ELKHART LAKE, Wis., (August 2, 2022) – Three races remain in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and this weekend, Wright Motorsports heads to Road America with sights set intently on the GTD class points lead. With two wins achieved so far this season, the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen has held firm on to second place in the point standings since round four at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This weekend’s sprint race, named the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend, will give the Porsche customer racing squad another opportunity to build on the points success of their two victories so far this season. The team will also have three cars onsite contesting in the next two rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands.
“Road America is always a great road course to visit,” said team owner John Wright. “With the final stretch of the 2022 season in full swing, we tested here recently to prepare for this event with the goal to take back the championship points lead. The competition has been strong this year, but our consistency in execution both in and out of the car has always been one of our greatest strengths.”
Last season, the Wright Motorsports GTD effort earned a third-place podium finish at Road America, with drivers Patrick Long and Trent Hindman. The team started from second place and ran a clean race to earn a coveted podium spot, improving on the No. 16’s previous result of fifth place in 2020.
Stretching over four miles and with 14 turns around the wooded hills of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Road America sets the bar for action-delivering circuits. All five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes compete in the annual event, with 37 entries set to compete in this weekend’s racing.
In addition to the previous test session the team was able to complete previously, the Wright Motorsports 1st Phorm Porsche will partake in the two series-wide practice sessions on Friday, August 5 before Ryan Hardwick qualifies for the team’s starting position on Saturday morning. For fans on site in Elkhart Lake, the race day festivities will kick off at 9:20 AM with the open grid fan walk, a one-hour stretch where fans can see the cars up close on pit lane before the race starts at 10:40 AM CT. The two-hour, 40-minute race will air live on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming service. For more event information, visit imsa.com.
DRIVER QUOTES
Ryan Hardwick
I have a lot of respect for Road America. While I love driving and racing here, this place has always been a bit of a mystery for me. I usually feel confident and quick here, but I’ve had mixed results at this track over the years. Looking to change that this weekend! Our team had a productive test here a few weeks back, so we are looking to unload strong and be in contention for a podium.
Jan Heylen
I’m looking forward to being back at Road America, a track that has a lot of overtaking opportunities, which always makes the race exciting. We’re coming into the later part of the season and there’s some added pressure to perform and keep us in the championship. I feel like we’re in a good place, coming off a good run at Lime Rock Park where Ryan had a good stint and the car had good pace. I feel confident going into Road America to give the team a strong points run.
Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands
After a brief time apart, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands returns to race in support of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program, and the Wright Motorsport Porsches are back from their most recent race across our northern border. Varun Choksey (No. 13 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) closed out the Honda Indy Toronto race weekend with two top-five finishes and John Goetz (No. 57 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) placed second in both races, currently holding second place in the Am point standings. Hutton McKenna (No. 88 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) will also be reunited again with the team at a track he has previously shown strong pace. Race one, the first of two races in the weekend, will begin on Saturday, August 6 at 8:50 AM CT, followed by race two at 8:20 AM CT. The races will air live in their entirety on imsa.com/tvlive or Peacock.
Weekend Schedule | All Times US Central
Thursday, August 4
1:20 PM – 2:00 PM Carrera Cup Practice 1
Friday, August 5
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Carrera Cup Practice 2
11:05 AM – 12:35 PM WeatherTech Practice 1
1:35 PM – 2:05 PM Carrera Cup Qualifying
3:15 PM – 4:45 PM WeatherTech Practice 2
Saturday, August 6
8:50 AM – 9:30 AM Carrera Cup Race 1 (imsa.tv)
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM WeatherTech GTD Qualifying
Sunday, August 7
8:20 AM – 9:00 AM Carrera Cup Race 2 (imsa.tv)
10:40 AM – 1:20 PM WeatherTech Race (Peacock)
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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 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.
