Flying Lizards Motorsports and Starworks Motorsport were the first to make announcements on November 11. The "lizards," who have eight participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a best finish of third, will field two cars in the GT Daytona class, reserved for current Grand Am GT cars and ALMS GTC entries. Partners with Porsche since their debut, the Californian team will change marques and have just received two brand new Audi R8 LMS cars, which will make their debut at Daytona and Sebring. The drivers have yet to be announced.
Over at Starworks Motorsport, the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans LM P2 class winners and Teams Trophy LM P2 winners in the FIA World Endurance Championship, have unveiled the name of the driver taking part in the tests at Daytona. Alex Popow, an ALMS and Grand Am regular will have driving duties. Peter Baron's team hopes to enter two Formula Le Mans cars in the PC class and one Daytona Prototype in the Prototype class.
Yesterday, it was four-time ALMS title winners Level 5 Motorsports's turn, to present their program...which isn't one just yet! Scott Tucker's team is looking to develop their customer racing program and will bring no fewer than nine cars to the Florida paddocks to allow potential team clients to test their future cars. With two HPD ARX-03b, three new Oreca FLM09S, two Ferrari 458 GT3 and two Lola LM P2, there is no lack of choice. As for Scott Tucker himself, nothing has been decided yet, but he is leaning toward the LM P1 class for private teams in the FIA World Endurance Championship, in lieu of an entry in the TUDOR USCC.
Finally, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing announced their intentions today. Forced to send their championship winning HPD ARX03c to the museum, as P1 cars are no longer allowed in the new championship, Greg Pickett has decided to run in the PC class. The Indianapolis based team first discovered the Formula Le Mans car in 2012 when they contested the first few races of the ALMS season. Who will be the drivers? It remains a mystery, but it won't be long as the team will be present at Sebring!
All of these teams, as well as Patrick Dempsey's team, who were the first to enter the new series, will be united on the Sebring track from November 16-17 and/or Daytona from November 19-20 under the warm winter sun of Florida.
Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translated by Rainier Ehrhardt / ACO
PHOTO : LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS CIRCUIT, JUNE 16, 2012, RACE . Starworks Motorsport will go from ALMS to TUDOR USCC in 2014.
