Ricky Taylor

Ricky Taylor Bio

Ricky Scott Taylor is an American professional racing driver best known for his success in endurance sports car racing. He competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, primarily in the premier Prototype class, and has become one of the most consistent winners in the series. Over the course of his career, Taylor has collected major endurance victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans, along with two IMSA championships.

Born on August 3, 1989, Taylor carries a famous racing surname and has built a reputation as a fast, methodical Prototype pilot. He drives the No. 10 car for Wayne Taylor Racing and has spent the bulk of his career associated with Cadillac, Acura, and Chevrolet-powered Daytona Prototypes.

Early Life and Background

Ricky Taylor was born in Surrey, England, but grew up in Florida, where his family settled after his father, Wayne Taylor, finished his own driving career in the IMSA GT Championship during the 1990s. The Taylor household revolved around racing, and Ricky and his younger brother, Jordan Taylor, were exposed to the sport from an early age. Both brothers eventually followed their father into professional sports car competition.

Taylor began his racing career in karting before moving into open-wheel formula cars. In 2006, he won the Skip Barber Southern series, a single-seater school championship that helped launch his path toward prototype racing. The following year, he finished as runner-up in the Skip Barber National series, sharpening the race craft that would later define his career in the United States sports car scene.

Path to NASCAR

Ricky Taylor does not have a documented career path in NASCAR. His professional experience is rooted in sports car and endurance racing, including the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Because there is no verifiable record of NASCAR participation, this section is limited to his transition into the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, where he made his major-league debut.

Ricky Taylor Career

Early Career (2008-2009)

Taylor made his major endurance debut at the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona, driving a Riley-Pontiac for his father’s Wayne Taylor Racing team in the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype class. Sharing the car with Max Angelelli, Michael Valiante, and his father Wayne Taylor, he finished fifth. He then contested additional rounds with the Beyer and Doran teams during the 2008 season, gaining valuable seat time in Riley-Pontiac and Dallara-Ford prototypes.

In 2009, Taylor became a regular driver for the Beyer team, campaigning a Riley-Pontiac and later a Riley-Chevrolet in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He posted a fourth, an eighth, and a ninth-place finish in the closing races of the year, ending 18th in the Daytona Prototype class standings.

Wayne Taylor Racing and Spirit of Daytona (2010-2013)

Wayne Taylor hired his son Ricky to contest the 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series full season alongside Max Angelelli in a Dallara-Ford. Taylor captured one win and seven podiums, took sixth place in the 24 Hours of Daytona, and finished runner-up in the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship. He repeated that runner-up result in 2011, this time scoring three wins, including the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, and eight podiums in a Dallara-Chevrolet.

In 2012, Taylor adapted to the new Chevrolet Corvette DP platform, recording three wins and seven top-five finishes in 12 starts and placing seventh in the driver standings. He also made a one-off appearance at the 2012 Armor All Gold Coast 600 in the V8 Supercars series with Garry Rogers Motorsport, an outing cut short by a frightening opening-lap rollover. Moving to Spirit of Daytona Racing in 2013, he teamed with Richard Westbrook, scoring a podium and several top-six finishes, and added a class fifth place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Larbre Competition in a Chevrolet Corvette.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Breakthrough (2014-2017)

The merger of Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series created the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2014, and Taylor debuted in the new series with Wayne Taylor Racing. He finished second in the 2014 24 Hours of Daytona and was a regular Prototype contender throughout the early years of the unified championship. His steady pace and ability to manage traffic, fuel, and tire wear made him a fixture on the podium.

The 2017 season marked Taylor’s breakthrough. Driving for Wayne Taylor Racing alongside his brother Jordan, he won five races and captured the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype drivers’ title. The championship cemented his reputation as one of the top prototype drivers in North America.

Acura Team Penske (2018-2020)

For the 2018 season, Taylor left his father’s team to join the newly formed Acura Team Penske Prototype program, pairing with Hélio Castroneves in the Acura ARX-05. The move paired Taylor with one of the most experienced endurance drivers in the world and gave him access to Roger Penske’s resources. The duo quickly developed into a front-running combination.

In 2020, Taylor and Castroneves won the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the DPi class, adding a second IMSA Prototype title to Taylor’s resume. The title was decided at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where an eighth-place finish was enough to clinch the crown.

Wayne Taylor Racing Era (2021-Present)

Following the 2020 season, Taylor returned to his father’s team, Wayne Taylor Racing, bringing championship experience and continuity to the program. He continued to drive a Cadillac-powered prototype carrying the No. 10, a number long associated with the Taylor family organization. The reunion paired him with co-drivers who shared his focus on endurance success.

Over the seasons since his return, Taylor has added to his victory list and remained a regular contender in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans. The Wayne Taylor Racing entry has remained a benchmark team in the Prototype ranks.

Driving Style and Strengths

Taylor is regarded as a smooth, calculating Prototype driver who excels at multi-class traffic management and long stints on fuel and tires. His ability to conserve equipment over long runs makes him especially effective in endurance events like the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Teammates and rivals alike note his consistency, which has translated into podiums and championships across multiple regulations and manufacturers.

Notable Races and Milestones

Among Taylor’s most significant results are his 2017 and 2020 IMSA Prototype championships, his overall wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, and his victory at Petit Le Mans. He has also finished second in the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype standings in both 2010 and 2011, establishing himself as a top contender before the IMSA merger.

Ricky Taylor Career Wins

Across the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and associated endurance events, Ricky Taylor has built a long and decorated Prototype win list. His two IMSA Prototype titles and marquee endurance victories underline his standing as one of the top American prototype drivers of his generation.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Highlights

Taylor’s IMSA career includes 25 victories, 56 podium finishes, and 25 pole positions in 122 series starts, along with two Prototype championships in 2017 and 2020. His first major prototype championship came in 2017 with Wayne Taylor Racing, and he added a second title in 2020 with Acura Team Penske. He has scored major endurance wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond his IMSA program, Taylor has logged endurance results at international events, including a class fifth place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Larbre Competition. He has also represented Wayne Taylor Racing in regional and invitational endurance events, extending his prototype experience across different series and continents.

Ricky Taylor Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Ricky Taylor comes from one of North America’s most recognizable sports car families. His father, Wayne Taylor, was a professional driver in the IMSA GT Championship during the 1990s and later became a successful team owner at Wayne Taylor Racing. Ricky’s brother, Jordan Taylor, is also a prototype driver, and the two brothers won the 2017 IMSA Prototype championship together.

Personal Life

Taylor grew up in Florida and continues to be based in the United States, where he competes full time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He is active on social media and remains closely tied to his family-run racing organization.

2025 Season Performance

Ricky Taylor’s 2025 campaign is built around the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Prototype. The team entered the season as one of the established front-runners in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with Taylor sharing the car with co-drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Alexander Rossi. The combination of Taylor’s experience, Albuquerque’s prototype pedigree, and Rossi’s road-course background has made the entry a consistent threat in both sprint rounds and the longer endurance events.

Taylor and his teammates have continued to feature heavily at the front of the Prototype field, with strong qualifying pace and podium finishes across the early rounds. The 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans remain the centerpiece events of the calendar, and Taylor’s record at each of those races makes the team a regular contender for overall honors. The No. 10 car has been a fixture in the championship conversation throughout the season.

With the Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 powerplant under the hood and a deep, experienced engineering group supporting the program, Wayne Taylor Racing enters every round capable of winning. Taylor’s focus on clean execution, smart pit strategy, and reliable long-run pace keeps the team in title contention, and the broader outlook for the rest of the season is positive given the strength of the driver lineup and the organization’s history of closing out championships.