SALINAS, Calif., (May 12, 2024) – Wright Motorsports returned to the podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. At the checkered flag, the veteran team climbed up from fourth to third in the GTD class standings. Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer drove an impressive race, making up nine positions in the short two-hour, 40-minute race.
“The team’s performance in the MOTUL Course de Monterey was a great example of what Wright Motorsports is,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We had good pace in the car and were able to show it come race time. The group in the pits performed excellently as always, and Adam got the race started off on a strong foot. Elliott finished what Adam started, and now we have momentum going again headed into Watkins Glen.”
Adelson had a clean start from 12th position on the grid, and by lap three, he made the pass on the No. 34 of Manny Franco. He set his sights on the No. 43 of Jarrett Andretti and stayed close, knowing to keep the car clean on the flowing iconic circuit. He expertly climbed his way through the field, avoiding any signs of contact. Forty minutes into the race, Adelson had reached eighth place, then pitting on lap 35 for a full-service stop.
The No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R received a full tank of fuel, fresh tires, and a new driver as Skeer took over. The crew sent the Porsche at the opportune time, as a full-course caution came out just as Skeer joined the race in ninth. A majority of the field pitted under caution, and as the full course yellow flew over the track it ran the race clock. Skeer pitted again for a splash of fuel, losing no position but gaining a fuel advantage that would come into play in the closing stages. He restarted the race and continued his teammate’s climb, passing Joey Hand and Roman De Angelis to take sixth place with 80 minutes remaining. He received fresh sticker Michelin tires in his final pit stop and climbed to third in the final hour.
In the end, the green and yellow Wright Motorsports Porsche finished third, capturing valuable championship points.
The Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen (June 23) will be the next race for Wright’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship effort. Adelson and Skeer will once again be joined by endurance addition Jan Heylen. For event information, visit imsa.com.
DRIVER QUOTES
Adam Adelson
What an amazing way to take our first IMSA WeatherTech checkered flag in a sprint race. I’m super happy with the way I drove today. We had to take swings at the car throughout the whole weekend. We didn’t have the advantage of being able to test here, so it was a new track surface with no data, but the Wright guys did everything that they could which is always what it needs to be. Elliott drove great. It’s amazing to have such a result like this with my Mom here too. She’s our good luck charm. I think there’s only one race she has attended where we haven’t podiumed or won and that’s because we were taken out by a competitor. I couldn’t be happier. Huge thanks to Wright Motorsports and Porsche. I love racing in this series.
Elliott Skeer
This is obviously a great way to start our IMSA WeatherTech ‘sprint’ journey. It’s our first taste of it and to be on the podium is a special feeling. It takes being the entire team: Adam with a great first stint, the crew giving us the car we need to be up there, and with an amazing strategy to stay up there the whole time. Ultimately going into the weekend, we weren’t quite sure what we were going have and we were looking at it as a learning weekend. To end up on the podium is incredible. I know my Mom and Grandma are watching together, so it’s fun to bring one home for them. Adam has his Mom here so it’s a special way to spend Mother’s day on the podium .
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.
