Wright Motorsports

File:GT3 Cup (8108805497).jpg in 2012]]

Wright Motorsports was founded in 2000 by John Wright.

In 2015, Wright Motorsports joined the then named United SportsCar Championship. The team fielded a Porsche 911 GT America in the GTD class for Jan Heylen and Madison Snow. Patrick Dempsey and Philipp Eng would join Heylen and Snow at the season opening 2015 24 Hours of Daytona. Their best result would come in Daytona where they would finish third in class.

After a three-year hiatus, the team returned to the series for the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2017-12-09 |title=Long, Nielsen Confirmed in Wright Porsche GTD Effort – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/nielsen-long-confirmed-in-wright-porsche-for-gtd-effort/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} They signed Patrick Long and Christina Nielsen to drive their No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Robert Renauer and Matheiu Jaminet would join for the Patron North American Endurance Cup events.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2017-12-27 |title=Jaminet, Renauer Complete Wright Porsche Lineup for Daytona – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/jaminet-renauer-complete-wright-porsche-lineup-for-daytona/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} The team also entered a second Porsche, the No. 16, Wolf Henzler and Michael Schein at Mid-Ohio, Detroit, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2018-04-23 |title=Wright Confirms Second Porsche for Henzler, Schein – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-second-porsche-for-henzler-schein/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} At Road America, the team got their second pole position in a row and went on to get their first win in the championship. They would finish sixth in the GTD class of the championship.

Wright Motorsports would not contest the full 2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship, however, they would return to the series at Lime Rock Park once again fielding a Porsche 911 GT3 R.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2019-07-09 |title=Wright Confirms GTD Return for Lime Rock, Road America – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-gtd-return-for-lime-rock-road-america/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} The team signed Anthony Imperato, Matt Campbell, and Dennis Olsen. Imperato and Olsen would return to the team to compete in the next round at Road America.

For the 2020 season, Wright Motorsports would return to field the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD class for Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2019-12-20 |title=Wright Confirms Single-Car Porsche GTD Effort for Daytona – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-single-car-porsche-gtd-effort-for-daytona/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Klaus Bachler and Anthony Imperato would complete the team's lineup at Daytona for the 24 Hours of Daytona. The team would secure a fourth place finish in GTD at Daytona. Jan Heylen would return to the team for the remainder of the Michelin Endurance Cup. At the final race of the season at Sebring, they would start on pole position and go on to win their first and only win of that season.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-15 |title=Porsche 911 RSR scores one-two victory, Wright Motorsports takes class win |url=https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2020/motorsports/porsche-imsa-weathertech-sportscar-championship-round-11-sebring-usa-22812.html |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=Porsche Newsroom |language=en}} The No. 16 would finish second in the GTD teams championship behind the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian entry.

In December 2020, Wright Motorsports announced that they would field the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R for Patrick Long and Ryan Hardwick in the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2020-12-17 |title=Wright Confirms Long, Hardwick for 2021 – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-long-hardwick-for-2021/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Hardwick sustained a concussion after a crash competing in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. As a result, the team replaced Hardwick for Trent Hindman.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2021-01-28 |title=Hindman to Replace Hardwick in Wright Porsche After Accident – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/hindman-to-replace-hardwick-in-wright-porsche/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Jan Heylen and Klaus Bachler would return to the team for the 24 Hours of Daytona. Hindman would remain with the team for the second round at Sebring as Hardwick elected to sit out for safety reasons.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2021-03-16 |title=Hindman to Again Sub for Hardwick at Sebring – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/hindman-to-again-sub-for-hardwick-at-sebring/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Hardwick would make his team debut at Mid-Ohio, however that would be his only start during the season. Long, Hindman, and Heylen continued with the team for the rest of the season. Despite not competing at every round of the championship, the team still finished fourth in the GTD class.

File:Very nice (52473795975).jpg at the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Weekend]]

