‘Sad and Bittersweet End’ for Corvette Racing’s IMSA Chapter

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Jordan Taylor said it was a “sad and bittersweet ending” for Corvette Racing’s full-factory chapter in IMSA competition after engine failure took the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD out of the Motul Petit Le Mans while in the GTD Pro class lead.

Taylor and co-drivers Antonio Garcia and Tommy Milner retired just past halfway into the ten-hour WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-ending enduro with a “yet-to-be-determined” engine issue that saw the car ground to a halt on track.

It came after leading the GTD Pro class battle for 87 laps, the second-highest of the class which was won by the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella and Maro Engel.

“It was looking quite good,” Garcia said. “I was surprised how competitive we were right away. My double-stint was good. Jordan’s double-stint was really good. Tommy was leading. Everything was kind of falling in the right places for us.

“We had little things with strategy where we might have lost the lead, but we were up there and executing another great Corvette race.

“Even if most of the cars had more pace than us, it would have been difficult for them.

“It’s a shame to end this way. I wish we had another result and another way to do our last race with Jordan and this car.”

Saturday’s race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta not only marked the final outing for the full-works Corvette Racing squad on U.S. soil after a 25-year championship-winning run, but also the last race for Taylor as a GM factory driver.

Taylor is set to rejoin his family’s Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport squad in GTP next year.

“It’s sad and a bittersweet ending,” he said. “We went out leading, which is a positive. It’s too bad the fans didn’t get to see us finish one last race in IMSA in the C8.R.

“It’s been an amazing run with this car – two GTLM championships, we’ve won the WEC championship this year, a Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring… we were just missing Petit Le Mans.

“It’s been an amazing run for this generation of Corvette, and hopefully the next one can get this one checked off the list.

“This isn’t a farewell. I won’t be driving for the team any more, but I’ll still be around. I don’t want anyone to not come around and say hello.

“I’ve been here for 12 years now, and I’ve grown up in this program. With these team members, the crew members, the engineers, management, the race fans – they’ve all seen me grow and progress. I wouldn’t want any of that to change. These people will be family for the rest of my life.”

One race — next month’s FIA World Endurance Championship season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain — remains before the Corvette Racing and C8.R chapter closes ahead of the team and manufacturer’s transition to the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R next year.

“I’m disappointed with the finish but I’m super proud of what this team has achieved from the very beginning of the C8.R’s life,” Milner added.

“Not just the guys here but the guys in WEC and a lot of guys in Michigan who have spent a long many years working on this car, developing the car and making it better.

“It’s not how we wanted to end it all, but I’ve excited for what’s to come with the Corvette GT3 race car.

“It took me a little bit to get used to this car because I’ve driven the GT3 for so long, and it does so many things really well. I’m really excited for the future.”

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