Johnny O’Connell is a name synonymous with the SRO Motorsports America paddock having his history reaching further back than the current GT America powered by AWS brand he races under.
He resurrected his historic racing career once named a Bronze-rated driver by joining SKI Autosport in the SRO3 Class at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, Louisiana. O’Connell gave shared credit to Kent and Melissa Hussey of SKI Autosport for helping him back into the sport. He’s made himself worth the wait and investment as he pushes his No. 3 Audi R8-LMS to new highs.
“I think the Audi is great, but there's still so much we need to learn about it,” O’Connell said. “I kind of like that we're taking a 2014 car and competing against guys with all new stuff. Currently, I think my pace is pretty decent, but I know that with every session and every event we will only be getting stronger. Rosella, our engineer, is one of the best I've ever worked with. She and I are really getting to know each other well, and she really is feeling what I'm looking for in the car.”
As he acquaints himself with the Audi O’Connell has shown progress in his performance on track. He is seventh in the driver points standings with 53 points after missing out on the first four rounds. His best-recorded finish thus far came in Race Two at VIRginia International Raceway where he earned a third-place position.
The momentum is coming to O’Connell as the season’s end comes to play.
“Well go back to COTA, not only did we get the pole there but we won race two, even though it was taken away from us for a pre-race infraction,” O’Connell said. “Anyway, for the first time, I was very pleased with the Audi. Everyone at SKI Autosport is really excited and brings great energy to the effort. I feel a great momentum swing and am really looking forward to the rest of the season. Skipping the first two rounds certainly put us at a disadvantage to the others, but I feel like we are catching up quickly.”
Headed into the last eight races of the season O’Connell will be very focused on the sense of catching up. A continued push for podium finishes complimented by any amount of luck could drastically change the current outlook of the standings.
“I think as we move forward, it'll give me the opportunity to be even more aggressive as I learn the car,” O’Connell said. “Whereas the other guys need to be thinking about points in the championship, I need to push hard and go for wins. Not a bad position to be in, although I would much more prefer to be in their situation running for a championship.”
O’Connell has always been known for being a fiercely competitive driver. His ability matched. This comes from his years of experience of being out front of a field. As he compares and contrasts the start of his own career to those starting now, he can still find advice amongst all the differences the sport has seen.
“You know it's a completely different game now for young guys,” O’Connell said. “First off, the cars are far easier to drive than when I began my career. I mean think about it you have ABS, you have traction control you have paddle shifting, you have air conditioning. I mean the list goes on and on. It makes it far more difficult to see who truly is gifted. Add to that, you have simulators. So, guys can literally practice on a circuit for days before ever being there.
“Back when I began, you not only had to master driving the car but be able to figure out a circuit very quickly. I guess the best advice I could give young guys would be to remind them that this is not a simulator. I would encourage them always to race clean and respect the guys they are racing against. There's definitely far more contact now than there was even going back five or six years ago. Being that driver that is involved in contact often is definitely not going to be something that attracts a factory.”
O’Connell’s first race back from summer break is the Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville. Two 40-minute races on the 2.1-mile, 11-turn course take drivers across Cumberland River and around downtown Nashville at thrilling high speeds. Tickets are available. For those watching from home, the series stream is live on the GT World YouTube page. The action takes place Friday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 6.