Detroit Podium a “Damage Control” Day for WTR Acura DPi

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Saturday’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic at Detroit turned into a “damage control” day according to Ricky Taylor, who along with Wayne Taylor Racing co-driver Filipe Albuquerque scored a podium finish despite several issues during the race.

The WTR Acura DPi duo have extended their points lead to 71 following a third place finish in the 100-minute street fight that went the way of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Renger van der Zande and Kevin Magnussen.

Having started fourth, Taylor dropped to fifth in the opening stages with reported handling issues in his Acura ARX-05.

The team, however, leapfrogged both the championship-contending No. 55 Mazda RT24-P and No. 5 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPi-V.R in the pits and get Albuquerque out in third, where he held off a hard-charging Oliver Jarvis and Loic Duval for the team’s third podium in four races this season.

“Today was a damage control day that turned into, actually, a very good points day,” said Taylor. “Third place was like a win for us.

“The Cadillacs were extremely strong. Filipe did an outstanding job to hold the third spot while battling some technical issues and this was just a great day.”

In addition to fending off the Mazda and No. 5 Cadillac, Albuquerque had to manage an unidentified issue in his car.

IMSA race control had given the WTR Acura DPi a warning for low over boost limits exceeded, which came in the closing laps.

“It was a hard race for us,”  Albuquerque said, “We knew that we were not, maybe, the quickest, but we pulled out third place.

“We had a little issue with our car halfway through the stint, so I had to start defending my position in P3.

“Great strategy and great start from Ricky in the beginning. We managed to hold P3.

“Closing a lot were our opponents, especially our closest contender in the championship, which is the Mazda.

“And today we came out with the P3, but it felt like a win because we know we know we are not going to win all of them, but a podium at a track that is not our best–we are really, really happy about it.

“Bring on Watkins Glen which is a track that suits our car better, and let’s try and grab a win!”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John