Performance Tech Motorsports Claims Michelin Endurance Cup

Performance Tech Motorsports brought the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season to a close with an endurance championship followed by an unfortunate bang.

Driver Cameron Cassels had been run wide in the essess at MICHELIN Raceway Road Atlanta, and upon moving back onto the track- surface was struck from behind by another Daytona Prototype. The severe contact pushed Cassels spinning into a concrete wall. The incident brought out the first yellow of the 10-hour race. Cassels was quickly cleared by medical. Team Principal Brent O’Neill just as quickly retired the No. 38 Centinel Spine ORECA 07 LMP2 due to the significant damage. The competitor prototype served a penalty for causing the incident as it was deemed avoidable.

Before Cassels was aided off-track driver Kyle Masson had wheeled the No. 38 for the first hour of the race. He proved that his new LMP2 track record set in qualifying was no accident. Masson kept his lead through all but the final few laps of his stint. Driver Andrew Evans showed pace throughout the weekend but would not see drive time during the competition.

Regardless of the incident, Performance Tech will walk away champions of the Michelin Endurance Cup in the LMP2 Class. Performance Tech began the year with a second-place finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona followed by a win at the Twelve Hours of Sebring then collected a string of second-place finishes to cap off the season. Performance Tech Motorsports 2019 can be best recalled by the pace the No. 38 showed earning a total of four Motul Pole Awards at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and MICHELIN Raceway Road Atlanta. The speed and diligence of the team awards Performance Tech with its second IMSA endurance championship. 

While a Motul Petit Le Mans win still eludes O’Neill and his crew, he was none the less pleased to walk away with a championship for a year of hard work.

“We work hard every day of every weekend,” O’Neill said. “We didn’t end today the way wanted. We’re glad Cameron wasn’t hurt, that was a really hard hit. But I think we can be proud of an endurance championship. It proves that we know how to put together a car that goes the distance. We had the pace all year, we really just had some bad luck. I think we led our class at some point in almost every race. Cameron and Kyle did a great job this year; they worked really well together. It was a small class, but the guys at PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports kept us honest this year, it was fun battling against them.”

Performance Tech Motorsports now turns its attention to developing 2020. The offseason is often alluded to be a long break, but for Performance Tech, it's nearly nonexistent. The team will continue to work with clients in club racing while developing its next IMSA lineup. To keep up with the team’s 2020 plans, visit http://performancetechmotorsports.com.