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AO Racing Porsche Maintains Lead With Podium Finish In Canada
AO Racing secured a third-place finish at the Grand Prix of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday. This result ensured the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, known as "Rexy," maintained its lead in the GTD Pro class Team points standings. Drivers Laurin Heinrich from Germany and Seb Priaulx from the United Kingdom continue to lead in the Drivers’ standings of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The team’s performance also keeps Porsche at the top of the Manufacturer standings with four races left in the season. The Chicago-based race team has now achieved four podiums in the first six races of this season. Another Porsche customer team, High Class Racing, finished in the top 10 in the GTD class with their No. 86 Porsche 911 GT3 R racer.
On Saturday, RS1 clinched a victory in the Michelin Pilot Challenge with their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. The two-hour race saw Trent Hindman and Stevan McAleer drive to an impressive win, finishing with a 2.5-second lead over van der Steur Racing’s Aston Martin. This marked RS1's second win of the season.
The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park circuit proved challenging yet rewarding for AO Racing. Starting eighth in a field of ten GTD Pro cars, they managed to climb up to third place by race end. Priaulx began strong, and Heinrich finished off by securing their position amidst fierce competition from Corvette and Ford Mustang teams.
In the GTD class, which features cars identical to those in GTD Pro but without all-professional drivers, High Class Racing finished tenth. The team is gaining experience and results in their first IMSA season with drivers Andrea Fjordbach from Denmark and Kerong Li from China now holding eleventh place in the Drivers’ championship for this class.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will next head to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, from August 1-3. This event will also feature races from the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup North America series.
Quotes from Drivers
Lauri Heinrich expressed his satisfaction: "Obviously, really happy with our podium here in Canada. We didn’t expect this. This is not a track that really suits us. But we just executed the race really well." He highlighted their strategy and pit stops as key factors for their success.
Seb Priaulx added: "For me, I felt like I did a pretty good start. I passed a couple cars which is not easy here... Laurin got in and did just an amazing job." He praised his teammate’s performance and acknowledged it as a championship-winning effort.
Race Results
| Position | Drivers | Car | Laps | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (GTD-Pro) | Garcia/Sims (Spain/UK) | Corvette No. 3 | 113 laps | |
| 2nd (GTD-Pro) | Milner/Catsburg (USA/Netherlands) | Corvette No. 4 | +0.408 seconds | |
| 3rd (GTD-Pro) | Heinrich/Priaulx (Denmark/UK) | Porsche 911 GT3 R No. 77 | +1.064 seconds | |
| 10th (GTD) | Li/Fjordbach (China/Denmark) | Porsche 911 GT3 R No. 86 | -1 lap |
The detailed results and championship standings can be accessed at: IMSA Results Portal.
The fast-paced action at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park showcased AO Racing’s strategic prowess and driving skills, ensuring they remain competitive as they head into the final stretch of the season.
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