IMSA: Tequila Patrón ESM announces 2017 return

After two full seasons in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Tequila Patrón ESM will return to the United States to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2017, the team announced Tuesday.

The move comes after Tequila Patrón ESM wraps up its second year in the FIA WEC, where the team has finished on the podium in four of the six races competed thus far.

Extreme Speed Motorsports started in 2010 in the American Le Mans Series, where the team competed for two years as a GT sports car team. In 2013, the team shifted to the prototype LMP2 class for the final season of the ALMS. In the newly formed TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, ESM ran the majority of the season before shifting their full season focus to competing on a more global state in the FIA WEC.

"Tequila Patrón ESM has had an incredible experience over the last 24 months going to some amazing racetracks, but we are very excited to return to the IMSA WeatherTech Championship," said ESM owner Scott Sharp (pictured). "When we add in Ligier, who have been our incredible partners, with their new Prototype DPi chassis and Nissan Nismo as powertrain partner, we have nothing but high expectations for 2017!"

"The DPi program is going to be really exciting, and it will be fantastic to be able to compete not only on our home turf, but for the overall win," added Patrón Spirits President and team driver Ed Brown. "It's going to be wonderful to be associated with a world-class brand like Nissan! I think the synergies between the two companies and each of our consumers will give us great opportunities to activate our brands."

Tequila Patrón will continue its current partnership with Oak Racing, with key staff members providing support throughout the season, at the Florida shop and at each of the 10 scheduled IMSA events.

"We fully expect to be highly competitive from the very first race," added Brown. "We're extremely comfortable with Ligier, and the 2017 car should be fantastic. We know the power plant will be tremendous and our team is the best."

"We wrote an incredible story this year with the double victory at Daytona and Sebring, but 2017 will be like a new start," said Oak Racing's Philippe Dumas. "On behalf of Jacques Nicolet, Onroak Automotive and Oak Racing President, it's a great honor. This new program will be a huge responsibility and an immense challenge for our group. As usual, we will put in all our determination, exhilaration, and will to win."

"We are delighted to join Tequila Patrón and Oak Racing for 2017 IMSA season," said Nissan Global Motorsports Director Michael Carcamo. "We believe Nissan and Nismo can add to this already successful program by providing a competitive powertrain in the DPi class."