Ricky Taylor

Ricky Taylor Bio

Ricky Scott Taylor (born August 3, 1989) is an American professional racing driver best known for his accomplishments in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He is a two-time series champion, having won the Prototype class title in both 2017 and 2020, and has captured marquee endurance victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans. Taylor drives the number 10 Acura ARX-05 for Wayne Taylor Racing, the team founded by his father, Wayne Taylor.

Born in Surrey, England, Taylor moved to Florida as a child, where he was immersed in the sport through his father’s successful IMSA GT Championship career throughout the 1990s. His younger brother, Jordan Taylor, is also a professional racing driver, and the two have been teammates and championship partners at key moments in their careers. Ricky Taylor is one of the most recognizable and accomplished figures in modern North American sports car racing, with a racing résumé that spans more than a decade at the sport’s highest levels.

Early Life and Background

Ricky Scott Taylor was born on August 3, 1989, in Surrey, England, United Kingdom, and holds American nationality. He grew up in Florida alongside his brother Jordan, immersed in a racing environment shaped by their father Wayne Taylor, who competed in the IMSA GT Championship during the 1990s. Wayne Taylor later founded Wayne Taylor Racing, which would become Ricky’s professional home for much of his career. The Taylor household revolved around motorsport, giving both brothers early and sustained exposure to professional racing culture, tracks, and machinery.

Before turning professional, Taylor built his credentials through the karting ranks and then the Skip Barber Racing School ladder. In 2006, he was crowned series champion of Skip Barber Southern, and in 2007 he finished as runner-up in the Skip Barber National championship. These results demonstrated the speed and consistency that would define his career and attracted the attention of teams competing in top North American sports car series. Taylor’s transition from single-seater formula cars to prototype endurance racing reflected the natural path many American sports car drivers have followed, though his jump to the Rolex 24 at Daytona came remarkably early.

Path to Sports Car Racing

Taylor made his Rolex 24 at Daytona debut in 2008 at just 18 years old, driving a Riley-Pontiac Daytona Prototype for Wayne Taylor Racing. He finished fifth overall alongside Max Angelelli, Michael Valiante, and his father Wayne Taylor in his first 24-hour endurance race. The result was an impressive introduction to one of the most challenging races in the world. Later that same year, he competed in the Virginia round of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series with the Beyer team and drove for Doran Racing in the final six races of the season in a Dallara-Ford, earning another fifth-place finish alongside Burt Frisselle.

In 2009, Taylor became a full-time Daytona Prototype driver for Beyer Racing in the Grand-Am series, piloting both a Riley-Pontiac and a Riley-Chevrolet throughout the season. He recorded a fourth-place finish, an eighth, and a ninth in the final three races, finishing 18th in the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship. The 2010 season marked a major step forward: Wayne Taylor Racing hired Ricky full-time alongside Max Angelelli in a Dallara-Ford, and the duo captured one race win and seven podium finishes together, ultimately finishing as runner-up in the Daytona Prototype class championship behind Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas. Taylor backed up that performance with another runner-up championship finish in 2011, earning three race victories including a win at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen and eight podium finishes overall, and also secured a fifth-place finish in the Rolex 24 that year. Through 2010 and 2011 alone, Taylor accumulated seven Grand-Am Daytona Prototype class victories and twenty podium finishes, firmly establishing himself as one of the series’ elite competitors.

Ricky Taylor Career

Early Career (2008–2013)

Taylor’s early professional career was defined by steady progression through the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class, where he competed for Wayne Taylor Racing, Beyer Racing, and Spirit of Daytona Racing between 2008 and 2013. He drove alongside experienced co-drivers including Max Angelelli, Andy Wallace, and Richard Westbrook, gaining valuable endurance and prototype experience. In 2012, Taylor adopted the Chevrolet Corvette DP and recorded three race wins and seven top-five finishes in twelve starts, finishing seventh in the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship and fifth among teams. That same year, he made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut with Larbre Competition in the GTE-Am class, driving a Chevrolet Corvette to a fifth-place finish.

In 2013, Taylor drove full-time for Spirit of Daytona Racing in the Daytona Prototype class, sharing the car with Richard Westbrook. He earned one podium and consistently finished in the top six, ultimately placing 11th in the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship and eighth among teams. The 2013 season marked the final year of the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype era before the series merged with the American Le Mans Series to form the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and Taylor had firmly established himself as a driver ready for the sport’s new unified national stage.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Breakthrough (2014–2017)

With the formation of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2014, Ricky Taylor transitioned into the new unified prototype class alongside his brother Jordan, and together they emerged as one of the series’ most formidable pairings. Driving for Wayne Taylor Racing in the Corvette Daytona Prototype and later the Cadillac DPi-V.R, Taylor steadily climbed the championship standings while racking up wins at some of the sport’s most prestigious events. The 2017 season proved to be the defining year of his career to that point. Ricky and Jordan Taylor dominated the Prototype class of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, combining for five race victories and ultimately claiming the Drivers’ Championship together. That season also produced marquee wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans, establishing Ricky Taylor as one of the premier sports car racers in North America and confirming the Taylor family’s continued legacy at the top level of American motorsport.

