Matthews Performance

Matthews Performance
Founded	2011
Location	United States
Models	Aspira M12 (2012 only)
Associated brands	none
Factory teams	Matthews Atlantic Motorsports
Manufacturer

Matthews Performance is the performance-oriented arm of Matthews Atlantic Motorsports. It is the primary fabricator of the Aspira, which is fielded in various divisions of racing including the TM Master Cup Series, where it is available as a possible vehicle for Independent's Trophy contenders and special event one-offs.

The Aspira is also the primary chassis of choice for Matthews Atlantic Motorsports in the Dash Cup series, having been so since 2015.

Development

“	I think the only things we kept were the tail light decals.	„
—Ryan Matthews, on the M12 prototype after tepid early reviews

Matthews Motorsports had expressed interest in competing for the 2012 Independent's Trophy in the TM Master Cup Series, and instead of purchasing an Omecha chassis for that effort, went about developing its own chassis. The project, dubbed the M12 (for Matthews 2012), was launched in mid-2011. The prototype (see Gallery, below) was unveiled in September, but the initial response was tepid (one reporter went so far as to call it "bland"), prompting team officials and engineers to make extensive cosmetic modifications to the prototype. Though the Independent's Trophy effort fell short, the finalized model was nonetheless unveiled in 2012, prior to the Karjala Grand Prix.

TM Master Cup

The Aspira failed to qualify for both the Grand Prix and the 2012 Round of Indianapolis, as Joe Olenick, the ASCC driver signed to drive for the team, was not approved for the Grand Prix and did not advance past pre-qualifying at Indianapolis. But the third time was the charm at Decatur for Olenick and the M12, now rebranded Aspira (though at Indianapolis and Decatur the car was branded the M12 Aspira). Olenick comfortably made it through both pre-qualifying and the main qualifying race, assuring both he and the Aspira would make their Master Cup debuts.

2013

Matthews debuted the 2013 Aspira at the 2013 Round of California. Though he and the car started poorly and finished equally poor, the car did manage to make it on two pit stops while most of the front-running teams had to stop late for fuel. The Round of Carbondale proved better for Matthews, as he brought the Aspira home in 19th place, scoring the car's first-ever championship points.

The Aspira was approved by the Master Cup stewards for customer use prior to the 37th Karjala Grand Prix, meaning the car would be available for other teams to purchase. As of the most recent entry list, two other teams have also entered the Aspira. Though none of the teams entered made the Grand Prix (or any of the other special events that season), hopes were high for 2014.

2014

2014 proved to be a successful season for the Aspira, as Matthews notched his first start in the Karjala Grand Prix in four attempts, and finished a close second to Ike Durbin in the Independent's Trophy race. The Aspira also scored its first victory as Kellan Rogers won the Karjala Grand Prix Consolation Race.

2019

After several years of development and increased adoption by Independent teams, the Aspira and Matthews Motorsports will contest the full schedule for the first time in 2019, driven by Matthews, Ben Atkins, and Carter Fitzgerald. Tom Delgado, Katherine Williams, and Mitchell Carter are confirmed to drive the 2019-spec Aspira in their Independent's Trophy campaigns.

Dash Cup

The Aspira (branded as the Aspira DC) made its Dash Cup debut in the 2013 Spa GP, as Ryan Matthews was able to put his Spa Water-sponsored car in the field, and took home a respectable 11th-place finish.

In 2015, a new touring car-spec Aspira DC would be fielded full-time by the Atlantic Motorsports powerhouse, along with the independent Williams Racing Team. Atlantic also fielded the original Aspira DC in the new Oval Stock series. Most prominently, series officials introduced the Aspira Juniors Series for young drivers, with the Aspira JR as its spec chassis, an arrangement that continues to this day.

For 2016, Dash Cup's premier series transitioned to bodies based on pre-2012 Master Cup cars, and the latest version of the DC, now more similar to the T-Type, was introduced. It would be fielded by the new Matthews Atlantic Motorsports team, formed after Ryan Matthews' full takeover of Atlantic Motorsports. Fellow American emigrants Tom Delgado Racing and Williams Racing Team also fielded the chassis. Tom Delgado himself scored an upset championship victory in 2017, the first championship for any variant of the Aspira. TDR would close following this title, leaving MAM as the only team fielding the chassis in the Super Stocks, while the Aspira Juniors continues successfully.

RROL Elite Series/National Racing Championship

Matthews Performance developed a version of the M12 dubbed the T-Type, for use in what was the VSCC. (The reasoning behind the designation has never been explained, though one theory suggests the "T" was for Tiffany, the matriarch of the Matthews racing family.) The collapse of that league had placed the T-Type's use in doubt, but the series' rebirth as the RROL Elite Series put those plans back into service. The car made its debut at the 2012 RROL Daytona 250, and made it to the winners' circle in the first race at Salem Speedway, with Billy Ray Smith-Thompson at the controls.

It was one of the finalists to be the rebranded National Racing Championship's fifth approved chassis in 2013. However, it was not selected, meaning, for the time being, the NRC-spec Aspira was shelved. The plans were dusted off for the 2014 season, though the NRC elected to use a spec car provided by Omecha, the M14.

Gallery

Master Cup

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  Second 2011 M12 prototype.

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  2012 M12. Note the Aspira co-branding.

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  2012 M12 Aspira as driven by Joe Olenick at Decatur.

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  2013 Aspira.

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  2013 Aspira as driven by Ryan Matthews.

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  2014 Aspira.

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  2014 Aspira as driven by Ryan Matthews.