In 2010, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports scored a second place finish on Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s 13 turns, 2.258 miles utilizing a driver lineup that was completely new to the LMPC class. On Saturday, August 6, 2011, the California-based team will be looking to meet and exceed that accomplishment with another LMPC rookie lineup. Javier Echeverría of Mexico City, Mexico, and David Cheng of Sammamish, WA, will take the wheel of the #52 Our World Live/ Sports City Fitness Club/ CJ Wilson’s Charities/ Corsa Car Care/ Oreca FLM09 during the two hour forty-five minute main event competing against 32 cars across four different classes.
Cheng will be making his American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón debut as a driver this weekend, adding to his already busy season. The Chinese-American has been competing for PR1 Motorsports in the Pacific F2000 this year as well as racing full-time in the China VW Scirocco R-Cup. Saturday’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge will be the first of several professional sports car starts for Cheng this season as he looks to gain experience for Petit Le Mans and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 6 Hours of Zhuhai at Zhuhai International Circuit.
“This season has been an eye-opening experience for me,” Cheng stated. “It can be hard to stay ahead of the schedule sometimes, going back and forth across the Pacific from America to China, back to America, and then back to China again. Plus, the Scirocco R-Cup car and the F2000 open wheel cars could not be more different to drive. But that’s what makes this all so much fun. I love getting to drive so many different cars around the world and the ALMS and ILMC races are a big part of that experience. While testing the LMPC car earlier this year, I could draw a lot of parallels with the open wheel, downforce cars that I’ve driven in the past. So while it’ll be a new experience for me, I’m not too concerned about getting up to speed, especially with all the guys from PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports and all my friends at Our World Live and CJ Wilson’s Charities there to help me.”
While this weekend will be Cheng’s debut in the ALMS as a driver, he has actually competed in the series in the past.
“That’s right, I did compete in the series last year, and once this year. I was on the fire bottle during the 2010 Petit Le Mans and again at Long Beach this year. I just love racing so much. Even if I can’t be behind the wheel of the #52, I want to be out there as close as I can be. I’ll tell you one thing, I have even more respect for my team after working with them on the other side of the wall at those events. Those fire suits are miserable to have to wear for hours on end!”
Similar to his co-driver, Echeverría also has extensive experience in downforce formula cars, having raced in Formula Renault in Mexico and will also be making his ALMS debut this weekend.
“I got the opportunity to test in an LMPC car earlier this year and was able to adjust to the car rather quickly,” Echeverría explained. “Compared to the Formula Renault or the F3 cars that I’ve driven, there are a lot of similarities in how you have to charge the corner and carry your momentum through the turns. What will be all-new to me, however, is the amount of traffic that we’ll have to deal with. I’ve never had to race with so many different cars on the track, so that will be a learning experience for me as will having to share the car with a co-driver for the first time. I know the guys at PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports are among the best, so I will use this race to learn as much as I can and finish with the car in top condition. I’m very excited to be here racing in America for the first time and I’m sure it will be the first of many.”
PR1/Mathiasen Team Principal, Bobby Oergel has had a lot of experience working with up-and-coming drivers and is looking to continue that tradition at Mid-Ohio.
“We were able to take two new guys to the LMPC class to the podium last year, and I don’t see any reason why David and Javier can’t replicate that feat this Saturday,” Oergel said. “They’re both hard-charging young drivers that have worked their way through the ranks and are incredibly focused on their driving. Everyone on the team is putting in that extra effort this week to make sure that we capitalize on any opportunity that presents itself. Solid and consistent laps, patience in traffic, clean pit stops, and spot-on strategy will be key. We got extremely close to winning here last year so we know what it takes to run up front on this old track.”
Source : PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports