Podium Finish for Performance Tech Motorsports in the Streets of St. Petersburg

Performance Tech Motorsports faced an eventful weekend at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in the second round of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge championship, with Alex Kirby and Jonathan Woolridge taking on the iconic street course in the #7 L.A. Prep Ligier JSP320s and the #38 Ligier JSP320s. The team added another podium finish to their tally, with Wooldridge securing a third place finish in Race 1 on Saturday morning.

Woolridge and Kirby lined up in second and fifth on the grid for Race 1, but faced challenges in the opening race of the day. After initially dropping a few positions as the green flag waved to commence the 45 minute sprint race, Woolridge was tasked with making his way back through the field again. Meanwhile, Kirby began gaining positions, and had moved up to second place within the first ten minutes of the race.

However, Kirby ran a bit wide into Turn 1, thrusting him into a very tight battle with the competitors that closed in behind. Contact was made between himself and another driver which resulted in a collision with the wall. The damage sustained to the car forced an early retirement from the race.

Meanwhile, Woolridge has begun charging forward, displaying extreme tenacity as he positioned himself towards the pointier end of the field. As the minutes ticked away, he closed in and completed a daring overtake on the final lap in order to secure P3 as he crossed the finish line.

Race 2 came with its own obstacles. The #38 machine lined up in second place once again, but the #7 entry was a non-start (DNS) as the car required more repairs than could be accomplished within the quick turnaround between races. Woolridge was handed a 10-second penalty for an infraction at the start, but despite the setback was able to hold position for the majority of the event. The team remained undeterred, pressing on through yellow flags and a tight field, but further issues arose in the final minutes, and Woolridge ultimately finished in 5th place.

“It was a tough ending to our weekend in St. Petersburg,” said Alex Kirby. “We were up to second place for a good portion of the first race but it ended in a DNF, and we did not have enough time to repair the car for the second race later that afternoon. I’d like to say a big thank you to the Performance Tech Motorsports team for providing an amazing car as always. We'll keep pushing for the top step of the podium as the season continues!”

“What a challenge this circuit is, but truly one of the most amazing street tracks out there,” expressed Jonathan Woolridge. “Race 1 was filled with dicey passing, traffic and a sprint to the finish. We made the pass on the last lap, on the final corner to secure third place. Race 2 was a challenging one, we held a strong P2 for the entirety of the race but ran into some issues towards the end, but still recovered to fifth place. Although it was a tough way to end off our weekend, the Performance Tech Motorsports team delivered an extremely fast and strong car all weekend. The #38 Ligier JSP320s handled the tight streets with extreme speed and agility. I want to thank my partners, sponsors and team members for this weekend. We will be back for round three!”

“While we faced our fair share of challenges, the resilience and dedication of our team shone through,” remarked Team Owner Bent O’Neill. “Our drivers proved that we have the pace to be competitive and fight at the front of the pack. We will have the cars and drivers well prepared ahead of the next round. We remain focused as always on the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Performance Tech Motorsports will return for the third round of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge championship Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course from June 7th to 9th, 2024.