The Final Challenge: Four Cars, Two Championships for Performance Tech Motorsports at Road Atlanta

Performance Tech Motorsports’ target is locked on the top step of the podium for the final IMSA event weekend in 2019.

Performance Tech Motorsports No. 38 Centinel Spine ORECA LMP2 is slated for success at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, October 9-12. The team possess a dominant lead in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup being crowned victors so long as they take the green flag for the 22nd annual Motul Petit Le Mans. Serving as the teams’ chance at a second Michelin Endurance Cup Championship the focus now turns to winning the Motul Petit Le Mans. The only notable endurance race in North America the team has yet to win.

For Team Principal Brent O’Neill a clenched championship does not change the team's perspective on the race.

“Having another Endurance Championship under our belts is great,” O’Neill said. “But the goal of this weekend is still to win. We got third here once with Kyle so I really want to get him on the top step this weekend. For Cameron to win Sebring and Petit in his first year racing the LMP2 would be amazing. We know how endurance racing goes so we’re ready to go out and run our own race so we’re in it at the end.”

The No. 38 is piloted by Cameron Cassels, British Columbia, Kyle Masson, Windemere, and Andrew Evans, Sammamish, Washington. Evans joins the team for his third endurance race of the season. His time with Performance Tech includes the victory at the Mobil One Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The class win pushed the team into the lead for the Michelin Endurance Cup.

The weekend presents a case of deja vu for Masson who entered Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in 2017 with the Michelin Endurance Cup and IMSA Prototype Challenge Championship won. Along with the team, winning the Motul Petit Le Mans is the final piece needed to complete his North America endurance race trilogy. Masson has knowledge and experience on his side headed into this year's ten-hour race making a victory a tangible target.

A trip to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is always welcomed by Cassels who won the IMSA Prototype Challenge Masters Championship there in 2018. In typical Cassels fashion, he will pull double duty in the No. 38 Centinel Spine LMP2 with Masson and the No. 75 NorCan Electric LMP3 with James French, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Cassels is sixth in the IMSA Prototype Challenge Championship, 14 points out of second. A flawless race for the No. 75 or a slip up by his competitors could hand Cassels second-place finish in the championship.

O’Neill is ready to end the 2019 IMSA season the way the team started it; together under one tent.

“Starting and ending the season with all of our guys at the same event is pretty awesome,” O’Neill said. “It really gives everyone a chance to step back and see what we’ve accomplished this year. Dean killed it at VIR from qualifying straight to the podium. Cameron and James have had such a tough break this year but they still pushed through and are high in the championship so this weekend is all about points for them. Blake has done incredible adapting to the LMP3 car, I think this is the weekend where we could see him and Max get the podium they’ve earned.”

After a season of learning and development the driver pair of Blake Mount, Littleton, Colorado, and Max Hanratty, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are primed for their last weekend in the No. 7 Sobel Westex/Hotels.com LMP3. The pair has narrowly missed the podium over the course of the season making them all the more restless for champagne at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The No. 7 is seventh in the championship but is within striking distance of the four cars ahead in points.

Driver Dean Baker, Bowmanville, Ontario, heads into the season finale riding the momentum of his first IMSA Prototype Challenge podium in Round 5 at VIRginia International Raceway. He will drive with Masson for the final event of the year as the duo seeks out one more trophy for the No. 19 Kerr Industries LMP3. Baker is currently ninth in the championship with second through 10th place separated by a meager 20 points.

The final weekend the 2019 IMSA season takes place October 9-12 at the newly renamed Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. The final one hour and 45-minutes round of IMSA Prototype Challenge takes place Friday, October 11 at 8:00 a.m. ET. The team returns to the track early Saturday morning for pre-race festivities leading up to the green flag for the 22nd annual Motul Petit Le Mans at 12:05 p.m. ET. For ticket sales and event, information visit https://sportscarchampionship.imsa.com/events/2019-motul-petit-le-mans.

Weekend To Do List

Wednesday, October 9

Prototype Challenge Practice 1: 4:45-5:30 p.m. ET

Thursday, October 10

Prototype Challenge Practice 2: 10:00-10:30 a.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Practice 1: 10:50-11:50 a.m.

Prototype Challenge Qualifying: 2:15-2:30 p.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Practice 2: 2:50-3:50 p.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Practice 3: 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Friday, October 11

Prototype Challenge Race: 8:00-9:45 a.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship 4: 11:15-12:15 p.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Autograph Session: 2:00-2:45 p.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Qualifying: 4:45-5:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 12

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Warmup: 9:30-9:50 a.m.

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Fan Walk: 10:45-11:45 a.m.

22nd Annual Motul Petit Le Mans: 12:05-10:05 p.m.

Lights, Camera, Action

Friday, October 11

Prototype Challenge Race: 8:00-9:45 a.m. Live on http://imsa.tv

WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Qualifying: 4:45-5:00 p.m. Live on http://imsa.tv

Saturday, October 12, Motul Petit Le Mans

NBC: 12:00-3:00 p.m.

NBC Sports Gold: 3:00-5:30 p.m.

NBCSN: 5:30-10:30 p.m.