On Fast Track

Subtitle:Rookie Masson Gaining Speed Quickly With Performance Tech

SEBRING, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2016) – Kyle Masson finally convinced his parents to let him try racing in 2014.

Less than two years later, he will compete during the legendary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida as a rookie in the Mazda Prototype Lites Presented by Cooper Tires.

Masson, 18, from Windermere, Florida, will make his debut in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Development Series on March 16-18 at Sebring International Raceway in the No. 18 Performance Tech Motorsports entry.

“I just want to improve as much as I can,” Masson said. “I know if I continue to get better, good things will happen.”

Masson has made things happen on his accelerated path into sports car racing.

As a boy, he loved cars and racing even though his family had no background in the sport. He satisfied that need for speed by playing racing video games and yearning to try competition through karting.

But his parents refused, concerned about safety. Plus Masson was busy with school and playing basketball, basketball, golf and swimming.

Racing was different, though. It spawned a passion within Masson unlike any of his other interests, and his parents began to notice that zeal. So when Masson turned 17, he asked his parents if he could attend the Skip Barber Racing School at Road Atlanta for three days of instruction and track time.

His parents agreed, and Masson was on his way. His dream was becoming reality.

Then his results on the racetrack proved Masson was far more than a master of the gamepad while playing Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2. He earned two victories and 10 podium finishes in 26 starts between the Winter and Summer series in the Skip Barber Racing School Championship in 2014 and 2015. Masson also was named the Most Improved Driver in the Skip Barber Summer series last year.

Masson has a natural curiosity about many different forms of racing. So after a year of open-wheel competition, he wanted to try sports cars.

“I’m trying to figure everything out because I’m so new to this,” Masson said. “I realize there’s a lot more opportunity in the sports car route. I’m looking this direction, for the most part, and that’s why I transitioned off over here.”

Masson was testing another type of sports car last year during a track day when an official alerted Performance Tech Motorsports Team Principal Brent O’Neill to Masson’s talent.

“He brought my data to Brent from testing the car and said: ‘Hey, you should look at this kid. He has pretty good data,’” Masson said.

O’Neill and Masson then connected, and Masson decided to begin his sports car career with longtime Prototype Lites standout team Performance Tech, which is based in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The tight-knit, veteran team already has become an ideal fit for Masson because they share a common bond about racing.

“The passion,” Masson said. “Everyone here really wants to win. They love what they do, and they really care. That’s what I like about it.”

O’Neill and his crew also must like the speed Masson showed during his first day of testing Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Sebring. Masson was third best overall with a top time of 2:00.827. Only returning series veterans Austin Versteeg (2:00.640) and Clark Toppe (2:00.795) were quicker during the dry morning session.

The high downforce created by the Mazda-powered Élan DP02 chassis on Cooper Tires also is providing all of the thrill and challenge Masson wanted in this latest step of his racing career.

“You can really charge the brake zones and go deep and test your limits in the corners,” Masson said of the Prototype Lites car. “Turn 1 (at Sebring), you’re pulling like 120 (mph) as a minimum speed. And it’s a lot of fun to test yourself out and see how far you can go.”

Tuesday Testing: Austin Versteeg was the quickest driver during the first day of testing Tuesday at Sebring International Raceway, turning a top lap of 2 minutes, .640 of a second in the No. 7 JDC Motorsports car. His JDC Motorsports teammate, Clark Toppe, was second quickest at 2:00.795. Todd Slusher was the top Lites 1 Masters driver at 2:01.032 in the No. 62 ONE Motorsports entry. Eighteen drivers are on site for testing, with a final session scheduled from 8-10:25 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, Feb. 23 on the 17-turn, 3.74-mile circuit.