Taylor Explains WTR Ownership Structure; Return to Cadillac

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Wayne Taylor has explained the ownership structure of Wayne Taylor Racing, amid the removal of Andretti Global from its team name for this year.

The partnership between WTR and Andretti Global, first announced in December 2022, is effectively no more, although TWG Motorsports, which now controls Andretti Global through majority ownership, continues to hold a stake in WTR.

The Dan Towriss-led organization also “owns and operates” NASCAR team Spire Motorsports.

Speaking with Sportscar365, Taylor confirmed that he’s now directly in a business relationship with TWG and Towriss and indicated that Michael Andretti, who stepped down as Andretti Global CEO in September, is no longer in the picture.

“It’s now Wayne Taylor Racing,” Taylor said. “I’m now partnered with TWG, with Dan Towriss and them. They wanted it to stay with Wayne Taylor Racing and that was something initially came down from Cadillac.

“Once we got into the real negotiations, they were adamant. That was the main reason.

“There was nothing that Andretti or anybody did anything wrong, it was just the fact that I’ve been around [GM] for so long, plus the kids have been around them for so long, plus we won so much together, it was just a perfect fit and perfect timing.”

Taylor said his team will not be moving into Andretti Global’s new facility once it opens in 2026, as originally announced two years ago.

While Towriss’ motorsports properties will remain independent from each other, Taylor said the common link of GM, especially with Cadillac’s Formula 1 program that’s set to launch in 2026, will only benefit the parties involved.

Taylor said: “You’ve got Dan, whose heavily tied into GM for the Cadillac F1 program. Then on the other side you’ve got all the GM/Cadillac people wanting to go back with Wayne Taylor, and Dan and Wayne are partners.

“If you take it like a three-legged table, it all connects very well.

“I enjoyed everything while Michael and them were involved. There’s nothing negative at all. But that’s really the TWG Group who made whatever decision [on that end].

“It’s a great opportunity they’ve given me. They’re really good people and good partners.”

WTR Had Been in Negotiations for Cadillac GTP Deal Since Last March

Taylor revealed that he first held talks with GM on a potential return to Cadillac in early March of last year, several weeks before it emerged that Chip Ganaasi Racing would not be back with the luxury automaker in 2025.

“Mark Reuss and Eric Warren and [Jim] Campbell and Rory [Harvey] and all those guys… I’ve been friends with them for a long time,” Taylor said.

“I was at the Amelia [Concours d’Elegance] and I was on the panel. It was the first time I had spoken to Mark since I left [Cadillac] and he had Chip [Ganassi].

“They were standing around and we talked to them. I said to Mark, ‘Would you have me back?’

“He said, ‘Yes.’ And he goes, ‘What Year?’ I said, ‘Well, I’m contracted until the end of 2024, so it would be 2025.’

“Then we went home and on Monday, I got a call from [Jim] Campbell to say that Mark wanted to double check which years.

“So then I knew it was really serious. That’s when I started working with Eric [Warren].”

Taylor said his reunion with GM has brought a “new lease on life.”

“Everybody is happy,” he said. “We’ve got a great partner now with DEX over all our programs and I’ve got the drivers I wanted to have.”