As the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series came to Road Atlanta it was bringing to the end an important transitional year for the growing series. The championship would be bestowed for the first of the new Daytona Prototype International (DPi) class and the end of the Prototype Challenge (PC) class. It would also see the first appearance of Team Penske in this new class. Well known by now is the reality that Team Penske has partnered with Acura to field two new Acura ARX-05 DPi entries. With Penske and many others joining the series next year, the Dpi class will experience significant growth. How many racing series can make this statement in today’s world?
The Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) Konica Minolta Cadillac Dpi-V.R team had all but clinched the 2017 DPi title before arriving at Road Atlanta with only having to take the green flag to become the champions. Considering there were practices to run and qualifying, the risk was always lying around the corner. Like all the teams, WTR has no “spare” car, so any contact with another car, wall, etc. could cost them the championship. There was no one that was happier than the team owner, Wayne Taylor, when the car took the green flag.
Next year with the new teams and the new partnership of Mazda with Team Joest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series will clearly become a part of more race fans weekend schedule.
*Photos Courtesy of Ed Justice, Jr.
