Jordan Taylor

Jordan Taylor is an American racing driver who reached his peak in 2017, winning the championship title in the Prototype class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, together with his brother Ricky in the #10 Cadillac DPi-V.R of the Wayne Taylor Racing. On a way to the championship title, Taylor was an overall winner of Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours and three more races.

Earlier in a career, he was a champion in the 2013 Grand-Am Rolex SportsCar Series, together with Max Angelelli. In January 2019, Jordan clinched his second win at Daytona 24h, again in the #10 Cadillac.

Jordan Taylor participated six times at 24 hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing, scoring a victory in the GTE Pro class in 2015 and two more GTE Pro podiums in 2014 and 2017.

Jordan Taylor

A son of a racer and team owner Wayne Taylor

He was born on May 10, 1991 in Orlando, Florida, as a son of the well-known race driver and the team owner Wayne Taylor. As a boy, Jordan followed the footsteps of his father and the older brother Ricky and began racing 100 cc karts. He was pretty successful in various kart racing categories. As a boy, he won two regional championships and inaugural 24-hour go-kart race.

In 2005, he was 3rd in Florida Winter Tour Championship after scoring two podiums, while in 2006 he qualified for the Stars of Karting round 2. Finally, in 2007, Jordan was a scholarship winner at Skip Barber Karting Shootout and later became Skip Barber Eastern Champion with four wins, 10 podiums, and four pole positions.

Racing family - Ricky, Wayne and Jordan Taylor

Start of the professional career

After graduating in karting, in 2008 he started a professional career. He scored one win and two pole positions in F2000 Championship Series, and also had one victory in the IMSA Lites. Jordan also finished 15th in GT class at Rolex 24 at Daytona which was his first appearance in one of the most prestigious races in the world.

The following year was slightly better after he finished 10th in Rolex 24 at Daytona, this time driving in Daytona Prototype class. In 2009, he also won Virginia International Raceway 13-hour SM class, and also had a win and pole position in Formula 1000 Championship.

Jordan Taylor

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series runner-up

Even though he was still very young but already quite experienced, in 2010, Taylor competed in Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT class. He scored two podiums, as well as three pole positions, driving for Racers Edge Motorsports and Autohaus Motorsports. At the end of the season, Taylor was 11th in the GT Drivers’ championship.

In 2011, driving for Autohaus Motorsports alongside Bill Lester, the Orlando-born was the series runner-up after scoring a victory at Virginia International Raceway and having three 2nd places, at Lime Rock and twice at Watkins Glen. At the end of the campaign, they were just two points behind the champions Leh Keen and Andrew Davis of Brumos Racing.

Bill Lester and Jordan Taylor, 2011

Move to Corvette Racing and 2013 champion with WTR

In 2012, Taylor signed with Corvette Racing, one of the leading US teams in the American Le Mans Series. Driving in GT class, Jordan finished 2nd at Sebring and Petit Le Mans driving alongside Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia. In the Grand-Am Series, he won the race at Belle Isle circuit, driving alongside Paul Edwards, and also was a pole-winner at Watkins Glen.

In 2013, he improved te results. While he appeared in only two races for Corvette Racing in the ALMS, in the Rolex Sports Car Series he won the Daytona Prototype title as a member of Wayne Taylor Racing, the team owned by his father. Driving alongside the experienced Italian Max Angelelli, he won 5 out of 12 races that year – at Barber Motorsports Park, Belle Isle Park, Kansas Speedway, Laguna Seca, and Lime Rock Park.

Jordan Taylor, Max Angelelli and their team celebrate in Victory Lane.

24h Le Mans debut in 2012

Jordan debuted at Le Mans 24 hours in 2012, driving a Corvette Racing’s Chevrolet Corvette C6 R, and finished 5th in the GTE Pro class. In 2013, he moved up to the 4th position in the class. In 2014, driving a new Chevrolet Corvette C7 R alongside Garcia and Magnussen, Taylor finished 2nd in the class at Circuit de la Sarthe.

The same year ALMS and Rolex Sports Car Series merged into the IMSA SportsCar Championship and Jordan was teamed with his brother Ricky in WTR. They won at Belle Isle and Petit Le Mans and took the 2nd place at Daytona, eventually finishing the season as vice-champions.

Celebrating a victory at Le Mans in 2015 with Corvette Racing

Class victory at 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours

One of the biggest achievements in Jordan’s career so far was a triumph in GTE Pro class at 2015 Le Mans 24 hours. While still being a member of Corvette Racing, this time sharing the seat of Chevrolet Corvette C7 R with Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, Taylor won the race easily, by beating the 2nd-placed AF Corse by 5 laps.

However, the 2015 season in the IMSA USCC wasn’t so successful. Taylor brothers finished 5th in the standings after winning the races at Long Beach and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In 2016, brothers progressed to the 3rd position after winning the rounds at Long Beach, Belle Isle, and Circuit of the Americas. They were also 2nd at Daytona and had other three podiums.

Winners of the 2017 Daytona 24 Hours: Max Angelelli, Jeff Gordon, Ricky and Jordan Taylor

Championship title for Taylor brothers

The start of 2017 campaign was like a dream come true. Driving alongside his brother Ricky, Max Angelelli, and NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, Jordan triumphed at Daytona driving a WTR’s Cadillac which was the first triumph for the marquee in the famous race.

That win was followed by another great triumph - at 12 Hours of Sebring - where his co-drivers were brother Ricky and Alex Lynn. The Taylor brothers added three more wins later in the season to end the 2017 IMSA season as champions.

One more victory at Daytona 24 Hours in 2019

For the 2018 IMSA season, Taylor brothers parted their ways. Ricky joined Acura Team Penske while Jordan stayed with WTR, getting Renger van der Zande as a new teammate in the #10 Cadillac. They won the season-closing Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, finishing third in the points.

In 2019, Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande continued to share the #10 Cadillac. They opened the IMSA season with a victory at Daytona 24 Hours, sharing a car with Fernando Alonso and Kamui Kobayashi. It remained their only win and they finished fourth in the final classification.

Jordan Taylor (second left) celebrates his second win at Daytona 24 Hours

Photo: orlandosentinel.com, thestar.com, autoracing1.com, blogs.jccc.edu, chevrolet.com, corvetted.com, yahoo.com