Jordan Taylor To Co-Drive with Max Angelelli

Jordan Taylor, the 21-year-old two-time winner in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, has joined Wayne Taylor Racing as new full-time co-driver with Italian veteran and 2005 series champion Max Angelelli behind the wheel of the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette Dallara DP for the 2013 season.

Taylor scored GT-class victories each of the past two seasons in the Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R and is a veteran of 44 starts in various GT-class cars and Daytona Prototypes since his Rolex Series debut in 2008. He replaces his older brother Ricky, who after three seasons as Angelelli’s co-driver in the No. 10 Corvette DP recently signed to co-drive the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP with British veteran Richard Westbrook.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that this opportunity has opened up for my younger son Jordan after Ricky enjoyed such a successful three-year run alongside Max for the past three seasons," said team owner and three-time sports car racing champion Wayne Taylor. “As was the case with Ricky when the opportunity came along for him three years ago, Jordan has proven his ability as a championship-caliber driver for the past five seasons. And, as everybody knows, contending for championships is absolutely what this organization has been all about since we started doing this back in 2004.

“Max has remained the constant in the driver’s seat since this program started," Taylor continued. “He has also helped shape and mold both of my sons into fierce competitors and has had a tremendous influence on their lives both on and off the racetrack. It will be special to now see Jordan get to work directly with Max as his teammate. And while I’m happy for the new opportunity that has come along for Ricky, I’m sad to see him go at the same time. But it’s going to be a great to see both of my sons race in the DP class full-time."

In addition to his 2011 win at Virginia International Raceway in Alton and his 2012 win in the inaugural Belle Isle Street Circuit event in Detroit, Jordan Taylor has seven podium finishes and has qualified on the pole six times in his 44 Rolex Series starts. He also co-drove a Chevrolet Corvette C6.R ZR1 with veteran Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia at this year’s 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans, and will again this coming weekend in the American Le Mans Series season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

“Jordan has certainly proven he is one of the hottest young American drivers in sports car racing and we are looking forward to seeing him alongside Max Angelelli as they chase the 2013 Rolex Series championship in the No. 10 Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype," said Mark Kent, Director of Racing for Chevrolet. “Jordan brings a wealth of experience to the No. 10 team and is a tremendous competitor. We are confident Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli will be a threat to win every time they hit the track. Wayne Taylor Racing is a championship-winning organization that is extremely hungry to finish back on top."

“I’m excited, for sure," Jordan Taylor said. “I’ve followed the team, obviously, my whole career with my dad, and Max being like a brother or a second dad and mentor to me, too. It’ll be cool to drive with Max and have my dad right there. It’s a great team that has won a lot of races and a championship, and it has been in the championship hunt pretty much every year. It might take just a little time to get accustomed to the Corvette Dallara package. I got to drive the car in testing at Indy last summer, and I got to race the Action Express Corvette DP at Watkins Glen, so I have a pretty good handle on what the current DP feels like. I’m optimistic for all these reasons. It’s going to be a fresh start to a new year and I’m really glad to have this opportunity and plan to make the most of it."