Origins
Whelen Engineering Racing was founded in 2010 and initially competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team achieved immediate success, winning the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona with a lineup of João Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel, and Mike Rockenfeller in the No. 5 Riley Mk. XI. The engine used was a Porsche 5.0L V8, built by a third party and not officially sanctioned by Porsche.
Breakthrough
Following their 2010 Daytona win, Barbosa and Borcheller were joined by J. C. France for several rounds, but did not achieve further podium finishes, ultimately finishing 13th in points. In 2011, Barbosa and France reunited, securing a podium at the Rolex 24 and a win at Virginia International Raceway, enough for Barbosa and France to finish 5th in points. The team also fielded the No. 9 Riley-Porsche, with drivers Darren Law, Buddy Rice, David Donohue, and Burt Frissele. After reuniting Barbosa and France, the team replaced the latter with Law, resulting in wins at Belle Isle and the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.
Peak Seasons
For 2013, AXR fielded both the Nos. 5 and 9, utilizing Corvette Daytona Prototypes. Christian Fittipaldi, Brian Frissele, Barbosa and Burt Frissele drove the cars. The team consolidated Barbosa and Fittipaldi for the remainder of the season after Road Atlanta, earning wins at Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen. The Frissele brothers achieved a single podium finish at Road America.
The 2014 season, under the newly formed IMSA SportsCar Championship, saw AXR focus on the No. 5 car driven by Barbosa and Fittipaldi for the full season, with the No. 9 crew limited to the North American Endurance Cup. The No. 5 team secured three wins, including their second Rolex 24 victory, to claim both the inaugural IMSA title and the North American Endurance Cup.
In 2015, AXR took over operations of the No. 31 Whelen Racing team, pairing GTD champion Dane Cameron with Eric Curran. The No. 5 team won its second IMSA title and the NAEC, with wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring)) and Petit Le Mans. The No. 31 team achieved victories at Detroit and Road America, finishing 3rd in points.
The No. 5 and No. 31 remained unchanged in 2016, with the No. 31 Corvette team winning the drivers’ title, and the No. 5 team taking home another North American Endurance Cup.
Defining Incidents
In 2017, at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mustang Sampling Cadillac was overtaken on the penultimate lap by Wayne Taylor Racing, another Cadillac team. In 2018, the team achieved a 1-2 finish at the Rolex 24, setting an all-time distance record.
Beyond the Primary Series
In 2021, 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson joined the team in a new entry, the No. 48 Ally Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Simon Pagenaud, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Rockenfeller. Johnson’s former Hendrick teammate and defending NASCAR champion Chase Elliott also joined the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R team during the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Gallery · 4 related images
