Wright Motorsports to Enter 2018 IMSA WeatherTech Competition with Patrick Long and Christina Nielsen BATAVIA, OH (December 9, 2017) - Wright Motorsports will be returning to endurance competition in 2018 with a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entry. Sharing the seat of a GT Daytona (GTD) class Porsche 911 GT3 R will be reigning two-time GTD champion, Christina Nielsen (Aarhus, Denmark) and Porsche factory ace, Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, CA). I am very pleased to have this great opportunity come together in such a short time. It is a tremendous opportunity to be heading back into the endurance racing arena with such a strong program. In my experience, I haven t seen too many driver combinations better to compete for a championship then what I think we will see in Patrick Long and Christina Nielsen, said Wright Motorsports Principal, John Wright. I m also very happy to have Patrick back for the 2018 season continued Wright. Coming off this year s championships, our momentum could not be stronger than it is now. I am looking forward to working with Christina and seeing her back behind the wheel of a Porsche. We have tried to make something happen in the past, but due to different circumstances we were never able to pull anything together. The stars have aligned to make it possible for this year and hopefully years to come. Entering her fourth full season in the WeatherTech Championship, Nielsen will join the Ohio-based team as the back-to-back GTD class champion (2016 and 2017) and runner-up for the title in 2015. At just 25 years old, the highly-accomplished Dane holds the title as the first woman to win a major sports car championship in the United States. While she has seen success racing with a variety of manufacturers, 2018 will mark a return home for Nielsen, who carries a deep bench of Porsche experience. From the start of her sports car racing career, Nielsen has driven under the Porsche marque in competition across the globe. Her resume includes stops in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, the ADAC GT Masters, the GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge USA, and select IMSA WeatherTech Championship races in 2014. No stranger to Wright Motorsports, Long will be entering his third consecutive season with the group. Still fresh off of his 2017 Pirelli World Challenge championships with the John Wright-led team, the Californian has proven to be tremendously competitive in the Porsche 911 GT3 R. The 2018 season however, is where his endurance experience will shine. In his fifteen years as America s only Porsche factory driver, Long has seen victories at some the world s most prestigious endurance events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Bathurst 12 Hour, the Twelve Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans. Wright Motorsports will begin the 2018 season in January with their focus on another strong showing at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. With this highly-accomplished driver lineup paired with the team s endurance racing and Porsche experience, the program is up to the task. Driver Quotes: Patrick Long // Driver, Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R I am thrilled to continue my journey with Wright Motorsports for the 2018 season. We will have our work cut out for us starting the season with two of the biggest international endurance races in sports car racing, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, but I am confident in the group s ability. Christina has
been on an amazing run with her two titles over the last two years and I want to blend that momentum with our 2017 title and aim for victories right out of the box. I m very excited to get things started at Daytona. Christina Nielsen // Driver, Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - I am really looking forward to being back in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and I m absolutely thrilled that we ve come up with such a strong combination with Wright Motorsports and Porsche. I ve had a great run for the last three years, but it won t be easy to do what I ve already done. For me the biggest thing is to go into 2018 without relying on any previous results. We ll start from scratch beginning with Daytona and go from there. I m also really looking forward to being back with Porsche. I ve known John Wright since 2014 when I raced against him in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge. We ve always tried to put something together, but there was never the right opportunity. Luckily an opportunity came up for 2018 and we were there to both grab it. I know I ll be working with some very experienced and competent people who know what it takes and I can t wait for the season to start. About Wright Motorsports Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio near Cincinnati, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015. After a most successful 2017 season, the team holds the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer's titles. For more information see wrightmotorsports.com and follow the team on Twitter and Facebook. ### Contact: Carlin Sanderson sandersoncarlin@gmail.com 678.634.8532
