Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R: Rolex 24 At Daytona Preview – R. Taylor, J. Taylor, Angelelli, Gordon
RICKY TAYLOR, JORDAN TAYLOR, MAX ANGELELLI, JEFF GORDON
55th Rolex 24 At Daytona Marks Debut of Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (Jan. 24, 2017) – Storylines abound in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R camp for this weekend’s 55th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, during which the full-time driver duo of Ricky and Jordan Taylor hope to send off retiring veteran Max “The Ax” Angelelli with a win while being joined by four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and, in the process, embarking on the historic introduction of a stunning new racecar.
If it all came down to one headline, it would be “Unfinished Business.”
This year’s traditional IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener welcomes the highly anticipated Daytona Prototype international formula to its top-tier Prototype class, and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team hopes to be the first victor among the myriad manufacturer representatives who are debuting all-new racecars at America’s most iconic sportscar race.
For team owner Wayne Taylor and his 2005 Rolex 24 and series championship co-driver Angelelli, it represents a chance to take care of unfinished business as they collaborated on Cadillac’s previous prototype-class effort from 2000 through 2002.
For Gordon, it’s the highly anticipated chance to improve on the third-place finish he logged with Taylor, Angelelli and Jan Magnussen in his only other Rolex 24 effort in 2007.
And for brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor, it’s a chance to finally get that breakthrough Rolex 24 win after having come so close to victory each of the last three seasons, crossing the Rolex 24 finish line in second, third and second, respectively.
Angelelli, the two-time champion and third-winningest driver in North American sportscar history, played an integral role in bringing the new racecar to life as Cadillac DPi-V.R program manager the last two years. He was the liaison between manufacturer Cadillac, chassis maker Dallara and engine builder Earnhardt Childress Racing and will continue in his role after completing his final race as a driver this weekend. He co-drove with Taylor and Frenchman Emmanuel Collard to the 2005 Rolex 24 win by more than 11 laps en route to that year’s series title.
Gordon’s third-place finish in the 2007 Rolex 24 had weighed on his mind ever since, but he decided his next attempt would not occur until his NASCAR Cup Series driving days were behind him. He has immersed himself in the testing effort for this year’s race beginning with last October’s private team test at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and continuing with the December and early January open tests at Daytona in preparation for this week’s full-scale assault on a Rolex 24 win.
The Taylor brothers are also fully acclimated to their new racecar and look to ride it to the top step of the podium after their team has led a series-high 29.6 percent of all Rolex 24 race laps the last three seasons (644 of 2,171).
Practice for this weekend’s 55th Rolex 24 At Daytona begins Thursday morning with Prototype-class qualifying set for 4:25 p.m. EST with live video provided by IMSA.tv beginning at 3 p.m. The green flag flies at 2:30 p.m. Saturday for the 24-hour marathon with live television coverage on the FOX network from 2 to 5 p.m. FS2 will carry all but one hour of the segment from 5 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday, while FS1 will televise the race’s conclusion from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Live timing and scoring during all on-track sessions is available at IMSA.com and the IMSA smartphone app.
RICKY TAYLOR, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:
How has your experience been to bring this all-new Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R to its very first race?
“It’s been a great experience to be involved with the program from a brand new car to the racetrack. My dad and Max and a lot of other people have been through that experience of developing a racecar but, for me, it was my first time. What’s amazing is how ready-to-go it was, how great of a job Dallara and Cadillac did to build us a beautiful racecar. Our engineer says there’s an Italian saying Dallara always uses that translates to, ‘Fortune favors the bold.’ And Cadillac has a saying, ‘Dare greatly.’ I feel those two ideas go together very well. To come to Daytona with our brand new Cadillac, just to take on the world with all the European teams coming, it couldn’t be more fitting.”
How has your experience been working with Jeff Gordon in preparation for his second career sportscar race and second career Rolex 24?
