BATAVIA, Ohio, (October 28, 2020) -- The battle for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles continues this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. In the GTD class, Wright Motorsports, after finishing in the top five for all but one of the nine races, stands just two points from first place in the team championship standings. Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long, co-pilots of the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3R, are within four points of the driver championship leaders, the pair currently standing in third. Only two races remain in the 2020 championship, but the top honors remain up for grabs.
“The pressure is on for these final two races, but we’re feeling confident,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Our guys haven’t made a mistake all season, and we’ve done everything possible to be here in the end. The goal is to keep that consistency going and get every point possible. This is an excellent team, and I have faith in our execution.”
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California is another fan-favorite road course, as well as Patrick Long’s home track. Both he and co-driver Ryan Hardwick have ample experience at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit, with Hardwick’s time at the track coming from his years in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series. The course offers 180 feet in elevation change, including the legendary Corkscrew drop at turns 8 and 8A.
Competitors will load into the IMSA paddock on Friday, October 30, and hit the track on Saturday for both practice sessions. The GTD class will qualify on Sunday, November 1 at 8:30AM PT and the session will air live on imsa.tv. The entire field will return to the circuit to take the green flag for the two hour and 40-minute race at 1:05PM PT. The race will air live on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS, beginning at 1:00PM PT. The event will air tape-delayed beginning at 3:30PM PT. For full event information, visit imsa.com.
Driver Quotes
Ryan Hardwick
Laguna Seca is a circuit that I have a lot of experience with from all my years racing in the Super Trofeo series. I really enjoy the technical aspects of how you have to constantly adjust your driving to always be searching for the grip. Obviously, this is an important race for us, as we are right in the middle of a championship fight. For our team, we are going to continue doing what got us here, which is detailed planning from our leadership, and disciplined execution of that plan from all the crew & drivers.
Patrick Long
Technical, blind, fast, and narrow: Laguna Seca always is an ultimate test. I always head into WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca fired up, as it’s a home race. I expect the mixed class racing to be a large factor this weekend, as is the single line racing that the local blowing sand often creates.
We are in a great place as a team and my mantra is: focus on the process and the results will take care of themselves. We are enjoying our racing, pushing hard, and remembering to enjoy ourselves. I’m so grateful for everyone’s efforts and our sponsors' support to get us this far! I’m really excited to head into these final two races with a chance for wins and a championship.
Sponsors
1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest-growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human... and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com.
Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com.
Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.
One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.
Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com.
Henry Repeating Arms
Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading rifle and shotgun manufacturers in the United States and a world leader in the lever-action category. The company motto is “Made in America, or not made at all” and its firearms come with a lifetime guarantee backed by award-winning customer service. The company is also known for its charitable endeavors under its Guns For Great Causes program, which focuses on sick children, both individual cases and children’s hospitals, veteran and wounded veteran organizations, Second Amendment and wildlife conservation organizations. The company currently employs 535 people and has 250,000 square feet of manufacturing space in its Rice Lake, Wisconsin and Bayonne, New Jersey facilities. The company is named in honor of Benjamin Tyler Henry who invented and patented the Henry rifle in 1860 – the first repeating rifle, the lever-action rifle, which is America’s unique contribution to international firearms design and is one of the most legendary, respected and sought after rifles in the history of firearms. Visit Henry Repeating Arms online at www.HenryUSA.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HenryRepeating, and on Instagram @Henry_Rifles.