AO Racing Planning LMP2, GTD Pro Programs for 2024

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

AO Racing is poised for an expanded effort in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, with the Chicago area-based team set to graduate to the GTD Pro ranks while also adding a LMP2 car as full-season entries.

The first year team, founded by PJ Hyett and Gunnar Jeannette, currently campaigns the fan-favorite dinosaur-liveried Porsche 911 GT3 R for Hyett and Multimatic-contracted driver Seb Priaux in GTD.

However, with a Bronze-driver mandate proposal having been shot down for the class, Hyett will move to the Bronze-enforced LMP2 category next year.

He is the only driver so far confirmed in the program according to Jeannette, although he indicated the GTD Pro entry, which is likely to be a Porsche, will feature a full pro driver lineup.

“AO Racing has submitted two entries for 2024,” he told Sportscar365. “One is for LMP2 and one in GTD Pro.

“The idea behind that is given the current status of driver regulations, PJ has decided to move to the LMP2 class and we would like to continue in GT racing and be able to compete for wins in the GTD Pro class.

“We’re committed to racing in IMSA and want to feel like we’re racing against peers.”

Multimatic, which has provided the team with an engineer and driver this year, is set to also continue its role next year.

“We’ll likely be continuing our involvement with Multimatic and while drivers have not been confirmed, Seb has been doing a very good job for us this year,” Jeannette said. “We would likely be getting some support from the manufacturer.”

Jeannette said work on ramping up its staff into a two-car operation is now underway.

“We’re in the process of ramping up staffing for a program of this level for next year,” he said. “It’s great to be in the position where we can start doing that in August.

“With IMSA’s new timeframe of entries and all of that, we feel like we need to make the decision now and start working towards that in order to hit the ground running in 2024.”

When asked if the two planned entries will carry dinosaur liveries, as has been the case this year with its 911 GT3 ‘Rawr’ with Rexy and the soon-to-be-introduced Roxy, Jeannette said it’s still a work-in-progress but is optimistic.

“The overall fan response for Rexy and Roxy has been extremely strong,” he said. “We would like to continue that.

“To comment or to say that we have that figured out for next year is certainly not set in stone.

“But we definitely know we’d be getting a lot of hate mail if we went away from it right now.”

AO’s WEC Future Impacted by IMSA Date Clashes

Jeannette said the team’s continued full-time participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship, which transitions to GT3 machinery next year, is unlikely given the three date clashes between the WeatherTech Championship and the world championship next year.

The team is currently partnered with Team Project 1 in the GTE-Am class, although Hyett and Jeannette missed two rounds due to this year’s clashing events.

“We’re not going to specifically say that we’re not going to do any WEC stuff,” Jeannette said. “We would very much like to figure out to make something work.

“But given the calendar and the clashes, that’s going to be even more difficult than it was this year.

“Our priorities lie in America, even though we want to have a long-lasting presence at Le Mans, and we’re going to absolutely work hard to try to secure an entry in one way or form for 2024.

“But right now the timing and prioritization is with IMSA.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John