SUNMAD Chevy Nomad Makes Annual Trek To SEMA

 

A 1955 Nomad that ended up becoming a four-door model due to a very unique modification. Custom chassis, wheels and engine change-out make this a Nomad not made for the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach. Image Credit:  Carlos Do Amaral-Gourgel (2021)

SUNMAD Chevy Nomad Makes Annual Trek To SEMA

A classic California Blue background with Yellow lettering license plate acts as a branding label of a beautiful 1955 Chevrolet Nomad two-door station wagon. The brand of this Orange Sherbet Pearl with highlights, custom split tailgate restomod? - SUNMAD.

SUNMAD on display in front of the newest section of the Las Vegas Convention Center not far from the new LVCC Tesla Loop transportation center. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Research proves that this beautiful version on a non-stock '55 Nomad makes it around to many car shows, but is almost a certain 'greeter' at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) tradeshow in Las Vegas. 

To be clear, this LongRoof beauty is not meant to be a daily driver, it is a showcar in every sense of the term. No one would wish to have pavement pebbles chip the beautiful presentation this car holds. 

Not your average base level 265 cu in (4.3 L) V8 Chevy Nomad powerplant. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Under the hood is an LS1 (5.7L) V8 engine with a 4L60E automatic transmission and a wiring kit from Street and Performance Wiring. 

The car’s interior is equally interesting, with upholstery work by Dan Williams of DJ Designs. There is a custom steel center console with a B&M Street Bandit shifter, and the bucket seats were sourced from a Lexus! Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

If one were to take this Nomad for a ride, it would be made all the smoother because the SUNMAD rides on a Paul Newman chassis with C4 Corvette independent suspension and brakes.

SUNMAD on full display. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

One of the most unique custom modifications of this genius design station wagon, produced as a two-door "sport wagon" and considered a distinct model line, is the split tailgate fashioned in such a way as to become totally hidden from the original lines, The owner explains that he did this modification because he got tired of having to lean over away from the back floor deck of the wagon to access what he had placed there. 

A very faint and unnoticeable fit line sets up along the center (of seven) Nomad iconic chrome tailgate embellishments. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

When it comes to the Tri-Five Chevys of 1955, 56, and 57, most owners fall into one of two groups. Some which are restored to their full original condition, and others which have been set up for drag racing with a big block, roll cage, rear wheel tubs, and drag slicks. It was quite unusual to see Ron and Debbie Pfisterer’s 1955 Nomad at SEMA 2015, because it wasn’t like either of these restoration styles. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

The SUNMAD is a heart warming version of a car intended to be the sport wagon for a family man with an attitude of never giving in to the four-door world. 

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

In this SUNMAD restomod case, however, we are now counting four-doors but intended for completely different reasons.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: Debbie and Ron Pfisterer, 1955 Nomad, SUNMAD, Orange Sherbet Pearl, Dan Williams, DJ Designs, Tri-Valley Glass, Mad Mooks, Paul Newman Car Creations, C4 Corvette Suspension, SEMA, Las Vegas Convention Center, 2022, The EDJE

"Less Is More" Describes The Intrigue In The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

Australian born Will Power ascends the throne as king in the House Of Penske as he ascends a throne in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to become the all-time record-holder in the number of pre-race pole positions achieved - eclipsing Mario Andretti's 67 Pole positions (1997 Michigan International Raceway) at number 68 - in the highest level of professional open-wheel racing out of North America. Here Power is about to climb out of his Team Penske prepared Chevrolet-Powered, Firestone clad Dallara while he zips up his driving suit before meeting the media for photos and interviews. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022) 

"Less Is More" Describes The Intrigue In The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

Yes! House Of Penske driver Will Power won a second series season championship in his stellar professional open-wheel racing career.  

Many, including Will himself, attributes the application of a different attitude he decided to bring to the work process and the track each event weekend during the course of a 17 race season that just concluded at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. This overarching template in his professional approach could be labelled ... Less Is More.

