Quinton O'Donnell: Performance Tech Motorsports First iRacing Victor

Performance Tech Motorsports crowned Be The Match ambassador Quinton O’Donnell the winner of the inaugural Performance Playoff by Performance Tech Motorsports.

Performance Tech Motorsports organized the iRace for drivers, fans and partners to take part in a friendly race to fill downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic. The race featured 32, LMP2 prototypes in honor of the predominately prototype team. Drivers tried their hand on the 14-turn, 4.0-mile track of Road America in a 60-minute race.

Experience played a part in success for drivers like Patrick Gallagher and James Vance who used SRO and IMSA experience to earn second and third place finishes respectively. However, O’Donnell proved it was not just track time that mattered most but a finesse and understanding of the game.

O’Donnell is a fan, go-karter and friend of Performance Tech through his connection with Dr. Robert Masson. O’Donnell became a Be The Match ambassador after receiving donation through the foundation when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 16-years-old. Masson was appointed as medical investigator for studying and optimizing the procedures and processes necessary for safe and lifesaving bone marrow transplant procedures. The two were introduced during an event for Be The Match.

O’Donnell and Performance Tech became aquatinted in-person during 2019 when O’Donnell joined the team at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course. He spent the weekend advocating for Be The Match, the largest and most diverse bone marrow registry in the world, as well as learning the behind the scenes aspect of a race team and acting as the honorary starter for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Grand Prix.

As a racer and Colorado resident O’Donnell competes in go-karting circuits across the west coast. The use of iRacing is a recent addition to his day-to-day training, though based on his resume he better fits the bill of seasoned gamer. O’Donnell battled in the top five for the entirety of free practice, qualifying and the race before finishing above many top names in sports car racing.

“I have been iRacing for about a year and a half,” O’Donnell said. “iRacing is primarily just a source of entertainment for me. I do take it seriously though so if one day I get the opportunity to race beyond karting I will be better prepared because of my work on the sim.”

Simulator rigs and iRacing software offer him the perfect opportunity to work on his racing etiquette even when treatments limit his seat time in his go-kart.

“I do still kart, but I have not been able to participate in any races recently because I am still recovering from my bone marrow transplant in August,” O’Donnell said. “I believe that the greatest benefit I receive from iRacing towards real life is improving my racecraft and mentality.

“iRacing provides the opportunity to gain a lot of experience running against other people which otherwise I would never be able to get and it helps me understand the split second decisions I need to make during a race which can make the difference between winning and failing. When I spent the weekend with Performance Tech I realized how amazing it feels to be a part of a professional racing team,” O’Donnell said. “Experiencing the IMSA paddock from an insider’s perspective was so cool.”

The team’s next iRace will be Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 p.m. ET at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will follow the same format of a 30-minute practice session, 15-minutes of qualifying and a 60-minute race. The race will be broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube thanks to the kindness of partners at Cardio Access, The Justice Brothers, and Mira Vista Aviation. To sign up or find out more about the race email info@performancetechmotorsports.com.