Acura Team Penske Era (2018–2020)

In a significant career move, Ricky Taylor left Wayne Taylor Racing ahead of the 2018 season to join Roger Penske’s new Acura program, fielding the ARX-05 Daytona Prototype international alongside Hélio Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the most decorated drivers in open-wheel history. The pairing of Taylor’s sports car endurance expertise with Castroneves’s star power and racecraft quickly developed into a championship-caliber combination. Over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Acura Team Penske entry consistently ran at the front of the Prototype class field. In 2020, Taylor and Castroneves broke through to win the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi Drivers’ Championship, clinching the title despite an eighth-place finish at the season finale at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The championship marked Taylor’s second Prototype class title in four seasons and validated his decision to join one of the most prestigious names in motorsport.

Wayne Taylor Racing Era (2021–Present)

Ricky Taylor returned to Wayne Taylor Racing in 2021, reuniting with the team his father founded and re-joining the Cadillac DPi-V.R program. His return brought championship-winning experience back to WTR and reconnected him with the organization that gave him his professional start. Taylor drives the number 10 Acura-powered Cadillac alongside co-driver Filipe Albuquerque, and the team has continued to compete at the front of the IMSA Prototype class, targeting wins at the sport’s biggest events. Taylor’s second stint with Wayne Taylor Racing represents a homecoming of sorts, blending his early development roots with the refined craft of a two-time champion.

Driving Style and Strengths

Taylor has built his reputation on exceptional racecraft, stamina, and consistency across the full spectrum of prototype endurance racing, from sprint races to 24-hour marathons. His success in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans highlights his proficiency on diverse track types and under varying conditions. Taylor’s ability to work effectively with a range of co-drivers — from his brother Jordan to Hélio Castroneves and Filipe Albuquerque — reflects strong adaptability and professionalism in the multi-driver endurance format. His long-running relationship with Wayne Taylor Racing, combined with stints at Acura Team Penske, has given him exposure to different engineering philosophies and team structures, making him one of the more versatile prototype drivers in the paddock.

Notable Races and Milestones

Taylor’s career is highlighted by a Rolex 24 at Daytona victory, a 12 Hours of Sebring win, and a Petit Le Mans triumph, three of the most prestigious events in North American sports car racing. He became a two-time WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype class champion in 2017 and 2020, a rare accomplishment that underscores sustained excellence across different teams and co-driver pairings. A fifth-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012, driving for Larbre Competition in the GTE-Am class, demonstrated that his abilities translated to the world’s most famous endurance race. These results collectively place Taylor among the most accomplished sports car drivers of his generation.

Ricky Taylor Career Wins

Ricky Taylor’s career wins span multiple series and more than a decade of competition at the highest levels of sports car racing. He captured seven Daytona Prototype class victories in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series between 2010 and 2012, and added five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race wins during his championship 2017 Prototype class season. His marquee endurance victories include the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans, cementing his status as one of the most accomplished endurance racers in North American motorsport.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Highlights

Taylor’s 2017 IMSA season with Wayne Taylor Racing stands as the most dominant stretch of his career. Partnering with his brother Jordan Taylor in the Cadillac DPi-V.R, the duo won five races and captured the Prototype class Drivers’ Championship, adding marquee victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans to their résumé that year. Taylor won a second Prototype class Drivers’ Championship in 2020 with Acura Team Penske, driving the ARX-05 alongside Hélio Castroneves. The championship was secured at the season finale at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where an eighth-place finish was nonetheless enough to clinch the title.

Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Highlights

In the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class, Taylor recorded seven race wins and twenty podium finishes between 2010 and 2013. He was runner-up in the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship in both 2010 and 2011, narrowly missing the title both times to the pairing of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, who combined for nine victories across those two seasons. Taylor also secured a fifth-place finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2008, 2011, and 2013, and finished second in the 2014 edition of the race.

Ricky Taylor Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Ricky Taylor comes from one of the most prominent racing families in North American sports car racing. His father, Wayne Taylor, was a professional driver in the IMSA GT Championship during the 1990s and later founded Wayne Taylor Racing, which became the backbone of Ricky’s professional career. Ricky and his brother Jordan Taylor both grew up in Florida surrounded by the sport, and both followed their father into professional racing. The Taylor family’s influence on IMSA sports car racing spans multiple decades, with Wayne’s driving and team ownership career providing the foundation for his sons’ accomplishments.

Personal Life

Ricky Taylor maintains a public presence through social media, with active accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram under the handle @rickytaylorrace. He has competed professionally across multiple continents, including a notable foray into V8 Supercars at the 2012 Armor All Gold Coast 600 in Australia, where he drove a Holden VE Commodore for Garry Rogers Motorsport alongside Greg Ritter. Taylor was born in Surrey, England, and holds American nationality, and he maintains strong ties to the motorsport community through his ongoing competition in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with his father’s team.