want to thank Kinetic for giving us this chance and hopefully we can bring them a good result.”

Based in Buford, Georgia, Kinetic Motorsports made its Grand-Am KONI Challenge debut with a multi-car effort in 2007 at Daytona International Speedway. The Burrows Hopwood entry will be one of three Kinetic campaigns during the Lime Rock Park race weekend.

Labels: news

GOENZO.COM REVEALED:
Kevin York and Compass360 Racing 'Unleash' Unique Marketing Partner

"The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein had me riveted to its pages
until the book was finished ... Just read it." -- Peter Egan, Road & Track Magazine

So far in the 2008 Grand-Am Koni Series, Compass360’s Acura TSX #75 has been racing around the track with a mysterious marketing partner -- a logo that simply reads 'GoEnzo.com.' We’re pleased to finally be able to reveal that the sponsor behind the logo is novelist (and racing fan) Garth Stein. GoEnzo.com is the website for his new novel, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is narrated by Enzo Swift, a loyal family dog who has educated himself about the world by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver, and those of his favorite racer, Aryton Senna. He’s learned that by using techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals -- your car goes where your eyes go.

Stein is a former racecar driver himself, which led to his decision to get the word out about this book by sponsoring a racecar -- an unusual move for a writer. But Compass360's Acura #75 is not just any racecar. The driver, Kevin York, is Stein's good friend and the real-life inspiration for the character of Denny Swift.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is available wherever books are sold (including Amazon.com) or at Starbucks stores across the country. Additionally, driver Kevin York will be handing out a limited number of books at each of his races this summer. His next appearance will be May 23-26, Memorial Day weekend, at Lime Rock Park, CT.

*****

About the driver: KEVIN YORK has been a motorsport competitor and coach for nearly two decades. He has competed in (and won) in various forms of motorsport. Licensed by Grand Am, FIA, WKA, ACCUS and ICSCC, Kevin has a depth and breadth of experience not seen in all drivers. For more detail, see www.yorkmotorsport.com.

About the author: GARTH STEIN is the author of two previous novels, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets and Raven Stole the Moon, and a play, Brother Jones. He lives in Seattle with his family. Find out more at www.goenzo.com.

About the team: COMPASS360 RACING (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team has fielded cars in Grand-Am’s KONI Challenge since 2004, rewarding Acura with with the Manufacturer’s Championship twice (in 2006 and 2007). For more details visit www.C360R.com.

Labels: news

Christian Miller, who co-drives our #75 TSX, narrowly missed the top spot in class at last weekend's Time Attack at Long Beach. Held as part of the last-ever Champ Car race, the event was by invitation only and delighted the huge crowd at the famous street circuit.

Miller was on form with his 034 Motorsport Audi A4 (above), and in the end was just 8/10th behind the class-leading Evasive Motors Mitsubisi Evo IX. Great job by Christian and his team at 034.




Billy Johnson, who drove with us in 2005, 2006 and 2007, was top dog on the weekend in his wicked-fast Factor X NSX, notching a time nearly a second faster than second-place overall Tyler McQuarrie. Nicely done.

(Photo credits: 034 Motorsport and Turbo Magazine.

Labels: news

Kevin York, co-driver of C360R's #75 Acura TSX, will be back at Watkins Glen May 14 and 15 to help select Porsche Club of America advanced drivers to be faster and more consistent. As a Speed Secrets coach, Kevin will be joining Scott Leder and others from the Speed Secrets staff at the perennially popular "Cups and Saucers" advanced driver education event hosted by the Hudson Champlain Region of the PCA.

More details here.

Labels: news

TORONTO, CANADA -- After a very successful test at Lime Rock Park earlier this week, Compass360 Racing today announced that Kenny Wilden and Jeremy Willard have been signed to drive the team's #73 Acura TSX for the 2008 season. The car will feature sponsorship from Pure, a new player in the shampoo, hair care and body wash market.

