There are many forms of racing, but one of our favorites has to be spec series racing. This pits the same type of cars against each other, meaning that the winner comes out on top because he truly drove the best that day. There are many type of one-make racing series out there. Lamborghini runs its Gallardo racecars in the Super Trofeo series, while Mazda has tons of classes for MX-5 racers. Now, Aston Martin is joining the fray on our shores with the just announced GT4 Challenge.
Created by TRG-AMR, otherwise known as The Racers Group, this stateside race borrows an idea already being employed across the pond in Great Britain. The car being used is the Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which is a race-prepped version of, well, the Vantage. That wasn't so hard to figure out, right? Each racecar will utilize the standard V8 Vantage engine and gearbox. The cars will receive upgraded suspension setups, which includes race-spec springs and dampers as well as stiffer front and rear anti-roll bars.
The cars also boast a stripped out interior that features a rollcage and a centrally mounted fuel tank. This fuel tank location allows for the weight of the car to remain balanced over the course of a race. On the outside, the GT4 is fitted with a variety of aerodynamic body bits to increase the amount of downforce. All of the race prep sees the GT4 dropping over 660 pounds compared to road-going Vantage. That's a lot of weight shed and should help the 400-horsepower V-8 pull the car quite quickly. Seeing a flock of these machines rip around a racetrack will certainly be both a great sight and an aural joy.
If you're interested in checking out the action next year, have a look at the schedule and see if there's a race in your neck of the woods:
Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of North America 2014 schedule
April 11-13 Road Atlanta
May 16-18 Watkins Glen
June 6-8 Virginia International Raceway
July 25-27 Circuit Mont Tremblant
August 29-31 Laguna Seca
October 10-12 Road America
November 21-23 Sebring International Raceway
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