“It’s amazing. Even coming from last year’s prototype, this has been a learning curve for me. So, I can imagine coming from stock car racing your whole career – this has got to be such a difference – it’s amazing how quickly he’s picked it up. As a young driver, looking at someone as accomplished as he is, the approach he takes coming over here, asking tons of questions and really open to advice and everything, it’s a great lesson for me if I ever get an opportunity as a new experience and knowing this is the way to approach it. He goes about it in such a professional and such a mature way, it’s not surprising that he’s been so successful.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:
You’ve come so close to winning the Rolex 24 the last four years. Your thoughts as you come back for this year’s edition?
“It has been tough the past four years, finishing second three times and third the other year. We’ve never been behind the wall; we’ve always finished on the lead lap. One year we lost a lap but we got it back. The team’s worked flawlessly and performed flawlessly, so we think we’re coming in this year very well-prepared. It is a new car with a lot of unknowns, but we have a lot of trust in the people who designed and built the car that it will run 24 hours. We’ve been through lots of testing, endurance testing, simulations, so we have a lot of confidence in the manufacturer, the team, and that gives the drivers the confidence we’ll have a good race.”
How has it been working with Jeff Gordon in preparation for this year’s Rolex 24?
“It’s been everything you’d expect and more. Obviously, we grew up watching him on TV, and he drove with the team in 2007 when Ricky and I were just kids and just hanging around. I met him briefly, but I think Ricky and I basically were just trying to stay out of the way back then. Now, having watched his career and after driving, myself, it’s a lot more of a big deal and it’s been kind of incredible going through the whole process of when he came to Charlotte for the seat fit, seeing his attention to detail, everything – legroom, how his feet worked the pedals, everything he talks about. You can see how he found so much success in his career because he focuses on every aspect of what goes on in the race and the racecar. He’s extremely humble. He came in with questions. We were expecting to ask him questions for ideas of his, which we do, but he was asking us straightaway in our world of sportscar racing, how to work traffic, how to work cold tires, cold brakes, restarts, different cars and what to expect. It’s been an amazing process, getting to know him, and I think we’ve made a great friend in him, as well.”
MAX ANGELELLI, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:
The buildup for your final Rolex 24 and final race of your driving career looks like it’s going to be the most exciting one. What are your overall thoughts?
“Well, my North American racing career started with Wayne and it started with the Daytona 24-hour in 1999. It continued with the Cadillac program from 2000 to 2003. So it’s fitting that this will be my final race as a driver for all of those reasons. It looks like it’s going to be a very exciting race with the new Cadillac, with Wayne, with Ricky and Jordan, with Jeff Gordon joining us. It would be so great to finish with a win. Our Cadillac is the nicest looking car in the field, even though my opinion is not neutral, but it looks really smart. Our performance, we’ve got it all together. This (Roar Before the 24) test weekend was proof that the WEC cars are fast and will be our biggest opponents. But it’s also an exciting time for the series because we have a lot of nice cars – many, many high-level, high-performance prototypes. We have a big grid in all of the classes. I think it’s going to be one of the greatest shows in recent years. For sure, the competition level is incredibly high – higher than ever before. We’re going to see record lap times and top speeds and everything. That is going to be something to really be looking for, a new chapter of racing sports cars in America.”
You have been instrumental in bringing the Cadillac DPi-V.R to life, working behind the scenes the last two years with manufacturer Cadillac, chassis maker Dallara, and engine builder Earnhardt Childress Racing. What was that like for you?
“It was very challenging and I think we ended up with a very nice-looking car, in my opinion. All these different parties sharing the same table – Americans, Italians and other Europeans involved – was kind of interesting and that was a long project that we started in 2015 as an idea. Ultimately, everybody worked very well together. All the little issues were addressed right away, and look at what we have now – it’s not only gorgeous, but looks like it’s going to be fast.”
JEFF GORDON, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:
You’re back for your second Rolex 24 after your first experience with the team in 2007. How is this experience different than it was for you 10 year ago?
