DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (January 28, 2021) — Following an incident in Michelin Pilot Challenge practice on Wednesday afternoon, the decision has been made to retire the No. 16 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport for the remainder of the weekend. The Wright Motorsports car’s leading driver, Ryan Hardwick, will also withdraw from the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the season-opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Hardwick’s condition is stable and the driver was kept overnight at a local hospital for observation, but due to a concussion he will not be able to drive the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R in Saturday’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 1st Phorm entry will still compete in the event, with Trent Hindman joining the existing Wright Motorsports roster of Patrick Long, Jan Heylen, and Klaus Bachler.
“It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to join the team for the big race,” said Hardwick. “I wish I was driving with them, but sadly that won’t be possible. When I first learned I wouldn’t be able to drive, Trent was immediately one of the first drivers I thought of to step in. I want the team to continue and our 1st Phorm car to be on track to compete in this event. I’ve followed Trent’s career for the last few years, and I think he’ll be a good fit. Trent is joining a really great team, and I wish them the best of luck this weekend. He’s in the best hands.”
Already at the circuit, Hindman was able to begin getting settled with his new team on Thursday morning, immediately beginning the team introductions, seat fittings, and team procedure reviews, in preparation for the first practice later in the morning. The 25-year-old American has several sports car racing championship titles, most recently winning the 2020 GT World Challenge America Powered by aws Silver Championship, as well as the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship GTD class title.
“First and foremost, what’s most important is that Ryan is okay,” said Hindman. “Filling in for the Rolex 24 under these circumstances is never ideal, but I am grateful to John, Ryan, and the Wright Motorsports team for trusting me with this opportunity. The No. 16 Porsche looks to be a strong contender for victory come Sunday, and I certainly look forward to doing everything I can to make it happen.”
The first official practice begins on Thursday, January 28 at 11:05AM. The team will have a total of three practice sessions on Thursday, offering almost four hours of track time for the team to get settled into its new lineup.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin at 3:40PM Eastern on Saturday, January 30th, airing live on NBC for the first hour, then move to NBC Sports. For just $3.00, fans can watch the race live with no interruptions on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS, which is available on smart TVs, tablets, computers, and cell phones. IMSA Radio is slated to provide comprehensive coverage of all on track WeatherTech sessions worldwide, and international audiences can find their Rolex listings via imsa.com/internationalcoverage.
1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com
Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com
Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.
One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.
Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com
Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. The 2020 season will see the team return to IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com
