Late-Race Crash Ends Acura Effort at Petit Le Mans
Michelin Raceway Road AtlantaAcura’s challenge for victory in last night’s Motul Petit Le Mans came to a sudden end in the final hour of the 10-hour endurance contest, as Ricky Taylor was unable to avoid one of two GTD cars colliding in front of him
· #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura is collected in a final hour crash while battling for the GTP victory, ending their Motul Petit Le Mans run
· Damage from debris takes the #40 WTRAndretti out of contention
Acura’s challenge for victory in last night’s Motul Petit Le Mans came to a sudden end in the final hour of the 10-hour endurance contest, as Ricky Taylor was unable to avoid one of two GTD cars colliding in front of him, and the resulting damage ended the race for the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06.
Taylor, along with co-drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Brendon Hartley, led repeatedly throughout the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. At the time of the crash, Taylor had just resumed in the lead in a fierce three-way battle for the victory.
The second WTRAndretti Acura, the #40 ARX-06 driven by Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz and Colton Herta, fell off the lead lap early in the event when a full-course caution came out just after the team’s first pit stop of the race. Electing to stay on track and go “off-strategy”, the trio regained the lead lap until the seventh hour, when a cut tire damaged the Acura’s aerodynamic undertray as it came apart. The Acura lost its handling balance as a result of the damage, finishing seventh.
Today’s Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was the final round of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2025 season begins in January with the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL.
First of all, I’m super proud of our team. Once again, for the fourth year straight, they put us in a position to win here at the end. I think at this point it’s important to say we wanted to end our relationship with Acura on a high note. For me, since 2018, and for the team since 2021, we have so many good memories. It was a great partnership, a combination of two such talented groups. I think this just proves how hard this sport it. We can still look back and feel lucky that we were able to work together for such a long time. But now we move on to next year.
First of all, I’m super proud of our team. Once again, for the fourth year straight, they put us in a position to win here at the end. I think at this point it’s important to say we wanted to end our relationship with Acura on a high note. For me, since 2018, and for the team since 2021, we have so many good memories. It was a great partnership, a combination of two such talented groups. I think this just proves how hard this sport it. We can still look back and feel lucky that we were able to work together for such a long time. But now we move on to next year.
There isn’t a lot to say. The team once again did an amazing job. We were leading, and Ricky was doing a great job. The crash was impossible to avoid. So at the moment I hate this race. It’s just not fair. How many years have we left here crying because of losing, not because of our fault, but just how the race played out. We did everything right, and we need to be proud of that. But its tiring, and exhausting, to come up short like this. It’s painful. I feel completely empty.
There isn’t a lot to say. The team once again did an amazing job. We were leading, and Ricky was doing a great job. The crash was impossible to avoid. So at the moment I hate this race. It’s just not fair. How many years have we left here crying because of losing, not because of our fault, but just how the race played out. We did everything right, and we need to be proud of that. But its tiring, and exhausting, to come up short like this. It’s painful. I feel completely empty.
It was a crazy race. We were fighting for six hours to stay on the lead lap after being hurt by the early safety car. We came back, a fantastic job from the team, Colton and Jordan. And then a puncture put us right back, fighting to get that lap back once again. We almost made it. But in the end, we did not. We tried everything to get our lap back. Today was either winning or P7, and today it was P7. A huge ‘thank you’ to Acura and HRC for this season. We all wish it had gone better, but I’m sure they’ll have success again in the future.
It was a crazy race. We were fighting for six hours to stay on the lead lap after being hurt by the early safety car. We came back, a fantastic job from the team, Colton and Jordan. And then a puncture put us right back, fighting to get that lap back once again. We almost made it. But in the end, we did not. We tried everything to get our lap back. Today was either winning or P7, and today it was P7. A huge ‘thank you’ to Acura and HRC for this season. We all wish it had gone better, but I’m sure they’ll have success again in the future.
I think we had some promise today. Early on, we led a lot of laps, and the No. 10 car led a lot of laps. They just had a super unlucky event to take them out of the race, and we just had an unlucky puncture that took us out of contention. Kind of the name of our year. There was some hope here and there, but no results. Sebring was a great one to think back on, but I think we’re all looking forward to 2025.
I think we had some promise today. Early on, we led a lot of laps, and the No. 10 car led a lot of laps. They just had a super unlucky event to take them out of the race, and we just had an unlucky puncture that took us out of contention. Kind of the name of our year. There was some hope here and there, but no results. Sebring was a great one to think back on, but I think we’re all looking forward to 2025.
I always enjoy coming to this race. Endurance racing is something different, and it’s fun to do with HRC and the Acura ARX-06. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time with the team and I hope I can come back in the future and win this great race.
I always enjoy coming to this race. Endurance racing is something different, and it’s fun to do with HRC and the Acura ARX-06. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time with the team and I hope I can come back in the future and win this great race.
First, a massive and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all the men and women at Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti over the last four years. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work with these amazingly skilled people, and such massively talented and determined drivers. I’d like to also personally thank team co-owner Wayne Taylor, who has become a close friend.This was the end of an interesting IMSA season for Acura and HRC, with Petit Le Mans once again living up to its reputation as a nail biter. This season has been full of highs and lows, as racing often is. We will never forget the amazing victory at Sebring this year, adding to Acura’s sports car racing history. We now focus on a new adventure for next year, one that will provide our men and women at HRC with new opportunities in running the cars. We know this is a big step, and we can’t wait.
First, a massive and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all the men and women at Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti over the last four years. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work with these amazingly skilled people, and such massively talented and determined drivers. I’d like to also personally thank team co-owner Wayne Taylor, who has become a close friend.This was the end of an interesting IMSA season for Acura and HRC, with Petit Le Mans once again living up to its reputation as a nail biter. This season has been full of highs and lows, as racing often is. We will never forget the amazing victory at Sebring this year, adding to Acura’s sports car racing history. We now focus on a new adventure for next year, one that will provide our men and women at HRC with new opportunities in running the cars. We know this is a big step, and we can’t wait.
