(Montréal, Québec, Canada) – Twice Canadian Touring Car champions -Team Octane - announced today that they are expanding and will participate in the new B-Spec Class, fielding a new MINI Cooper in the Canadian Touring Car Championship.

“We have been competing with MINI products for the last 6 years. It was natural for us to join the B-Spec Class as we think MINI’s very sturdy chassis, go-kart-like handling and phenomenal brakes will prove to be attributes that will make the MINI Cooper a championship contender in the new B-Spec Class” commented Team Principal Alain Lauzière.

The team also announced that rising-star P.J. Groenke was recruited to drive the first-ever team’s B-Spec car, for the 2012 season. “I am ecstatic to represent Team Octane this season” stated Groenke. “I had the honour of racing for the team briefly in 2010 and won my first race in the Canadian Touring Car Championship driving their MINI Cooper S JCW. I cannot wait for the 2012 season to begin”.

“P.J. has proven that he has the raw speed to compete for wins. We are hopeful that our team environment and the equipment we provide will keep him atop the championship charts throughout the year” commented Lauzière.
Sponsorship for the B-Spec effort will come from MINI GENUINE PARTS, Castrol and will feature Tundra and Verax.ca. Team partners also include Carrosserie Touchette and La Clinique du Pneu Granby.

Team Octane will make further announcements before the beginning of the season about their other team-cars and drivers.

The 2012 season of the Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental tire will start on May 19-20 at Mosport International Raceway in Ontario for the Victoria Day Speedfest. The Championship competes throughout 8 weekends of racing.

About P.J. Groenke

P.J. Groenke has been racing professionally in Canada since 2001. Highlights of Groenke’s racing career include winning the 52nd Annual Indian Summer Trophy and finishing as a semi-finalist on Discovery Channel Canada’s Star Racer in 2006. Most recently, Groenke finished fourth in the Canadian Touring Car Championship, Touring class in 2011 capturing three podiums, including two back-to-back victories. P.J. Groenke is sponsored by Verax.ca, Tundra Technical Solutions, Clairhaven Ltd., and TPL Lighting. Other sponsors include Affinity Luxury Car Rentals, Alpha Laboratories Inc., Amsterdam Beer, Confident Paintless Dent Removal, Diplomat Trucking Ltd., Eventscape Inc., Payne Capital Corp., Proprint Services Inc., Pro Oil Change Bradford, Ro-Ro Property Management Corp., Studio Property Consultants Ltd., and The Mortgage Centre, Office of Calum Ross. For more information, please visit www.pjgroenkeracing.com.