Performance Tech Motorsports Finds Strength and Speed Amidst Tough Enduro
BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 1, 2022) – Performance Tech Motorsports celebrated the end of the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the monumental 25th running of the Motul Petit Le Mans.
The No. 38 CardioAccess Ligier JSP320 faced its fair share of trials and tribulations this weekend during its season finale. Amidst the battle, the crew and drivers found speed, consistently running top times in the second half of the race. While the result wasn’t what Team Principal Brent O’Neill was hoping for, he’s proud of how the entire team acted in the face of adversity.
“It’s always tough to go laps down at the start of an endurance race, knowing that it will be tough to make them up,” O’Neill said. “I’m really impressed with how the crew pushed to get the car back out there; they actually put it back together so well that the drivers were able to run faster times than the leaders. I think Dan, Cameron, and Tyler meshed really well for a first-time trio, and overall were able to help one another fill in the gaps throughout the weekend. Now, we turn all of our focus to wrapping up 2023 plans so we can come back stronger.”
As the mid-day sun shined overhead, Dan Goldburg took the green flag for the 10-hour endurance race from seventh place. He had a clean and successful first stint, skillfully wheeling the No. 38 Ligier JSP320 around the 12-turn, 2.540-mile course. It was during the second half of his double-stint that Goldburg ran into trouble in Turn 7. The damage unfortunately sent the team back to the garage for repairs.
Driver Tyler Maxson took the reins for his opening stint directly after the garage trip with two hours and 24 minutes of the race completed. He immediately showcased his strength, running as one of the fastest cars on track. His two-hour stay in the Ligier JSP320 was relatively uneventful, a welcome reprieve from the earlier chaos. Co-drive Goldburg buckled in for a second successful double-stint following Maxson before handing the car to Cameron Shields.
It wasn’t until nearly six hours had elapsed that Shields climbed aboard the No. 38 Ligier JSP320. With the sun setting, he settled in for an exciting run that would take him and the French machine straight into the night. After a stellar extended stay in the car where he ran lap after fast lap, he piloted back into pitlane to hand it off to Maxson for the final 95-minutes. Maxson would ultimately cross the finish line in eighth place.
The team now heads back to its Deerfield Beach, Florida, headquarters to begin preparations for the 2023 season. While the “off-season” is longer than it was the past two years, between testing drivers, preparing cars, and sponsor obligations the team is booked through the break. No plans have been solidified yet, however, there are plenty of irons in the fire with official announcements to follow in the coming weeks.
QUOTE BOARD
Dan Goldburg, Driver of the No. 38 CardioAccess Ligier JSP320
"I have to give credit to the Performance Tech team today,” Goldburg said. “They were all-stars today getting our car back out into the race. In about 40-minutes they replaced the floor, nose, wing, and a whole bunch of other rear-end parts. Credit to them for getting us back out there and able to run the rest of the race.”
“I'm really not sure what happened. I was having a very solid run, making my way up the field after starting last and having a drive-through penalty. Coming out of Turn 7 it felt like something gave way, it was an out of the blue snap and spin exiting the corner. We'll check the data later and try to figure out what happened. Besides that, I had a good run when I did my second stint a couple of hours later and ran the best bronze lap times of the day. This weekend was the first time running with Tyler and I really enjoyed it, hopefully there is more to come. Both Tyler and Cam did well this weekend, it’s just too bad we weren't in the fight today."
Tyler Maxson, Driver of the No. 38 CardioAccess Ligier JSP320
“I think this overall was a really great weekend,” Maxson said. “It was great to work with the team, everyone was so welcoming. It was easy to fit right in, my co-drivers were awesome. Dan and Cameron did a really great job. It’s not the result we were looking for, but ultimately we still finished and ran consistently which is all we can ask for.”
Cameron Shields, Driver of the No. 38 CardioAccess Ligier JSP320
“Despite some unfortunate results this weekend it’s still been a fantastic year working with Performance Tech,” Shields said. “They’ve been a great group to work with and I’ve enjoyed learning a lot about the LMP3 category and endurance racing. I’m certainly looking forward to next season, hoping we can work on some bigger and better plans. I also want to thank Care Evolution for the support they’ve provided this entire season. It’s been a really fun partnership and I’m really excited to see what we can do next year.”