The addition of Wilden and Willard brings yet another driver pairing capable of race-winning results to the C360R fold. "These guys are an amazing addition to our team," remarked Crew Chief Ray Lee. "We've got four cars that can run up front in every race, with drivers that can finish on the podium and battle for championships."

Wilden's experience is extensive: he recently drove with Mike Shank's DP team, along with a number of KONI Challenge GS and ST programs, notching solid results (usually top-five) along the way. Kenny won Firehawk and Players championships in 1992, and Motorola Cup in 1994, and was a fixture in Champ Car Atlantics, finishing second in the 1999 championship (again with Mike Shank).

Willard brings the focus of a pro to the table, having been Canadian Windsurfing Champion, and an internationally seeded competitor. "The drive and discipline that took Jeremy to championships on the water give him an advantage on the track," noted Wilden. "He's got amazing natural talent and a competitive instinct that will deliver results."

Willard and Wilden join 2007 KONI ST-class Champions Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood, along with 2007 ST runner-up Karl Thomson on the team. "We've got amazing talent in each of our four cars." said Thomson. "I've got Travis Walker, who was Inside Track's Up-and-coming Road Racer of the Year, as my co-driver. Plus, perennial podium-finisher Christian Miller is paired with former Speed Secrets coach Kevin York. Top that off with a high-profile sponsor for the new #73, and you know we are stoked!"

Willard and Wilden were equally excited . "The test went really well, and we were pleased with how fast we clicked with the guys," noted Willard. Added Wilden, "It went exactly as I had hoped and, frankly, expected it to. Ray and Karl have put together a great team."

Compass360 Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries around the globe. The team has competed in Grand American Road Racing since 2004. For details visit http://www.C360R.com or email racing at compass360 dot com.

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RIVERSIDE, CA -- Compass360 Racing and K&N Filters today released details of their partnership for the 2008 racing season. K&N, a leading provider of race and street filter systems, will join Honda of America and Skunk2 as team partners this year.

"We were looking for a partner that understood our market," explained James Yim, Business Manager at K&N. "Karl Thomson and the guys at Compass360 are in tune with the Street Tuner marketplace, and have competed successfully in Grand-Am for many seasons. They are an ideal fit for us."

K&N will provide technical development for the C360R team, highlighting the improvements they can make in air and oil filtering, while featuring the team's KONI Challenge cars in their advertising. An extensive, multimedia campaign is already underway, and includes ad placement in import tuner magazines like DSport, Sport Compact Car, Modified and others, as well as a number of on-line Tuner enthusiast publications.

"We've been using K&N products since I started racing," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "We're really excited to officially add another manufacturer of their calibre to our racing arsenal! From our early forays into club racing, we always used K&N products, and they definitely helped our performance. Now, as a professional championship-winning team, we're proud to make use of K&N's technical resources to help us keep ahead of the competition."

Look for Compass360's Acuras featured in K&N ads in current issues of DSport and Sport Compact Car!

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Compass360's Managing Partner, Karl Thomson, has been asked to contribute to Grand-Am's new media-rich website. His weekly (or possibly bi-weekly) missives will be published as part of the sanctioning body's push to bring fans close to the series, the teams, the drivers and the personalities that fill the paddock.

Thomson joins a rather interesting (and illustrious) collection of writers, including multiple-champion Hurley Haywood. "Hurley was one of the guys I really looked up to, even before I started racing," remarked Thomson. "He's such an amazing driver, a guy who appreciates the fans and also understands how this business works. And he's a true gentleman."

Other contributors include star driver Nic Jonsson, Daytona Prototype driver (and fellow Canadian) Mark Wilkins, our friends John Tecce and Dean Martin (Tecce manages BGB Motorsports, while Martin runs Rehagen Racing and is a pretty awesome shoe). A couple of newcomers also are in the mix, so the results promise to be very interesting, especially as the season progresses.

Visit Grand-Am.com for details...

