Founded in 2007 by three-time World Sportscar Champion Wayne Taylor, Wayne Taylor Racing has quickly become one of the most recognized motor sports brands around the world.

WTR is indeed a powerhouse. It has secured numerous wins across an impressive range of iconic events and race series, including legendary races like the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America, and Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. The team’s dominance is reflected in two IMSA driver championships (2013, 2017) and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021), which have propelled Cadillac, Acura, Pontiac, and Corvette to nine IMSA manufacturer championships.

WTR’s success extends to the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, where it has claimed an astonishing 14 North American Championship titles, including consecutive PRO Class Championships in 2022 and 2023, along with a Lamborghini World Finals crown.

Advanced 3D scanning solutions boost vehicle performance 

WTC has never been shy about trying new technologies to gain an edge and outpace the competition. For several years now, the team has been using an array of Creaform’s metrology-grade 3D scanners and integrated 3D scanning software to develop the fastest and most technologically advanced race cars. 

For example, WTR operates the MetraSCAN 3D optical and portable CMM for many different 3D measurement and quality assurance applications. The CMM is regularly used to take accurate measurements of complex surfaces and car assemblies to identify how much loss and wear a car’s underside has experienced during a race, as well as aerodynamic effects. 

The 3D scanner was likewise used to elevate driver comfort in race car cockpits by finding new ways to minimize jolts and vibrations. The end result? Based on the driver’s positioning along every part inside a cockpit, brackets were designed to improve seating ergonomics. The fact that WTR engineers can build better tooling and vehicle components in-house has accelerated product design cycles and cut outsourcing costs.

Finally, the MetraSCAN 3D helps engineering teams ensure that each race car’s bodywork adheres to the strict standards set forth by racing regulations. Thanks to CAD-based simulations and modeling, tolerance checks, and physical inspections with the MetraSCAN 3D, VXelements, and VXinspect, quality control processes are more easily carried out to guarantee regulatory compliance.

Another secret weapon for race dominance

Creaform’s HandySCAN BLACK+|Elite has also redefined how WTR prepares its cars for competition. In the video below, Grayson Heinbaugh, lead engineer for the team, takes us behind the scenes to reveal just how much 3D scanning solutions have upped the ante in vehicle design, dynamics, and handling.

Every component of a race car has a role to play, and the tiniest imperfections can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Heinbaugh explains how the HandySCAN BLACK+|Elite, paired with VXelements and VXinspect software, gives employees incredible insights into race car development. “We use it to scan the car, compare it to the CAD model, and create color maps that highlight exactly where adjustments are needed,” he says. “It takes the guesswork out of compliance and performance. Whether we’re in the shop or at the track, we extract every ounce of potential from the car so that it’s race-optimized.”

In racing, nothing stays static—and certainly not the cars. Heinbaugh describes how the forces of manufacturing, transport, and high-speed laps can subtly alter a car’s dimensions. What begins as a perfect CAD model must be constantly reevaluated against the realities of the track.

“When we make a CAD model or a design, it’s perfect on paper, so to speak,” he says. “But when you run it on the track, travel with it, or even just handle it, things like to move around. With our 3D scanners, we can measure those changes quickly and accurately, staying within tolerances and making sure nothing holds us back.”

Another fascinating application of the HandySCAN BLACK+|Elite is the way WTR uses it to measure skids. Positioned between the race car and the road, the skids are critical to determining ride height, which is a factor that can make or break a car’s performance.

“It’s no secret that the lower we get the car to the ground, the better it’s going to perform,” Heinbaugh says. “But there are wear limits we can’t exceed. The 3D scanner helps us see where the car hits the ground and adjust to keep it as low as possible without crossing those limits.”

Tips for getting the most out of 3D scanners

As Heinbaugh says, no matter what 3D measurement solution a company opts for, it can only be as good as the pros that handle them. “Creaform’s metrology experts guided our engineering and quality control teams, teaching them best practices and providing application-specific recommendations so that we could push the limits of innovation even further. We know where we stand and what we need to do next.” 

From the race team’s relentless determination to refine its cars’ designs to its deep understanding of the power of metrology, WTR’s ongoing success proves that in product development, as in racing, the details make all the difference.

Published Jan. 20, 2025, by Creaform.