Performance Tech Motorsports Release:
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (March 3, 2016) – Performance Tech Motorsports welcomes Kyle Marcelli and Josh Norman to the team for the 2016 season of IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar Championship.
Marcelli, 26, will compete in the No. 38 Prototype Challenge alongside James French for the full season of the Weather Tech SportsCar Championship. Norman, 21, will join French and Marcelli as the team’s official Tequila Patròn North American Endurance Cup driver.
Team Principal Brent O’Neill is expecting high return out of his driver lineup.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun for all of us this year,” O’Neill said. “Josh did a great job in the car at Daytona. He got up to speed very quickly and I was very impressed with Kyle Marcelli. He’s a great addition to the team; Marcelli fits well with our guys. He understands the program; he’ll be really quick straight away. This is going to be a big year, between French and Marcelli. Kyle doesn’t make mistakes; they’ll be fun to watch.”
Marcelli is reuniting with his first professional endeavor. In 2010 Performance Tech gave him his first job as a professional driver in the PC car while running the American Le Mans Series.
Since his start in 2010 Marcelli has racked up four full season rides in the PC class as well as two-years of GT racing. In 2015 Marcelli drove full time in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in a Camaro Z28.R and ran select races in the Weather Tech SportsCar Championship.
Marcelli’s reintroduction to PC racing came at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.
“Our deal came together very late, it was Wednesday of race week at Daytona when I found out,” Marcelli said. “Daytona’s schedule is so busy and there is very little track time. It’s been a while since I last drove a prototype, so my goal was not speed but rather just to drive consistent, mistake free laps. I look forward to being paired with James in the Performance Tech PC for the year, I think this kind of consistent program will be rewarded with success.”
Marcelli has high hopes for what the team will accomplish this year. Though the 24 At Daytona didn’t go to plan, the team retired early after mechanical issues, the endurance race gave him insight to how he and his new team will advance this season.
“I think Performance Tech has always been a little underestimated or underrated,” Marcelli said. “They’re a highly capable team that has had some opportunity and some bad luck. Having the experience in the car and with endurance racing I look at the team and I think we stack up well against our competitors. James has a really good grip on the car and Josh really impressed me in Daytona having never driven a downforce car prior.”
“It’s important with any endurance race that it’s a whole team effort. You can qualify well but that doesn’t mean you finish well. The first stint has to go well, the second stint has to go well and even the pit stops in between. I think I have a strong codriver in James so I see us being competitive.”
Performance Tech’s addition of Marcelli allows the team to play off of his experience to develop its other drivers. The team stresses a focus on community and is protective of its family-like culture. This culture stands out to Marcelli after six years away from Performance Tech.
“It’s funny, it’s basically all the same crew guys. Which isn’t usual in this business,” Marcelli said. “It really does have that family feeling. It shows a lot of leadership ability to be able to retain people for that long. I think it shows that Brent and Gwenn (O’Neill, Logistics Coordinator) really care about their staff.”