Wayne_Taylor_Racing

Wayne Taylor Racing

Wayne Taylor Racing

Racing team


Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) is a sports car racing team that was founded in 2004 by racing driver Wayne Taylor. In 2023, the team began a partnership with Andretti Autosport that also saw them rebrand as Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport (WTRAndretti).[1][2] The team currently competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, campaigning the No. 10 Konica Minolta-sponsored Acura ARX-06 for Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor and the No. 40 DEX Imaging-sponsored Acura ARX-06 for Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz in the GTP class, and the No. 45 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 for Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal in the GTD class, also sponsored by DEX Imaging.[3]

Quick Facts Founded, Team principal(s) ...
Jordan Taylor, Renger van der Zande, and Ryan Hunter-Reay sharing the team's Cadillac DPi-V.R at the 2018 12 Hours of Sebring.

History

The team was founded in 2004 as the Riley Technologies factory team, with title sponsorship from bank holding company SunTrust. The lineup of Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli finished second in the Daytona Prototype teams championship in 2004 and won the Daytona Prototype team and driver championships in 2005.

For the 2007 season, Riley and Wayne Taylor split ways and Wayne Taylor Racing began to run the #10 SunTrust Racing entry.[4] Wayne Taylor retired as a driver for the 2008 season and signed Michael Valiante as second driver; also the team switched to a Dallara chassis. In 2009, Ford engines were adopted and Brian Frisselle became the second driver.

For the 2010 season, Angelelli was joined by Ricky Taylor, son of Wayne Taylor. They collected a win and seven podiums, finishing runners-up. In 2011, SunTrust Racing switched to Chevrolet engines; they won three races and got eight podiums, resulting runners-up. After adopting the Corvette DP3 chassis, the duo got three wins in 2012 and resulted 6th in the drivers standings.

In 2013, Wayne Taylor Racing lost the SunTrust sponsorship. Ricky Taylor left the team, and was replaced by Jordan Taylor, also son of Wayne Taylor. Angelelli and Jordan Taylor would go on to win the final Daytona Prototype championship before the merger of Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series in 2014, winning five races, including the final three.

For 2014, the first year of the United SportsCar Championship, Angelelli entered into semi-retirement, racing with the team for the endurance events. Ricky Taylor rejoined the team to drive full-time alongside brother Jordan.

Before the start of the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship season, Wayne Taylor Racing announced a partnership with Andretti Autosport, revealing that Andretti would play a role in the teams day to day operation and leadership going forward. They also stated that they have a longtime goal of moving into Andretti's new headquarters in 2025.[5] WTR would retain Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor for the season, with Louis Delétraz driving in the Endurance cup races, and Brendon Hartley in the car for the 24 Hours of Daytona.[6] Albuquerque and Taylor would finish the season 2nd in the standings, missing out on the championship after a controversial collision[7] with championship rival Pipo Derani in the final hour of the race.

With Meyer Shank Racing not participating in the 2024 IMSA season,[8] Wayne Taylor Racing would expand their Acura GTP program to 2 cars, fielding the number 40 car full-time alongside the 10.[9] Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque would remain the full time drivers for the 10 car, with Toyota driver Brendon Hartley driving in the Endurance Cup races,[10] and Indycar driver Marcus Ericsson being the forth driver for the Rolex 24.[11] In the 40 car, Jordan Taylor would leave a long time stint with the Corvette Racing GTD program to race full-time for his fathers team for the first time since 2019. Alongside Taylor, Louis Delétraz would be promoted to a full season drive.[12] Indycar driver Colton Herta, who had previously competed part-time in IMSA for BMW, would compete in the Endurance Cup rounds. Jenson Button would race in the Rolex 24, completing the lineup. Alongside their GTP entries, WTR would also field a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo 2 in the GTD class full-time. The lineup would consist of Lamborghini Super Trofeo champions Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal for full season driving duties, with Graham Doyle as the third driver and Ashton Harrison for the Rolex 24.[13] The Racers Edge Motorsports team, who had partnered with Wayne Taylor Racing to field a Acura NSX GT3 car part-time in 2023, would not return to the Weathertech series in 2024.

Suntrust Pontiac-Riley Daytona Prototype campaigned in 2005.

Racing results

Car No. 10 Results

More information Year, Chassis ...

* Season still in progress.

Car No. 40 Results

More information Year, Chassis ...

* Season still in progress.

Car No. 45 Results

More information Year, Chassis ...

* Season still in progress.

Notable race victories

IMSA SportsCar Championship wins

More information #, Season ...

References

  1. Dagys, John (28 December 2022). "WTR, Andretti Autosport Join Forces in New Partnership – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  2. "2023 GTP ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA PRE RACE REPORT". waynetaylorracing.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  3. SunTrust Team Reorganizes - Motor Racing Network, 26 May 2006
  4. "Wayne Taylor Racing partners with Andretti Autosport in IMSA". us.motorsport.com. 2022-12-28. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  5. "Wayne Taylor Racing". waynetaylorracing.com. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  6. "IMSA Petit Le Mans: MSR wins, Cadillac scoops title after Acura clash". www.autosport.com. 2023-10-15. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  7. "Meyer Shank Racing to pause IMSA programme in 2024 but plans comeback". www.autosport.com. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  8. "Wayne Taylor Racing to add second Acura in 2024 IMSA season". www.motorsport.com. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  9. Dagys, John (2023-11-14). "Ericsson, Button to Complete WTR Andretti Lineup for Rolex 24 – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  10. Kilbey, Stephen (2023). "Deletraz & Taylor To Share Second Wayne Taylor Racing Acura". dailysportscar.com.
  11. "Wayne Taylor Racing". waynetaylorracing.com. Retrieved 2023-11-16.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Wayne_Taylor_Racing, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.