Sharp, Dalziel to Continue in No. 2 ESM Nissan DPi in 2018

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Scott Sharp and Ryan Dalziel will continue at the wheel of the No. 2 Tequila Patron ESM Nissan Onroak DPi next year, completing the team’s full-season driver lineup in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The pairing join the previously announced Pipo Derani and Johannes van Overbeek, who will also return to the No. 22 car.

ESM is the first Prototype team to confirm its full two-car lineup next year, in a class that will see the arrival of Team Penske and Acura, as well as Joest Racing, which takes over the operation of the factory Mazda DPi program. 

Additional drivers for the team’s Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup have yet to be announced.

“I am so happy to return to Tequila Patrón ESM for my fifth year,” said Dalziel. “We have built a strong team, and I am honored to have been a part of that process.

“It was a big change when we went to the FIA WEC, and again to start the new Nissan NISMO development program back here in the States for 2017.

“You essentially have to rebuild the team each time, and this team has done it successfully.”

Sharp added: “We’re trying to keep that consistency going. This year was, first off, [was] a whole year back after being gone [from IMSA] for two seasons.

“So to be back on these tracks, from a driver’s perspective, and honing our setups for all these tracks. We’re finally at the point where the team has the luxury of time.

“I think we’ll be so much better poised going to the Roar, going to the 24-hour and of course the rest of the schedule.”

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