Action Express Racing’s championship-winning No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R will welcome Tristan Nunez as its newest driver in 2022.

The young Florida native, a veteran of Mazda’s factory racing programs through the 2020 season, replaces the outgoing Felipe Nasr. Nunez, who began his endurance racing career while in his teens, has spent the 2021 season leading the impressive new WIN Autosport team in IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship LMP2 category which scored a big win at the six-hour Watkins Glen event and holds second in the standings.

Nunez will partner with two AXR veterans in Pipo Derani, forming an American-Brazilian duo at every round, and Mike Conway, who will continue his role in the No. 31 Cadillac at IMSA’s longest endurance races.

“Over my entire career, Cadillac has always been the car to beat,” Nunez said. “I’ve always admired Action Express Racing’s ability to produce well-earned victories and beautifully run races. This is a huge step in my career and I’m excited for the challenge.

“I couldn’t be happier to be paired with Pipo. Year after year, he’s proven to be one of the best. Off track, I feel we will have great camaraderie, which I feel is a key component to having success in this sport. Having Mike as a third [driver] solidifies the 31 Whelen Cadillac as a force to be reckoned with.”

At 25, Nunez brings considerable experience to AXR and Cadillac, with seven years of factory prototype racing built on top of time spent with Mazda in GT racing; Nunez was also the winner of the prestigious Team USA Scholarship in 2012 where he represented the country in England at the Walter Hayes Formula Ford Festival.