As the IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix sponsored by Motul at Road America looms on
the horizon from July 31 to August 3, 2025, anticipation builds for Louis
Deletraz and Tom Blomqvist, two drivers poised to make their mark on one of
America’s most iconic circuits. Deletraz, co-driver of the No. 40 Cadillac
Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R, and Blomqvist, co-driver of the No.
60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06, are gearing up
for a high-stakes sprint race at a track renowned for its blistering speed
and challenging layout. Both drivers, fresh off recent successes and armed
with insights from their respective teams’ progress, are eager to capitalize
on Road America’s unique characteristics to chase victory and build momentum
in the GTP class.
Louis Deletraz and Tom Blomqvist dive into the excitement of racing at Road
America, sharing their love for the track’s challenging corners and
discussing driver changes and team dynamics with Motorsports Journal's
Edmund Jenks ahead of the IMSA Motul SportsCar Grand Prix.
BEGIN Transcript:
Louis Deletraz
Motorsports Journal: What do you like best about Road America
and if you were king of the world would you prefer to drive first or
second?
“The whole track is a bit like Spa. If you compare, it has a lot of
elevation, high grip, pretty smooth. So, there's a lot of nice corners
like the Carousel. It's a good mix between technical, low speed, and
high speed. It is a challenge to put a big lap in. It's always rewarding
when you see a good lap time and you’re up front to have made a lap
there. It's just a track you get on and you enjoy, and that's something
that you can only describe if you’re in the car. If I had to choose to
drive first or second, I mean, at the end, I don't really care as long
as we have a good result, I will be very happy. The race is 2 hours, 40
minutes, so both drivers will get enough time.”
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Swiss Louis Deletraz loads into his No. 40 Wayne Taylor
Racing Cadillac V-Series.R (GTP) at WeatherTech Raceway
Laguna Seca. Image Credit Mike Levitt via IMSA (2025)
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Motorsports Journal: So, you feel pretty good about helping a
driver into the seat as well as just getting out?
“Exactly. That's no issue. I think we work hard to improve our driver
change times. It is important in a sprint race. You can have an early
yellow and switch drivers quite early into the race. We try to get our
times down. I think anything below 15 seconds is good and you try to
make it as good as possible, less mistakes as possible, and make sure
it's smooth, so you don't lose positions in the pits.”
Tom Blomqvist
Motorsports Journal: Tom, Meyer Shank Racing is now running two
really strong programs. In fact, I guess they've got two cars squarely
placed in the top ten in IndyCar. Does that have any effect on the
culture, the overall culture, at Meyer Shank Racing running two cars in
WeatherTech IMSA and I guess the sense of the team around you.
“Well, it means that our bosses are typically a bit more happy, which
is always a good thing. They give us less slack. so no, I mean,
it's obviously been a great year for them. It’s going well in IndyCar
and they’ve picked back up with the sports car program as well was huge
for the for the team and for the organization. So, from that
perspective, obviously it's great and all pretty happy there. But
obviously we got to keep delivering as well, right? Like still they
still want to go out and win races. We know on the sports cars, we're
kind of always going to the weekend fighting for the chance to win and
stuff. So, yeah, it was it was obviously great as well, the last two
races having got victories for not only for MSR, but also with HRC like
this new sort of collaboration, so it's been a great boost for everyone
really, so I hope that motivates them to keep wanting to do well and
keep trying to get better.”
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Brit Tom Blomqvist, co-driver of the No. 60 Acura Meyer
Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06 (GTP), drives
pitlane as he enters the track at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna
Seca. Image Credit Mike Levitt via IMSA (2025)
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Motorsports Journal: At Road America from outside of the
Carousel, what are some of the parts of the track you like the most?
“For me, I kind of like it all. I quite like heavy break zones, which
is kind of boring in a way, but I like them. Yeah, I like I like that. I
like five. I like eight. But in terms of like a bit more fun, I think
it's actually after the kink you've got the right left, it's quite a
tricky corner actually to get right, the car never feels like it's quite
for whatever reason, it's just tricky corner, can't never feels amazing
there. but in that you got that left, which is pretty fast. and in the
last corner (Turn 14), which is a bit of an awkward, it's quite a long,
sort of like awkward right hander. and I'll see it leads onto a street.
So it's quite important. So yeah, that probably I enjoy. There is parts,
even this first sector, the first corner is nice. Like there's so many
good corners there honestly. like it's like I said, it's probably my
favorite. now, thank you.”
ENDS
For Deletraz, Road America represents both a thrilling opportunity and a new
challenge with the Cadillac V-Series.R. “It’s an awesome track; so fast,” he
enthused, reflecting on the circuit’s high-speed demands. Coming off a
double podium for Wayne Taylor Racing at Watkins Glen, Deletraz is brimming
with confidence. The team’s first podium of the season has ignited a hunger
for more, with the Swiss driver eyeing a maiden win at Road America. “We
want to build momentum from that,” he said, acknowledging the team’s growing
synergy with the Cadillac. Despite a tough start to the year, Deletraz
believes the team’s learning curve has positioned them well for Road
America, a track where their data and experience could translate into a
competitive edge.
