BATAVIA, Ohio. (January 7, 2022) – The Wright Motorsports roster for the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona at the end of this month is complete, following the addition of Porsche Factory Driver Richard Lietz to the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R. Lietz will join full-season drivers and 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge Champions Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen, and endurance addition Zacharie Robichon.
“It’s great to welcome Richard Lietz to Wright Motorsport,” said Team Owner John Wright. “After over two decades of our team racing Porsche machinery, we’re honored to have a driver of his caliber join our stout lineup. Porsche is a fantastic manufacturer to be affiliated with, and they pick only the best drivers to represent their brand. He’ll be a great addition to our team. After back-to-back fourth-place finishes at Daytona, we’re very eager to fight for that top step.”
With the momentum of an incredibly successful season where the team won nine championships across its five sports car racing programs, Wright Motorsports will start the year off on the right foot with one of the strongest lineups in the GTD class. Comprised of professional and amateur drivers, the right combination of such remains a crucial piece in success not just for the whole season, but especially the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The 24-hour endurance event puts man and machine to the test, requiring the utmost from all participants.
Coming upon his 16th year as a Porsche factory driver, Lietz needs little introduction. As a six-time professional sports car racing champion, the Austrian driver also holds three wins at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Through the years, he has represented the esteemed manufacturer in some of the best teams sports car racing has to offer, racing alongside some of the biggest names in Porsche, including recent Wright alumni Patrick Long. With over two decades of racing with Porsche, Lietz was considered a natural choice for the Michelin Endurance Cup champions.
“Wright Motorsports will be a new team for me, and I have heard nothing but the best about them,” said Lietz. “Daytona is always a nice place to race Porsches! I can’t wait to start working together with the team.”
Before on-track practice sessions for the Rolex 24 at Daytona begin on Thursday, January 27, the entire field will have three days for unofficial testing and shakedowns at the Roar Before the 24, January 21-23. The Roar will conclude on Sunday the 23rd with a 100-minute qualifying race from 2:05 pm to 3:45 pm Eastern that will set the grid for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin on Saturday, January 29 at 1:40 pm eastern, concluding 24 hours later on January 30. For all schedule and tune-in information, visit imsa.com.
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. 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.
