Van Overbeek to Retire After Petit Le Mans

Johannes van Overbeek

Johannes van Overbeek will hang up the helmet following next weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans, having announced his retirement from top-level professional racing.

The most recent winner in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition confirmed to Sportscar365 that the ten-hour Road Atlanta enduro will be his last as a full-time driver following an illustrious two-plus decade career.

“I’ve been racing for 22 years, had some great success but I’m 45," van Overbeek said. “The Patron [ESM] organization is changing so I figured it’s the perfect time to end on a high."

The Californian, who achieved overall wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2017, while also returning to victory lane at Sebring this year with Tequila Patron ESM, revealed that he was planning to retire at the end of 2017.

However, longtime co-driver and Patron Spirits President and CEO Ed Brown convinced him to remain on board the Scott Sharp-owned team for one additional year.

“I talked to Ed and he said, ‘Hey, you started with the team, how about ending with the [end of the Patron] relationship, and I thought, ‘Sure, you have a deal,'" van Overbeek said.