After winning the 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge, Wright Motorsports elected to bring the entire driver lineup that season up to the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship.{{Cite web |last=Motorsports |first=Wright |date=2021-12-07 |title=Wright Motorsports Ready to Return to IMSA GTD as Champions |url=https://www.wrightmotorsports.com/post/wright-motorsports-ready-to-return-to-imsa-gtd-as-champions |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=wrightmotorsports |language=en}} Their lineup consisted of Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, and Zacharie Robichon. Richard Lietz would join the team for the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-07 |title=Wright completes Rolex 24 roster with Porsche ace Lietz |url=https://racer.com/2022/01/07/wright-completes-rolex-24-roster-with-porsche-ace-lietz/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=RACER |language=en-US}} The No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R qualified 11th for the opening race at Daytona, but the team went on to win the race in the GTD class, securing their first ever win at the 24 Hours of Daytona.{{Cite web |last=Motorsports |first=Wright |date=2022-01-31 |title=The Wright Win: Wright Motorsports Clinches Victory at Rolex 24 At Daytona |url=https://www.wrightmotorsports.com/post/the-wright-win-wright-motorsports-clinches-victory-at-rolex-24-at-daytona |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=wrightmotorsports |language=en}} The No. 16 got its second win of the year at Laguna Seca.{{Cite web |last=Motorsports |first=Wright |date=2022-05-02 |title=Wright Motorsports Returns Victorious to Podium, Reclaims WeatherTech Points Lead |url=https://www.wrightmotorsports.com/post/wright-motorsports-returns-victorious-to-podium-reclaims-weathertech-points-lead |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=wrightmotorsports |language=en}} Wright Motorsports was in a tight battle for the championship in GTD with the Heart of Racing Team all season. The No. 16 ultimately came up short, finishing second in the championship, just 23 points shy of the title. The No. 16 would have most likely won the championship had they not missed the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Following a successful season in 2022, the team expanded to a two car effort for 2023 in the GTD class.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2022-11-26 |title=Hardwick Selects Proton, Porsche for Le Mans Debut – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/hardwick-choses-proton-porsche-for-le-mans-debut/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2022-09-30 |title=GS Champions Hindman, Brynjolfsson Set for Move to GTD – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/gs-champs-hindman-brynjolfsson-set-for-move-to-gtd/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Hardwick, Heylen, and Robichon would all remain in the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). For the second entry, Wright Motorsports partnered with Volt Racing to field the No. 77 for Alan Brynjolfsson, Trent Hindman, and Maxwell Root. Dennis Olsen and Kévin Estre joined the Nos. 16 and 77 respectively for the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2022-12-14 |title=No. 16 Wright Porsche Returns to Defend Rolex 24 GTD Victory – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-returns-to-defend-rolex-24-gtd-victory/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2022-12-09 |title=Estre, Root Complete Wright VOLT Lineup for Daytona – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/estre-root-to-complete-wright-volt-lineup-for-daytona/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} The No. 77 would finish 8th in the GTD team's championship while the No. 16 finished 17th due to only starting four races that season.

The team overhauled its lineup for the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship, bringing in GT World Challenge America duo Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer to pilot the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) at the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds.{{Cite web |last=Euwema |first=Davey |date=2023-12-13 |title=Adelson, Skeer Set for Endurance Cup With Wright – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/adelson-skeer-step-up-to-endurance-cup-with-wright/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}} Jan Heylen would join Adelson and Skeer at select races during the season, and Porsche factory driver Frédéric Makowiecki joined the team at Daytona. For the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona, Wright Motorsports partnered with Apple Original Films and film director Joseph Kosinski to be a part of the upcoming F1 film starring Brad Pitt.{{Cite web |last=Dagys |first=John |date=2024-01-18 |title=Brad Pitt F1 Movie Filming Set for Rolex 24 in Wright Porsches – Sportscar365 |url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/brad-pitt-f1-movie-filming-set-for-rolex-24/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=sportscar365.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Daytona Paddock Hosts Brad Pitt Movie Crew & Cars |url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/01/19/daytona-paddock-hosts-brad-pitt-movie-crew-and-cars.html |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=www.dailysportscar.com}} The No. 120 was decked out in a one-off livery with GEICO and Peak Antifreeze sponsorship logos of the fictional Chip Hart Racing team from the film. Filming cars were provided with fictional names from the film on the car; Sonny Hayes (Pitt), "C. Kelso", and former Porsche factory driver Patrick Long. The actual No. 120 had the real drivers' names on the car. In the second race at Sebring, the team would finish on the podium in third.{{Cite web |last=Motorsports |first=Wright |date=2024-03-17 |title=RECAP: Wright Motorsports Demonstrates Tenacity with Sebring 12 Hour Podium Finish |url=https://www.wrightmotorsports.com/post/wright-motorsports-demonstrates-tenacity-with-sebring-12-hour-podium-finish |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=wrightmotorsports |language=en}} This marked Adelson's and Skeer's first podium in the championship.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

* Season still in progress.

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website|http://www.wrightmotorsports.com/|Official Wright Motorsports website}}

{{IMSA GTD teams|state=collapsed}}

Category:American auto racing teams

Category:Auto racing teams established in 2012

Category:WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams