Hyett: First IMSA LMP2 Win a “Magical Moment” for AO Racing

PJ Hyett said securing AO Racing’s first LMP2 class win in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was a “magical moment” after the team converted pole position into victory in a chaotic Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Hyett and co-driver Dane Cameron drove their No. 99 Oreca 07 Gibson to victory for the first time in WeatherTech Championship competition after 11 class starts, with six of those starts, including Sunday’s, coming from pole.

The team runs a dual-class program with its LMP2 machinery competing alongside the No. 77 GTD Pro class Porsche 911 GT3 R, which secured the class championship last year.

The win marked a continuation of good fortunes for Hyett and Cameron, who along with Louis Deletraz took LMP2 Pro-Am class honors in last month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with AO by TF, as well as the recent European Le Mans Series race at Imola.

“When you get it on pole and don’t convert it to a win, it’s a tough lesson to learn,” said Hyett. “We’ve learned a lot of those lessons over the years, and to be able to pull away with a win today, it’s sort of this magical moment for the team and everybody who works so hard.

“For the times we don’t get on the podium, it all makes it worthwhile. So you have to savor these, that’s for sure.”

Hyett comfortably controlled the opening phase of the race before handing the car over to Cameron.

The race’s second phase was marred by a trio of full-course cautions and saw Inter Europol Competition appear set to take the win after successfully executing an undercut strategy to put Tom Dillmann out on track ahead of Cameron on Lap 91.

The Frenchman led for 16 laps before crashing one lap after the race’s final restart, lodging his Oreca into the Turn 3 tire barriers and handing the lead back to AO, with Cameron taking the checkered flag under yellow.

Hyett’s opening double stint proved crucial to the team’s win, with the Bronze-rated driver spending only about ten minutes less behind the wheel than his co-driver in the two-hour and 40-minute contest where he consistently turned competitive lap times to build and maintain a lead of upwards of 15 seconds.

Hyett’s best lap was just 0.679 seconds off of Cameron’s fastest time, and just over one second shy of the overall fastest race lap, set by Renger van der Zande.

“I woke up on the right side of the bed this morning, I suppose,” Hyett said. “I absolutely love this race track and driving an LMP2 car around here. It’s such a phenomenal experience.

“When you’re sort of in the zone, you’re in the zone. I was having the time of my life driving out there today. It was really fun.”

Hyett and Cameron’s win elevated AO from third to second in both the LMP2 points standings over Riley, with the pair now 78 points off leader Daniel Goldburg of United Autosports.