MASON AND EVERSLEY TEAM WITH C360R FOR 2012 GRAND-AM STREET TUNER SEASON

(Toronto, Ontario, Canada) -- Ryan Eversley and Ray Mason will both return to Grand-Am competition in 2012 with Compass360 Racing (C360R). The duo will share one of the team's new 2012 Honda Civic Si coupes, starting with test days at the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway in early January.

This will be C360R's seventh straight season representing a Honda brand in Grand-Am; the team and their partners at Honda Performance Development are hopeful of winning a fifth Manufacturer's title together.

This season also marks Eversley's third year with C360R. As runner-up in the 2011 Continental Sports Car Challenge championship he'll hope to do one better pairing with Mason, who is also no stranger to the team having raced one of their Hondas in World Challenge Touring Car last year. He finished fifth in that championship.

Mason has extensive experience in Grand-Am, having raced Mustangs and BMWs in the Continental Tire series as well as GT cars in the Rolex series. He's a fierce competitor and a veteran who proudly served two tours of duty in Vietnam.

"I'm really excited to announce Ray and Ryan as the first of our driver pairings for 2012," remarked Team Principal Karl Thomson. "We missed out on a third consecutive championship last year by just a few points and we're hungrier than ever to get the top spot back. Ray did a great job for us in World Challenge last year and I know he and Ryan will fight hard to bring Honda and HPD another Manufacturer's title with the new Civic Si."

Eversley was equally pleased. "We've been testing the new 2012 car a bunch and I really like it. The team's worked closely with the folks at Honda Performance Development to put together a package that should be really good out of the box. Ray has been quick in a lot of different kinds of cars and impressed me with his focus behind the wheel. I know he'll do a great job in the opening stint."

"I had a great time with this team in World Challenge and am glad to be in a position to go for a championship in Grand-Am," noted Mason. "This series is so competitive, but these guys have proven they know how to win!"

The duo's 2012 Honda Civic Si will feature new team livery and be anchored by sponsorship from Columbus Truck, a full-service dealership representing Mack, Volvo and Hino (http://columbus-truck.com). 

The team will also extend its relationship with the Children's Tumor Foundation and their Racing4Research fundraising initiatives by representing the charity at every Grand-Am race event in 2012. 

"Our 2011 Continental Sports Car Challenge partnership with Ryan Eversley and the Compass360 Racing team was wonderful," commented Jill Beck, Director of the Children's Tumor Foundation's Racing4Research program. "We not only raised awareness of the Foundation, we were able to bring the Racing4Research program to NF-affected families across the country. Racing4Research raised more than $600,000 in 2011 and we expect to raise $1 million in 2012. We are proud to continue our relationship with Ryan and C360R in 2012 as we work together to fuel the cure!" For details and to donate visit http://racing4research.org.

The Grand-Am season begins with Daytona test days January 6-8th. Fans are welcome at the test; tickets can be purchased at the Daytona International Speedway website: http://bit.ly/rEnQzs.

Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a Toronto-based firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The team, with support from Honda Performance Development (HPD), fields front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, winning series Championships in 2010, 2009 and 2007. C360R also won the World Challenge Touring Car Championship in 2011 and the Canadian Touring Car Championship in 2010. For details visit http://C360R.com.