WTR and Racers Edge Motorsports announce GTD Endurance plans

 Harrison Contracting Company is proud to announce their title sponsorship with the No. 93 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup. Through its partnership with Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR), the Harrison Contracting Company’s red Acura will be operated by Racers Edge Motorsports in the four most prestigious endurance racing events in North America—the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen and MOTUL Petit Le Mans. Ashton Harrison, Kyle Marcelli and Daniel Formal will pilot the GTD class entry, with decorated sports car driver Ryan Briscoe joining the lineup at Daytona.

With this program announcement, Harrison Contracting Company is expanding their presence in America’s pinnacle sports car series supported by Wayne Taylor Racing, who fields the championship-winning No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 in the new GTP LMDh prototype class. With a signature red Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 on the grid for every Endurance Cup event for the first time, they will be treating partners to world-class hospitality and B2B at some of the most exciting motorsports events on earth throughout the year.

Ashton Harrison is a four-year veteran of IMSA’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America sports car series with WTR. Accompanied by 2023 teammate Marcelli, she made her pinnacle endurance event debut with Acura, Racers Edge and WTR at the Twelve Hours of Sebring last year, finishing in the top 10 of the GTD PRO class. In addition, she became the first woman to win a championship in any category of GT World Challenge America. Harrison will look to take the momentum from her 2022 SRO title success with the Acura NSX platform to IMSA’s top category.

Marcelli and Formal are the reigning 2022 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America PRO class Drivers’ Champions, having won the title with WTR. Marcelli has a wealth of experience at the WeatherTech and Michelin Pilot Challenge level of IMSA competition—a champion in the latter. Similarly, Formal has achieved extensive karting championships and has experience in GT racing. All three drivers, teammates within WTR, are keen to synergize in the continent’s top sports car series. Joining the stellar line-up for the Rolex 24 will be Australian-American driver Ryan Briscoe. The INDYCAR race-winner and sports car champion won a title with Ford’s legendary GT program in the late 2010’s, before conquering the Rolex in a WTR DPi in 2020.  

Ashton Harrison can’t wait for the 2023 season to get going! 

“I’m thrilled to be back in the IMSA paddock with the full Endurance Cup schedule alongside Harrison Contracting and Wayne Taylor Racing,” said Harrison. “It’s also very exciting to have Racers Edge back with us to tackle the season. Getting the opportunity to share our red Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 with my WTR teammates Kyle and Danny for a full season is going to be a hoot and having Ryan Briscoe join us as our fourth driver for the Rolex is very exciting. His experience and success in IMSA and at the Rolex speaks for itself. He’s a great addition to our team. We all have a great working relationship with Wayne Taylor Racing and Racers Edge and have high expectations for each other and the team going into the opening rounds at the Roar and Rolex.”

Harrison Contracting Company owners, CEO Calvin Pate and COO Chris Murphy, added their enthusiasm about this historic opportunity for the company.

“Much like Harrison Contracting, Ashton and her teammates have proven that the keys to success are being (R)eliable, continuously building their (E)xperience and being (D)iligent when times are challenging,” said Pate. “What an exciting time to be part of the growth of this team, the stellar driver lineup and the IMSA brand!”

Harrison COO Chris Murphy added, “I am excited to see our continued partnership with WTR and Racer’s Edge extend into the ‘23 Season. We look forward to success and seeing Ashton and the team continue to represent the HCC brand as we grow our exposure in this series.”

Bill Harrison, President and Co-Founder of Harrison Contracting Company, Inc., is thrilled about HCC’s increased presence in the IMSA paddock.

“It’s a very proud moment to be a part of IMSA and their high level of Sports Car racing,” said Harrison. “Being associated with HPD, WTR and Racers Edge is a really big deal, especially on this stage. Harrison Contracting and Ashton have come a long way from where we started 4 years ago. I really look forward to being a part of what we hope is history, and winning these endurance races!”

Wayne Taylor, Owner of Wayne Taylor Racing, is anticipating great teamwork from this all-star team and especially with three drivers who have all developed in IMSA under his team’s banner.

“This is a big deal for Ashton, who we have been nurturing to bring to this level,” said Taylor. “So far, she’s done a great job with Harrison Contracting Company who have put this program together by which we can run the endurance races. There will be a team of highly successful teammates with her, underlined by Ryan Briscoe, who I managed early in his career. Having him back in the stable is wonderful. Obviously, Danny and Kyle have done a great job for us this year in Super Trofeo and I truly think this is going to be the real deal for Ashton to show what she has against top-flight pro drivers, coming from two different Pro/Am entries last year. I believe that she’s ready for this and I’m happy that we’ve managed, collectively, with WTR, Racers Edge, HPD and Harrison, to put this program together for these long-distance races.”

Travis Houge, Vice President, General Manager of Wayne Taylor Racing is equally enthusiastic about the prospects of the drivers he oversees within WTR’s Driver Development Program.

“It’s exciting to see the partnership with Harrison Contracting Company go from Super Trofeo all the way into GTP and their own red GTD car,” said Houge. “It has been fantastic seeing Ashton develop over the years. Having her step in at Sebring last year and win a championship in SRO, this all ties it together. Bringing in Ryan Briscoe, he’s going to be a mentor. He’s a champion and his resume speaks for itself, so placing him with Kyle, Danny and Ashton who were already teammates in Lamborghini, is a true testament to what the Wayne Taylor Racing organization is trying to build—using the resources we have to bring people in, past, present and future and make it so they can go out and win races and sell their brand. With these four drivers, I don’t think there’s anyone out there who can say they have a much stronger lineup.”

Jon Mirachi, CEO of Racers Edge Motorsports, is bullish on his team’s increased IMSA schedule after their successful run at Sebring last year.

“This program is great!” said Mirachi. “To have the support of Harrison Contracting again for 2023 will allow for us to continue to build on our championship success from 2022. I couldn’t be more pleased to continue to work with Ashton Harrison, such a bright young talent and Kyle Marcelli, an experienced veteran, both of whom are past Racers Edge championship-winning drivers. Adding in Danny Formal, a rookie who’s coming off a championship season in an IMSA support series, then topping it off with an accomplished veteran like Ryan Briscoe for Daytona gives us a really strong lineup to take on the challenge of the full IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championship!"

The No. 93 Acura NSX will make its 2023 debut at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 on January 20-22. The main event, the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA weekend, runs from January 26-29. Tune into Harrison Atlanta’s, Racers Edge’s and WTR’s official social channels for content, news, updates, and further announcements.