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Old 02-08-2013, 01:19 PM   #1
ricochet
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OMGHi2U Subaru "Terminating" Road Racing Team



Subaru "Terminating" Road Racing Team
By Subiesport

Did you know Subaru had a factory-backed road racing program?

The ICY/Phoenix Performance Subaru racing team began in 2004. Initially, the Pennsylvania-based crew did well with a WRX STi competing in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) T1 National Championships, winning a 1-2 at the Mid-Ohio finale in 2005.

2008 saw the team drop the ICY portion of the name, as partner Dave Rosenblum retired to focus on other ventures. Going forward it became known as SRRT Pheonix, "at the request of Subaru," according to team owner Joe Aquilante.

Aquilante credits the team with a successful run. "We did very well. Multiple division championships, two national championships in 2005 and 2006. Second in grand am ST class in 2009. Three wins in 2007 and 2008 in ST.

In 2010 we switched to STI's in the GS class and that was a long development process. By 2011 the cars were competetive and we won in 2012 at New Jersey Motorsports Park."

Aquilante also recounts a fair share of bad luck in recent years, "The biggest impediment to championships was Gand Am tech dept constantly changing the boost restriction rules. We also had three crashes in 2012 that took very competetive cars out of the race. None of them were our drivers fault, they involved other cars hitting, blocking or running us off the road."

Then, as the team was preparing to compete in the 2013 24-Hours of Daytona race, they got a call from Subaru. The team's funding was cancelled just days before they were to compete in Daytona. "It was a sudden surprise to us," Aquilante recounts.

Subaru of America ended the relationship with both the road racing team as well as the New Jersey track that for a short time bared its name."We are terminating the Subaru Road Racing Team and NJMP relationship as we refocus our efforts toward Rally and GRC," commented Michael McHale, Director of Corporate Communications for Subaru of America.

The end of factory-support doesn't mean an end to Subaru on tarmac. There are still plenty of privateers successfully running WRXs, STIs and BRZs in the national SCCA ProSolo competition and Subaru continues to be dominant in Time Attack. For now, however, Subaru will leave Grand-Am to the likes of Audi, Ferrari, Porsche, Mazda, BMW and Chevrolet.

As for Aquilante and the Phoenix team, "we have three STI's and will sell them to club racers or whoever wants one." And though the future may be uncertain, Phoenix is going to continue to work on other programs and search for additional funding to hopefully get the team back on track as soon as possible.

Original article here.
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Last edited by ricochet; 02-08-2013 at 01:29 PM.
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Old 02-08-2013, 01:33 PM   #2
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If this is the case, Subaru had better do something big in Rally, but I think that's just lip service and they realize that Outbacks are more profitable than STI's, so it just doesn't make financial sense. I think they are missing the big picture though. Having an STI level vehicle in each vehicle line would bring down the cost of these vehicles if they use common components, racing brings prestige to a brand, and many of us that owned multiple WRXs and STIs in the past now drive responsible family cars (my family has an Outback in the stable still and we will probably always have at least one).

In other words, don't turn into Toyota. If we wanted Toyotas, we'd just go buy Toyotas.

Incoherent rant off
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Old 02-08-2013, 04:05 PM   #3
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its a damn shame.... Well this answers my question as to why they weren't at the 24 hours.....Shame on you Subaru...
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Old 02-08-2013, 04:14 PM   #4
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I was hoping to see them getting the BRZ in ST... oh well.
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Old 02-08-2013, 04:33 PM   #5
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Damn subaru... i thought you guys were smart people. shame on you BIG TIME.
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Old 02-08-2013, 06:14 PM   #6
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This sucks! They were my favorite team in the Continental series.
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Old 02-08-2013, 06:43 PM   #7
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First WRC and now SCCA.....wtf Subaru? Quit pandering to the soccer moms and give us a real car....
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Old 02-08-2013, 06:56 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Subaru_junkie View Post
First WRC and now SCCA.....wtf Subaru? Quit pandering to the soccer moms and give us a real car....

THIS! My fiancee was trying hard to get me to get the Crosstrek over the WRX. No sir! (although Crosstrek is neat)
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Old 02-08-2013, 07:13 PM   #9
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Watched several of the races last year, including the win and the screw up at Laguna Seca. I was looking forward to them doing better this year. Oh well, that's life.
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Old 02-08-2013, 07:32 PM   #10
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That sucks!! They are a good group of guys. I had some work done on my car there and they gave me a tour of the whole place.
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Old 02-08-2013, 07:59 PM   #11
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I agree this is sad news indeed, I was just saying the other day how I was suprised that threre was no Subaru presence at the rolex. This is sad news indeed.
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Old 02-08-2013, 10:04 PM   #12
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There will be a BRZ running in ST later in the year. Maybe even at COTA.

Josh
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Old 02-08-2013, 10:19 PM   #13
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Maybe subaru will sponsor a outback since that seems to be all they care about anyways.
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Old 02-08-2013, 10:53 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Noeladams View Post
Maybe subaru will sponsor a outback since that seems to be all they care about anyways.
An Outback prototype at the Rolex 24 for the housewives and gray hairs of America. I love it.
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Old 02-08-2013, 11:13 PM   #15
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Subaboooo FTL
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Old 02-09-2013, 12:05 AM   #16
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Sad day...looks like we are at the end of Subarus golden performance inspired age.

Hopefully this is temporary until the next versions come out of the wrx/sti.
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Old 02-09-2013, 03:24 AM   #17
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Sad news. Hopefully they'll be back sooner than later.
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Old 02-09-2013, 03:37 AM   #18
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Very disappointing, however, there is a glimmer of hope with their "return to rally". Personally, if I had to choose, I'd rather see Subarus covered in dirt than lapping tracks.

But still, why not both? It's a sad trend, this getting out of racing business. Kind of like the new mundane impreza. Smaller engine, less character, more like the competition. Why move away from what makes this manufacturer great and profitable?
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Old 02-09-2013, 09:41 AM   #19
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It was a good run, Joe.

Disappointing.
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Old 02-09-2013, 10:43 AM   #20
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Subaru and performance just don't go together anymore. I'm going to be looking at other brands for my next car.
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Old 02-09-2013, 09:34 PM   #21
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Sadly i really think that Jeremy Clarkson really summed it up a few years ago guys..

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Old 02-09-2013, 11:47 PM   #22
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such a shame
i was so happy to be there at njmp when they won the race
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Old 02-10-2013, 12:13 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrxmike09 View Post
Subaru and performance just don't go together anymore. I'm going to be looking at other brands for my next car.
THIS.
It is a damn shame.
Last year they really started to get things together in the Grand Am series.
Subaru is now going in the opposite direction from other companies running in Grand Am.
Last year Audi and Aston Martin were both not very good.
In the off season they all got tons of support from their respective factories and this year are both doing very well.
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Old 02-10-2013, 12:24 AM   #24
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subaru sucks big donkey balls
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Old 02-10-2013, 12:33 AM   #25
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Sources say the savings on cancelling this team will be used to support gardening and pet adoption resources.........lol
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