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IMSA: Jeff Gordon joins WTR Cadillac Rolex 24 team for 2017 Marshall Pruett / Images courtesy WTR/Brian Cleary

Jeff Gordon's retirement plans are on hold once more as the NASCAR legend has signed on to compete in January's Rolex 24 at Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing.
The factory-affiliated WTR Cadillac DPi-V.R program will host the four-time stock car champion on his return to the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway after a 10-year absence. The Californian attempted to hang up his helmet at the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but was drafted in to drive for the ailing Dale Earnhardt Jr. for what turned out to be eight races for his former team, Hendrick Motorsports.


Gordon is far from a newcomer at Daytona's second most famous motor race. After testing with the WTR team on the blended road course/oval in 2006, he came back to test again in 2007 and made his one and only start at the 24-hour classic in a Riley-Pontiac Daytona Prototype with Wayne Taylor, Max Angelelli and Jan Magnussen (pictured). The foursome started second and finished third.
Given the chance to reunite with his old sports car teammates, Gordon leapt at the opportunity to drive the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R with Angelelli and Taylor's sons Ricky and Jordan for the 55th running of the Rolex 24.
"I really enjoyed racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2007 with Max, Wayne and Jan," Gordon said. "When I announced I would no longer be competing full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, my hope was that I would get an opportunity like this to compete again in such a prestigious event – with Konica Minolta and Wayne Taylor Racing – with the hopes of winning it this time. I know that Ricky and Jordan are super-fast, and I believe it will be a very strong combination."
Having the immensely popular 45-year-old back within the WTR family is a point of pride for the elder Taylor.
"We are excited to have Jeff back in the lineup with us for the 2017 Rolex 24," he said. "He was with us when we started this race team back in 2007 and he helped us finish on the podium. We have kept in close touch ever since and have always been looking for another opportunity to have him join our driver lineup. That opportunity is finally here after his retirement from full-time competition in NASCAR and we are very much looking forward to working with him again."
Gordon is expected join the Taylor brothers and Angelelli in pre-event testing at Daytona later this month, continue testing in early January at the Roar Before the 24, and was also rumored to have taken part in recent private DPi testing overseen by GM Racing. By the time the green flag waves for the race, he should be close to the pace established his young championship-winning teammates.
"Having Jeff Gordon join the team is really a dream come true for all of us," Ricky Taylor said. "It is a huge compliment to how well-respected the team has become over the years for someone with the history and career of Jeff Gordon to want to be a part of it. For me, it will be surreal to drive alongside a legend and I can't wait to hear all of the stories he has to share from his years of racing. I'm sure he will be a great addition to the lineup and hopefully we can all get our first Rolex 24 win together."
The presence of a NASCAR star on the grid will continue a Rolex 24 tradition, as Jordan Taylor explains.
"It used to be common to have NASCAR guys joining teams for the Rolex but, over recent years, it's become less and less frequent," he said. "Jeff Gordon is a name that everyone knows worldwide. He is one of the biggest names in motorsports. He drove with my dad and Max at the Rolex back in 2007, so it'll be cool to have a 10-year reunion with him and the team. Sportscar racing offers a unique perspective for drivers, where we have to share the same car. I can't wait to compare notes and feedback with such a legend of our sport. It's going to be an experience of a lifetime."
For Angelelli, having his old friend in the car for another shot at Rolex 24 glory – on the debut of the Cadillac DPi-V.R – has come at the perfect time.
"In a way, I'm such a fan of his, but I look forward to sharing our new Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R racecar with him, discussing our setup and race strategy," he said. "It was great the first time – we might have won that race if some things would have gone our way. Now that it's happening again, with the new car, it's going to be absolutely great."

 

IMSA: Cadillac reveals DPi-V.R for Prototype class

Wednesday, 30 November 2016


RACER Staff / Images courtesy Cadillac Racing

Cadillac is bringing its new 2017 Cadillac DPi-V.R racecar to the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series Prototype class.
The 2017 DPi-V.R – which will make its debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing – is the first prototype race car from the New York-headquartered manufacturer since 2002. Action Express, which has won the last three WeatherTech Championship Prototype titles, will run a pair of Cadillacs, while the Wayne Taylor Racing team will continues its one-car effort and longstanding relationship with General Motors.


