Vanthoor, Edgar to Drive GTD Class AO Porsche at Long Beach

Photo: AO Racing

Porsche factory star Laurens Vanthoor and Silver-rated Jonny Edgar will share driving duties of AO Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R in next month’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, it has been confirmed.

As first reported by Sportscar365 in January, the Gunnar Jeannette-run team will enter its ‘Rexy’ liveried Porsche in the GTD ranks for the 100-minute sprint race featuring the Belgian driver, who is coming off overall wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and Edgar, who is part of the team’s LMP2 lineup.

GTD Pro, where the No. 77 Porsche usually competes in, is not part of the Long Beach event, which features the GTP and GTD classes only.

“Long Beach is a very special event, and it’s unfortunate that it’s not on the GTD Pro calendar,” said Jeannette. “A lot of Rexy and AO fans expressed their desire to see Rexy racing around the famous streets, and ‘Life Found a Way!’

“With our full-season drivers off at a GT World Challenge [Europe] race, we’ve been able to draft in some fantastic guys to fill their shoes in Laurens and Jonny.

“A big thank you to PJ Hyett, Porsche Motorsport North America, and everyone else that has come together to help make this one-off GTD race a reality for Rexy and AO.”

Vanthoor added: “I’m really looking forward to driving the famous Rexy car.

“The Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of my favorite events on the IMSA calendar. It’s always a great atmosphere and the whole event just feels special. I know some of the AO Racing guys from the Porsche RSR program, and I can’t wait to get to know the rest of the team. Hopefully, we have a strong weekend.”

For Edgar, Long Beach will mark his first race in the Porsche, although he already has completed mileage with the car in last month’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Sebring International Raceway.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Long Beach with Rexy,” he said. “I’m really excited to race a Porsche for the first time and for my first time at Long Beach. It’s a very exciting event, and I think it’d be really cool to share the car with Laurens as well. I think we have a really good chance at winning the race.”