PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports won the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title in the LMP2 category at the 22nd annual Motul Petit Le Mans, after being forced to retire at the halfway point of the event.
The No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 started from 2nd on the grid for the 10-hour event but moved into first place an hour and a half into the race after the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA was pushed off track and into the wall barrier.
Drivers Matt McMurry, Dalton Kellett, and Gabriel Aubry pushed on for five hours until smoke erupted from the rear of the car, forcing the team back to the paddock where they eventually retired from the event. The win marks the sixth consecutive win for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, and they close the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as champions.
Matt McMurry – Driver of the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2
“I’ve been watching IMSA my whole life. My dad drove in LMP2 and P1 for years, and to be the champion is pretty special. The team did great all year, and I couldn’t have done it without them. They performed pretty flawlessly. There were a couple of unfortunate things that happened, but it was nothing the team could have done to prevent it. The team, all the pit stops were perfect, the suspension and setup were almost always spot on as soon as we pulled it off the trailer. It’s special, and I’m glad I did it with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, and with Dalton and Gabby.”
Dalton Kellet – Driver of the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2
“It was certainly disappointing to have to retire from the race around the five-hour mark after suffering from a rear right suspension failure. The damage was too severe for repair in the time left. Everyone displayed such hard work and commitment over the whole weekend, and the performance of the car was impeccable up to that point. It was heartbreaking to decide to retire, but we came away with the win and the LMP2 Championship title, so huge congrats to everyone all around. This was a great learning experience, with this being the longest race I have ever participated in up to this point. I learned a lot, and I can thank PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, and K-Line Insulators USA for the opportunity to run in this race, and I look forward to coming back to complete the race in its entirety next year.”
Gabriel Aubry – Driver of the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2
“I wish we could have raced into the night to see how the track was and how the lead would hold. We had a good car. I think something happened on the rear suspension that took us out of the race. The track is tough on the car, but that’s how it goes.”
Bobby Oergel – Team Principal
“I couldn’t be more proud of the team for such a great weekend. It was unfortunate to have such an unforeseen issue with the mechanical issue that was out of our control and ended our race, but we had a great start and cruised along with good pace up until that point. The crew did a great job all season, and I’m proud of them and the drivers who I can’t thank enough for their effort, dedication, and ability to follow instructions and do what’s best for the team as a whole. It was a great weekend with an unfortunate issue at the end, but we have a great crew that worked together and will continue working to make the changes we need to keep improving. I am looking forward to our growth and to see what happens when we take everything we have learned and apply it to next season. I can’t thank my crew and my drivers and all of our partners enough for the success we have had this season.”
Source. PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports
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