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'We’ve got to get back to the front end of the grid.'
There was no sugarcoating it. No PR polish. Just the raw, unmistakable frustration in Wayne Taylor’s voice — the kind that only comes from a legacy team punching below its weight. In a year where expectations were sky-high, Wayne Taylor Racing’s 2025 IMSA campaign has been, at best, a series of near misses and head-scratching setbacks.
Sure, there were signs of life at Laguna Seca. Ricky Taylor muscled the #10 car to a season-best qualifying of fourth on the grid — a rare bright spot. But when the chequered flag fell, the result was all too familiar: another race steeped in unfulfilled promise. Another Sunday where “what could have been” outpaced what actually was.
The much-celebrated return to Cadillac was supposed to be a renaissance. A homecoming. Yet, four races in, and the numbers haven’t returned the favor.
At Sebring, the #10 was sideswiped by misfortune — a throttle issue forced an unscheduled stop, dropping the car several laps down. Just as they tried to claw back, a 60-second drive-through penalty was slapped on for an infraction the team claimed never committed. That added another lap to their deficit.
Daytona, their first race with the Cadillac V-Series.R, wasn’t kind to them either. The No. 40 car, shared by Jordan Taylor and Louis Deletraz, was swept up in a multi-car melee after a spin — a long night ending prematurely in the ninth hour.
And then there’s the balance of performance. Whatever the technical intent, it’s felt like a straitjacket for a team still trying to rewire itself with a new but familiar manufacturer. But Wayne Taylor doesn’t dance around excuses.
Speaking to Only Endurance during IMSA media availability for the Detroit Grand Prix, Taylor cut straight to the heart of the matter.
Phil Oakley
'When did you ever hear of a race that’s two and a half hours long, and every single person is lapped except for three cars?' the South African asked.
'I don’t know how that happens. We had nothing wrong with our execution in the pits. It’s extremely hard to race under these conditions, but I do believe everyone is working to bring this back.'
There’s no denying the challenge. Switching manufacturers — especially in the razor-thin margins of the GTP class — is no flip of a switch. There are new systems to learn, new personalities to integrate, and a steep learning curve to climb. Four races in, WTR is still climbing.
'It certainly is a challenge for the drivers and the crew to go from one manufacturer and then come in to a new manufacturer and try and gauge yourself over four races. I think we are learning slowly, but we’ve got to get back to the front end of the grid.'
And now comes Detroit — a race that, for Cadillac, is more than just another stop on the calendar.
With General Motors’ headquarters looming over the tight street circuit, the pressure is baked in. There are executives in the paddock, expectations in the air, and no margin for error in a 100-minute street fight with limited passing opportunities.
'It’s obviously one of the biggest races of the year for us,' said Jordan Taylor.
'Cadillac kind of prioritizes this race and Daytona as the two big ones on the IMSA schedule — and then obviously Le Mans.'
'All the big bosses are there. All the eyes are on us. And it’s a super intense race — only 100 minutes, and the track is very unique.'
Make no mistake: Detroit isn’t just a race. It’s where manufacturers go for bragging rights. And for Wayne Taylor Racing, it’s a chance, maybe the best one yet this season, to flip the narrative.
Perception in this game is based on the outcomes. As the old adage goes, you're only as good as your last race. And right now, WTR isn’t where they want to be or believe they belong.
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