Phoenix Performance Wins All Four Touring Classes At SCCA Runoffs
By Joe Aqulante
Andrew Aquilante’s #33 T1 Boss 302 Mustang
Phoenix Performance, a SCCA Road Racing Touring Car prep shop based out of Phoenixville, Pa., routinely enters multiple cars in the SCCA National Runoffs and this year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was no different. The team had 10 entries spread through Touring classes 1, 2, 3 and 4 as well as American Sedan and GT2.
What was different this year though was that Phoenix claimed a clean sweep, winning all four of the Touring classes in T1, T2, T3 and T4. It is incredibly difficult to win one class, but taking all 4 class wins is an overwhelming accomplishment.
Touring classes which are based on street based cars are usually hard fought, close races and these were no different. Four drivers got the job done, Andrew Aquilante in T1, in a 2014 Boss 302 Mustang, Kurt Rezzetano in a 2013 Mustang GT, Marshall Mast in a 2019 Mustang Turbo and John Heinricy in a 2017 Toyota 86. 3 of the four drivers qualified on Pole (Aquilante, Rezzetano and Mast) and all three led from start to finish.
In T1, Andrew qualified on the pole and was fiercely challenged by Mark Boden in a Falline BMW E92 M3 for 16 of the 18 laps. Although the BMW was faster in the straights, The Mustang had the advantage through and off the turns, building small margins that protected the lead. The Challenge from Mark finally ended when he had contact with the turn 14 wall trying to mount a challenge down the front straight. For Aquilante its was his 11th National championship (3rd on the all-time list) and his 6th championship in Touring 1.
Kurt Rezzatano’s #37 T2 Mustang GT
In Touring 2, Kurt Rezzetano qualified on pole and worked his way to a 13 second lead over a 2020 BMW M235ir driven by Charlie Peter. Rezzetano put on a near perfect clinic of precise driving and sprinted out to a commanding lead that held up through all 19 laps. This was Rezzetano’s 3rd T2 national Championship, which have all been achieved in Mustangs. This race car was built 2 months prior to the race and performed flawlessly.
Marshall Mast in his #31 T3 Mustang Turbo
In Touring 3, defending Champion Marshall Mast qualified on pole by a slim margin over two BMW’s; a Z4 and an E46. After a couple of close early laps, Marshall put his head down began steadily pulling away in spite of being the heaviest and most restricted car in the field. The margin of victory was 6 secs. The Turbo EcoBoost engine ran strong all week and throughout the race. Coupled with the HD brakes and Ford racing suspension, the Mustang turbo proved to be unbeatable. This was Mast’s 3rd national champions ship in 5 tries with all ending on Podiums!
The story in Touring 4 was different. John Heinricy in the Spoto Racing Toyota 86 prepped by Phoenix Performance qualified 5th, but in a daring first turn, move went around the outside of turn one and avoided all of the turn’s carnage that caught several of the leaders. For the rest of the race, Heinricy kept his Toyota upfront and guided it home to 6-second margin of victory. Heinricy is no newcomer to these battles, this being his 16th National Championship.
In two other classes, Phoenix cars did well, with Amy Aquilante-Rezzetano finishing a close second in American Sedan in her Pontiac Firebird, and Andrew Aquilante leading early in the GT2 race in heavy rain but finishing 2nd to a Porsche 992. Other Phoenix cars finished 4th in T2 (Dave Sanders in a c5 Corvette) and 14th in T3 (Nicole Jacque in a Mustang GT).
All told, this was an exhilarating performance by the Phoenix Team, crew, and drivers, and one that will certainly be hard to top in the future!
Phoenix Performance is a small family-owned shop led by Joe Aquilante that specializes in race and track day prep of Mustangs, Corvettes, Camaros, and other street-based sports/touring cars.
Phoenix has partner relationships with Ford Performance, Mobil 1, Brembo brakes, Hoosier Tires, Hawk Brakes, Penske shocks, DBA rotors, and Ron Davis Racing Radiators.
610-482-0141