WTR Andretti prepares for Acura’s home race at Long Beach

There are only two classes competing in Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. But Wayne Taylor Racing and Andretti will be fielding cars in each class.

Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac winners, the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06, will be joined by the familiar No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura in the GTP class. The team will be represented in the GTD class by the number 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini HuracÃ¡n GT3 EVO2.

It’s Acura’s home race, which Wayne Taylor said is something his two GTP teams are well aware of.

“I think the guys have really focused this year because it’s really important for Acura and HRC (Honda Racing Organization) to be their event,” he said. â€œI am also excited because this is the first time we are running two cars in Long Beach. We are leaders together in the championship with Penske. The approach will be very important, and I feel good about our driver line-up, feel good about the team and already satisfied with the victory for Acura and HRC.â€

The No. 10 Acura was in a good position to fight for the win last year, but a late incident on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn road circuit cost them a chance at victory. Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque will be behind the wheel once again and have five wins at Long Beach between them.

â€œI just hope that me and Ricky can fight for the win again and see where we come from,â€ Albuquerque said. â€œWTRandretti had a good setup last year so let’s try it again. The team is coming off a win at Sebring, so the motivation is high from everyone to get a win for Acura, HRC and Konica Minolta.â

The No. 40 car shares the season lead with the No. 7 Porsche Penske and is riding a wave of momentum after the win at Sebring. Louis DelÃ©traz, who brought the car home in first place at Sebring, is making his Long Beach debut.

â€œI am very excited about Long Beach,â€ DelÃ©traz said. â€œIt will be my first time on this track and from what I hear it will be an amazing experience. It is the first race of the 2024 race and we will continue with the same approach as we started the year. The Acura ARX-06 looked great in 2023 and I can’t wait to be back with the WTRAndretti boys and girls with our number 40 DEX Imaging Acura GTP.â

In the GTD car, driver Danny Formal is making his Long Beach debut, which co-driver Kyle Marcelli has raced on the road course in previous seasons.

â€œThis will open our eyes to see how competitive we will be in GTD,â€ said Wayne Taylor. â€œI know the guys are working hard to get the car ready and I think having Kyle and Danny is probably the strongest lineup. Obviously, this is different from endurance racing, so let’s wait and see. I know we have a great team, two great drivers and great strategists, so I think we can have a lot of success in Long Beach.â€

The cars will take to the track for practice and qualifying on Friday, with Saturday’s race scheduled for 4:35 p.m. The race will be televised on the USA Network and Peacock.