DETROIT, Michigan (May 28, 2024) – The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) pair of Acura ARX-06 GTPs return to Detroit, this time marking the GTP debut on the streets of downtown. The WTRAndretti team found success when the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship previously drove in the Detroit area, capturing four victories (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) over the 10-year stint at the Belle Isle street circuit. For the Detroit Grand Prix, the 1.645-mile, nine-turn street circuit presents a new challenge and equalizing factor for the entire GTP field over the course of the season’s second 100-minute sprint race.
Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque head to Detroit ready to use the new track and their experience in the simulator as a refreshed approach for the second half of the season. Following a solid result of sixth at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the drivers of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 are hoping their previous luck in Detroit is resurfaced come this weekend.
In the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06, Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz will try their hand again for a street course sprint race. After the pair collected a top-five finish at Laguna Seca, both Taylor and Delétraz are keen to regain their early season momentum and collect key championship points.
On-track action for the WTRAndretti team will begin on Friday, May 31, with the first GTP practice on the streets of Detroit at 8 a.m. ET, with qualifying to follow at 5:05 p.m. ET. The 100-minute Detroit Grand Prix will go green at 3:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 1, on USA Network.
Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “Obviously, everybody at WTRAndretti is working hard and Detroit is going to be a completely new experience, given that we’ve never driven on this circuit before. We’ve got to make sure that we can get the cars up to speed quickly and see if we can make the car competitive.”
No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Ricky Taylor: “We are very lucky to be a part of a program and to grow up in an era with such great simulation technology where the track scans are so precise that we can learn tracks without even going to them. We have a sim test planned before the weekend where all four drivers will have a chance to drive the track in our Acura ARX-06 racecar. Besides that, watching lots of race footage from IndyCar and getting as much info about the track as we can. The track looks very unique and challenging, lots of details on track that are very different from anywhere else we go so it will be a challenge for all of the teams. Getting up to speed quickly will be key, in these short weekends every detail matters. Having a good practice sets you up for a good qualifying which sets you up for a very short race where everything is under the microscope. Our Andretti IndyCar teammates have been very supportive in our few conversations but as we get close to the event, I think we plan on leaning on them heavily to help us get up to speed.”
Filipe Albuquerque: “I’m looking forward to Detroit, it’s a new venue for everybody. Curious to see what the track will be like. I think it’s going to be hard to replace Belle Isle – I mean it was one of my favorite tracks in IMSA. The pitstops during the race are going to be very interesting, so look forward to a new challenge. We’ll reset and we go again, always focused to go for it, a podium for sure, and obviously for the win.”
No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Louis Delétraz: “Detroit will be interesting as no one has ever driven there with GTP cars. We have driven on the HRC simulator to prepare for the event, but obviously it’s harder to prepare when there is so many new factors. Street tracks are always exciting and with all the hard work of everyone at WTRAndretti and HRC, I have good hope the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 will be fast. Let’s race!”
Jordan Taylor: “It’s been a while since we’ve gone to a new track, so it’s been a fun challenge! These days learning a track is quite different. We have lots of onboard footage to look at from IndyCar last year and the biggest enhancement these days is the simulator. That’ll be the biggest help for us with learning the track. It looks like it’s going to be a challenging race. Watching the IndyCar race last year, things look very tight and intense. I think when we have multi-class racing out there, it should make for a pretty exciting race. We had a strong weekend at Laguna Seca from an execution point of view, and I think that’s going to be a big part of being successful at Detroit, so I’m excited to get going.”
ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.
WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.
Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.
WTRAndretti’s long term partnerships include Acura, Honda Racing Corporation US (HRC), Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.
