IMSA Mid-Ohio results: Ricky Taylor took the lead after contact with Renger van der Zande as the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura outdueled the No. 01 Cadillac of Chip Ganassi Racing in the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Taylor and co-driver Filipe Albuquerque delivered a second consecutive victory in the DPi category Sunday in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series for WTR, which won two weeks ago at Laguna Seca.
“I just felt the touch and tried to give him room,” Taylor told NBC Sports’ Parker Kligerman. “I don’t know what happened. The whole Konica Minolta Acura team just executing at a track where we need to get everything right. They just nailed it.
RESULTS: Click here for overall finishing order l Click here for the class breakdown
POINTS: Standings after Mid-Ohio
“I think the great teams always find a way to win. We may not have been the fastest in qualifying, and I think that goes to show how strong our team is that we find a way no matter what.”
Life is good with a great teammate. Victory and the championship lead. 🔥👊🏻 #IMSA #IMSAatMO pic.twitter.com/WS998K3xiW
— Ricky Taylor (@RickyTaylorRace) May 15, 2022
Starting at the start when Albuquerque got the jump on pole-sitter Sebastien Bourdais, the No. 10 and No. 01 traded the lead four times. Bourdais bumped his way past Albuquerque back into the lead on Lap 10, but Taylor led 51 of the final 56 laps as van der Zande faded to fifth.
“I think Seb did a fantastic job putting it in the lead,” van der Zande said. “When I got in I struggled with the tires on the restart. I tried to keep the position in first but lost control of the car by a little touch. It’s tough to keep a fast car behind when dealing with low grip. It’s a shame. I think we had a good shot at winning with a good car and a good strategy.”
Bourdais and van der Zande led a race-high 61 of 121 laps.
“What were you stressing about before the race Ricky? You really know how to do Mid-Ohio.” - Team to RT as he made his way to victory lane 🏁 #ReshapeWork // #KMSports pic.twitter.com/eWNUj91Rbl
— Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport (@WayneTaylorRcng) May 15, 2022
It was the 47th career win for Wayne Taylor Racing and its second at Mid-Ohio, where Acuras have won five consecutive. Taylor earned his fourth Mid-Ohio victory and 29th of his career, and Albuquerque scored his 10th career win and second at Mid-Ohio.
The No. 10 moved into the points lead with the victory as the No. 60 Acura of Meyer Shank Racing took second, and the No. 31 Cadillac of Action Express rounded out the podium.
A rundown of winners in other categories:
LMP2
A day after racing in the IndyCar race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Juan Pablo Montoya scored his first victory in the No. 81 ORECA LMP2 07 for Dragonspeed with co-driver Henrik Hedman.
Montoya rebounded to take the lead after serving a drive-through penalty for an earlier pass into first.
” I saw an opportunity and went for it,” Montoya told NBC Sports’ Brian Till after his seventh career IMSA win (second at Mid-Ohio).
LMP3
The No. 54 Ligier JS P320 earned CORE Autosport’s first victory of the season and 43rd in IMSA. It was the first victory at Mid-Ohio for co-drivers Jon Bennett (19th career win) and Colin Braun (21st career win).
GTD
The No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 of Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley was awarded the class victory after a postrace inspection failure.
The No. 70 McLaren 720S GT3 of inception racing was ruled underweight after taking the checkered flag for the first time in its sixth IMSA start. Co-drivers Brendan Iribe and Jordan Pepper also were on the verge of their first IMSA wins as the team stretched its final fuel stint for 56 laps.
STATS PACKAGE FOR IMSA LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO:
Fastest laps by driver after race (over the weekend)
Fastest laps by driver and class after race
NEXT: The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will head to the Detroit Grand Prix for a 100-minute sprint at 3 p.m. ET on June 4 with coverage on USA and Peacock.