“Obviously the biggest change is this car and the prototypes and how they’ve evolved. I am having a blast. It’s been a dream of mine to be able to not just drive a car like this, but compete out on a track with a team and a car like this. This is a lot of fun for me. I treat this as if I’m a rookie. I’ve done this race only one other time, so just tap into this team and our teammate’s and Max’s efforts. I’ve been part of this process for the last year or two listening and talking with Wayne and Max and then, of course, for the last few months getting to know Ricky and Jordan by testing with them. It’s been an amazing experience. I must say that getting behind the wheel of a car that brakes and corners like that is kind of eye-opening to me but, at the same time, is so much fun. I can’t wait to get out there. Nothing would make me more proud and honored than to be able to be part of that effort that gives Wayne that win as a team owner and Max and all these guys. They’ve put their heart and soul into it and they have a fantastic team and I think we have a fantastic car and, hopefully, driver lineup, too, to go along with it.”
What kinds of things have you been doing to prepare for this year’s return to the Rolex 24?
“I can tell you the first lap I made when we tested at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which was, of course, the first time I drove the car and I got fitted into the seat, that got my attention, definitely. The G-forces, when you’re not used to pulling those types of G-forces, whether it be cornering, accelerating, braking, it kind of makes your head spin a little bit and so, that first time, I actually got a little bit light-headed and I was like, “Whoa.” Then you get used to it and you start really being able to focus on the details. I’ve definitely had to step up my training. There’s a friend of mine who is involved with Equinox, so I’ve been working with one of their trainers remotely through the internet where they go everywhere I go. I’m doing that two or three times a week. I was skiing over the offseason. I really ran a lot of runs trying to build my legs up for this brake pedal. I’ve got to push so hard for however many stints I end up being in the car. Physically, yeah, I definitely have had to do a lot of cardio. This car pulls a lot of Gs and makes you work a lot harder. It’s not as hot inside the car as a stock car but it definitely puts a lot more load on your body. Yeah, I’ve been getting myself in as good of shape as the young kids on the team. Chasing their lap times, and physically.”
WAYNE TAYLOR, owner, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:
You’re introducing an exciting new racecar in the Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R at this weekend’s Rolex 24 after having been a perennial contender for the race win at Daytona the last several years. What are your thoughts heading to Daytona?
“The truth is that it is unfinished business for me and for Max, especially, as we ran the Cadillac program from 2000 to 2003. And just when we felt we were getting to a position where we thought we were going to be competitive, the program ended. As the series evolved and the new DPi formula was introduced this year, it made sense for Cadillac to come back and show its technology here. We’re obviously very excited to kick off this exciting new Cadillac effort with Konica Minolta, which has been a very loyal supporter of our program, and at Daytona, which is essentially our home track and the biggest race on our schedule. Our team has had a very successful last several years at the 24-hour even though we’ve come so close so many times but couldn’t quite finish with a win. Our drivers and team just need to continue on that path with our exciting new Cadillac racecar and hopefully, we’ll be there at the end once again, racing for the win.”
How has it been to have Jeff back racing with your team after he first raced with you 10 year ago at this very race?
“Having Jeff back with us is great. We’ve remained in touch over the years. At the end of the 24-hour in 2007, he said he still had another championship in him but, when he was done with NASCAR, he wanted to come back and do it again. So, as soon as he retired, I called him. He checked with his family and, within a few minutes, he called back and said, ‘I’m in.’ Watching him, I think he’s having the time of his life. He’s really enjoying driving this new Cadillac. And it’s great for my sons to be able to drive with him and learn from all the things he’s achieved over the years.”
Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team Report
Round 1 of 10 – Rolex 24 At Daytona
At-Track PR Contact: Laz Denes with True Speed Communication (256-717-8014 or Laz.Denes@TrueSpeedCommunication.com).
Event: 24-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (3.56-mile, 12-turn road course).
Broadcast (Race time 2:30 p.m. EST Saturday): FOX: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday. FS2: 5 to 10 p.m. and 11 to 11:55 p.m. Saturday, 12 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. FS1: 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Thursday qualifying: 3 to 4:40 p.m. via IMSA TV at IMSA.com, IMSA mobile app (Prototype class at 4:25 p.m.).
Click here for Wayne Taylor Racing’s Track Performance History.
Click here for Wayne Taylor Racing’s 2016 results.
