WTR Loses Rolex 24 Podium Finish, Points Over Drive Time Infraction

Photo: IMSA

Wayne Taylor Racing has lost its podium finish and related points from last weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona due to a drive-time infringement for its third-place finishing Corvette DP in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season-opener.

IMSA confirmed Friday that Jordan Taylor exceeded the four hour drive-time maximum in a six-hour period in the closing stages of the race, therefore stripping the team and drivers Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor and Max Angelelli of the the points earned from the initial third place finish.

Per IMSA, the No. 10 car has been scored with a 16th place class finish the race, as the last-place finishing Prototype class entry. The trio have earned a total of 16 points, including the single point awarded to all teams for starting the race.

According to article 12.7.3 of the IMSA SSR, if a driver exceeds the maximum driver time, the finishing position for the car the driver is nominated in is not considered in the order of the results and does not earn finishing points.

However, following a complete review of the situation, IMSA has adjusted the rule to instead move a car back to last place finishing points.

“Looking at it, we haven’t actually had an overage in the maximum drive time, in the years I’ve been I’ve been involved,” IMSA Race Director Beaux Barfield told Sportscar365. “So there wasn’t a precedent and we looked at it and thought the penalty that we had established as a standard was out of line with the type of violation we’re dealing with, so we’ve adjusted it accordingly.”

Barfield said there will be a revision to the regulations issued prior to the next TUDOR Championship round at Sebring, confirming the change.

Last year at Daytona, under the current rules, the Turner Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 was excluded from the results for one of its drivers going over the drive time limit and left Daytona with a single point.

In a statement, team principal Wayne Taylor admitted disappointment but accepted the penalty.

“Obviously, we are disappointed that inadvertently having Jordan drive a few more minutes than permitted has resulted in the issuance of these penalties,” he said. “We fully understand IMSA’s stance on this and will not challenge the penalties levied against us.

“We will move forward and continue to do our very best to succeed in our goal of winning this championship, which is one of the most difficult championships in all of motor racing. We look forward to the next round of the Tudor United SportsCar Championship at Sebring.”

IMSA Pit Notes data indicates Jordan Taylor logged 4 hours and 19 minutes in the car between two separate stints. That doesn’t include time time spent in the pits, which is not counted towards the rule.

Jordan Taylor, who had battled the eventual race-winning No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-Ford of Scott Dixon for the victory, was pulled out of the Konica Minolta-sponsored car with 11 minutes remaining in the race after the team had reportedly discovered its error.

Ricky Taylor tok the car to the finish after serving a stop and go penalty due to the team pitting while under a closed pit.

As a result of the ruling, the No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP of Richard Westbrook, Michael Valiante and Mike Rockenfeller inherit third place results and points, with the GT Le Mans class-winning No. 3 Corvette C7.R officially finishing fourth overall.

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