The Lord of the House Of Penske, Roger Penske, congratulates the Verizon 5G team in it's accomplishment to help Will Power achieve capturing his 68th NTT P1 Pole Award setting a record that, if history is any indicator, may last another nearly 30 years. Mario Andretti set the mark of 67 P1 Pole Awards in 1993 at the age of 54, whereas Will Power set this modern day mark as he is in his 41st year circling the Sun ... where will his record-setting mark end? Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

For example, take the results found at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey ... after he smoked the field in the three round Knockout Qualifications format and landed a record-setting 68th NTT P1 Pole Award - Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou wins the race followed by Penske Racing's Josef Newgarden who started P25 and is P2 ... Will Power finishes P3, he didn't have to win at all costs and captures his 2nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship with only one win in 17 races, but always finishing and finishing high - Less Is More.

It became a talking-point throughout this season that Will seemed to be sporting a less intense, less critical, less abrasive presence (to himself) as he would pursue his duties as one of three very expert drivers racing open-wheel cars for Team Penske. Power's House Of Penske teammates are second year driver and 2021 Indianapolis 500 as well as NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year New Zealand born Scott McLaughlin and American born two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, claiming titles in 2017 his first season with Team Penske and again in 2019 Josef Newgarden.

In the post-race interview, Will probably summed it up best when he answered this query:

Q. I wanted to ask when you decided to go to this playing the long game thing, were they fully behind you doing that, or were there days when Dave or Robby or Ron were like, s--- we could have won that race?

WILL POWER: "Look, you're never disappointed. Looking from a championship perspective, every time you get a podium, that's not the day you're looking back on it. You're looking back on the day you finished 19th like at Road America. They're the days that lose championships. Top threes don't. We got a lot of them this year. Anytime I got a top four, I was pretty happy.

But in the past I would have been really pissed off. When your teammates are winning, that was a big change. It's like, I don't care. I'm going to weather their storm while they're having a good run, and just -- that in itself was a mental change. It's like, I'm not getting pissed off with a top four, where before I would have been, just after the race, just seething." - Less Is More.

Will Power begins his run down the front straight after negotiating Turn 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This is the last time these cars will be racing on this surface since the famed track that features a turn known as "The Corkscrew" will all be repaved and become a track with a different, grippier personality. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Throughout the season, especially just beyond the halfway point, the story wasn't how many multiple times a driver won the NTT P1 Pole Award position to start the race(s) in an event weekend, no, the story was far from this occurrence, since there wasn't a repeat pole winner through the first nine race events in a seventeen race season. No repeat P1 Pole Award in 9 race events - Less Is More.

Speaking of competitiveness, especially given the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing platform formula applied for potentials of equal performance, Will Power noted in the following exchange:

Q. When you look at it today and just using Dixon as the example as someone who qualifies midfield and you're just further up the road, again, it's that same thing, the series is so equal, people look at it and go, he's midfield but it's thousands of seconds separating you guys in qualifying.

WILL POWER: It is. When we were at Portland, It was like seven tenths covered 20 cars. Seven tenths covering 20 cars. You're never going to see that in something like Formula 1. Never. It's the ultimate driver's series. It's the ultimate driver's series." - Less Is More.

In this post Portland driver's ranking by points, it is interesting to note that the driver that will not have a mathematical chance at winning the season championship is the reigning 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Alex Palou. At the time he was going to compete in the last race of the season, he had contract commitments with two teams, his current contract with Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP. At the end of the season, Alex is hoping to be in a position where Less Is More. UPDATE - Alex Palou agrees to remain at Chip Ganassi Racing driving the No. 10 Honda-Dallara for the 2023 season with the added provision that he is free to participate in a Formula 1 driver's test outside of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES obligations - Less Became More. Image Credit: NCIS (2022)

Take this example of the competition between teams. 

Before the last race of the 2022 season in Monterey, California, a very proper and kind mutual admiration society broke out in a ZOOM Call between the top operations managers of the two teams that had drivers that were mathematically viable to win the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship. 

To be clear, Penske Racing's Tim Cindric and Chip Ganassi Racing's (CGR) Mike Hull had a lot of professional clout at stake in the then upcoming challenge to close out the season. Will Power led the points chase at the time with a tied 20 point margin over two drivers, his teammate Josef Newgarden and CGR 6 time NTT INDYCAR Champion Scott Dixon. The other two drivers in contention in order are CGR's and winner of INDYCAR's biggest event prize, the 106th Indianapolis 500, Marcus Ericsson at 39 points behind and another Team Penske teammate second season driver Scott McLaughlin at 41 points to overcome. 

