Wayne Taylor Racing wins record-tying third consecutive Rolex in an Acura

 

Wayne Taylor Racing gained its file-tying 3rd consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona, using a new vehicle and a new lineup to conquer some of the very best racers in the entire world.

Filipe Albuquerque held off Kamui Kobayashi and Renger van der Zande — the two component of WTR’s profitable teams the previous two seasons and the two searching for to turn into the initial winners of a few consecutive Rolex races — to give the overhauled Taylor team its fourth earn in the previous 5 several years at Daytona Intercontinental Speedway.

Albuquerque was challenged more than the final twenty five minutes by van der Zande, driving a Cadillac for Chip Ganassi Racing, till the team experienced a next tire failure with 7 minutes remaining.

Kobayashi cycled into next but failed to have plenty of to catch Albuquerque, who closed out the initial total victory for Acura in the prestigious twice-spherical-the-clock stamina race.

WTR still left Standard Motors right after 28 several years at the close of past season to turn into a manufacturing unit Acura method, and the team essential every single minute of the past two months to get its vehicle all set for Daytona. Wayne Taylor changed his entire lineup for the move to Acura and employed Albuquerque, as effectively as his oldest son, Ricky Taylor, Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi. The trio all drove the Acura the previous a few seasons for Staff Penske but essential new careers when Penske closed at the close of past yr.

Ricky Taylor and Castroneves, the a few-time Indianapolis five hundred winner, are the reigning IMSA champions and had the familiarity with the Acura to make certain the team was prepared even with no offseason testing.

It was WTR’s fourth Rolex earn in 5 several years and fifth total, a single behind Ganassi’s file 6 victories. The a few-straight wins tie Ganassi’s mark.

It really is the initial Rolex for Castroneves and Rossi. Albuquerque gained in 2018 driving a Cadillac, and Ricky Taylor gained in a Cadillac for his father’s team in 2017.

Ricky Taylor, who closed out the 2017 Rolex earn for WTR, was in the vehicle late and had the alternative to finish the race but made a decision to switch it more than to Albuquerque mainly because the Portuguese driver was rested and could tackle track situations that provided elevated wind speeds.

“We made a decision we desired someone as fresh new as feasible in the vehicle,” Ricky Taylor explained. “He got in there and was an absolute monster and carried it at the close.”

Cadillac got a next-location finish from an Action Specific all-star vehicle that provided 7-time NASCAR winner Jimmie Johnson. Kobayashi carried the load for an Action Specific lineup that also provided Indianapolis five hundred winner Simon Pagenaud and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller.

When Taylor switched to Acura, he produced drivers van der Zande and Ryan Briscoe, and chose a new lineup with familiarity of the vehicle. Ganassi snatched van der Zande, who was battling Kobayashi to turn into the initial winner of a few straight.

The Dutch driver closed on his former team various periods in the final twenty five minutes but couldn’t make a go for the lead and was eliminated when his tire was punctured.

“I could see his eyes in my mirrors,” Albuquerque explained of van der Zande. “He was so hungry for this, specifically with the full tale of leaving Wayne Taylor. I was lucky that they had a puncture.”

The Ganassi team experienced a puncture significantly less than two hours earlier when 6-time IndyCar winner Scott Dixon was driving, and also overcame two penalties from newcomer Kevin Magnussen, who spent the past 7 seasons in System A person. The team fell to fifth.

“Absolutely gutted,” Magnussen explained. “Looked like we had the race earn proper there. Renger had actually very good rate catching the No. ten vehicle and I consider he would have had a actually very good prospect to earn the race.”

Jordan Taylor, youngest son of the profitable team owner, was also a winner in the GT Le Mans course and closed the victory for Corvette Racing. The lineup provided Nicky Catsburg and Antonio Garcia, who Standard Motors explained right after the race it had pulled from the vehicle mainly because Garcia analyzed favourable for COVID-19 as component of his preparations to go away the United States. Garcia drove nearly eight hours in the race and was past in the vehicle Sunday morning.

“While Antonio Garcia analyzed adverse in planning for his arrival for the Rolex 24, we have received observe that he has now analyzed favourable in planning to depart the nation,” GM explained in a assertion.

Era Motorsport gained the Le Mans Prototype two course in an Oreca LMP2 Riley Motorsports gained the Le Mans Prototype three course in Ligier JS P320 and Winward Racing in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 gained the GT Daytona course, which at 20 entries was the greatest course of the 49-vehicle industry.

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