Performance Tech Takes On Motor City Madhouse

Performance Tech Motorsportscontinues the perfect season with Round 5 of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship action in Detroit, Michigan for the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic.

Detroit, Michigan may be known for being a tough city but it’s been nothing but good to Performance Tech. The team has collected a third and fourth-place finish since the Prototype Challenge class joined the series at the Belle Isle Street Circuit in 2015. Performance Tech has three wins under its belt, winning each of the PC classes races thus far this season.

The 2016 Chevrolet Sports Car Classic was far from unsuccessful for the team however, the podium and pole alluded Performance Tech. James French of Sheboygan, Wisconsin narrowly missed taking home the PC TOTAL Pole Award by three-tenths of a second. Due to a mixture of mayhem and cautions the team was unable to hold on to a podium finish and settled with a fourth place.

With French and Patricio O’Ward, Monterey, Mexico, lined up, the team seems poised for victory. French is well acquainted with the motor city, it was the site of his first TOTAL Pole Award win and first podium with Performance Tech in 2015. It will be O’Ward’s first time at the Detroit street circuit. He isn’t a newcomer to street circuits though, O’Ward has experience on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida in Indy Lights. The two should have the No. 38 Ric-Man Construction / Neurospine Institute / Cardio Access / AIG Technologies / Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children PC up to speed quickly.

Team Principal Brent O’Neill has no reason to not enjoy Detroit. His team’s success there came fairly easily and he has the opportunity to host friend and sponsor Ric-Man Construction Inc.

“I really enjoy Detroit because they do a great job putting the event together,” O’Neill said. “The crowd is always there and we’ve done well the last two years there. Even though we run with IndyCar it doesn’t feel like we’re off in a corner like at Long Beach. We’re all together putting on a great show and I think fans enjoy each race. We always have a few fans out from Ric-Man Construction so it’s fun.

“We’d like to see James win pole again. As young as Pato is, he’s a really talented driver so I don’t think he’ll have any problems learning the track. It’s only a 100-minute race so there isn’t room for error. Your pit strategy has to be perfect and the lap times have to be consistent. You need to be on it the whole race.”

The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic takes place Saturday, June 3 at 12:40 p.m. ET. The hour and 40-minute race takes place on the Belle Isle Street Circuit that features 2.35-miles of twists and turns through the island. The race includes three of the four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes and 28 cars altogether. Fans can watch the race live on FOX Sports 2 beginning at 12:30 p.m. or stream the race from IMSA.tv.

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