Again, a lot of professional clout to manage.

<<< Pre-Finale ZOOM Call Press Conference >>>

The most interesting part of the conversation Tim and Mike shared with each other was found in the following exchange:

Q. Because of what's at stake here, the respect level, the rivalry, is it a situation where the two of you can be friendly but you can't really be friends until maybe your careers are over?

MIKE HULL: My career is closer than Tim's into being over, I'll say that (smiling).

TIM CINDRIC: If we don't win on Sunday, Mike, I might call you for a job (laughter).

MIKE HULL: Or vice versa. Maybe I'll think about a second career.

Tim and I had a go at each other a few years at Edmonton. That taught me something. It taught me that I was too intense. Since that time I've learned that the respect comes in the results.

Tim, I hope I don't have to call you up. I've got your number. I hope you don't see a call from me Sunday afternoon at 4:00 (smiling).

I'm just thankful and looking forward to this thing. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be in a position to be able to say that.

I know you're the same. You grew up around motor racing. I did, too, in different decades. We're now in the same decade together and this is a lot of fun.

ENDS

With all that was on the line, both needed their drivers to win the race, an impossibility, but in the end these two giants in racing didn't have to call one another for a job - they just split the difference. 

Mike Hull took the race win with the reigning 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Alex Palou, and while Tim Cindric didn't win the race, he placed two drivers on the podium with Josef Newgarden at P2 and Will Power at P3 thereby secures the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship, with 16 points to spare, and will take home the Astor Cup for the second time - Less Is More.

The Astor Cup, the grand prize for winning the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship, sits atop the famed turn known as The Corkscrew. Will Power holds this prize the day after he finished on the Podium at P3 to finish the 2022 season (a season for the ages) by just 16 points away from his nearest competitor after beginning the race weekend with a 20 point margin - Less Is More. Image Credit: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca via FB/META (2022)

Think about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES sanctioning body itself. 

This was a year that was able to see many high points. All broadcasts and live streaming were carried exclusively through NBC Universal broadcast properties. The growing popularity of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES was reflected in the most-watched season in six years on television, with viewership up 5 percent over 2021. The season averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 1.30 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms, the best in NBC Sports history.

Half of the season’s 16 races on television delivered more than 1 million viewers, the highest mark since 2008. A record 14 of 17 races were on NBC network television in 2022, and selected series races also were televised by Telemundo Deportes on Universo.

This was the most streamed INDYCAR season on record as well, with exponential growth compared to 2021. A series race, the Honda Indy Toronto, was streamed exclusively for the first time, and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was the most streamed INDYCAR SERIES race ever. 

Having a single corporate broadcast/streaming partner with many recognizable portals allowed fans to find a presentation of an INDYCAR event featured on most any weekend during the season as opposed to having to look up which broadcast partner might be carrying content ... so access was assumptively simple as being at one's controller or fingertips - Less Is More.

Lastly, there was a grand event venue success though the focus on sponsorship and promotion by a primary sponsor to the race weekend. 

Perhaps the biggest success story of the 2022 schedule was the revitalization of INDYCAR racing at Iowa Speedway after a one-year COVID Protocol hiatus. The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend featured a doubleheader for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and a single event for Indy Lights on the fast oval. A successful promotion with enthusiastic title partner Hy-Vee, which included four concerts with country and pop music superstars at the track, resulted in big crowds despite stifling summer heat. 

A single stand-out sponsor based upon the marketing of high-turnover consumer goods, that took control of all of the trappings of an INDYCAR event weekend, beyond being just a title sponsor, delivered measurable results - Less Is More.

[ht: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Penske Entertainment, NCIS, The Comeback]

Another 2023 @IndyCar schedule nugget...

According to multiple sources, the series plans to hold its open two-day preseason test Feb. 2-3 at The Thermal Club in southern California.

Venue includes multiple track layouts around 2 miles & sits 40 minutes east of Palm Springs.

— Nathan Brown (@By_NathanBrown) September 19, 2022

Looking forward to next season, are we seeing additional opportunities to implement a lesser path so as to deliver more and more benefits to the drivers, teams, sponsors and the overall series sanctioning body? 