Blomqvist, meanwhile, approaches Road America with a deep affinity for the
circuit, calling it “probably my favorite track from an enjoyment level to
drive.” His recent test at the track with Meyer Shank Racing revealed a
circuit that has evolved since its resurfacing in 2023, becoming “slightly
more forgiving” with less drastic grip loss offline. This suits the Acura
ARX-06, which has historically performed well at Road America’s long
straights and fast corners. Blomqvist’s optimism is bolstered by his team’s
steady improvement throughout the season. “Every race we’re getting better
with the new organization,” he noted, highlighting the integration of new
personnel and the strategic challenges of running two cars. With
back-to-back wins in recent races, Blomqvist is hopeful Acura can fight for
another victory.
Both drivers are navigating the complexities of multi-class racing at Road
America, a four-class sprint race that presents unique challenges with its
mix of high-speed straights and tight corners like the Carousel and the
Kink. Blomqvist sees the track’s layout as advantageous for the GTP cars,
which can leverage their straight-line speed to overtake slower classes more
easily than at tighter circuits like Watkins Glen. “It’s a bit easier track
for us to navigate traffic,” he explained, though he cautioned that timing
runs through the Kink could prove costly if mistimed. Deletraz, meanwhile,
emphasized the importance of track position in a sprint race, where fewer
pit stops limit strategic opportunities. Both drivers are acutely aware of
the need to balance aggression with precision on this demanding circuit.
The championship picture adds another layer of intrigue to their
preparations. For Deletraz, the focus is squarely on race wins rather than
the drivers’ championship, which he believes is out of reach after a rocky
start to the season. “We’re too far to catch up,” he admitted, but he
remains committed to helping his teammates in the No. 10 Cadillac or other
Cadillac entries if they have a shot at the title. Blomqvist echoed a
similar sentiment, noting that while the drivers’ championship is
“realistically gone,” Acura’s pursuit of the manufacturers’ championship
remains a priority. With two wins already under their belt, Meyer Shank
Racing is determined to keep the pressure on, leveraging Road America’s
suitability to their car to close the gap.
A significant shift awaits both drivers in 2026, when Road America
transitions to a six-hour endurance race. This change will demand a
different approach, as Deletraz explained: “In sprint races, you need to run
at the front… In an endurance race, you want to survive, cycle through the
first three hours, and then get to the front.” He’s excited about the
prospect, noting that Road America’s layout is well-suited for multi-class
traffic over longer distances. Blomqvist shares this enthusiasm, calling the
move “awesome” and praising the track’s suitability for endurance racing. He
highlighted the strategic flexibility of longer races, where qualifying is
less critical, and teams can position themselves for the final hours—a
dynamic both drivers are eager to embrace.
Adapting to different machinery is another challenge both drivers handle
with aplomb. Deletraz, who juggles GTP and LMP2 racing, sees it as an
advantage. “You arrive to the next event just warmed up,” he said, noting
that the transition takes just a few laps to recalibrate. Blomqvist, fresh
off an LMP2 outing at CTMP, agrees, describing the initial adjustment as
minor once familiar with both cars. “It’s not too difficult now,” he said,
praising the LMP2’s nimble handling and high downforce. For both, the
variety hones their skills, keeping them sharp and adaptable—a critical edge
in IMSA’s diverse field.
For Blomqvist, returning to Meyer Shank Racing after a year in IndyCar has
been a process of refamiliarization, but one he’s navigated smoothly. The
team’s expansion to two cars and integration with Honda Racing Corporation
(HRC) has presented challenges, but Blomqvist is encouraged by their
progress. “We’re getting better each weekend,” he said, optimistic about
their trajectory. Deletraz, too, is buoyed by Wayne Taylor Racing’s growing
mastery of the Cadillac, with each race yielding valuable lessons. As Road
America approaches, both drivers are poised to harness their teams’
momentum, their personal adaptability, and the track’s unique demands to
chase glory in what promises to be a thrilling chapter of the 2025 IMSA
season.
The energy management challenge, particularly at Road America’s uphill
finish, adds a final layer of complexity. Blomqvist recalled the tight
energy margins at Watkins Glen, but he’s confident the team’s engineers have
accounted for the additional energy needed to crest Road America’s front
straight. “The guys behind the computers are on top of all that stuff,” he
assured. With both drivers and their teams finely tuned and ready to tackle
the high-speed ballet of Road America, fans can expect a fiercely contested
race where strategy, skill, and raw speed will determine who stands atop the
podium.
[ht: Transcript By Tony DiZinno - IMSA Communications]
The Motul SportsCar Grand Prix at Road America, set for July 31–August 3,
2025, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, promises high-speed racing action. The
2-hour, 40-minute race streams live on Peacock starting at 2:00 p.m. ET
(1:00 p.m. CT) on Sunday, August 3.
Live Streaming:
Race: Peacock (U.S.) at 2:00 p.m. ET; IMSA.tv and IMSA’s YouTube channel
(global)
Qualifying: Saturday, August 2, 5:35 p.m. ET on Peacock (U.S.), IMSA.tv,
and IMSA’s YouTube (global)
IMSA Radio: Live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com for select sessions;
SiriusXM (XM 206, Web/App 996) race coverage starts Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
ET
Circuit: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
Classes: GTP, LMP2, GTD PRO, GTD
Race Duration: 2 hours, 40 minutes
TAGS: IMSA, Road America, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist, Cadillac, Acura, GTP,
sprint race, endurance, sportscar racing, The EDJE
