English driver Stuart Wiltshire will be joining Era Motorsport for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. This race will mark the debut of LMP2 as the headlining class. Wiltshire will also be participating in the remaining sprint race at Road America in August. To make room for Wiltshire, Dwight Merriman, who has been driving for the team for several years, will be stepping aside to pursue other racing interests.
Wiltshire brings a wealth of experience to Era Motorsport. He has previously competed in Formula 3 and has recently ventured into the world of “modern historic” racing, including LMP2 prototypes. He has also had the opportunity to race a Peugeot 90X LMP1 car and an Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype international car under the guidance of Era Motorsport. Wiltshire had the chance to familiarize himself with the IMSA-spec Era Motorsport Oreca 07 LMP2 last year at the Historic Sportscar Racing Daytona Classic, where he raced alongside Merriman. He also tested the No. 18 ORECA at CTMP last week.
Wiltshire is eager to hit the track for FP1 and see how he stacks up against the competition. He feels confident in his abilities, especially after the recent test session. The transition to IMSA will bring longer stints behind the wheel, which will be a change from the shorter drive times he is accustomed to in historic racing.
Ryan Dalziel, the team’s professional driver since 2021, will be sharing the car with Wiltshire. Together, they aim to continue the team’s success in the upcoming races. Merriman, Dalziel, and Connor Zilisch, with the addition of Christian Rasmussen at Daytona, secured victories in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at the start of the season. Unfortunately, Merriman’s race was cut short in the first lap of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, hindering their chances of repeating their previous successes and dropping them from the championship lead in LMP2.
With Merriman stepping aside, Era Motorsport now has an opening for a Bronze-rated driver for the 2025 IMSA season. Additionally, with their fleet of ORECA 07 LMP2 machinery, the team has the capability to re-enter either the Asian or European Le Mans Series.
Team owner Kyle Tilley is thrilled about the prospect of welcoming new drivers and exploring new opportunities. Merriman’s departure opens up the incredible team that Era Motorsport has built over the past five years to drivers who are interested in entering the world of professional racing or moving into a different class.