With the announcement that the NTT INDYCAR SERIES plans on holding a test at Southern California's premiere private racing facility in the Coachella Valley town of Thermal - The Thermal Club, utilized by MotoAmerica, BMW, Truspeed Autosport,  GMG Motorsports, various driver development operations, and of course ... just plain motorsports enthusiast who would rather drive a car than drive a ball (as in golf). 

A pre-season test by INDYCAR on "Private Pavements" located at a private racing facility as opposed to a recognized event track raced during a championship season - Less Is More.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: NTT INDYCAR SERIES, 2022, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Will Power, Roger Penske, Team Penske, House Of Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, Mike Hull, Tim Cindric, The Thermal Club, The EDJE

Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Driver's Preview WeatherTech Raceway Event

ACURA Grand Prix Of Long Beach DPi Class race start at Turn 1. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Driver's Preview WeatherTech Raceway Event

The overall fourth event weekend in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season rolls into the Monterey Bay area to take over the Laguna Seca venue in a reset of a Springtime event timeframe. The last three years, when the INDYCAR Series finale was moved from Sears Point's Sonoma Raceway, saw a push to try to put IMSA Sportscars and NTT INDYCARS open-wheel racing on successive weekends in September but after a two year run at this set up, it was probably best for track management and the separate series to carry these events on a stand alone basis.

To some of the enthusiasts, it seemed smart to secure a campsite and live in the Monterey Bay area, tied to the dirt, but so much for glamping. It was fun while it lasted but now folks can get down to brass tacks and focus, focus, focus just one weekend on DPi (focus), GTD PRO (focus), and GTD (focus) competitors and cars.

Drivers of these three classes sat down and participated in arranged virtual press conferences via the ZOOM Call technology and format with a plan for three drivers for each class held on separate days for each of the classes. 

A line of questions made themselves clear to Motorsports Journal when DPi ACURA driver from Wayne Taylor racing pointed out one of the challenging characteristics in the driving surface of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is the maturity of the asphalt which creates tire wear and has the surface be a little slick in response. The next three clips start at a point where this topic is discussed by most all of the participating drivers. This is a great listen when one has the time and focus of a drive from Southern California to the Salinas Valley and beyond.

A Zoom interview held April 19 with select DPi drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Alex Lynn, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R

** Ricky Taylor, co-driver of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi

** Tristan Vautier, co-driver of the No. 5 JDC Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R

18:18 - Ricky Taylor - Talking about Laguna Seca and track conditions. Just click and listen.

A Zoom interview held April 21 with select GTD PRO drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Thursday, April 21, 2022 | 1 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Antonio Garcia, co-driver of the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C8.R GTD

** Mathieu Jaminet, co-driver of the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R

** (Scheduled/Missed Call) Cooper MacNeil, co-driver of the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

19:23 - Mathieu Jaminet, in responding to a question about track surface. Just click and listen.

A Zoom interview held April 25 with select GTD drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Monday, April 25, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Mike Skeen, co-driver of the No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3

** Ryan Hardwick, co-driver of the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R

** Bryan Sellers, co-driver of the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3

14:53 - Mike Skeen, in responding to a question about track surface. Just click and listen.

Context is everything, but the most important understanding, is that sportscars, racing in multiple classes at the same time, deliver one of the most satisfying racing experiences one can receive in modern motor culture. The Monterey Peninsula provides the best of backdrops geographically anywhere in North America for one to immerse themselves in Touring, Eating, Camping, Carmel-ing, or just plain multiple class IMSA professional sportscar racing (tickets) on a surface that helps to separate true competitors from simple drivers.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship, DPi. GTD PRO, GTD, Class Racing, Presented by Motul, April 29 - May 1, 2022, The EDJE

Full 2022 Endurance Racing Driver Line-Up Announcement For Wayne Taylor Racing

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 as it negotiates The Hairpin - Turn 11 at the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach. Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien - Motor Driven Images (2021)

Full 2022 Endurance Racing Driver Line-Up Announcement For Wayne Taylor Racing

Wayne Taylor Racing announces full-time drivers, Michelin Endurance Cup and Rolex 24 driver lineup for the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar DPi championship season in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05.

