(PETALUMA, CA – December 24) TRG-AMR North America is pleased and excited to announce that the driver line up of Max Riddle and Kris Wilson will compete for the full season Continental Tire GS class championship in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 No. 07. The Roar before the 24 will be the debut of this duo with TRG-AMR in the formidable Vantage GT4 with the goal set on returning for the first event on January 24 and competing for their first victory.
Max Riddle started karting when he was fourteen, and competed in the North American Stars of Karting series. While karting Riddle earned a spot on the Canadian Rotax team and traveled to Portugal to compete in the Rotax Karting World Finals, which consisted of the best kart racers from all around the world. That experience was priceless and extremely valuable. Karting was also a great way to learn the basics of racing and car set up. After karting, Max competed in the Skip Barber Western formula car series and Skip Barber MX-5 sports car races. Skip Barber was a huge stepping-stone for his racing career. Following his Barber Western formula car and MX-5 events, Riddle moved to the Mazda MX-5 Playboy Cup where he competed in four races. From there Riddle made a foray into rally driving. Now, Riddle returns to sports car racing in 2014.
Kris Wilson has seen and done nearly everything in the realm of sports car racing, from driving and coaching to wrenching on cars. His vast experience and driving talent make him an ideal co-driver for Max Riddle. After pairing with Dave Riddle for four years the partnership has been transferred to Max. Wilson, who calls Littleton, Colorado home, started as a mechanic for BFGoodrich/Jim Busby Racing’s Porsche 962. Not content to stay in the pits, Wilson drove his first race in 1987. During the next six years, he took rookie of the year titles in Formula Mazda, US FF2000 and Firestone Firehawk (the precursor to KONI Challenge). Wilson also had the opportunity to compete in the Rolex Series, World Challenge, World Sports Car and the American Le Mans Series. Teaching others to race may be even more difficult than driving, but Wilson has been an instructor and coach nearly as long as he has been competing himself. He first joined the Skip Barber Racing School in 1989 and has been passing on his knowledge since then. After competing in the Vantage GT4 with Automatic Racing in 2013, Wilson looks forward to pairing with Max Riddle for the entire 2014 season.
After coming so close to victory in 2013 Continental Tire competition, TRG-AMR looks toward 2014 as the year of a championship run for the team. TRG-AMR will use the Roar before the 24 as the foundation toward a championship year for the Riddle/Wilson combination. The team also looks forward to campaigning a second GS class Vantage in the 2014 Continental Tire series. Look for an announcement with details soon.
Kevin Buckler on the driver lineup announcement:
“We could not be more thrilled to be making this announcement today and having our 07 car filled with this fantastic driver combination. This is the year of Max and I am very much looking forward to working with him and helping to develop Max as a top-level professional driver. He has really impressed us in all of his testing and is going to be running at the front. This young man has a bright future in motorsports and we are proud to be part of it in 2014. Also, he couldn’t have picked a better partner than Kris Wilson– I mean this is the dream team. Kris is one of the best all-around professionals in the business and the two of them will be a terrific combo. Everyone is starting to work together as a team and I know that my crew guys are really proud to be working with these two drivers. We are seriously focused on winning the championship and on top of everything else I think this year is going to be a lot of fun racing together.”
Max Riddle on driving for TRG-AMR in 2014
“It is a real privilege to announce the 2014 plan with TRG-AMR. They have an unmatched record in North American sports car racing. In addition, the chance to drive with Kris Wilson in the Aston Martin Vantage V8 is an amazing opportunity for someone like me. The Vantage has been a contender in the GS class the last two seasons. With the help from Kevin Buckler, Kris Wilson, and the entire TRG-AMR organization we want to be race winners this season.We believe this will allow us to compete for the Continental Tire GS class championship.”
Kris Wilson on pairing with Max Riddle for 2014:
I am looking forward to 2014 with Max. I used to co-drive with Dave, Max’s father, and now to team with Max will be a great opportunity to go back to Team Riddle! I know Max has worked hard to develop as a driver and we feel we will make a strong pairing. In addition, I drove for and raced against TRG in the past. I know how strong Kevin and his team are in any class they compete. And with my experience last year in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 I think we have the makings of a championship contending group.