The 2014 Roar before the 24 test was a very productive opening round for the TRG-AMR North America GTD class TUDOR United SportsCar Championship team. The 007 and 009 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 vehicles endured three days of mixed weather and varying track conditions that tested the team and equipment. This gave the team and drivers a tremendous opportunity to learn about the characteristics of this unique V12 Vantage GT3 under varying conditions. 
After receiving delivery of the 007 chassis at Daytona International Speedway on the day before the test, the TRG-AMR North America crew worked tirelessly to properly prepare both chassis for the test. This allowed the team to begin the extensive test with both the race cars for three long days and one night session on the 3.560 mile road course. The driver line up of Al Carter, David Block, and James Davison were joined in the test by Brandon Davis, Max Riddle, Joel Janco, and Aston Martin Racing driver Jonny Adam. This group was busy working between both V12 Vantage GT3s learning the car and the track in a variety of conditions. While the test did not encounter rain, the weather varied from a lows in the mid 40s to a high in the low 80s. The temperature range gave the team the ability to gauge the spec Continental Tire as well as other aspects of the vehicle that are temperature affected.
At the end of three busy days, TRG-AMR crew and CEO Kevin Buckler will now return to Petaluma, CA to strip the car down and apply the information gathered from the test. In between, TRG-AMR North America will have a presence with Vantage GT4 vehicles at Barrett-Jackson and attend the Laguna Seca winter track event next weekend for further shakedown and development.
TRG-AMR North America driver David Block
“It was busy three days for the team. We encountered a variety temperature ranges and this changed how the car felt on track. The team did a great job adopting. Now that I have had time to drive the Aston Martin at Daytona with TRG-AMR, I can’t wait to compete in the 24!”
TRG-AMR North America driver Al Carter
“This was a great first step for the team as begin to tackle the 2014 championship. I have competed with and for TRG in the past but never for a full season. Now that I am in the TRG-AMR camp for the full TUDOR GTD season, I feel great about what the team and I learned. The Rolex 24 will be like it always is, long and stressful. However, we have a game plan and will work as a team to stay focused.”
TRG-AMR North America driver James Davison
“The three days at Daytona with TRG-AMR give us a lot of data to now analyze. It was really important to be productive and we were. We have a good baseline to work from for the race. As this is my first endurance event, I wanted to drive as much as possible to prepare for the race. After spending three days on track, I feel that I have a good feel for the track. And Kevin has assembled a very good team to work with for 2014. “
TRG-AMR North America CEO Kevin Buckler
“This was a great test for a variety of reasons. The only thing I actually would’ve wished for was a little rain. The Aston Martin GT’3s ran absolutely flawlessly and we were able to do some valuable back-to-back testing with both chassis and different setups and on the very last session of the very last day— I think we nailed it. We were successfully able to cycle all of the drivers through the cars and also ran clean with no damage at all. This is probably the single most competitive class I have ever seen at Daytona. There are so many world-class teams here so we are setting our sights on thinking long-term and running a smart strategic race and moving forward into the championship hunt. I was very proud of our guys throughout the weekend and hope we can continue forward like this for the 24. This is going to be an amazing race and we are proud to represent our new brand.”