Drivers announced include the 2021 Michelin Endurance Cup Champions and 2021 IMSA WeatherTech DPi Vice Champions Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque returning as full-time co-pilots of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 in 2022 with hopes of back-to-back wins at the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

Keeping continuity for the Endurance Cup, the 2021 Michelin Endurance Cup Champion for WTR and standout INDYCAR pilot Alexander Rossi will once again assist the team as it looks to make history during this iconic 24-hour endurance battle of wits, stamina and strategy. Filling out the racing line-up card has veteran driver from England and Rossi’s former Formula 1 teammate, Will Stevens, joining WTR as the team’s endurance co-driver at the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, and Motul Petit Le Mans for the 2022 season.

“I’m excited to finally announce our 2022 driver lineup for the full season, the Michelin Endurance Cup and for the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA,” expressed team owner Wayne Taylor. “Each year, we speak with many drivers as we develop our driver lineup, and I feel very good to officially announce everyone. Ricky and Filipe will be back as full-time co-drivers. Continuity is always a good thing and both of them work really well together. We have Alexander Rossi joining us again. He did a great job with us last year helping us win the Rolex 24. Will Stevens will be running all Michelin Endurance Cup races for us. He’s been someone that we’ve been watching over the last year or two and gathering info on. Alex and he were teammates in Formula 1 years ago, so the drivers meshed very well at the recent two day test in Daytona where Will came up to speed very quickly. The most important thing is having everybody with the same goal which is to win. Thank you to Acura, HPD, Konica Minolta, Harrison Contracting and CIT who have all helped to make this happen and I can’t wait to get back to Daytona.”

Established in 2007, Wayne Taylor Racing has asserted itself as a perennial leading force in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2021 Michelin Endurance Cup Champions have won three IMSA Driver Championships and nine IMSA Manufacturer Titles since their formation. In the team’s 15 seasons, they have seized four of the last five Rolex 24 at DAYTONA titles, two 12 Hours of Sebring victories and three Petit Le Mans wins. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team will look to make history by winning four Rolex 24 at DAYTONA events in a row with their exceptional driver line-up for 2022.

Ricky Taylor returns to Wayne Taylor Racing for the second consecutive year and his fifteenth season in topflight sports car racing. The IMSA veteran won the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2017 and 2020 and brought his team within one corner of the overall title on their way to an Endurance Cup victory in 2021. Statistically one of the greatest drivers in IMSA history, Taylor boasts a record of 27 victories, 23 pole positions, and 64 podium finishes including wins at all the series’ marquee endurance events—the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Six Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans.

“2022 is going to be a fantastic season,” commented Ricky Taylor, the two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion. “WTR, Konica Minolta, Harrison Contracting and CIT came out of the gates so strongly with the ARX-05 in their first season running it, already fighting for a championship. Along with Filipe and Alex rejoining the team, we should have some really strong continuity moving into next season to keep building on our success with HPD and Acura. It’s also great having Will on board with us. He is a world class sportscar driver and we are lucky to have him join the team. He has already contributed greatly to the team, and I think our Rolex 24 lineup is as strong as ever. The competition will be tough with the addition of a second Ganassi Cadillac, but we will welcome it and look forward to fighting for another championship.”

Full-time pilot Filipe Albuquerque continues his tenure with the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team for the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship multiple race winner, 2020 European Le Mans Champion and LMP2 WEC Champion carries a resume as diverse as it is impressive. His 2021 run with WTR produced a trio of wins, including the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, en route to the Endurance Cup title.

“The IMSA offseason break is not so long, especially this year, given that the last race was a bit later than normal,” said Filipe Albuquerque. “For someone that enjoys racing, as I do, that is great. I am looking forward to 2022 with my great teammate Ricky. Now that we have more experience with the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05, maybe we can grab that one extra point that made us miss the DPi title in 2021. We came off a fantastic test with the whole team a few weeks ago with Alex and our new team member Will Stevens, I am happy to have Will onboard. He has a lot of experience; we had many fights in the past in ELMS and WEC, so I know how good he is. I hope we can achieve many victories together.”

