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Wayne Taylor Racing Finally Wins At Road America

The Wayne Taylor Racing Acura leading early at Road America. [John Wiedemann Photo]

The Wayne Taylor Racing Acura leading early at Road America. [John Wiedemann Photo]

Elkhart Lake – Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque continued their hot streak at the IMSA WeatherTech Series FastLane Sportscar Weekend culminating in a long-awaited victory at the 4.048 mile Road America.

The Wayne Taylor Racing Acura was quick in practice and scored the pole position in preparation for Sunday’s race. In the 64 laps run in the 2 hour and 40 minute race, Albuquerque and Taylor led the first 19 laps and after a battle Oliver Jarvis in his Acura, took over the lead for the final ten laps leading by 1.463 seconds when the checkers waved.

Start of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]Start of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
LMP2 winner, Era Motorsport's drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel. [Pete Gorski Photo]LMP2 winner, Era Motorsport's drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel. [Pete Gorski Photo]
The GTD start of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]The GTD start of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
Wayne Taylor Racing, overall winners of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]Wayne Taylor Racing, overall winners of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
LMP3 winner, Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga of Riley Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]LMP3 winner, Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga of Riley Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]
LMP2 winner, Era Motorsport's drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel. [Pete Gorski Photo]LMP2 winner, Era Motorsport's drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTDPRO winner, Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat of VasserSullivan. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTDPRO winner, Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat of VasserSullivan. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTDPRO winner VasserSullivan battles with Corvette and the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTDPRO winner VasserSullivan battles with Corvette and the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTD winner: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTD winner: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]
Wayne Taylor Racing, overall winners of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]Wayne Taylor Racing, overall winners of the IMSA FastLane.com Sportscar Weekend race at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
Wayne Taylor Racing Acura leading the Michael Shank Racing Acura and Cadillac Racing at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]Wayne Taylor Racing Acura leading the Michael Shank Racing Acura and Cadillac Racing at Road America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
VasserSullivan Lexus leads the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]VasserSullivan Lexus leads the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTD winner: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTD winner: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]
VasserSullivan Lexus leads the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]VasserSullivan Lexus leads the Porsche of Pfaff Motorspots. [Pete Gorski Photo]
Era Motorsports leads through turn 5 at Raod America. [Pete Gorski Photo]Era Motorsports leads through turn 5 at Raod America. [Pete Gorski Photo]
LMP2 winners, Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel of Era Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]LMP2 winners, Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel of Era Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTDPRO winner, Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat of VasserSullivan. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTDPRO winner, Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat of VasserSullivan. [Pete Gorski Photo]
LMP3 winner, Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga of Riley Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]LMP3 winner, Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga of Riley Motorsports. [Pete Gorski Photo]
GTD winner, Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]GTD winner, Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing. [Pete Gorski Photo]
Wayne Taylor (middle) celebrates the Road America win with drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor. [Pete Gorski Photo]Wayne Taylor (middle) celebrates the Road America win with drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor. [Pete Gorski Photo]

“It’s the first win for Wayne Taylor Racing ever at Road America! A special shout out to Bill Mullen who’s won every track on the schedule except for this one,” said Ricky Taylor. “He’s been wanting to retire until he checked this off, so hopefully he doesn’t retire but now he’s finally done them all. It’s a great day for Acura, a great day for Konica Minolta and we’re going to really enjoy this for the next month and a half off. It’s gonna be nice.”

The race ended under caution as the double yellow flags flew when, with about eight minutes left in the timed race, Jarvis impacted the wall in turn 11 after contact with another driver.

The victory was Ricky Taylor Racing’s 31st victory in IMSA competition and Albuquerque’s 12th.

Era Motorsport drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel captured the LMP2 class victory in the #18 ORECA LMP2 07.

The LMP3 victory was scored by Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga in the #74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320.

In GTDPRO, polesitters Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat were victorious in the #14 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3.

Russell Ward and Philip Ellis of Winward Racing each scored their second IMSA wins in GTD driving the #57-GTD Mercedes-AMG GT3.

“Yeah, it’s my first time here in the GT3 and the first race win this year,” said Ward. “It feels good. It’s been coming. Unfortunately it didn’t happen earlier but man it’s just been super exciting. The team did an amazing job. The strategy was good and the pit stops were great. And Phillip [Ellis] absolutely drove through the field. He was the star of the show. Just over the moon.”

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