AO Racing takes ‘Spike’ to maiden IMSA victory at CTMP

IMSA WeatherTech Championship: Hyett and Cameron Claim First Win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, July 30, 2023— AO Racing’s PJ Hyett and Dane Cameron clinched their inaugural IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory with a commanding performance in the No. 99 ORECA 07-Gibson, "Spike the LMP2 Dragon," at the Chevrolet Grand Prix. The race concluded following a late incident that saw the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition car of Jeremy Clarke and Tom Dillmann crash out with just over 15 minutes remaining.

Dillmann had regained the lead from Cameron during the final pit stop sequence, utilizing a calculated undercut strategy. However, a costly lock-up at Turn 3 resulted in a hard crash into the tire barriers. While Dillmann was alert post-incident, he was transported to the circuit medical center for evaluation.

The misfortune of Inter Europol allowed Hyett and Cameron to reclaim first place, having previously led most of the race until the strategic pit sequence altered their position. They ultimately won with the field behind them finishing under a safety car.

The results for the LMP2 class saw the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA, driven by Daniel Goldburg and Tom Blomqvist, secure second, while the No. 74 Riley of Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga rounded out the podium in third. The No. 2 United Autosports car of Phil Fayer and Ben Hanley finished fourth, followed by the No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports entry in fifth after a penalty for mishandling equipment during pit stops.

Hyett and Cameron’s win narrowed their deficit in the LMP2 standings to 78 points behind leader Goldburg, with three races remaining in the season.

GT Class Highlights

In the GTD PRO category, the No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3, driven by Albert Costa and Giacomo Altoe, secured its first victory of the season. The team executed a pivotal fuel strategy, making their last stop during a safety car period, enabling an impressive 51-lap final stint.

The No. 4 Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3, piloted by Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg, capitalized on a similar fuel gamble to finish second, while AO Racing’s Laurin Heinrich and Klaus Bachler completed the podium in third with the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

The GTD standings saw championship leaders Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims, in the No. 3 Pratt Miller Corvette, finish fourth, while local favorites Pfaff Motorsport and the No. 9 Lamborghini took fifth. A pit lane issue hindered the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW, which ultimately finished sixth.

In the GTD class, the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 clinched its first win of the year, piloted by Danny Formal and Trent Hindman. The team overcame a difficult start, recovering after a spin on the first lap. The No. 78 Forte Racing Lamborghini was in contention for the lead until a collision at Turn 8 ended its chance for victory.

Upcoming Events

The next race in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship will be at Road America on August 3, where all four classes will compete for valuable championship points.

Race Results Summary:

LMP2 Class

1. No. 99 AO Racing ORECA – PJ Hyett/Dane Cameron
2. No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA – Daniel Goldburg/Tom Blomqvist
3. No. 74 Riley – Gar Robinson/Felipe Fraga

GTD PRO Class

1. No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3 – Albert Costa/Giacomo Altoe
2. No. 4 Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3 – Tommy Milner/Nicky Catsburg
3. No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R – Laurin Heinrich/Klaus Bachler

GTD Class

1. No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 – Danny Formal/Trent Hindman
2. No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 – Russell Ward/Philip Ellis
3. No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 – Parker Thompson/Jack Hawksworth