O’Connell to Make SRO America Return in SKI Autosports Ferrari

After a race-winning partial debut season in SRO’s GT America series in 2022, SKI Autosports will return for 2023 with Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring race-winning veteran Johnny O’Connell.

SKI Autosports will join the GT America powered by AWS grid at NOLA Motorsports Park in April and will race in the remaining seven races on the 2023 calendar.

“2022 was a due diligence year for the team, running three weekends in GT America and looking toward setting our future plans,” said team owner Kent Hussey.

“We were delighted by the professionalism and organization of the GT America staff and happy with the performance of our Ferrari 458 GT3. With the positives we took from this season, we have committed to running almost a full season in 2023.

“The team did a great job in 2022 with our limited SRO schedule posting a win at Road America and a couple of runner-up finishes. In addition, we secured two wins in the Gold Cup championship. We are ready to take the next step and commit to more races in 2023.”

The team has secured multi-time champion O’Connell as their primary driver for the 2023 season.

“We are thrilled to be working with Johnny and to be part of his return to SRO competition (previously known as World Challenge) where he has had so much success,” continued Hussey.

O’Connell is synonymous with winning GT racing, achieving four class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; an overall victory at the Rolex 24 in 2001; an overall 12 Hours of Sebring win; three American Le Mans Series championships; and an amazing four consecutive Pirelli World Challenge titles from 2012 to 2015.

Hussey said: “Johnny was very comfortable racing the Ferrari at the Classic Daytona 24 earlier this month and was extremely competitive until tire issues ended our race.

“We are looking forward to greater success in 2023 with Johnny driving the team’s Ferrari 458 GT3.”

SKI Autosport will begin testing after the New Year, with its sights set on the April debut with O’Connell at NOLA.

“It goes without saying that I’m super excited about 2023 and driving for Kent and Melissa at SKI Autosports,” O’Connell said.

“I’m also looking forward to competing in SRO competition again.

“Even though things have changed a lot there over the past five years, World Challenge racing remains as some of the most fun racing I’ve done.

“I’m confident that working with Rossella [Manfrinato] and Phil [Creighton], we will find our way to the front once again.”