Seven-time INDYCAR race winner and 2016 Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi rejoins Wayne Taylor Racing after a productive run across all the four endurance races with the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team. Having captured a Rolex 24 victory, Baja 1000 win and the Michelin Endurance Cup title last season, he’ll look to build on 2021’s successes in 2022.

“I am thrilled to be returning to Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing and Acura,” said Alexander Rossi. “It was such a privilege to be able to continue driving with Ricky for what was our third year together and the addition of Filipe couldn’t have gone any better as shown by the result that we were able to achieve last year. It is great to work again with Will Stevens as we were actually teammates back in our F1 days and we were able to get straight back to business after not seeing each other for six years. I can’t wait to get back to the track and hopefully deliver Wayne his 5th 24-hour win in 6 years.”

Will Stevens is currently a Formula 1 Test & Development Driver for McLaren and a standout in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Will has held roles with various F1 teams dating back to 2008 and made his Grand Prix debut in 2014 before earning a full-time seat with Manor Marussia F1 Team for 2015. His recent career highlights include class wins in the World Endurance Championship and a runner-up campaign in the Blancpain GT Series.

“I’m super excited to join the Wayne Taylor Racing family and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans,” said Stevens. “This team is very respected and one that I’ve always wanted to be part of. IMSA Is a huge market in motorsport that is growing massively and it’s a relationship that I want to build on for the future. I have known Ricky, Filipe and Alexander a little bit over the past few years, so it’s nice to have that relationship already with the guys. It’s an honor to be part of this exceptional No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team and to help with the success for this year.”

In 2022, Konica Minolta and Wayne Taylor Racing continue their storied history together. Michael Mathe, President, International Operation, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. has been a driving force in the strong relationship between WTR and Konica Minolta.

“We are very excited to start another season supporting WTR!” exclaimed Michael Mathe.” We are really thrilled with the driver line-up this year and look forward to many wins and to challenge for the IMSA WeatherTech DPi Championship.”

After a historic 2021, HPD looks forward to another year of victories with the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team.

“Winning both the Rolex 24 and the Michelin Endurance Cup last year were important milestones for Acura’s IMSA racing program,” said David Salters, President and Technical Director of Honda Performance Development, the North American racing arm for Acura Motorsports. “In just the first year of our association, Wayne Taylor Racing has proven to be an important partner in our IMSA effort, and the WTR driver lineup for 2022 is extraordinarily strong. It’s a great racing team, Wayne leads from the front and all our engineers just work well together and want to go racing. We look forward to seeing these very talented drivers in Victory Circle next year for Acura.”

Harrison Contracting enters their third year as an important partner with Wayne Taylor Racing, who also fields standout Ashton Harrison and the No. 25 Harrison Contracting Huracan in the North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series for the Painting and Contracting Services company.

“I’m really glad that Harrison Contracting Company (HCC) is once again partnering with WTR and Konica Minolta because of the professionalism and winning spirit they possess,” said Bill Harrison, President and Co-Founder. “Our outlook at HCC is the same as WTR when it comes to quality and the desire to be the best we can be. The efforts on both sides are endless when striving to be number one. At HCC, we provide it through the painting and maintenance services, while WTR does it through racing—and we both do it by building lasting relationships. In our world of business, image is everything, and Wayne and Travis Houge (Vice President and General Manager of WTR) see things in the same fashion that we do here at HCC. The level of what they are providing, and the level of driver development we’ve experienced with Ashton Harrison, is a major part of our desire to reunite again this year with WTR and Konica Minolta. Likewise, working with Acura and Honda is another reason why we wanted to come back this year and rejoin the team. Working alongside their proven success worldwide, and their passion for supporting all levels in racing, helps us know that this is where we want to be on the manufacturer’s side.”

(ht: WTR)

The 2022 season officially begins in less than two months ... on January 21 at Daytona International Speedway for the annual Roar Before the 24 with the momentous Rolex 24 at DAYTONA immediately following. Practice begins on Thursday, January 27 with the race running January 29-30. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 will work to win a historic four 24-hour events in a row.

... notes from The EDJE


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TAGS: Konica Minolta, Acura, Wayne Taylor Racing, IMSA, 2022, WeatherTech SportsCar DPi championship season, The EDJE