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The official Grand-Am KONI Challenge t-shirt features Compass360 Racing's #76 TSX, prominently displayed alongside the #95 BMW with which the two teams battled for the 2007 Driver's Championships.

It's a great piece of NASCAR-style artwork, and we were so pleased to see KONI fans in the paddock at Daytona sporting the new shirt. The shirt re-creates the great fight Turner and Compass360 Racing had last season, with both cars in their bright 2007 livery.



Both teams have changed their paint schemes for 2008, and their driver line-ups are also vastly different, with the championship-winning duo of Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood exchanging their yellow Turner suits for the black-and-orange of C360R.

The newly expanded Compass360 Racing team performed remarkably well indeed at the season-opening race at Daytona, putting all three Acura TSXs in the top ten (Burrows and Hopwood were ninth), including a podium third-place finish for Travis Walker and Karl Thomson (team-mates Christian Miller and Kevin York were 6th).

It was a tremendous start to the 2008 campaign for Compass360 Racing, which enters its fifth year of Grand Am competition. "Honda of America is once again giving us great support," noted Crew Chief Ray Lee. "Along with Skunk2 and our other technical partners, we think all of our cars will be able to run up front this year."

Over the next few months, the team will be testing its TSXs, as well as all-new Honda-powered car, in preparation for the busy summer KONI schedule that begins in May at Lime Rock Park. The team is one of Grand-Am's front-running efforts, and is the largest ST-class team in the paddock. Their deep technical understanding is backed by their history of race and championship wins, and solid driving talent (which includes three of the top four drivers in the 2007 ST championship -- Burrows, Hopwood and Thomson.)

Details and new video are available at www.C360R.com.

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Tune in to SPEED Channel this Saturday, February 2nd at 8:00pm to see the KONI Challenge race from Daytona. Our Acura TSXs finished third, sixth and ninth, and hopefully SPEED will cover Karl's dramatic first-corner, where he went from sixth place to second, as well as Travis' battle with Peter Cunningham (yes, THAT PD Cunningham) in the closing laps.

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SpinVox, the global leader in Voice-to-Screen messaging, announced today that race car driver and coach Kevin York will use the SpinVox Blog voice-to-text blog service to maintain and update his personal Web site while on the road with the Grand American 2008 Koni Challenge Series which debuts later this week.

Atlanta – January 24, 2008 – By using SpinVox Blog, York will be able to speak entries, updates and news into any phone, on any network and have them converted in text and posted to the YORK Motorsport Web site – www.yorkmotorsport.com/koni.

“Connecting with the fans and keeping them informed and interested throughout the race season has always been a priority of YORK Motorsport,” said York. “We’ve done a good job through our Web site of providing news and information. However, by integrating SpinVox Blog we’re able to enhance it and offer an all-access pass as there are essentially no limitations as to where we can post entries from. As a race car driver always on the move, I no longer have to wait to be back at a computer terminal with an Internet connection to stay connected with our fans and can now share thoughts and insights on events as they happen.”

SpinVox Blog is free to use straight off the company’s website. SpinVox Blog works with any blogging tool - such as Blogger or Wordpress - so it is available to more than 150 million active bloggers around the world. LiveJournal makes SpinVox Blog available on all 12 million of its accounts. There are in excess of 10,000 active SpinVox Blog users on LiveJournal with new active users being added at the rate of over 1000 a month.

York drives the #75 Acura TSX for Compess360 Racing in the Grand Am KONI Challenge Series; a schedule of eleven race events that kicks off Friday, January 25 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida and runs through the fall. He has been a motorsport competitor and coach for nearly two decades. The YORK Motorsport Web site features news, biographical information, photos and a section called Koni Notes where entries spoken by phone and converted by SpinVox will appear in text.

“We pleased to be in partnership with YORK Motorsport to demonstrate yet another fantastic application of the SpinVox Blog voice blogging service,” said Christina Domecq, co-founder and CEO of SpinVox. “Keeping people connected wherever they may be and allowing them to ‘speak freely’ is what SpinVox is all about.”

