Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Test Report

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Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona

Date: Jan. 5-7, 2018

Event: Roar Before the 24 Test Days  (Round 0 of ten)

Series: Prototype division of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (3.56-mile, 12-turn road course)

Fastest Overall: Felipe Nasr of the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R (1:35.806 at 133.764 mph)

Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Best Lap: 4th by Renger van der Zande (1:36.481 at 132.828 mph)

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R trio of full-time co-drivers Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande and third driver Ryan Hunter-Reay closed the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 Test Days by clocking the fastest lap among the 50-car field Sunday afternoon for the second time this weekend. They will open defense of the team’s 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona victory and 2017 driver and team championships when competitors return to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for the traditional season-opening endurance marathon Jan. 25 to 28.

Taylor, who with older brother Ricky Taylor co-drove to last year’s Rolex 24 victory alongside veteran Italian Max “The Ax” Angelelli and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, was fastest overall in today’s last of seven test sessions for the weekend, as well as during Saturday’s first of three test sessions. The Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R clocked top-three times in each of the seven test sessions with each of its three drivers accounting for the team’s fastest lap in at least one session.

Van der Zande, the Dutch driver who came to the team for the 2018 season after Ricky Taylor left to join the new, two-car Team Penske Prototype-class team, clocked the Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R’s fastest lap of the weekend during a new 15-minute qualifying-style session that was added this season to the Roar test days weekend schedule. It was used to determine each team’s pit stall and garage locations during Rolex 24 race weekend three weekends hence. Van der Zande’s lap of 1 minute, 36.481 seconds at 132.828 mph around the 3.56-mile speedway road course was fourth-best overall for the session and for the weekend.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R logged 178 total laps during the three-day test, covering 633 trouble-free miles.

Rolex 24 race weekend begins with practice and qualifying Thursday, Jan. 25, with the twice-around-the-clock event set to begin at 2:40 pm EST Saturday, Jan. 27, with live television coverage beginning on the FOX broadcast network at 2 pm
JORDAN TAYLOR, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

“I think it was a productive weekend. Obviously, last year we won the event but we came in without doing much setup work. So, I think what we learned all throughout 2017 we’re kind of putting on the car now to see what works and what doesn’t work. I think we’re going to leave here knowing a lot more about what we want to bring back for the race weekend but I think, looking at the whole, big picture, we have a comfortable car. All three drivers are comfortable and the team’s the same as it was last year, so I think we have all the pieces in the right place to repeat.”

RENGER VAN DER ZANDE, driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

“We had a few days of testing and it was interesting for me to get a feel for the car and the proper feel for the setup changes that we applied a few times. We got some driver change practice in, worked with the team and all that, blending in, I would say. I did qualifying and got P4. For me, that was a bit of the limit, so we need to find what the actual time is, what the other teams found, and that’s what we’re going to work on before the race.”

RYAN HUNTER REAY, Driver, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

“It was a productive test. We came out with a new driver lineup for the team and we’ve all jelled really well, working on the car the entire time and checking off some boxes that we really wanted to get done before the Rolex 24 weekend. I think we’re all pretty happy with where we stand. Now, it’s all about consistency and execution. This team’s done a remarkable job. You can’t say enough about the professionalism and hard work they put in. We’ll go out there and hopefully have a flawless race weekend.”

WAYNE TAYLOR, Owner, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

“Well, it looks like it’s going to be the most competitive year, ever – big names, lots of chassis, lots of engines, Penske, Zak Brown’s team from Europe, Joest, and now four Cadillacs. I think there’s still some balance of performance stuff I’m sure they’re still working on. But I think the cars are all pretty good right now. They should leave it alone and go to the race. We got a lot done this weekend and were at or near the top in every session. But, as everyone knows, you don’t win this race by getting fastest lap in qualifying for a garage spot. Our focus is on winning the race overall.”

Looking Back on Winning 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing

Fan4Racing Radio guest Jordan Taylor at 9 pm ET, Monday, February 6, 2017 Photo – AP/John Raoux

Jordan Taylor is our guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk, Monday, February 6, 2017 at 9 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @Sal_Sigala with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.

Angelelli Retires on Top, All-New Cadillac Prototype Victorious in its Debut,

Jeff Gordon Heaps Ultimate Praises on Co-Drivers Ricky & Jordan Taylor



With a week now for the significance of their thrilling Rolex 24 victory to set in, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team of brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor, veteran Italian Max “The Ax” Angelelli, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and team owner Wayne Taylor look back on their weekend at Daytona.

With the celebratory hugs and tears of joy in the rearview mirror, the significance of finally winning one of the crown jewels in worldwide sportscar racing – and the manner in which it was achieved – is in much clearer focus than it was during the raw emotion shared by the team and its family and partners a week ago in one of racing’s most famous victory lanes at Daytona International Speedway. Continue reading

Rolex 24 At Daytona ‘Business Finished’ For Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team

(L-R) Filiepe Albuquerque, Christian Fittipaldi, Joao Barbosa, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Tayor, Jeff Gordon , Max Angelelli, Marc Goosens, Rene Rast and Renger van der Zande stand on the winners’ podium after the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.
Photo – Getty Images

Post race audio from Wayne Taylor Racing drivers is on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk, Monday, January 30, 2017 at 8:35 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @Sal_Sigala with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.

Taylor Brothers, Angelelli, Gordon Finally Score Breakthrough Win                                After Trouble-Free Performances the Previous Four Years Come Up Short

The resounding theme for this year’s 55th Rolex 24 At Daytona for the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi.V.R team and its drivers Ricky and Jordan Taylor, Max “The Ax” Angelelli and Jeff Gordon, and especially for team owner Wayne Taylor, was “unfinished business.”

After the team turned in a trouble-free performance for the fifth consecutive year at this weekend’s renewal of the traditional IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener, the Taylor brothers, the veteran Italian Angelelli and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Gordon were able to seal the deal this time, albeit by surviving a wild sprint to the finish Sunday, in scoring an emotional Rolex 24 victory in numerous respects. Call it “business finished.” Continue reading

Gordon Readies for Racing Return, Aiming for Elusive Rolex 24 Victory

Jeff Gordon (R) and Jordan Taylor stand in the garage with the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team during an IMSA test session at Daytona International Speedway on December 13, 2016
Photo – Courtesy of DIS

Jeff Gordon doesn’t just pay attention to details.

He’s a details hound – meticulous, precise – even for a guy who’s retired.

“I never said I was retiring,” Gordon said.

That was a big detail to remember Friday as Gordon drove a sleek, new Cadillac prototype on a sun-drenched Daytona International Speedway.

He turned laps on the road course in preparation for the upcoming Rolex 24, the twice-around-the-clock pinnacle of American sports car racing. The race isn’t until January 28-29, but Gordon needs all of the track time he can get right now. Continue reading