When the Daytona Continental went to a 24-hour event in 1966, the Porsche 911 race car was already part of the field, winnings its class that year in GT 2000 with Jack Ryan, Bill Benecker and Linley Coleman at the helm. So it seems fitting that the latest Porsche 911 road car will lead the field once again in 2012 as the pace car for the 50th anniversary of this iconic sports car classic.

“Porsche has enjoyed a long and successful history in the Rolex 24 At Daytona,” GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe said. “Having a Porsche 911 road car pacing this milestone race will be another proud addition to that heritage.”

“The car will lead the field to the green flag at the beginning of the race, and perform all the pace car duties during yellow flags and restarts – a hefty assignment for a 24-hour event at which both weather and track conditions can be unpredictable,” Bledsoe said.

By the late 1950s it was obvious to Porsche that the 356, which was the company’s sole product line since 1948, needed to be updated. Replacing it was necessary, yet perilous. Who knew that the eventual replacement for the 356, the 911, would surpass its predecessor in sales, longevity and glory? Or that it would be so fanatically cherished by its owners that Porsche hasn’t been allowed to replace it. Or that the Company would be introducing its latest iteration all the way in 2012?

And, with Porsche Motorsport concentrating on its development of prototypes for Le Mans and elsewhere, there wasn’t much initial effort by the factory for racing the 911, but it became the most successful race car in history, and certainly the most successful race car in the history of the Rolex 24, with 39 overall and class wins – most recently the TRG GT victory in 2011 with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

“As the 911 race car and street car histories are completely intertwined, it is fitting that our latest 911 road car pace the Rolex 24,” said Detlev von Platen, president of Porsche Cars North America.

“Everyone will see that this newborn is truly a member of the family,” said von Platen.

From every angle the latest offering is unmistakably a 911, holding true to the Porsche 911 Carrera evolution, not revolution’ design philosophy. The new car has a longer wheel base, but is both lower and lighter than its predecessor. With its two engine sizes, the new 911 Carrera is able to provide improved performance and handling, and even better fuel economy than before. The 911 Carrera is equipped with a 3.4-liter, 350hp six-cylinder boxer engine, while the Carrera S is fitted with a 3.8-liter, 400hp six-cylinder boxer powerplant, both with the optional PDK transmission available.

The first new 911 models will arrive in U.S. dealerships beginning in February of 2012.

The Porsche 911 race car started to make noise in the U.S. when IMSA’s Camel GT series started in 1970, with Brumos Racing and Hurley Haywood taking their 1970 Porsche 911S to its first championship in the 1972 season. Haywood and co-driver and Brumos co-owner Peter Gregg went on to win IMSA championships in 1973, 1974, and 1975, winning the Rolex 24 in both ’73 and ’75 while taking a class victory in ‘72.

After the Porsche 911 Carrera RS and RSR models won IMSA and Trans-Am championships in the mid-70s, the company introduced the radical Porsche 934 and 935 race cars – 911 silhouette bodied cars with big, twin-turbocharged engines that become the cars to beat in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The 1980s and early 90s were prime time for Porsche Motorsport’s 956 and 962 prototype race cars, and the 911 took a bit of a back seat on the GT side to Porsche 924 and 944-based models.

Then, in 1997, Porsche introduced the GT class 911 GT2R at Le Mans where this 996-based water-cooled coupe promptly won its class, followed by the famous Porsche 911 GT1 which gave Porsche its last overall victory at Le Mans (1998).

The current family of 911 race cars which run at the Rolex 24, in production since 1989, is the 911 GT3 Cup, which was developed for the Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup one-marque series which take place around the globe. Brumos Racing took the latest version of the car to GT championship in 2011.

The other current 911 race car line is the current Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, driven to an overall victory in the 2003 Rolex 24 and a class victory in 2002 by TRG.

- Porsche Motorsport

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The Racer’s Group announced today that two stalwarts from its 2011 Daytona 24 champion GT team. Spencer Pumpelly and Steve Bertheau, will not only return to defend their title but will embark on a full-season effort in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in 2012. Pumpelly and Bertheau will form the nucleus of the defending championship team that will take to the high-banks of Daytona before the duo continues the 13-race Grand-Am Rolex Series schedule. The two will compete in a 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, wearing the No. 67 Sargent & Lundy/TRG banner.

While TRG’s complete driver lineups for the Daytona 24 have yet to be announced, team owner Kevin Buckler indicated that he is expecting another armada with which to attack America’s 24-hour endurance classic for its historic 50th Anniversary celebration. A year ago, TRG fielded five cars, and Buckler anticipates another similar assault from GT class again for 2012.

“I can’t even begin to express how thrilled I am to have a guy like Steve back in the car and back with TRG for 2012. He has been a great driver and a great friend!” team owner Kevin Buckler states. “Watching Steve work so hard on his driving and now be able to come back to tracks for the 2nd time, well this should be good. And to be able to pair him up with a proven sports car veteran like Pumpelly… this is what TRG is all about! The 2012 season is sure to be exciting!”

