PR1/MATHIASEN MOTORSPORTS CLINCHES LMP2 CHAMPIONSHIP
For Immediate Release
Braselton, Georgia, [October 16, 2023] — PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports celebrated a triumphant conclusion to the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season by capturing both the LMP2 Team and Driver championships at the 26th Motul Petit Le Mans race held last Saturday at Michelin Road Atlanta.
In a thrilling display of resilience and skill, the No. 52 Wynns/Max Connect/RainX/Client Command/Apex Protect Oreca 07 LMP2 entry, piloted by Ben Keating, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Alex Quinn, overcame challenges and battled through the chaos of the 10-hour race to secure the championship titles.
The weekend commenced with the team posting the second-best time during Thursday's practices. Qualifying happened on Friday under damp track conditions, with Keating stealing the pole in the last 4 turns, by a 0.020 margin over championship contender No. 11 TDS Racing.
Race day brought both adversity and glory. Despite an early spin by pole-sitter Ben Keating, the team showcased remarkable recovery and determination. A late-race incident involving Quinn in the gravel trap tested the team's mettle, but Quinn skillfully was able to put the No. 52 back on track. Quinn handed off to Chatin, who was able to secure the third and final spot on the podium, securing the championship with a 37-point lead over rivals CrowdStrike by APR.
Bobby Oergel, team principal, commented on the roller coaster event: “What a roller coaster event petit turned into. The whole team including Ben, Paul and Alex did everything we could to win the championships. Getting hit from behind multiple times took us out of the possibility to win but a podium finish and winning both the team and driver championships makes it a great year for sure. With the level of the LMP2 category being so high I am over the moon being able to win 5 (whether it be driver, team or North America Endurance Cup) championships in a row and over 20 of them since our team entered IMSA in 2010. I can’t thank our whole crew, current and all alumni drivers enough for these accomplishments.”
Ray Mathiasen, team principal, acknowledged the challenges faced during the race: “We had the pace to win this race and were P1 after 8 hours when two incidents pushed the No. 52 back during the last 2 hours of the race. Lady Luck played a significant role; good and bad. However we managed to finish on the podium and win another championship. Leslie and I are very proud of how the team performed this year against a strong field in LMP2. We want to thank everyone associated with the Wynn’s No. 52 car this year. Winning the championship was not easy. It was a great season!”
Ben Keating expressed his gratitude: "I can’t put it into words. This team is really special. We have all been family for the past 3 years. We have found a way to accomplish the goals one way or another. We have overcome adversity. We have been lucky and unlucky. We have been really fast and not so fast. But, we have found a way to win. I do this for fun, and the main part of that is to be with people you enjoy. This team is made up of great people. Additionally, achieving the result makes it even more fun, and this team has found a way to achieve the results we set out to achieve. I am so grateful to PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. This has just been really special.”
Paul-Loup Chatin emphasized the significance of the team's flawless performance: “I am really happy to win the IMSA Championship with Pr1 and Ben Keating without forgetting Alex who deserved this title too. I can’t thank all the PR1/Mathiasen crew enough for the amazing job they have done all year long. We made zero mistakes and it was the key to win. It’s really a team victory and I am proud of that. It is my first full season in IMSA so it means a lot to me.”
Alex Quinn, appreciative of the team's effort, said: “I’m incredibly happy to have helped this amazing team to take the championship win. It has been a really competitive championship and I have learnt so much throughout all the four races I took part in. I cannot thank the team enough and look forward to the future.”
For the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the California-based team announced a new partnership with polish-based team and 24 Hours of Le Mans winners, Inter Europol Competition. The team will be known as Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. Jakub (Kuba) Śmiechowski is confirmed as the team’s Silver-graded driver for the endurance rounds. The full driver line-up will be announced shortly.
“Our new affiliation with Inter Europol Competition should put us in a good position to obtain another championship trophy next year!” concluded Ray Mathiasen, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team principal.
Photo credit: Sideline Sports Photography
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