Porsche customer racing team seeks first Rolex Win
DAYTONA, Fla., (January 25, 2022) – After winning four IMSA championships last November at Petit Le Mans, Ohio-based race team Wright Motorsports is eager to get the 2022 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship started this week with the first race of the year: The 60th Rolex 24 at Daytona. The No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R, the latest Michelin Endurance Cup Champion, will be one of 61 cars competing in the 24-hour endurance race, a capacity field for the iconic sports car racing event. Reigning Michelin Pilot Challenge champions Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen will be joined by last season’s GTD champion Zacharie Robichon and Porsche factory driver Richard Lietz.
With two consecutive fourth-place finishes at the Rolex 24, the No. 16 Porsche not only will be racing strong to land a spot on the podium but secure the GTD-class victory as well. In last week’s three-day test at the Roar Before the 24, the program continually ran at the top of the charts, closing out the event as the second-fastest GTD car. The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup champions have proven to be strong competitors in endurance racing, able to run up front and mistake-free over extended periods of time.
“We had a very strong Roar Before the 24,” said Team Owner John Wright. “The drivers all got up to speed quickly, the crew hit their marks, and the Porsche showed its strength and reliability as always. With the size of this year’s field, we’ll take great care in keeping the car clean and in a safe but strong position. With our lineup, we have a strong shot to be there to fight in the final hour.”
Following the Roar Before the 24, the team has set up camp at Daytona International Speedway, meticulously taking apart and rebuilding the Porsche 911 GT3 R in anticipation of the long week ahead.
The Roar Before the 24 provided competitors with varying weather conditions, in preparation for what is always an unpredictable race in Daytona, Florida in January. Current weather predictions promise rain for each day leading up to the race, and a low of 33 degrees on Saturday night for the race. With the largest field in recent years, clear weather conditions on race day will be a welcome gift for the competitors hoping to steer clear of contact throughout the entirety of the event.
IMSA Radio’s comprehensive coverage will begin with the first practice session and run throughout race week. A full event schedule can be found on IMSA’s Rolex 24 event page. The start of the race will air live on Saturday, January 29th, beginning at 1:30 pm Eastern on NBC, and select hours will then air on USA. Flag-to-flag coverage will be found on Peacock the new streaming service for NBC Universal. As usual, the team will offer live coverage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and all tune-in information is available on wrightmotorsports.com and imsa.com.
DRIVER QUOTES
Ryan Hardwick
What a week at the Roar. Super successful weekend for our team. We advanced with the car throughout each session. The car just kept getting better and better and was at its best in the qualifying race. I was able to make up a couple of positions and felt really good. Got the car in to Jan very cleanly and he went to work. He was amazing. We are really excited about the car we have for the 24. We really look to being competitive for the GTD class win. If Lady Luck and all the stars align, maybe be in the hunt for a Rolex next week.
Jan Heylen
We had a super-fun qualifying race. A good job by Ryan. We all need a bit of time in the car. We didn’t have the opportunity to do a lot of off-season testing because of how late the 2021 season ended, so this race was good to get some laps in and fall into a rhythm. Ryan did a really good first stint and from there it was a fun race. There was a lot of good racing. I think we have a good car for next weekend.
Zacharie Robichon
It has been a great first experience with the Wright Motorsports team. We showed all four drivers are working well together. We have a good starting position. It is good to be working together, hitting all our marks, and being where we want to be. It is a long race but I am excited to get started.
Richard Lietz
We had a positive weekend. The main goal was to build up confidence, find the car balance for day conditions, night conditions, also if it rains the car is able to handle the rain tires and every driver is happy. I think we achieved our goal. We are quite well prepared. It was good for me so that I could see how the race is going to be: listening to the engineers and the spotters and getting used to the championship. Now we will try and relax a bit and get ready for the big one.
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.
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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 and 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. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.
