Daytona represented a good-news, bad-news weekend for AO Racing.
Unhealthy information first. Whereas each vehicles–the No. 77 GTD Professional Porsche 911 GT3 R and the No. 99 LMP2 Oreca-Gibson–had been in competition for nearly the entire race, the Porsche completed eighth at school, whereas the opposite automotive got here dwelling in sixth.
The excellent news? Saturday night, lower than a 3rd of the best way by the race, the staff posted this on its Fb web page: “SOLD OUT: Our total inventory of merchandise at Daytona is offered out. When you missed out, please proceed to buy at aoracing.com/store. We’ve acquired tons extra inventory coming and are fulfilling orders as quick as our little T-Rex arms can go!”
T. rex arms? Oh sure. That will be Rexy, the bright-green Porsche 911 with big enamel within the entrance of the automotive. The purple staff automotive is called Spike, a dragon, sporting a dragon nostril and enamel up entrance and large, orange dragon wings behind the cockpit.
The livery is cartoonish–and that’s a praise–resonating with youngsters and due to this fact adults who’re happy their youngsters have discovered one thing to attach with within the motorsports world.
And as for that merchandise, AO Racing has commissioned T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, posters, plush toys, hats, flags, keychains and pins. It’s good, actually–so efficient and so low-cost: Most each automotive in IMSA is wrapped, and in contrast to in NASCAR, many groups don’t have to create space to plug a giant sponsor.
When you’re wrapping your automotive anyway, why not have some enjoyable with it? They’ve even created Roxy, a pink T. rex, which sometimes replaces Rexy within the lineup. Each Rexy and Roxy have been was Scorching Wheels vehicles.
It’s all the results of staff driver and co-owner P.J. Hyett’s modest method of honoring his youngsters: He had his helmet painted with a dragon on one aspect for his son and a unicorn on the opposite aspect for his daughter. It was a small step from there to make characters out of their vehicles.
AO Racing–that stands for Autumn Oaks, the identify of Hyett’s automotive assortment–was shaped by Hyett, a 41-year-old software program developer who co-founded an organization that was acquired by Microsoft in 2018, and Gunnar Jeannette, a championship-winning driver and the son of Kevin Jeannette, a legendary Porsche specialist who crew-chiefed vehicles for Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Bob Wollek, Derek Bell and Paul Newman.
Whereas AO Racing’s vehicles appear like they had been created by Disney, this staff is critical about competitors. Rexy gained the 2024 IMSA GTD Professional championship with three wins and two poles, whereas Spike the Dragon, in its rookie season, scored 4 poles and a podium. Spike, the staff insists, is keen for his first LMP2 win, and bringing aboard former Penske pilot Dane Cameron, who co-drove to Porsche’s general victory within the 2024 Rolex 24 and the season championship, ought to assist make that occur.
On the ’25 Rolex 24, each groups confirmed what they may do. Rexy the Porsche led 150 laps, and Spike the Dragon LMP2 led 281. Within the race’s closing levels, Spike was slowed by electrical points, and Rexy needed to make an unscheduled pit cease.
That, as talked about, is the unhealthy a part of this story. However one good half is that each Rexy and Spike shall be again on the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 15, which provides AO Racing six weeks to restock that merchandise trailer.
Feedback
The livery is cartoonish–and that’s a praise–resonating with youngsters and due to this fact adults who’re happy their youngsters have discovered one thing to attach with within the motorsports world.
This one resonates with me large time. It has been actually superior to share motorsports with my child.
I am making an attempt arduous to be affected person and do it slowly–I need to make sure that it is one thing she participates in as a result of she likes it, not as a result of it is one thing I actually like.
I used to be within the media middle when these vehicles crashed close to pit-out.
The digicam zoomed in on Rexy because it was stopped on the monitor.
There was a loud boo from the room.
Then the announcers famous that Rexy has merely stopped to keep away from the wreck. A second later, the automotive began to maneuver ahead.
Yay, exclaimed the media middle.
It’s superb what some graphics can do for a automotive.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Do not low cost the affect of the individual carrying an inflatable dino costume subsequent to these graphics on the grid stroll!
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