Burrows and Hopwood Set for 50th GRAND-AM Start together

Burrows and Hopwood Set for 50th GRAND-AM Start together

Burrows+Hopwood: GRAND-AM
2007: Turner Motorsport BMW 328i Championship/Rookie season
2008: Compass 360R Acura P2, Championship; 2 Wins
2009: RSR Motorsports Mini Development season
2010: Kia Forte Koup/Kinetic Motorsports 98% race laps complete for Kia Forte Koup
2011: Kia Forte Koup/Kinetic Motorsports 50th race start together

Gallery of Wes Duenkel Images through the years available here:

Monterey, Calif (5 July, 2011)– 2007 GRAND-AM Champions Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood will make their 50th start as co-drivers this weekend as the series stages round 8 of the 2011 championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The duo will arrive at the famed circuit fresh from their season-best finish to date after making a run to sixth at Road America in the No. 12 Infinity Audio Kia Forte Koup.

The positive result came with a touch of frustration though as a caution period eliminated the final 20 minutes of racing, costing a chance to make the most of a very fast race car. But after surprising even themselves with the race pace at Road America, the duo are anxious to get back in the car and see what it might be capable of at the legendary Monterey facility.

Before teaming up as co-drivers, the duo had a background in some high-horsepower machinery as Burrows had gained experience in Rolex Sports Car Series GT class competition, while Hopwood devastated the pavement in a GT-1 Corvette. Despite the high-power background, it was in fact in the more momentum-centric Spec Racing ranks where the duo first met, competing as teammates at Motion Dynamics, run by Shawn Morrison.

That friendship saw the duo move full time into the pro ranks, making an instant impression with a championship run with Turner Motorsport in 2007, an impressive feat for rookie runners.

“I am happy to have been a part of BurHops race career,” offered team owner Will Turner. “As the most recent drivers to win a championship for us, they play an important part of the Turner Motorsport legacy.”

That championship performance earned them a spot on the Compass 360R squad for 2008 as Burrows and Hopwood got their first taste of racing in front-wheel drive machinery. Once again showing some quick learning to go with their quick pace, the duo netted two race wins and a run to second in the championship in their first season of front-wheel drive pilotage.

“There’s an old adage that “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” and I took this to heart by asking Adam and Trevor to drive for C360R after they edged out my co-driver Billy Johnson and I to win the 2007 Street Tuner Championship for Turner,” said Compass 360R team owner Karl Thomson. “They didn’t disappoint, bringing us a couple of wins and another second place championship. They’re talented drivers, wonderful with the crew, and although they’ve moved on to become part of the Kia factory team, it still feels like they’re a part of our squad. Happy 50th boys!”

2009 saw the duo take up the development charge for the diminutive Mini as drivers for Randy Smalley’s RSR Motorsports as they continued to flourish in front-wheel drive machines through a season that saw some ups and downs.

“Congratulations to Adam and Trevor on this accomplishment in making 50 GRAND-AM starts together. They are great guys, both in and out of the cars, and we not only enjoyed having them on our team, but they also helped us develop this Mini into the podium-capable machine that it is now. It is great to see them continue to do well, especially when it’s behind one of the RSR cars!” said Randy with a smile.

That skill in development and proof of speed no matter front or rear wheel drive got them the nod to represent Kia for Kinetic Motorsports. The duo scored the first-ever race finish for the Kia Forte Koup in the debut at Daytona International Speedway and went on to complete a remarkable 98% of all race laps in the 2010 season. That hard work and developmental progress has paid off as Kia now boasts two race wins this season and now sits third in the Manufacturer Championship.

“Clearly we value the contribution that the Burrhop “brand” has made to the development of the program,” said Kinetic Motorsports team principal Russell Smith. “They have been professional brand-ambassadors for Kia for last season and this and are recognized in the paddock when fans come to the races, and the raised profile that Kia has created for the boys has also benefitted them. We feel that the boys are part of the Kinetic family and they have grown as we have grown and we look forward to them continuing to contribute to the success of the program going forward.”

Burrows and Hopwood will look to make the 50th start a special one.

Continental Tire Sports Car Festival, Round 8/10, 2011 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
TV Information: SPEED, July 17th, 1:00 PM ET

Laguna Seca At-Track Schedule – ST

Friday, July 8
8:00 AM CTSCC Driver Meeting Toshiba Trailer
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM CTSCC Practice
1:40 PM – 2:10 PM CTSCC Practice
3:55 PM – 4:10 PM CTSCC Qualifying – ST

Saturday, July 9
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM CTSCC Practice
9:00 AM CTSCC Driver Meeting Toshiba Trailer
10:10 AM CTSCC Pre-Race
10:45 AM START – CTSCC Race (2.5 hrs)

BurHop-50th Start-PDF.pdf

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

For additional information:
www.trevorhopwood.com
www.adamburrowsmotorsport.com
You can also follow the teams progress at www.facebook.com/kiaracing.

www.Sundaymanagement.com

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Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
http://www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup