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LEIGHTON REESE PERFORMANCE GROUP
![]() Leighton Reese Performance Group, Inc. is a multi-faceted motorsports business founded by Katie and Leighton Reese and located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The organization is best known for operating the Banner Racing professional sports car racing team in the Trans-Am, Speed World Challenge and Grand-American Road Racing series, but Leighton Reese Performance Group specialties also include: • Ground-up race car builds • Design and manufacture of racing related parts • “Arrive and drive” program for racing clients • Customer vehicle prep, including “Historics” and Porsche Club • Professional race team operations and management • Sponsor program management Leighton Reese Performance Group is focused on developing and maintaining top-quality race vehicles while providing a winning platform for its sponsors and customers. FROM A HUMBLE BEGINNING... ![]() In 1982 Leighton Reese with a tool box and a few bucks in his pocket started working on customer street cars (mainly Volkswagens) in the backyard alley of his rented duplex in uptown Minneapolis. His primary objective was to support his passion for racing, including ice racing, circle track and endurance. ![]() A year later he moved into a real shop in downtown Minneapolis and started Leighton’s Garage with three service bays and two mechanics. Over the next ten year’s the business grew, moved, remodeled and by 1994 Leighton and Katie were operating a shop with 11 service bays including a dedicated race vehicle prep area. During this time, Leighton’s racing interest shifted to circle track racing and the crew at Leighton’s Garage prepped GM vehicles for the ASA Series. ![]() In 1996, Leighton’s interest turned to road racing and the team began to campaign a Pontiac in the SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series. The Banner Racing team proved successful at managing a racing program with unprecedented competitive scope and strict financial controls. Banner Racing became one of the most recognized racing teams in the modern-day Trans-Am Series racking up 15 “Top 5” finishes, and 41 “Top 10” finishes from 1996 - 2001. ![]() While Leighton’s Garage was expanding to a second location in 2003 with the acquisition of the historic Ty Abel Garage in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Leighton Reese Performance Group was actively at work on a new project – construction of the Banner Racing Corvette for the Speed World Challenge GT series. The Banner Racing Corvette was campaigned in World Challenge from 2004 through the 2006 season. In 2005 Leighton Reese Performance Group built a Corvette for the Grand-Am Road Racing Series in anticipation of operating Banner Racing teams in both Grand-Am and World Challenge for the 2006 season, including a customer “arrive and drive” program for the Grand-Am race car.
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Today Leighton’s Garage employs 14 ASE certified technicians and managers at its two locations offering complete auto service for all vehicle makes and specializing in advanced automotive repair of Audi and Volkswagen products. Leighton’s Garage is AAA approved and winner of the coveted AAA Top Shop award every year since 2002.