Compass360 Racing signs ST Champions Burrows and Hopwood

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.