Robert Renauer and Mathieu Jaminet Complete Wright Motorsports Rolex 24 Lineup BATAVIA, OH (December 27, 2017) Wright Motorsports has confirmed the addition of German standout, Robert Renauer (Jedenhofen, Germany) Porsche Young Professional, Mathieu Jaminet (Woippy, France) for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The two will join the full-season driver pairing of Christina Nielsen and Patrick Long in the No. 58 GT Daytona (GTD) class Porsche 911 GT3 R entry. Jaminet, one of four Porsche Young Professional drivers, will team up with the Ohio-based squad for his first Rolex 24. A graduate of the Porsche Junior program, Jaminet holds the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup France title. The Frenchman also carries a vast amount of Porsche 911 GT3 R experience, having spent the last year driving the car to success in the ADAC GT Masters series, the Blancpain GT series, the Nurburgring 24 and the Pirelli World Challenge. Though new to Daytona, Jaminet took part in two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events in 2017. The 23-year old made his mark after turning the fastest race lap in both events and claiming the pole position in his series debut at Circuit of the Americas. I am very excited to take the start of my first ever Rolex 24. My dream has always been to win this race one day, said Jaminet. I know that Wright Motorsports is a very talented race team and I ll have top drivers at my side. I'm sure that we will be able to fight for a successful result in the front, but like every 24-hour race, especially Daytona, you never know what can happen. I can't wait to go on track! A veteran of Porsche competition, Renauer will bring a wealth of experience to Wright Motorsports for his fourth Rolex 24. Hailing from Germany, the 32-year old has seen victories driving Porsche 911 machinery across many platforms. That resume includes stops in ADAC GT Masters, the VLN 24 Hour Series, the Porsche Carrera Cup, and the Blancpain GT Series. Amongst his ream of accomplishments, Renauer is also the winner of the 2016 Porsche Cup, an award designated annually to the most successful privateer Porsche driver. I'm very proud to be teaming up with Wright Motorsports. I followed the Pirelli World Challenge last year and saw how successful the team was with Porsche and Patrick Long. I'm really looking forward to driving for what I consider to be one of the most successful Porsche teams in the US, said Renauer. It's also amazing to be able to share a racecar with two of last year s champions," Renauer continued. "I drove against Patrick in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany when he became a Porsche Junior driver in 2003 and against Christina in 2013 when she participated in the ADAC GT Masters. I'm excited to get started. The Wright Motorsports team anticipates a strong showing at next week s Roar before the 24 before kicking off the season January 27-28 at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. About Wright Motorsports Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio near Cincinnati, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015. After a most successful 2017 season, the team holds the Pirelli
World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer's titles. For more information see wrightmotorsports.com and follow the team on Twitter and Facebook. ### Contact: Carlin Sanderson sandersoncarlin@gmail.com 678.634.8532
Wright Motorsports Completes a Productive Test at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 DAYTONA BEACH, FL (January 7, 2018) - In preparation for this month s 56th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Wright Motorsports completed a very productive three-day Roar Before the 24 test at Daytona International Speedway. The weekend saw Patrick Long, Christina Nielsen, Mathieu Jaminet and Robert Renauer each turn their first laps in the No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R. This marked the John Wright-led group s return to the IMSA WeatherTech Championship paddock after a two-year hiatus from endurance competition. It was the start of the team s recently announced full-season GT Daytona class campaign with their newly acquired Porsche 911 GT3 R. Throughout the span of seven test sessions, the Wright Motorsports group worked on developing team chemistry and dialing in a strong baseline for the 24-hour classic. All four of the team's highly-accomplished drivers proved to make huge strides over the course of the weekend, as they logged over 170 trouble-free laps around the 3.56-mile Florida circuit. Sunday s series of on-track activity featured IMSA s newly established 15-minute qualifying-style session. The times turned during this session determined pit stall and garage locations, which would be guaranteed during this month s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Long, who was elected to qualify the Porsche, clocked in the third place time, earning the Ohiobased squad a great pit and