There may be no other family more firmly established in the illustrious history of sports car racing than the Taylors.
Wayne Taylor enjoyed an accomplished driving career that included two victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona (1996, 2005), winning the 12 Hours of Sebring (1996) and Petit Le Mans (1998), along with three championships (1994, 1996, 2005). He also finished fourth overall in the 1987 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, followed by class victory in 1998.
These days he roams the paddock as team owner for one of the powerhouses in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport. Additionally, though, he looks on as a proud father to sons Jordan and Ricky, both of whom have soared to accolades aplenty over the past decade.
The brothers co-drove their father’s No. 10 entry from 2014-17, storming to 12 wins and 25 podiums. The summit was reached in 2017, capturing the Prototype title after opening the season with five consecutive victories, including their maiden conquest in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, an event the pair finished runner-up in three of the previous four years. That stretch also saw Jordan claim a class victory with Corvette Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Despite a three-year stint at Team Penske’s IMSA program (2018-20) that included another championship (2020), Ricky has since returned to his father’s team and, alongside co-driver Filipe Albuquerque, has scored seven victories since 2021. Despite not yet finding Victory Lane this year, the pair has the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 at the top of the standings in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class after eight of 11 races this season.
Jordan remained at WTR through the end of the 2019 season, earning an additional victory at Daytona before switching to Corvette Racing and claiming back-to-back class titles in 2020 and 2021.
“It's very seldom that you find two kids in one family that both have a talent to do something, and the two of them really have done well,” Wayne said. “I think as much as I help them get to where they are, they've also proved themselves that they should be in that position.”
A reunion is on the horizon, too, as Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport recently confirmed Jordan is returning as the team expands to a two-car Acura ARX-06 program beginning in 2024, co-driving with Louis Deletraz.
“People come and talk to me about the kids and before they start talking to me about how fast they are or how good they are as racing drivers, they always talk to me about just what good kids they are,” Wayne said. “No egos; certainly not like their dad. They're very grounded, very humble and just appreciate everything that they can do. I don't know two drivers that put more into training; to the mental side and the health side. They work in this business every day, and they deserve to be there … it is quite amazing what the whole family's done.”
In many ways, the sons have provided lessons to the father.
“What I've learned from them is their humbleness, devotion and focus on their business, which is motorsport,” Wayne said. “Way more than I did when I was their age. I'm amazed at what they can do. They've taught me a lot to the point that sometimes I think I should just keep quiet because they know enough.”
The family’s impact on the sport is also not lost on Ricky, either.
“Yeah, you don't know how people perceive you because we're just living it, but we've found our home in sports car racing,” Ricky said. “That's what we know and what we do the best. I don't think any of us feel like we would be able to contribute the same amount if we went outside of sports car racing, just because it's what we know. Just fully embracing what you do well and not trying to put feelers out everywhere has helped us to concentrate here. We've been very lucky to make the career last that long.
“Obviously, Jordan and I, without having our dad, wouldn't be where we are today. And I think any second- or third-generation drivers will say that. Without the kickstart from the previous generation, it's hard to learn those lessons and learn which ways to go in your career. We're just trying to continue on the tradition.”
Wayne Taylor Racing is competing at the TireRack.com IMSA Battle on the Bricks on Sept. 15-17 at IMS. Visit IMS.com for more information and to buy tickets.
