AO Racing confirms return to LMP2 and GTD PRO for 2025

"Spike" and "Rexy" will continue to prowl IMSA circuits in 2025.

AO Racing has secured its entries for the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in LMP2 and GTD PRO. This season, its second in the WeatherTech Championship, the team has competed in both classes to good effect. PJ Hyett and Paul-Loup Chatin have scored four poles and one podium finish in LMP2 with the No. 99 ORECA, aka "Spike the dragon," and "Rexy," the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, has three victories and Laurin Heinrich leads the GTD PRO standings heading into the finale.

“It’s a little bit surreal to think that the 2024 season is almost over and that we head into Petit Le Mans leading the GTD PRO Championship,” said team principal Gunnar Jeannette. “The team has had a lot of growth this year, and it’s been a massive effort from everyone involved to get to where we are. We are looking forward to building on all of that work and rolling out at Daytona in 2025 with two cars that are capable of winning their class."

AO Racing's amiable monsters meet the fans at an autograph session during the Watkins Glen weekend. Richard Dole/Motorsport Images

In addition to the on-track success, the team has built a strong fan following of all ages, bringing a new style of fun and fan engagement to the paddock. It starts with the Spike and Rexy the T-Rex (and sometimes Roxy the pink dinosaur) liveries on the cars, but the team carries the theme into the paddock and gridwalks.

“The fans have really embraced Spike, Rexy and Roxy this year, for which we are extremely grateful,” Jeannette noted. “It’s so much fun to see families and young children get so enthusiastic about both the cars and characters. We can’t wait to build more on that support nationwide across the IMSA calendar.”

The team will confirm driver lineups at a later date.