A quick note: if you've not visited Kevin's Blog, where he's using the Spinvox tech, you really should. It's pretty impressive.

Labels: news

2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Champions Adam Burrows of Canaan, CT and Trevor Hopwood of Lee, NH, will look to get their Championship defense off to a quick start this weekend in the Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway as the KONI Challenge meets for the opening round of the 2008 season.

In looking ahead at the year, one constant theme emerges, as nearly everything this new this year for the KONI sophomores. After being signed by the team that was their closest pursuer through the 2007 season, Compass360 Racing, Burrows and Hopwood will also be representing a new partner as Fisher Skis has signed on as sponsors for 2008 and will adorn the distinctive No. 74 Acura TSX.

And it’s not just a sponsor, new team, and new car for the Champs, as the front wheel drive Acura will be a whole new challenge for the duo, who have extensive racing experience in rear-wheel drive machines, but have adapted quickly in their first laps in testing in the Acura racer. But one thing they plan on being the same, though, is their consistent ability to get the maximum available out of the car all season long. After a record-setting run of podiums in 2007 on their way to the championship, Burrows and Hopwood will look to get things started on the right foot this weekend at Daytona Speedway.

“I’m really happy to have Fisher sign on with us and it’s a huge vote of confidence for us as we look to take on this season,” said Hopwood. “I would suspect that the turbo cars will really be able to stretch their legs here at Daytona but we know that we have a solid package with the Acura TSX, and we’ll just look to keep out of trouble and get things started off right there this weekend.”

Burrows slotted the car into the eighth row of the ST class in qualifying after dramatically changing track conditions kept him from setting the time he was capable of. Despite the bad luck for last year’s Lime Rock Park pole sitter, Burrows knows that at three hours, the Fresh From Florida 200 is a long race and anything can happen.

“We’ve been able to get into a good groove with Compass360 Racing already and we know that we have to adjust to driving a front wheel drive car, but we’ve been really encouraged so far,” said Burrows. “Daytona is a bit of it’s own animal and I think the forced induction cars are going to have a big advantage, but we know this is just the first chapter of the story for the season. I’m not completely happy with how qualifying went yesterday but what is going to matter is a good clean start, good pit stops, and a solid result here this weekend.”

The three-hour Fresh from Florida 200 gets underway at 2:15 PM EST on Friday, January 25. Live timing and scoring is available on grand-am.com and the race will air on Speed Channel.

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“That which you manifest is before you.” - Enzo the dog

When Kevin York kicks off Grand Am’s 2008 KONI Challenge Series at the Daytona International Speedway this weekend, he’ll have a new marketing partner at his side.

This partner is a first for York’s team, Compass360 Racing, as well as a first for motorsport in general.

However, fans will have to wait until May to get the whole story on this innovative and exciting sponsor. In the meantime, GoEnzo.com can be found emblazoned on the #75 Compass360 Racing Acura TSX.

Intrigued? Then visit the website,GoEnzo.com. Come May 2008, the rest will be clear.

And remember, like Kevin and the minds behind GoEnzo.com would say, “Your car goes where your eyes go.”

(Courtesy of York Motorsport.)

Labels: news

Toronto, Canada -- Throughout the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge season, Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood had to keep one eye on the road and one in the mirror to keep tabs on the all-out championship pursuit from Compass360 Racing. In the end, the ST Class Championship came down to the thrilling last laps of the season in the VIR Six-Hour enduro, as Burrows stormed to take the final spot in the podium and clinch the championship with Hopwood.

But even after the checkered flag flew on 2007 for Compass360, the chase was not over, as the team pursued Burrows and Hopwood during the off-season to turn their fierce competition into an asset by inking the two to a one-year contract to campaign the team's #74 Acura TSX.

"I'm really excited that Compass360 Racing is giving us this chance to defend our championship and to race together," said Burrows. "We were pretty floored by the interest we got from teams after we won the championship, but it was really important that we were in a competitive situation and that Trevor and I could race together and go for another championship. Fortunately, Compass360 presented us with an opportunity we just couldn't pass up."

