Johnny O’Connell is back behind the wheel of a sports car this year, following a season off in 2025, marking a return to competition for one of the most recognizable figures in American sports car racing.

The multi-time Le Mans winner and longtime Corvette Racing driver has seen it all throughout his career and now transitions into the McLaren Trophy Cup North America this year with Flying Lizard Motorsports, adding another chapter to an already decorated résumé.

Giving Back: Coaching and Developing Safer Drivers

However, outside of the cockpit, O’Connell is staying active by helping shape future drivers at The Motor Enclave, a 1.72-mile, purpose-built road course and event facility in Tampa, Florida, where he continues to pass along decades of experience. Reflecting on his work at the facility, O’Connell emphasized both the enthusiasm of its members and the importance of proper driver development.

“Motor Enclave is a special place,” O’Connell said. “A lot of great members. But as so often happens, people buy cars that are well beyond their capability as drivers. So they bring me down here generally a couple days a month over the winter, and I’ll work with the members on little technical things that’ll hopefully not just make them faster, but make them safer. And it’s surprising—driving’s one of those things that if you went into a room of 100 people and said, ‘Who’s a good driver?’ you’re probably going to see 100 hands. But then if you ask who’s had formal training and all that, well, the number is far less. So, I actually coached throughout my entire career. For a while, I was the vice president of a racing school and all that kind of stuff. And I get great appreciation out of sharing those things that I’ve learned over the years with other people—not just to make them faster, but safer. So it’s pretty rewarding. I like racing more, but it’s still pretty fun.”

A Daytona Memory with Dale Earnhardt Sr.

While coaching has been just one part of O’Connell’s career, his racing legacy spans widely, with victories across nearly every level of sports car racing, cementing his place as one of the discipline’s most accomplished drivers. One of the more memorable chapters of that career came in 2001, when he shared the Corvette Racing stable with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Rolex 24 at Daytona—a moment that still stands out years later.

“That was (one of) his last race. He sadly passed away the next race (2001 Daytona 500). Actually, Andy Pilgrim was the last person he ever talked to on the radio before that wreck. But I was totally lucky because his and my stints were at the same time. And—really cool guy. He wanted to get better. I mean, he’s the only guy who ever called me ‘Rusty.’ Back then I had red hair. And he’s like, ‘Now Rusty, if you see anything I can do better, you let me know.’ But it was really neat. I mean, during the race, we came up—we were running a little bit quicker pace—and I came up on him to lap them. We had good pace that year—we wound up winning. But you know what, rather than go by right away, he and Dale Jr. were faster on the oval than the road race was. And so I followed him to figure it out. But I remember coming by start/finish and I’m like two feet off his bumper—we’re on the rev limiter because we’re hooked up—and I remember just so vividly thinking, ‘This is a cool scene. I am drafting with Big E at Daytona. That’s awesome.’ So yeah, great guy. And what a lot of people don’t know—that was going to be his last year in Cup (Series). He was going to join Corvette Racing and be in sports cars full-time. So yeah, that was a great era.”

From Super Bowl Commercials to fading Driver Recognition

O’Connell’s career has also extended beyond the racetrack, including a memorable appearance in Chevrolet’s 2007 Super Bowl commercial, “Ain’t We Got Love,” highlighting the crossover between sports car racing and mainstream exposure. Reflecting on that experience—and how the sport has evolved in terms of driver recognition—he offered a candid perspective.

“That was cool. That was a fun commercial that we got to do. Yeah, that was pretty fun. You know what I mean—sports car racing has historically been about the car, not the driver. I was very fortunate—I became a little bit of a personality in that era, and so they did put me in a commercial. But, you know—I mean, it’s horrible—but I look at sports car racing now and I don’t see any names that I’m like, ‘Oh God.’ It’s not like you have a McNish or a Capello or a Fellows or an O’Connell. You know—you’ve got Nasr, he’s pretty well known, right? Renger van der Zande, the Taylor brothers. The sport has changed a little bit in that regard. But they’re still drawing great crowds, and the racing is really good.”