garage slot for this month s season opener. With a new spark of momentum, the Wright Motorsports team looks to impress as they return to Daytona International Speedway January 25-26 for the 56th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Driver Quotes: Patrick Long // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - It was a pretty straightforward three days. We ran every single session and stuck to our original plan. It was great to get to know my co-drivers- Robert, Christina and Mathieu. It didn t take long for us to jell as a team. It s also great to be back in IMSA. We ll be working hard between now and the race weekend because as always, things will happen very quickly between when we load-in on Wednesday and when we start the race on Saturday afternoon. We ll have to make good use out of every single minute." Christina Nielsen // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R The Roar is always a great way for drivers and teams to get back into their rhythm at the start of a new race season. It was great to get back in a Porsche. The last time I drove a Porsche at Daytona was in 2014. Everyone did a really great job this week. It was a great experience to connect as a new team with Wright Motorsports, but also with the drivers. I ve known Patrick for a while because my dad raced with him, I raced a little bit with Robert back in 2016, and it was great to get to know Mathieu. There are still some improvements to make, but I feel like we have a great baseline for the 24 Hours of Daytona and I can t wait to be back. Mathieu Jaminet // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - This was my first weekend with Wright Motorsports and my new teammates and it went quite well. As in any test we did have some issues, but in the end we managed to do a good job. The team provides a really great atmosphere, which I really like. I also worked really well with each of my teammates. Now I m just looking forward to the race and hoping to start the year in a good rhythm.
Robert Renauer // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - It s been a very productive three days here in Daytona. We made a lot of improvements throughout the week, but as always we still have some work to do. Wright Motorsports is a great team and I really enjoyed getting to work with them as well as my new co-drivers this week. I m looking forward to coming back for the race. About Wright Motorsports Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio near Cincinnati, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015. After a most successful 2017 season, the team holds the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer's titles. For more information see wrightmotorsports.com and follow the team on Twitter and Facebook. ### Contact: Carlin Sanderson sandersoncarlin@gmail.com 678.634.8532
Wright Motorsports Brings a New Look and High Momentum to the Rolex 24 DAYTONA BEACH, FL (January 23, 2018) - The 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will kick off this weekend with the 56th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Wright Motorsports is carrying high momentum into the twice around the clock event with full season drivers, Patrick Long and Christina Nielsen set to join Mathieu Jaminet and Robert Renauer behind the wheel of the No. 58 Porsche Digital/Porsche Consulting Porsche 911 GT3 R. This marks Wright Motorsport's return to the endurance stage after a two-year hiatus to sprint racing. While they're most recently known for their championship winning success with Long in the Pirelli World Challenge, the Ohio-based squad carries decades of endurance racing experience. Since founded in 2000, the John Wright-led group has seen four Rolex 24 podiums, including a third place following their last run in 2015. Patrick Long enters the weekend prepared for what will be his fifteenth consecutive Rolex 24 and fifteenth year as a Porsche factory driver. Since his first attempt in 2004, the Californian has seen a class victory [2009] and three podiums [2006, 2010, 2016] at the 24-hour classic. With three seasons and the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge title to vouch for, Long has already proven to be hugely competitive a Wright Motorsports Porsche. He looks to combine that momentum with his endurance experience in a fight for triumph. New to Wright Motorsports, but no stranger to IMSA success is reigning back-to-back GT Daytona champion, Christina Nielsen. This will mark the Dane's first time back in a Porsche at Daytona since her maiden attempt in 2014. Having taken part in four Rolex 24 Hours and two Le Mans 24 Hours, Nielsen knows what it takes to win a 24-hour event. She plans on doing just that in her first race with Wright Motorsports. Bringing heaps of endurance racing experience to the team is the 2016 Porsche Cup winner, Robert Renauer. The German has taken part in the Rolex 24 three times; twice in a Porsche [2007, 2013] and once teamed with Nielsen in 2016. Though he s yet to see a victory at the Florida circuit, Renauer is a known 24-hour stalwart. In 2017 alone, he secured four wins