Monday, October 2, 2017—Fresno, CA – The PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team is ready to take on the final round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship this weekend at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Frenchman Julien Canal will join Olivier Pla and José Gutierrez for the 10-hour endurance race.

This will be the first year PR1 Motorsports has competed in the LMP2 category at Petit Le Mans. PR1 Motorsports won Petit in 2015 and 2016 in the PC Class and they are hoping to make it three wins in a row for the California-based team this weekend.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Petit Le Mans. We’re going to have myself, Olivier [Pla] and Julien Canal in the car for the weekend, so I think we’re going to have a very strong line up. Julien has been racing in the WEC with Rebellion, and he’s very quick, so he will be a great addition to the team,” said Gutierrez.

“I raced at Petit Le Mans last year with PR1 and we won it, so I’m hoping we can keep the PR1 winning streak alive at Petit. It’s a great track that should suit our car well, so I’m ready to get back to Road Atlanta and have a strong finish for our season.”

Gutierrez isn’t the only driver in the PR1 line up who enjoyed great success at the 2016 Petit Le Mans. Pla also won the 2016 Petit Le Mans overall in the LMP2 category with Michael Shank Racing in a Ligier.

“I have many good memories from Petit Le Mans. My first race in the US was at Petit Le Mans in 2008, and I also won there last year with Michael Shank Racing, so it’s definitely a place that I love,” stated Pla.

“I think we should be competitive at Road Atlanta. Our car continues to improve every weekend, and we have been showing a strong pace. We will be pushing for the maximum this weekend and hope to come away with another Petit Le Mans victory.”

It’s been six years since the last time Canal has competed at Petit Le Mans. His last outing at the 2.54-mile circuit was in 2011 in the Labre Compeition Corvette in the GTE-AM Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Class. He scored second in class in 2011.

Canal, who was also part of the Ligier development program, is eager to team up with Gutierrez and fellow Ligier development driver Pla for the final race of the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

“I am very excited to join the PR1 team with Olivier and José for Petit Le Mans. When I raced there in 2011, we finished second in class, so it would be great to have another podium finish there this weekend,” said Canal.

“I love the track and think the Ligier should perform well there. There are lots of fast and blind sections, which make for excxiting racing. The US fans are also really great, so I’m very happy to have the opportunity to race there again.”

“Olivier was my teammate in 2014 in the WEC, so I’m looking forward to teaming up with him again. Both he and José are very fast. I think that with our driver line up, the experience of the PR1 team and with the support from Ligier, we should have a strong result.”

On track action at the Motul Petit Le Mans begins Thursday at 11:10 AM EST and continues through Saturday. You can watch the race LIVE with coverage beginning on Saturday, October 7 at 10:30 AM EST on Fox Sports 1 and then switching to Fox Sports 2 at 11:30 AM EST. Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with current broadcast times and all of our racing news!