While the move from the straight-six powered rear-wheel drive BMW 330i they won the championship with last season to the front-wheel drive four-cylinder Acura TSX is a dramatic one, Burrows and Hopwood are looking forward to showing what they can do in a completely different kind of race car after impressing all season in the BMW.

Acura's TSX's took five wins in 2007, four of them in the hands of Compass360 Racing. "Obviously we saw a lot of this car on the track last season and I'm looking forward to getting a feel for it from the drivers seat," said Hopwood, who has raced everything from Spec Racers to GT-1 Corvettes. "As returning Champions, we know we are going to have a target on our backs, but we're excited about the challenge. We know there are going to be some fast new cars and drivers in ST next year, but we are ready to get into it again -- the sooner, the better."

For Compass360, which has a long-term growth plan in place for its motorsports division, the chance to retain Burrows and Hopwood was one that the team wanted to grab with both hands.

"We talked with Adam and Trevor throughout last year and I am tremendously proud to have the champions racing for us this season," said Team Principal Karl Thomson. "I'm pleased we had a program strong enough to sign these guys for 2008. We already know how quick they are on the track, and are looking forward to using the strong assets they bring to the team. We plan on being very competitive this season and continuing to grow in the KONI Challenge Series in the future, and these guys are going to be a an important part of that."

This announcement finalizes the driver line-ups for Compass360 three TSXs; Hopwood and Burrows join Thomson and co-driver Travis Walker who pilot the #76 car, alongside Kevin York and Christian Miller in #75. "I'm excited because all three of our TSXs have strong driver line-ups capable of winning races and a championship."

Burrows and Hopwood will get their first taste of the TSX after the New Year during the Test Days in Daytona on January 4-7 before taking the green flag in the Fresh From Florida 200 on January 25th.

Commercial partnerships are still to be announced in the coming weeks.

Labels: news

Newark, CA – Christian Miller returns to the KONI Challenge in 2008 after a successful run in 2007. This season, he's driving for Compass360 in their #75 Acura TSX, which he'll be sharing with Kevin York.

"We took note of Christian last year," remarked Compass360's Karl Thomson. "He did a great job in an i-Moto TSX, getting a podium finish at Laguna Seca, and finishing fifth at Iowa." In fact, Miller had four top-ten finishes in ten race starts in 2007.

Christian, who competed in the 2005 SPEED World Challenge series for 034 Motorsports in his VW Jetta, started racing in 2001. He competed in SCCA Pro Spec Miata for three seasons, with numerous race wins, finishing fourth in that championship in 2003 and in 2004. He's also a regular Time Attack competitor, most recently taking the 034 Motorsports Audi to a class win at the 2007 Redline event at Laguna Seca.

"I'm really excited to be back in a TSX," enthused Miller. "Last season, I watched the Compass360 crew all year long and know the kind of preparation and commitment they bring to every race. They won four times and their cars were always at the top of the charts. I know we've got a strong package, and I'm looking forward to good results!"

The signing of Miller rounds out the second Acura of Compass360's three-car effort. Miller and York will share the #75 car, while team veterans Thomson and Travis Walker drive #76. The team is finalizing the driver line-up for their #74 car. "We're working to put together really strong driver line-ups in each car," noted Thomson. "Our goal is to have three cars that are capable of winning a championship, piloted by drivers that can win in endurance racing. I know Christian's one of those kind of guys and he's a great addition to our driver roster."

034 Motorsports is a well-known aftermarket performance tuner based in northern California. Miller heads their technical support group, and specializes in harness development. He's also lead test driver.

Labels: news

Toronto, Canada – Travis Walker returns for his third full season in a Grand Am KONI Challenge Acura in 2008, joining Karl Thomson at the helm of Compass360's #76 TSX.

