TGR Staff - 02/02/2023
The Racers Group (TRG) returns to the Aston Martin racing platform to compete in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America series in the Pro/Am class. Veteran TRG driver, Derek DeBoer, will team up with Aston Martin Racing Team Professional Driver, Ross Gunn, racing the 2023 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. TRG will also continue to race GT4 / Sprint X and will start their season at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix March 3rd - 5th. Their first Fanatec GT World Challenge America race is scheduled for March 30-April 2 at TRG’s home track, Sonoma Raceway.
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“Our passion for racing, especially within the highly respected GT3 series, keeps us striving for more and more. We are super excited to put this opportunity together, for our 10-year veteran team driver, Derek Deboer, and once again, teaming with Aston Martin gives us an opportunity to push our limits even further – we couldn’t be more excited. The brand is powerful, and the company has grown, as have we, and I feel like this partnership is almost limitless” said Buckler.
“TRG has pulled together a strong team and driver lineup for GTWCA,” said Huw Tasker, head of AMR Partner Racing. “We look forward to working with the team to achieve their ambitions in 2023 and beyond. Having worked with both Mike and Kevin previously, as well as the two drivers, I think the team is right to be confident that this will be a successful GT3 program, which everyone at AMR is excited about.”
Derek DeBoer most recently raced GT3 in 2015, where he finished in the top 10 at the 24 Hours of Daytona. He shares his racing experience — and his life — in a docuseries called Fastlife which is about chasing dreams and encouraging others to chase and achieve their dreams. “As a driver, getting back into the GT3 class full-time with TRG and SRO is one of my dreams and personal goals. This is the season that this goal gets checked off the list, which is really a big deal to me. Now it's time to go get that Aston onto the podium,” says DeBoer.
Ross Gunn has been an Aston Martin factory driver since 2016. An experienced AMR endurance racer in the GT World Challenge Endurance Europe Cup, he has also competed for the last 3 years in the Weathertech Sportscar Championship in the GTD Pro Class. Ross was awarded the WeatherTech Sprint Cup title, given to the highest-performing team throughout the season's sprint events. He has competed at the 24 Hours of LeMans, the Petite LeMans (in Atlanta), and, most recently, at the 24 Hours of Daytona. “I am most excited about joining TRG and Derek for their 2023 campaign in GTWCA. Having met Derek and the team at Daytona recently, they have some lofty ambitions for the season ahead. I am excited to help them towards these goals and can’t wait for Sonoma,” said Gunn.
Mike Johnson, Founder and CEO of Archangel Motorsports, begins his second season as TRG Team Manager — a collaboration that combines TRG’s historic racing achievements with Archangel’s record of leading race teams to multiple victories and championships in both endurance racing and the Grand Am series.
Mike Johnson is a former member of Team TRG from the early 2000s when they were smashing records in IMSA and at Daytona. “I am thrilled to have Mike back by my side helping to lead team TRG to victory in an Epic 2023 racing season,” says Kevin Buckler.
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