When the checkered flag waved at Road Atlanta, signaling the end of the fourth annual Petit Le Mans and the 2025 VSCA SportsCar Championship season, the #83 Off in the Esses Racing McLaren crossed the line in fifth. That result was more than enough to secure the GT AM series championship — a fitting end to a season defined not by flash, but by endurance and teamwork.
For Stuart Leslie and his crew, this wasn’t just a championship; it was a shared triumph years in the making. Off in the Esses Racing have been fixtures in the VSCA paddock since the league’s earliest days, but until this season, they were better known for grit than glory. As Leslie himself put it, “We’ve participated in every single VSCA race and I never thought that we’d be here today! We’re all just friends who happen to sim race together — and to win this with them is really, really special.”
That sentiment echoed across the team. Theirs wasn’t a story of overnight success, but of persistence rewarded.
Daytona Sparks the Dream
Every championship season has a defining moment, and for Off in the Esses, it came in January under the lights of Daytona. Their win in the 24 Hours of Daytona wasn’t just their first in VSCA competition — it was the spark that lit the fire.
Jonathan Duncan recalled, “Winning our first race of our careers at Daytona was my favorite memory for sure. So much time and effort has been put into performing well in this league and to see it pay off finally for our first win is a feeling I will never forget.”
That victory set the tone. It proved that the team out of Toronto, Ontario could run with the best. Even after a mid-season dip in results, they never lost their footing in the standings. Wins at Daytona and Watkins Glen, paired with strong finishes at VIR and Laguna Seca, kept the #83 McLaren solidly ahead of their competition all the way through October.
Holding Steady in the Heat of the Season
In a ten-month championship that stretched from Florida to upstate New York to the heartland of Indianapolis, focus was as important as pace. For drivers like Patrick Boilard and Matthew Elya, it was all about taking things one race at a time.
Boilard, often the spearhead of the #83 effort, reflected, “From Daytona onward we were in a situation that made us prove we were capable of winning the whole thing. I’m so proud of everyone on this team and couldn’t be happier to bring a trophy home with this group.”
Elya, who drove in select rounds, added, “This is the reason that we get behind the wheel. The team felt like we had a real shot at this one the whole season.”
Their consistency proved to be the key. Despite a few scrapes along the way — and the occasional penalty or spin that comes with endurance racing — the team’s steady hands behind the wheel and calm heads in the garage ensured that they never relinquished the points lead once they took it.
The Final Push and a Celebration Earned
By the time Petit Le Mans arrived, Off in the Esses Racing simply needed a clean run. They delivered just that — a measured, no-drama fifth-place finish that secured the GT AM crown.
For a team built on friendship, not sponsorships, it was the perfect culmination of their long road to success. As Leslie quipped with a laugh, “We used to jokingly call ourselves the Bronze Battalion — now we’re champs!”
And how does a grassroots sim racing team celebrate such an achievement? Leslie had a simple answer: “We go camp trackside for the Six Hours of the Glen every year, so I can’t wait to bring the trophies this time and celebrate with a beer — or six.”
Gratitude and Looking Ahead
In typical Off in the Esses fashion, the celebration came with heartfelt thanks. Leslie went down the list of teammates one by one — from Boilard’s relentless pace and leadership to Garrone’s steady reliability, from Duncan’s experience to Elya’s determination, and even a shoutout to long-time supporter Seb, “who’s as much a part of this championship as the rest of us.”
Boilard summed it up best: “These championship wins are for Stu. He’s the one who brought our group of friends together. He introduced us to multiclass racing, and he’s worked tirelessly to grow this team and this sport.”
As they look toward 2026, the tone is equal parts satisfaction and ambition. “We’ll enjoy this,” Boilard said, “but there’s no room to be complacent.”
For Off in the Esses Racing, this championship wasn’t an ending — it was proof that passion, persistence, and friendship can take you all the way to the top.
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