"It is not possible to overstate how thrilled all of us at IMSA are to officially welcome Cadillac, one of the world's most respected premium automotive brands, back to Prototype racing in the WeatherTech Championship," said IMSA President Scott Atherton. "This is exactly the type of program we had in mind when we announced the Daytona Prototype international concept last year.
"As we open a new era of Prototype competition in 2017, we now have three benchmark examples of manufacturers using this platform to showcase their impressive and unique technology at the highest level. We cannot wait to get the new era underway in just a few short weeks at Daytona."
The DPi-V.R is propelled by a race-prepared, normally aspirated Cadillac 6.2 liter V-8 engine that shares inherent architecture with the engines of the third-generation Cadillac CTS-V (640 horsepower) and fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade (420 horsepower). The engine produces approximately 600 horsepower when tuned for racing as defined by IMSA-mandated air restrictors, with a maximum allowable RPM of 7,600. The engine transfers power to the rear wheels through an X-TRAC paddle-shift transmission.
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"Cadillac is proud to return to the pinnacle of prototype racing in North America after a 14-year absence," said Johan de Nysschen, president of Cadillac. "Cadillac's V-Performance production models – the ATS-V and CTS-V — are transforming our brand's product substance, earning a place among the world's elite high performance marques. The Cadillac DPi-V.R further strengthens our V-Performance portfolio, placing Cadillac into the highest series of sports car racing in North America."
"The DPi-V.R race car was an exciting new canvas for the Cadillac design and sculpting team," said Andrew Smith, Global Cadillac Design executive director. "The studio embraced the opportunity to interpret the Cadillac form language, line work and graphic signature for this premier prototype racing application. Every detail of the final design was selected to support the car's on-track performance and unmistakable Cadillac presence."
Cadillac and its designers collaborated with key partners including chassis builder Dallara, ECR Engines and race teams to prepare the 6.2-liter V-8- powered Cadillac DPi-V.R over the past year.
The DPi-V.R will make its public on-track debut during a two-day IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona on Dec. 13-14.

 

IMSA: AXR sees 'great results' in Cadillac testing

Thursday, 01 December 2016



RACER Staff / Image by LAT

Action Express Racing is already hard at work testing their two recently announced Cadillac DPi-V.R racecars as the team readies for the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The 2017 DPi-V.R – which will make its debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona – is the first prototype racecar from the New York-headquartered manufacturer since 2002. Action Express, which has won the last three WeatherTech Championship Prototype titles, and Wayne Taylor Racing's one-car effort, will run the Cadillac Dpi-V.Rs.


"We wanted to get to the race track and start testing our Cadillac DPi-V.R as soon as we could, and we already have a couple of tests under our belt," Action Express team manager Gary Nelson said. "Our early testing is showing some great results. We've learned a lot about a high-downforce racecar - a car that instantly grabs the track. Our drivers are learning about the new car and whether they have to make any adjustments to their driving style to accommodate the new racecar. In addition, our engineering staff is also learning about the new car and how to best tune the car."
The team's championship-winning 2016 driver lineup - Joao Barbosa, Dane Cameron, Eric Curran and Christian Fittipaldi - return to the team for the upcoming campaign. The team will continue its relationship with partners Whelen Engineering and Mustang Sampling.
"In the past, we've had a lot of success with our simple strategy of not changing things unless absolutely necessary," Nelson said. "With IMSA's introduction of the new Daytona Prototype international (DPi) in the Prototype class, it was necessary for us to make changes for the upcoming season. While we have a lot to learn, we're also looking forward to the challenge of developing a reliable and competitive new race car."
Action Express will continue its engine relationship with ECR, which has been with the team for five years.
"We're excited about our relationship as a Cadillac partner team and utilizing the Cadillac DPi-V.R in competition during the upcoming season," Nelson said. "We're also looking forward to working together with our new chassis partner Dallara, as well as continuing our relationship with ECR engines. Obviously, there's plenty of work for us to do to prepare for the start of the 2017 season and we've been extremely busy getting familiar with our new racecars."

 

[h=2]PODCAST: Jeff Gordon and Ricky Taylor[/h] Wednesday, 14 December 2016


Marshall Pruett / Images by IMSA Photo, Pruett

Jeff Gordon reveals that he's been pushed to his physical limits and beyond while learning to drive Wayne Taylor Racing's Cadillac DPi-V.R IMSA prototype.