"I'm thrilled that Travis will join me driving our championship-winning #76 TSX in 2008," enthused Thomson. "He's been a real team player and has always been at the top of the time sheets at every event over the past two years, so we're expecting more of the same this season." Thomson continued, "I think Travis is one of the great young talents in the Grand Am paddock, and I'm looking forward to seeing him deliver the season-long results that will have us in the championship hunt. And it'd be great to win a few more races along the way!"

Walker, who was voted Inside Track Magazine's "Up and Coming Road Racer of the Year" in 2006, is no stranger to the team. In fact, his strong KONI results with them in 2005 and 2006 led to his 2007 run in a Blackforest GS-class Mustang. "I am excited to be back with Ray, Karl and the Compass360 crew and to be part of their future. I know our Acura will be a front runner and I look forward to achieving some great results for the team," said Walker.

Walker's had great success since his start in karting. He won the Canadian Grand National Karting Championship in two classes and competed in the Ron Fellows Sunoco Karting Championship. In his first year racing cars he became the youngest driver, at age 17, to ever win a Honda Michelin series race in the series' 17-year history. The following year he was a top runner in the FAQ Hankook series in a Ray Lee-prepared RSX and also finished third in his first Grand Am race.

Crew Chief Lee looks forward to working with Walker again. "Travis has got great natural talent," Lee noted. "Amazing innate car feel, and he's good a communicating what the car's doing at its limit. I'm glad he's back with our team after his run in the Mustang!"

The Compass360 team (which competed under the Kensai Racing with Compass360 moniker for the past two seasons) begins its fifth consecutive Grand Am season in 2008. The team fielded BMW Z3 entries in 2004 and 2005, winning the VIR race in '05 and bringing the Manufacturer's Championship to BMW. In 2006 and 2007, teamed with Kensai, they switched to Acuras, rewarding that manufacturer with the Championship twice in succession, taking four wins in 2007, placing second in the driver's and team Championships.

Compass360 Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America.

Labels: news

Charlotte, North Carolina – Kevin York will rejoin the Grand American Road Racing’s KONI Challenge Series full time in 2008. In doing so, Kevin will again partner with 2007 championship-leading team, Compass360/Racing. The team ultimately finished second in the 2007 ST-class Drivers’ Championship and, for the second year in a row, helped to bring Acura its second consecutive Manufacturer’s Championship.

Joining Kevin in his association with Compass360/Racing will be a new and exciting marketing partner, unique to motorsport.

“I am extraordinarily pleased to be associated with Karl Thomson and his successful KONI Challenge team, Compass360/Racing, for the entire 2008 season,” enthused Kevin. “Grand Am has grown and matured as a motorsport property, and so too has Karl’s team. The momentum that the team has from its fantastic 2007 season will carry forward into the upcoming one without doubt!”

“Additionally, look for the details of my new marketing partner to be revealed in the Spring of the 2008 season as part of a structured roll-out. I expect everyone will be reading about it when they are formally announced in May.” noted York. “We are very excited about it and the fans will be, too!”

The Compass360/Racing team will be ready for Grand Am's Daytona pre-season test in early January. The 2008 KONI Challenge Series' first race will then be held a few short weeks thereafter. The team will be displaying a bold new livery design that's completely in sync with the street tuner scene and the team’s actively involved sponsors.

Kevin York of YORK Motorsport has been a motorsport competitor and coach for nearly two decades. He has competed in – and won – in various forms of motorsport. Licensed by Grand Am, FIA, WKA, ACCUS and ICSCC, Kevin has a depth and breadth of experience not seen in all drivers. For more detail, see www.yorkmotorsport.com.

Compass360/Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team fielded BMW Z3 entries in 2004 and 2005, winning the VIR race in '05 and bringing the Manufacturer's Championship to BMW. In 2006 and 2007, teamed with Kensai, they switched to Acuras, rewarding that manufacturer with the Championship twice in succession. Compass360/Racing returns in 2008 to compete for the Driver's, Team and Manufacturer's Championships with Acura in Grand Am's KONI series.

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