TRG Returns to Canada with DeBoer, Gibbons in SprintX East and Pumpelly in Sprint

TRG Returns to Canada with DeBoer, Gibbons in SprintX East and Pumpelly in Sprint

The Racers Group is at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this weekend for rounds 5 & 6 of fierce competition in the Pirelli GT4 America Sprint and SprintX East races. In SprintX, the team will be looking to capitalize on their strong outing two weeks ago at VIRginia International Raceway, where drivers Derek DeBoer and Sean Gibbons came away with two second-place finishes and are looking to maintain their SprintX East AM lead. In Sprint, it was unfortunately just the opposite as the TRG #66 car, and driver Spencer Pumpelly came into the VIR weekend leading in the championship but suffered an unfortunate and bizarre situation with unusual Pirelli tire failures across the board. The #66 TRG / LaSalle Solutions Porsche Cayman GT4 received zero points for both races as it suffered 2 catastrophic tire failures mid-race. In the first situation, Pumpelly was leading the race and in race 2, he was running near the front and had just turned the fastest lap when the situation occurred. In both cases, it was nearly identical with the left rear tire failing. Fortunately, no one was hurt.



Moving forward this weekend, at a track known for speed and its incident-filled races, Mosport will truly test the team, drivers and race cars to the max over the high-speed, 10-turn, 2.458-mile course. TRG’s reputation for success at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park hit a high point in 2016 as the team’s four drivers took home several champagne-soaked trophies, including a win, two 1-2 finishes, and a 3rd place podium during the Pirelli World Challenge race weekend. This continued a historic string of success for TRG at this track, including a GTC podium in 2013, a win in 2012, a win and a 1-2 finish in 2011 and all the way back to the beginning when team owner Kevin Buckler was driving. In 2002, the team made history with an upset victory that shocked the racing world. The unbeaten Porsche factory team of Alex Job and 4 Porsche factory drivers, suffered its first defeat with Buckler at the wheel of his Porsche #66 in the IMSA GT race. This was part of an incredible three-year run that saw the team reach dizzying heights.  From that point forward TRG was consistently a dominant force at CTMP. 

Kevin Buckler’s team brings an outstanding and experienced line-up with 3 drivers and 2 cars competing in GT4 Sprint and SprintX this weekend:

Derek DeBoer: “We can’t wait to get back on the track — Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is one of those epic ones that really push your comfort zone. Sean and I are loving the new car and still have eyes set on the top of that podium — we’ll get there!”

Sean Gibbons: "It will be my first visit to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park so I will be learning a new track while looking to maintain my lead on the GT4 SprintX East AM championship. I am looking forward to working with Derek in our awesome PassTime Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport again and to watching the special Canada edition of FastlifeTV that Brooke DeBoer will be traveling with us to film!"

Spencer Pumpelly: “I look forward to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park every year because it produces some of the best racing. The long flowing corners and the long back straightaway lend to good side by side running. The #66 TRG / LaSalle Solutions car should do well through the long sweeping sections and will hopefully lead us back to victory lane. And, since it’s Canada, I’m bringing my ‘Eh’ game!”