In a visit to the Marshall Pruett Podcast with teammate Ricky Taylor, the four-time NASCAR champion recounts everything from the scary experience of coming to grips with the awesomely fast sports car he'll share with Ricky, his brother Jordan and Max Angelelli during January's Rolex 24 at Daytona; describes the driving difference between a stock car and a P2-based Cadillac DPi-V.R; nearly matching a phenom like Ricky in the Caddy; and admits to learning a painful lesson on social media after entrusting his phone to Jordan Taylor ...

 

[h=1]Jeff Gordon practices for Daytona Rolex 24[/h]
Published on Dec 13, 2016
Jeff Gordon will race in Rolex 24 At Daytona and tested a new Cadillac prototype at Daytona International Speedway.
Video is raw and uncut with no edits.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IxyLm-GEW4

 

ABC9 Orlando

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duc0_iZIblQ

Published on Dec 14, 2016
Jeff Gordon talks about testing the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R and racing with Ricky, Jordan and Max at the Rolex 24 in 2017.

 

WEC: Gordon open to Le Mans bid

Friday, 06 January 2017

Marshall Pruett (words & images)

Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon says he's open to the idea of racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The stock car veteran, who retired from full-time racing at the end of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, is back with Wayne Taylor Racing for his second run at the Rolex 24 at Daytona (below), and with a fresh taste of the LMP2-based Cadillac DPi-V.R he's enjoyed so far, adding Le Mans to the list of legendary events on his C.V. is said to be a possibility.




"When I talk about passions and dreams, there's no doubt it would fit into that," Gordon said. "This difference is I'm very realistic. Wayne [Taylor] and I have had many conversations about [Le Mans] and I've had conversations with [General Motors] about it."

Known for his meticulous preparation habits, the three-time Daytona 500 winner would only consider tackling the world's greatest endurance race if it was a proper program.

"Le Mans is a much different animal," he added. "You can't go there and spend time in the car and get all the laps; yeah, there are driver simulators that would help out... I want to see how this goes [at the Rolex 24] and I want to be very realistic about anything I get behind the wheel of. If I feel I could be well prepared, and understand the cars and the team and track, then maybe."

 

[h=1]Wayne Taylor Racing video pays homage to 'humble' Jeff Gordon[/h] By Joe Menzer

Published January 18, 2017





FOX Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Gordon has made quite an impression on his Wayne Taylor Racing teammates for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
That much is evident very quickly in a video released by the team on Wednesday.


Gordon, the FOX Sports NASCAR analyst and four-time NASCAR Premier Series champion, will headline WTR's lineup for the Rolex 24 in the team's new Cadillac DPi-V.R. Gordon joins brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli at the wheel of the Dallara-based Prototype, in what will mark Gordon's first sports-car racing start in 10 years.

In the video, Gordon's latest teammates all heap praise on him for "being humble" and attempting to listen to them to learn as much as he can about competing in the sports-car race.
Gordon also expresses his excitement about racing in the event for the first time since 2007 when he competed in another WTR entry. On that occasion, he finished third on the podium alongside then-teammates Angelelli, Wayne Taylor and Jan Magnussen.
"This is a dream come true for me," he says.
Gordon, 45, first retired from full-time driving in NASCAR's top series following the 2015 season -- when he made the transition to the FOX broadcasting booth. But after spending the first half of the 2016 season in the booth for FOX, Gordon was called upon by car owner Rick Hendrick to sub for Dale Earnhardt Jr. for eight races in the latter half as Earnhardt recovered from a concussion.
The 2007 Rolex 24 is Gordon's only endurance racing start to date, in a storied 35-plus year career that's included 93 NASCAR Premier Series wins, 81 poles and nearly 500 top-10 finishes in stock-car racing competition.
Gordon got his first laps in the new Cadillac DPi during a 24-hour endurance test at Charlotte Motor Speedway in November and also was in attendance at IMSA-sanctioned tests at Daytona last Dec. 13-14 and again earlier this month.
FOX Sports will provide a total of 25 hours of race coverage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, beginning with the start of the race at 2 p.m. ET on FOX on Jan. 28. Additional coverage will be provided on FS1 and FS2.

 

The return to 24 -Jeff Gordon returns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8MobbCGBGM

 

Wayne Taylor Racing with Jeff Gordon Wins the Rolex 24 includes victory lane interviews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWNikprEavo

Also shows the lead car driving into an overtaking car at the last minute.
Watch it several times if you don't believe me.