out of six 24 Hour Series races behind the wheel of his family-operated team, Herberth Racing s Porsche 911 GT3 R. Quickly climbing up the sports car ranks is Porsche Young Professional, Mathieu Jaminet, who joins the team for his first Rolex 24. Though new to Daytona, the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup France champion brings a great wealth of Porsche racing knowledge to the team, including 24-hour experience. In fact, just after this month's Roar, Jaminet drove a Porsche 911 GT3 R to a second place podium at the 24 Hours of Dubai. Wright Motorsports Welcomes Porsche Consulting and Porsche Digital This week will also see Wright Motorsports welcoming back Porsche Consulting and teaming up with Porsche Digital - two whollyowned subsidiaries of Porsche AG - as the group's primary sponsors for the Rolex 24. The No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 will sport a newly launched 2018 livery, flying both of the brand s logos for the 24-hour classic. Porsche Consulting is a management consultancy that aids other companies to excel. It advises companies not only in the automotive industry, but also in many other areas, including aerospace and industrial goods. Porsche Digital Porsche Digital is the Porsche AG competence center for digitalization. The company's vision is to create the most aspirational digital lifestyle by turning the customer journeys into an intelligent and exciting Porsche experience. The 2018 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season will kick off January 24-27 at the 56 th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The twice around the clock race begins Saturday, January 27 at 2:40 pm EST. Driver Quotes Patrick Long // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R "Daytona definitely knocks the rust right off and teaches you about patience and discipline not only as a driver, but as a teammate to the whole organization. You spend so many days at the track talking about speed and one lap pace, but when the sun comes up on Sunday, that s when the real race begins. We just have to position ourselves for that moment and hope we re there to fight- I m confident that we will be. We have to be smart because there are two agendas- the race and the full season. It s easy to get drawn into little battles during the race, especially on restarts. It takes a lot of discipline to fight the nature of wanting to go door-to-door early on in the race. There s going to be a lot of prototypes and a lot of competition in our class, but the b-factor is always the GTLM cars. They have a really tough job at a track like this, where they don t have a lot of straight-line speed and there aren t a lot of high-speed corners where their aero pays off. They really have to manage traffic forcefully, which will be a big factor for us as well. That s what makes endurance racing exciting. I m really happy to be back full-time in IMSA and looking forward to starting off the season strong." Christina Nielsen // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - "Daytona is a classic 24-hour race in the sense that consistency and making it through the night are the key factors for a good result. Traditionally, the worst drama is over when the sun comes up, but as I learned last year, it s a 24-hour race and anything can happen. This year we re starting from scratch with a new season, a new team and a new manufacturer. I look forward to being back with the Wright Motorsports guys. I think the Roar was a great opportunity for us to get to know each other much better so that we can go into the race week as a team. It s always a special event. In the middle of the night you re exhausted and thinking what are we doing here?, but once the race is over you re sad because that means there s another 365 days before you can do it again. I m excited to get the season started."
Robert Renauer // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R- I m very excited to get back to Daytona this week. For me the most important thing in any 24-hour race is to focus on putting the car in a good position for the last 3 hours. There are a lot of prototypes, so this will be a lot about traffic management, especially in the beginning hours of the race. Our goal will be to stay out of trouble so we ll have a perfect car to fight with at the end. I know the Wright Motorsports team has worked very hard since the Roar, so I m confident that we will have a strong car for the race!" Mathieu Jaminet // Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R - "I'm very excited to be joining Wright Motorsports for my first Daytona 24. As any 24 hour race, the biggest factors will be to save the brakes and fuel because you need the car to stay in it's best shape so you can be quick in the end. One of the biggest challenges is going to be placed on the team as a whole. Every second counts and pit stops will be very important, especially when it comes down to the last few hours. I think we are very well prepared and am looking forward to starting the race." ### Media Contact: Carlin Sanderson 678.634.8532 sandersoncarlin@gmail.com