Action Express Racing has established itself as one of the most successful and respected teams in modern North American sports car racing. Since its debut in 2010, the team has built a legacy defined by technical excellence, strategic precision, and a relentless competitive philosophy captured by its guiding motto: “Expect to Win.”
Based in Denver, North Carolina, Action Express Racing competes at the highest level of endurance sports car racing and has become synonymous with sustained success in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Over more than a decade of competition, the organization has secured multiple driver and team championships, numerous endurance titles, and victories in many of the most prestigious races in the world.
Central to this success has been the leadership of team manager Gary Nelson, whose decades of motorsport experience helped shape the culture and philosophy that define Action Express Racing. Nelson previously served as a championship-winning NASCAR crew chief and later oversaw the development of NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Under his guidance, the team has built a reputation for disciplined preparation, engineering excellence, and an unwavering focus on performance.
Action Express Racing launched its competitive program in 2010 with an immediate statement of intent, winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona in its debut season. That victory set the tone for the organization and demonstrated the team’s ability to perform at the highest level from the outset.
In the early years of the Daytona Prototype era, the team also took on an engineering role within the sport by developing and manufacturing the Coyote chassis, a competitive platform used in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. Carrying Chevrolet power, the Coyote chassis proved immediately successful and helped cement the team’s reputation for both technical capability and race-winning performance.
During this period the organization expanded its operations and developed a strong multi-car program capable of competing for wins and championships across the calendar. By the time the American sports car racing landscape unified under the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Action Express Racing had already established itself as one of the paddock’s benchmark organizations.
The team entered the new IMSA era exceptionally well prepared. Early success included a landmark victory at the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona, which helped launch a championship-winning campaign. That season saw the team secure both Driver and Team Championships along with the inaugural North American Endurance Cup, marking the beginning of a remarkable run of success in endurance racing.
Throughout the mid-2010s, Action Express Racing consistently fielded multiple championship-contending entries. The team’s cars became a regular presence at the front of the field in endurance classics such as the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, while also excelling in sprint events across the IMSA calendar.
The organization’s achievements during this era include numerous IMSA championships and a dominant record in the endurance championship that rewards performance in the series’ longest and most demanding races. The team’s ability to consistently perform in events lasting six, twelve, and twenty-four hours underscored its strength in strategy, reliability, and driver performance.
Through these seasons, Action Express Racing demonstrated a unique ability to maintain competitiveness across evolving regulations, shifting manufacturer partnerships, and changing technical platforms.
A defining chapter in the team’s history began with the introduction of Cadillac prototype machinery into the top class of IMSA competition. The partnership with Cadillac Racing and General Motors has since become a cornerstone of the team’s modern identity.
The arrival of Cadillac prototype competition strengthened an already formidable program, combining Action Express Racing’s operational expertise with the engineering capabilities of one of the world’s most iconic automotive manufacturers.
The collaboration quickly delivered results. Cadillac-powered prototypes became a dominant force in the IMSA prototype category, with Action Express Racing playing a central role in developing and racing the platform at the highest level of competition.
Victories at marquee races and multiple championships followed, reinforcing the strength of the partnership between the team and General Motors.
In 2023, the team entered a new era with the debut of the Cadillac V-Series.R, the hybrid prototype built to compete in the global GTP and Hypercar regulations. Competing with the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen entry, Action Express Racing delivered an immediate impact in the new category.
The team captured the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Michelin Endurance Cup, securing the inaugural GTP titles in the process. The season included a victory at the prestigious Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, further reinforcing the team’s reputation for endurance racing excellence.
That same year, Action Express Racing also expanded its international presence by competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the team’s debut in the legendary French endurance classic as part of Cadillac’s global prototype effort.
Throughout its history, Action Express Racing has been defined by a culture that blends technical precision with relentless competitive ambition.
The phrase “Expect to Win” is more than a slogan displayed in the team’s workshop—it reflects the mindset that guides every aspect of the organization’s work. For the team, expecting to win does not mean assuming victory, but rather preparing so thoroughly that success becomes a natural outcome of doing every job to the highest possible standard.
That philosophy extends from engineering and race strategy to pit crew execution and driver performance. It has enabled the team to remain competitive across changing technical regulations, evolving race formats, and increasingly competitive manufacturer programs.
Today, Action Express Racing continues to compete at the forefront of prototype racing with the Cadillac V-Series.R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The team’s driver lineup has combined proven champions with emerging talent, maintaining the blend of experience and performance that has been a hallmark of the organization.
The partnership with Cadillac Racing and General Motors remains a central element of the team’s program, with the current agreement extending through the end of the 2027 season. Together, the organizations continue to push the boundaries of performance and technology in one of the most competitive eras in sports car racing.
As prototype racing evolves on a global stage—with common regulations enabling competition across IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship—Action Express Racing is positioned to continue playing a significant role in the sport’s future.
From its debut victory at Daytona to multiple championships and global competition alongside Cadillac Racing, the team’s story is one of sustained success built on preparation, partnership, and a relentless drive to compete at the highest level.
And with the same philosophy that has guided the organization since its earliest days, Action Express Racing continues to approach every race weekend with a simple expectation:
Expect to Win.