Adapting to McLaren Machinery and building Momentum

More recently, O’Connell has returned to regular competition in SRO America, with his latest outing coming at Sonoma Raceway in Flying Lizard’s McLaren Trophy Cup entry, as he continues to adapt to new machinery and team dynamics. Looking ahead, he believes there is still more performance to unlock as the season progresses.

“Well, it is—you know, my teammate (Philip Ploskas) has a little bit of work to do. He’s catching up. Great guy, and he’ll get there. Our biggest disadvantage is we did not have an engineer for that race. Our car is not where we need it to be right now, but we know that. So we’re going to put a little effort into learning what the McLaren responds to chassis-wise. So I expect as the season goes on, we’ll do well. And then of course, Miami coming up—you know, street circuits have always been a forte of mine. So yeah, looking forward to that. Hopefully get up on the podium.”

“Technology and BoP have changed Everything”

Despite his longevity in the sport, O’Connell has also witnessed—and adapted to—significant changes in the racing landscape over the years. Discussing the evolution of modern sports car racing, he pointed to technology and regulations as key differences compared to earlier eras.

“Technology, you know—and to be honest, I’m not a fan of it. So like when you have ABS and traction control, that makes these cars so easy to drive. It used to be back when it was a standard H-pattern, no ABS, no traction control—you knew who was good. You knew who was good. Now, technology has brought everybody closer together. And then on top of it, you throw in BoP—Balance of Performance. You know, here’s a question: So I’m a manufacturer, and I’m going to build a GT3 car, and I can spend $7 million and build a car that’s going to beat everybody, right? Or I can be a cheapo and build one for $2 million. Well, my $7 million car is going to win one race—what’s up, bud?—it’s going to win one race before they choke it down or make the $2 million car faster. So I kind of don’t like that aspect of the sport. I think the sport would be greatly improved if you got rid of ABS—but who listens to me.”

Longevity in a young Driver’s Game

As for maintaining his place at the top level of sports car racing, O’Connell said a combination of passion and persistence has been key to his longevity in the sport. Reflecting on what has allowed him to compete at a high level for so long, he pointed to both mindset and experience.

“Most guys as factory drivers—the factory bumps you in your 40s. I was very lucky I made it to 56. Just the passion for the sport and love for competition. It’s a sport that’s fatiguing because of all the travel and I’m going against young 20-, 30-year-old guys that are trying to have a career, so they’re very aggressive. So, there’s effort in maintaining that same level of intensity. It’s neat—when I look back at my career, I’ve had seven teammates that were ex-Formula One guys. So, I’ve been able to compare myself with the best in the world. And I don’t do it often—but every now and then you sit back and reflect a little bit. Yeah, it’s been pretty awesome.”

A Career Defined by Consistency, Not Just Wins

As O’Connell reflected on his career, there are many highlights to point to, including a number of major accomplishments that have defined his legacy in the sport. When asked what stands out most, his answer wasn’t a single win, but rather a level of consistency sustained over decades.

“I think of all the stats—I’ve got the most wins, podiums at Le Mans, most wins at Sebring—I’ve got a lot of that stuff. The thing I’m most proud of is—and I learned this this past year doing a podcast with Greg Creamer—and he pointed out that in over 400 professional races, over 50% of the time I made the podium. That’s pretty cool. I wasn’t screwing up much. But no—the legacy, just as somebody that loved racing. It was never about the money. Yes, I liked that I was pretty well paid. But I just loved racing and driving. I mean, if that’s how I’m remembered, that’s pretty good.”

Why Giving Back Means More Than Trophies

Beyond his own accomplishments, giving back to the racing community has also become a meaningful part of O’Connell’s career, providing a different kind of reward away from competition. For O’Connell, that impact is often felt most through the success of those he has helped along the way.

“It’s something I enjoy. It means a lot. I mean, there are a lot of guys that just focus on their racing and all that. I love the sport. And really, when you see people that you coach become involved in the sport—you get a text message or email, ‘Hey, I won my first race’ or something—I’m a part of that. So the emotional reward for me is pretty big.”

O’Connell returns to the racetrack at the beginning of May with Flying Lizard Motorsports, as McLaren Trophy America returns to action during the Miami Formula One weekend.