New Trio for Performance Tech Motorsports
Performance Tech Motorsports welcomes Don Yount, Patrick Byrne, and Guy Cosmo into the No. 38 Centinel Spine LMP2 for the 68th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advanced Auto Parts.
The Florida based team heads to its home track with a stacked lineup for the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale at Sebring International Raceway. Boasting two Mobil 1 Twelve Hours wins, the team joins forces with Yount, Byrne, and Cosmo intending to add one more win to its resume.
“The Twelve Hour has always been a really special race for us,” Team Principal Brent O’Neill said. “We always love being able to race at our home track and it makes it even better when you succeed there. The whole team is excited to welcome Don, Patrick, and Guy. I know this is the lineup that can get us back on top of the podium.”
Driver Yount returns to the team after a MICHELIN Endurance Cup hiatus since January when he drove with Performance Tech Motorsports during the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Having already worked with the team and driven the No. 38 Centinel Spine Oreca LMP2, Yount brings priceless knowledge to the trio.
”I can’t wait to get into the car with Performance Tech Motorsports for the 12 hours of Sebring,” Yount said. “I know the car will be prepared and perfect for the race which is major going to a track where the bumps will shake apart the car at any time. I have two great new co-drivers in Guy and Patrick and know these guys can deliver a good result. This race is going to be tough with two extra hours of driving in the dark on arguably the hardest track in the US. I’m confident in our driving abilities and Performance Tech’s consistency in providing a great car. Aside from winning, overcoming challenges and competing against the very best drivers in the world is what I love.”
Driver Byrne brings his fair share of prototype experience to the team, however, this weekend will be his first time racing an Oreca LMP2 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He most recently has driven a Ligier LMP2 in the Asian Le Mans Series and a Bentley Continental GT in GT World Challenge America providing him with plenty of track time in the unprecedented 2020 season.
“This current generation of Oreca LMP2 cars is extremely demanding so I’ve ramped up my cardio and weight training which I’m hoping will ultimately lead to success through the long 12 hour race which is sure to have some long stints,” Byrne said. “The end goal is to go the distance and finish strong as a whole team and lay down the fastest most consistent laps possible. I look forward to partnering with my long-time super teammate Guy Cosmo, and we are both excited to join and drive with Don Yount. We’re so excited to finally get to work with Performance Tech Motorsports for this very exciting Mobil1 12Hours of Sebring! “
Rounding out the pack is Cosmo, a long-time prototype driver in IMSA. With extensive LMP2 knowledge and a well-forged relationship as Byrnes co-driver across multiple series he represents the final piece to the puzzle to reaching the top step on the podium.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Performance Tech Motorsports for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts,” Cosmo said. “Brent O’Neill and I have been trying to go racing together for quite some time now and the opportunity has finally presented itself. Performance Tech has had so much success in prototype racing over the past decade and its No. 38 Centinel Spine Oreca 07 LMP2 is no exception. I’m ecstatic to be reuniting with Patrick Byrne and very much looking forward to sharing the car with Don Yount. It’s been a number of years since I’ve been in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship but I’ve raced all over the world during that time with great success. I can’t think of a better way to come back home than to the iconic 12 Hours of Sebring for the final round of the 2020 season.”
“Heading into a race this demanding with a new team, new car and new driver pairing is definitely a challenge. All of our competitors have been dialing in all season and we are just showing up for the first time. My focus is clear; learn from the team and their prior experience, adapt to the car while relying on my own knowledge and experience and help my teammates through their process as well. Our success will be achieved through teamwork and a smart approach. 12 hours is a lot of racing and we need to have a clean run the whole way to fight for victory at the finish."
The team arrives in Sebring, Thursday, November 12 for Practice 1, 2 and 3. They return to the track Friday, November 13, for a short day featuring qualifying at 11:05 a.m. ET. Finally, the trio takes the green flag in the No. 38 Centinel Spine Oreca LMP2 at 10:10 a.m. ET on Saturday, November 14. For ticket sales and schedule details visit https://www.imsa.com/events/mobil-1-twelve-hours-of-sebring-presented-by-advance-auto-parts/.