Driver Lineup:
Driver: Ricky Taylor
Birthdate: Aug. 3, 1989
Birthplace: Surrey, England
Residence: Orlando, Florida
Personal: Single
Driver: Jordan Taylor
Birthdate: May 10, 1991
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida
Residence: Apopka, Florida
Personal: Single
Driver: Max Angelelli
Birthdate: Dec. 12, 1966
Birthplace: Bologna, Italy
Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Personal: Wife, Manuela
Sons, Samuele and Emanuele
Driver: Jeff Gordon
Birthdate: Aug. 4, 1971
Birthplace: Vallejo, California
Residence: Charlotte, North Carolina
Personal: Wife, Ingrid
Daughter, Ella; Son, Leo
Primary Crew Members:
Owner: Wayne Taylor (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
Team Manager: Travis Houge (Dolliver, Iowa)
Car Chief: Chris Bennett (Indianapolis)
Lead Mechanic: Bill Mullen (Hamilton, Ohio)
Race Engineer: Brian Pillar (Alliston, Ontario, Canada)
Support Engineers: Adam Banet (Floyd Knobs, Ind.), Shishir Vyas (Sydney)
Mechanics/Crew: Doug Bradley (Estherville, Iowa), David Nisbett (East Grand Forks, Minn.), Chris Seaman (Hamburg, Pa.) Nicholas Voils (Indianapolis)
Truck Driver: Paul Sheehan (Olivia, Minn.)
Over-the-Wall Crew Members:
Front Tire Changer: Doug Bradley
Rear Tire Changer: Chris Bennett
Airjack: Dave Nisbett
Fuel Man: Chris Seaman
Fire Bottle: Kirk Kenaga
Driver Change Assist: Bill Mullen
Pit Board: Nick Voils
Tire Assist: Nick Voils, Paul Sheehan
Deadman: Shishir Vyas
Car Specifications
No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
Chassis: The monocoque is made by Dallara of carbon fiber with aluminum honeycomb and Zylon side panels. The bodywork is carbon fiber with Kevlar panel inserts.
Engine: Cadillac 6.2 liter V-8 engine, the same engine that powers the Cadillac CTS-V supersedan. Finer points include: Cadillac Gen V LT based 6.2-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 with production-based aluminum block and heads. Earnhardt Childress Racing (ECR)-designed semi-stressed engine mounting system with integral oil lubrication system.
Exhaust: Rear-facing, top exit, dual outlet multi-branch exhaust header system.
Power: 600 horsepower at approximately 7,900 rpm.
Fuel Capacity: 19.8 gallons.
Engine Management: Bosch MS5.0 ECU, C60 DATA Logger, traction control.
Electronics:
Power: Cosworth IPS48, SSR300A, RLU, RSP20.
Data: Cosworth CLU Plus Pro.
Rear-View Camera: Gentex Corporation, GNTX-R, Rear Camera Mirror.
Steering Wheel: Cosworth CCW Mk2, paddle shift, 4.5-inch TFT LCD.
Clutch: Tilton 5.5 Carbon Disc.
Gearbox: Xtrac P1159F, transverse sequential six-speed.
Steering: KYB electrically assisted rack and pinion.
Suspension: Front/rear double wishbone independent pushrod.
Brakes: Brembo Monobloc six-piston light aluminum calipers, carbon fiber discs, and pads.
Weight/Length/Width/Height: 2,050 pounds / 15.58 feet (187 inches) / 6.23 feet (74.8 inches) / 3.78 feet (45.3 inches).
Wheels: American Racing forged AL6061-T6 rims (front 18.0 inches x 12.5 inches; rear 18.0 inches x 13.0 inches).
Tires: Continental Tire (front 320/680-R18; rear 325/710-R18).
Notes of Interest
The 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opens this weekend with the 55th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course.
This weekend marks the racing debut of the all-new No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R that was introduced publicly at the Rolex 24 early test in December.
Regular co-drivers Ricky and Jordan Taylor will take the new racecar on its maiden voyage alongside veteran Italian Max “The Ax” Angelelli and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon as the team looks for a breakthrough Rolex 24 win after crossing the finish line second, second, third and second, respectively, each of the last four years.
