PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports is ready to kick off the 2021 season with a packed field at the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 test this weekend in preparation for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, to be held on January 27-31st. The team and defending 2020 LMP2 Champion, will debut a new driver lineup consisting of drivers Ben Keating, Nicolas Lapierre, Mikkel Jensen and Scott Huffaker, and a brand-new livery design showcasing the colors of the team main sponsor, in the #52 Oreca 07 LMP2.
The Roar Before the Rolex 24, will show a considerable increase in the number of entries, than in 2020. In the LMP2 category, there are 10 entries registered, which will make this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona one of the most competitive yet. The three-day Roar from Jan. 22-24 takes on added significance as well since it will be climaxed for the first time by a 100-minute qualifying race to set the grid for the Rolex 24 that starts on January 27th.
PR1/ Mathiasen Motorsports is coming into the Roar Before the Rolex 24 after winning the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title in the LMP2 category. The team will use the Roar to acclimate themselves with their new driver lineup and gather valuable info in preparation for the Rolex 24. The four PR1 drivers will share the wheel of the #52 LMP2 for the first time at the 3-day event.
Ben Keating, 48, is one of the most experienced and successful bronze drivers in the sport, with several of championships under his belt, Ben has competed in five 24 Hours of Le Mans with a best finish of third, and has won the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup three times. Ben will again pull double duty at the Rolex 24 by also co-driving a TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the GT Daytona (GTD) class.
25-year-old Danish driver, Mikkel Jensen, will join the lineup and make his Rolex 24 debut, coming off a win at Petit Le Mans in 2020. The young Dane is the 2019 European Le Mans Series LMP3 Champion, and finished third in the LMP2 Championship in 2020 with G-Drive Racing.
20-year-old, Scott Huffaker, has a long-standing relationship with PR1/Mathiasen spanning several years. Beginning in 2016, the 20-year-old American driver raced in Pacific F2000 and climbed the open wheel ranks to win the Formula Pro USA F4 championship two years later. In 2019, he won the Team USA Scholarship while piloting the PR1/Mathiasen LMP3 to a second-place finish in the IMSA Prototype Challenge series, and in 2020 he made his LMP2 debut with the team in route to a team championship.
Frenchman, Nicolas Lapierre, 36, is a world-class endurance driver with various wins and championships, including four victories in LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and two FIA World Endurance Championships. He is also no stranger to IMSA, scoring two overall victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Ben Keating
Driver
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“I am super excited about the 2021 Rolex 24 and all that goes with it. The LMP2 class is going to see the most competitive event it has ever experienced in IMSA. I believe the best competitors love good competition. This adds to the stress of performing well but also to the excitement of the race.
This team of drivers have never driven together. The Roar is going to be very important as far as making seats and getting fitted into the car, but also working together on things like driver changes and car set up. This is my favorite race of the year!”
Mikkel Jensen
Driver
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“I’m very much looking forward to meet the new team and my new teammates, and obviously to get my first laps at Daytona. Nicolas has great experience to make sure we have a great setup to start with and from there on it’s all about getting everything out of the track time and get the last bits done on the setup. Very interesting with the qualifying race for the first time this year, and looking forward to see how much effort teams put into get a good starting position.”
Scott Huffaker
Driver
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“I am looking forward to getting back in the car after the winter break and to begin working with my new teammates. Hopefully we can a learn a lot during the Roar to help give us the best chances for the Rolex 24.”
Nicolas Lapierre
Driver
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“I’m super excited about the Roar. To get to know the team and my teammates. It is a very important test for us, as have to set up all the small details for the Daytona 24, so I’m really looking forward to it and to get ready for the big one next week.”
Ray Mathiasen
Team Principal
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“We have great expectations for the team’s performance this season and can’t wait to see how we do this weekend at the Roar. It’s great to see all the competition in the LMP2 category. It’s going to be a tough this weekend and next weekend at the Rolex 24-hour race. We wish the team great success!”
Bobby Oergel
Team Principal
#52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 LMP2
“We are very thankful to have such a great program assembled with our partners for this year’s Rolex 24. The team has prepared for the Roar with the focus of learning the new changes to the cars and engines for the category, which is filled with 10 great teams ready to battle for the Rolex 24 this year. The focus for the week is going to be keeping it clean, sharpen the arrows and gather info.”
Source. PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports
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