The return to Cadillac may have come with its share of challenges, but during qualifying at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Wayne Taylor Racing reminded everyone exactly what they’re capable of. After a season spent searching for rhythm and results, Ricky Taylor delivered a statement lap in qualifying—putting the No. 10 Cadillac fourth on the grid, the team’s best starting position of the year. For a team rebuilding with determination and a strong desire to succeed, this performance wasn’t just encouraging—it was proof that the pieces are coming together, and the fight to compete with Porsche & BMW is far from over.
“It’s really motivating to be heading in the right direction,” Taylor said reflecting on his positive result.
For Ricky and Wayne Taylor Racing, the numbers back up the optimism. A lap at 110.319 mph in the 15-minute qualifying session vaulted the No. 10 Cadillac to a season-best fourth on the grid, the strongest showing yet in a year of transition and tenacity.
Make no mistake: this isn’t just about grid position. It’s about a team syncing up with its machinery after months of learning curves and late-night debriefs. It’s about Cadillac clawing its way back into the upper echelon of IMSA’s GTP class with a V-Series.R that’s finally starting to show its claws.
“I think for the struggles we’ve been through this year just getting up to speed with the car and getting to work with all our friends at Cadillac Racing,” Taylor said “It’s nice to be right there with the top group. I think it’s on us to execute tomorrow, but it’s really motivating to be heading in the right direction, gaining confidence with the car. The car has proven it can do the job. For us, it’s great to start gelling with it.”
Taylor’s lap was the best of the Cadillac Racing trio, and it came within a blink—just 0.178 seconds—of the pole time set by Dries Vanthoor in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8. That margin is small enough to hide in a whisper, but in endurance racing, it’s a scream of progress.
Behind him, younger brother Jordan Taylor tied his best qualifying effort of the season, placing the No. 40 Cadillac V-Series.R in seventh with a respectable 109.814 mph lap. It’s a performance that quietly suggests the Taylor brothers, reunited in the same camp, are pushing each other to new levels.
“It’s a little bit better than what we’ve been in the first few races, so that’s a positive.” Jordan said “I think we’re still missing a bit from the front guys. It’s a relatively long race, so hopefully we can do something in the pits. It’s a tough track to pass, traffic is difficult, so I think you can make a lot of things happen in this race. We’ll do what we can in the pits and make some moves there and hopefully maximize in traffic.”
Frederik Vesti, the Danish supersub for the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac, rounded out the Cadillac efforts with a lap at 109.551 mph for ninth on the grid. Vesti, stepping in for the ever-busy Earl Bamber—who was halfway across the world competing in the WEC at Spa—is learning quickly, and his time reflects a steady hand under pressure.
While qualifying sets the tone, Sunday’s 2-hour, 40-minute TireRack.com Monterey SportsCar Championship will test the true mettle of these machines and their drivers. For the No. 10 team, it’s more than a chance at a podium—it’s an opportunity to validate months of relentless development with the Cadillac V-Series.R program.
Let’s not forget: the team’s best previous start this season was seventh at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. To come into Laguna Seca and slot into the second row is not just improvement—it’s a declaration.