This weekend’s race will be the last as a driver for Angelelli, the two-time champion who won the 2005 Rolex 24 alongside co-driver, team owner, and longtime business partner Wayne Taylor. Angelelli is the third-winningest driver in North American sportscar-racing history with 27 victories to go with 77 podium finishes in 166 career races and championships in 2005 and 2013. The 27-win total is surpassed only by Scott Pruett’s 44 and Memo Rojas’ 29.
Angelelli was instrumental in bringing the Cadillac DPi-V.R to life as he worked behind the scenes the past two years to coordinate the development effort involving manufacturer Cadillac, chassis maker Dallara, and engine builder Earnhardt Childress Racing. While he is retiring from driving, he will continue as program manager in the Cadillac DPi-V.R effort.
With the introduction of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, Wayne Taylor and Angelelli are reunited with the Cadillac brand they campaigned from 2000 to 2002 in the form of the Cadillac Northstar LMP, in what was previously known as the American Le Mans Series, and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Gordon’s return to the team marks his second career Rolex 24 and second career sportscar race, the first coming with this same team in 2007, when he co-drove with Taylor, Angelelli and Jan Magnussen to a podium finish. He has taken part in extensive testing in leadup to this weekend’s race and looks to add his first Rolex 24 win to three career Daytona 500 victories at the track. His NASCAR Cup Series championships came in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001. He retired from full-time NASCAR driving in 2015 and finished his career with 93 career Cup Series victories and 81 career pole positions, both of which rank third all-time. After completing his final season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2015, when he finished third in the standings, Gordon joined the FOX Sports team as a broadcast analyst for its NASCAR Cup Series coverage.
Ricky and Jordan Taylor are anxious for their return to their home track as the Orlando-area natives are coming off a 2016 season that featured race wins on the streets of Long Beach, California, and Detroit, as well as at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, to go with seven podium finishes and a pole position en route to third place in the championship.
The Taylor brothers and Angelelli have been the constant in the cockpit at the last three Rolex 24s while the team has been a model of consistency in running at the front throughout each race. They led almost 30 percent of the total laps run at the last three Rolex 24s (644 of 2,171 for 29.6%) in bringing home finishes of second last year with fourth driver Rubens Barrichello, third without an additional driver in 2015, and second with Wayne Taylor in 2014.
Jordan Taylor, Angelelli and IndyCar veteran Ryan Hunter-Reay brought home a second-place finish in 2013, leading 56 of 709 laps.
The team’s third-place finish in 2014 was stripped five days after the race when it was discovered Jordan Taylor spent just three minutes more than the allowable four consecutive hours behind the wheel during any six-hour period of the race. Taylor was in second place, challenging for the race lead when the violation was discovered by the team with just over 10 minutes remaining. The team gave up the position to place Ricky Taylor in the car for the final 10 minutes, and he crossed the finish line third.
During this year’s Rolex 24, the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation is conducting a fundraiser benefitting pediatric cancer called “Every Hour Counts.” The overall goal is to raise the $1 million it would take to pay for one year’s worth of pediatric cancer research. That’s 8,760 hours at $114.16 each, or 2,739.73 per day, or $19,230.77 per week. For information on donating to the cause, visit JeffGordonChildrensFoundation.org.
The second-place finishes three of the last four years at Daytona were the team’s best since the 2005 win by Wayne Taylor, Angelelli, and Emmanuel Collard. It was Taylor’s second career Rolex 24 win and was the team’s first of five victories that season en route to the 2005 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series championship. The trio led 282 of 710 race laps and cross the finish line 11 laps ahead of the runner-up No. 4 Howard Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford of Butch Leitzinger, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, and Jimmie Johnson.
Taylor and Angelelli went on to record 10 podium finishes among their five race wins in 14 events in 2005, and set a sports car racing record by completing all 2,050 laps available that year.
Ricky and Jordan Taylor enter the 2017 season – their fourth in a row as full-time co-drivers – with 14 career wins each in North American sportscar competition. The 27-year-old Ricky Taylor also has 38 podium finishes and 13 poles in 99 career races, the 25-year-old Jordan Taylor 31 podium finishes and 10 poles in 89 career races.
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Sources: Laz Denes/True Speed Communication