“Winning Daytona last year was one of the biggest thrills of my life and certainly the the highlight of my race career to date,” said Bertheau. “To have the chance to defend with Spencer and a team like TRG is a once in a lifetime moment. It’s a long race and anything can happen, but I know we will be ready. And I am really looking forward to a full-season as well. Who knows what could happen there!”

Last season was another landmark year for The Racer’s Group, which yielded 12 professional sports car podiums, including GRAND-AM wins at Daytona and Watkins Glen. The trip to victory lane at one of the world’s most famous endurance races to begin the 2011 season was not unprecedented. TRG has won the prestigious 24-hour American race four times, including once overall from GT class in the now famous Monster Cable Porsche.

“Coming back to Daytona with Steve and all of the TRG guys to defend our 2011 victory is really going to be neat.” Pumpelly states. “We made memories last season that we’ll never forget. I can’t wait to find out what 2012 has in store.”

“We have been working diligently and feverishly during the off-season to defend a title that has become very important to us and is the pinnacle of endurance racing in the U.S.,” said Buckler. “As further announcements roll out, I think you will see how serious we are about winning this race in this very historic year.”

The No. 67 Sargent & Lundy/TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup will begin preparation for its defense at the January 6-8 “Roar Before the 24″ event at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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Proving that hard work and great pit strategy pays off, TRG moved up through the pack this weekend for a huge win at the Grand-Am Rolex Series Watkins Glen 200. Starting from the 18th position, TRG’s No. 67 Sargent & Lundy Porsche GT3 Cup car piloted by Steve Bertheau and Spencer Pumpelly secured one of the Series’ most dramatic GT wins of the season.

With a qualifying session cut short due to on-track incidents and limited practice time, the team battled several obstacles to claim victory in the fastest paced Grand-Am race of all time.

Bertheau, winnner at the Daytona 24 earlier this year, was only able to get one flyer in during qualifying but managed to put down one of his best laps of the weekend. Meanwhile, TRG’s sister car, the No. 66 Racer’s Roast/Fox River Coffee/TRG Porsche GT3 was qualified by driver Duncan Ende, who handled marvelously a car that was a bit off its sister’s car pace.

“We knew we had some work to do on this one,” said TRG team owner/CEO Kevin Buckler. “We didn’t qualify as well as we had wanted, and definitely had our hands full with an ill-handling 66. Duncan is a pro and played the cards out the best he could. We managed the strategy to death and knew we had a real shot early on with 67. If there’s a group of guys who can overcome adversity and get the job done at the end of the day, it’s our guys, and I am really proud of them today.”

The team seized the opportunity of a caution early to get all of its pit stop duties out of the way for the No. 67. This strategy paid dividends in the end. Bertheau nailed his performance and handed the car off to Pumpelly, the seasoned veteran. Pumpelly put on an outstanding drive, moving into the lead in the last 10 minutes then masterfully saved fuel to bring it home to the checker for his third professional sportscar win in a row.

“Strategy, a great crew and a fantastic co-driver, that’s what makes you win,” said Bertheau. “Kevin and Greg [Jones] were managing our time and fuel strategy from the drop of the green.”

The No. 66 Racer’s Roast/Fox River Coffee/TRG Porsche GT3 started 15th but thanks to Ende’s great start and consistent lap times continued to battle within the pack all day long.

- TRG

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After running Alex Popow and Enzo Potolicchio together throughout the current season, the team will split up the two first-year Venezuelans for Saturday’s Canadian Tire 200 at Watkins Glen – while adding a former Daytona Prototype champion to the team.

Jorg Bergmeister – the 2006 DP titlist – will share the No. 2 Starworks Porsche/Riley with Potolicchio, while Popow will team with Ryan Dalziel in the team’s No. 8 Ford/Riley. Both cars are sponsored by Duncan/Brazilinvest.

“With Jorg having an off-weekend, this was a great opportunity to get a Porsche factory driver and a proven DP winner,” said Starworks owner Peter Baron. “Our team is still new to the Porsche power plant, and Jorg won the pole for the Rolex 24 with a similar Porsche engine. It will also give Jorg the opportunity to work again with Stefan Pfeiffer, currently an engineer with Starworks Motorsport, who was previously his engineer with Flying Lizard Motorsports. They worked together for nine years and won multiple championships.”

Bergmeister captured the pole for the Rolex 24 At Daytona in his lone Rolex Series appearance this season. The Porsche factory driver is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, taking the overall victory with TRG in 2003 and taking GT honors for that team in 2002 and 2009.

Bergmeister’s five DP victories include the 2006 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, co-driving with Boris Said.

Dalziel has two podium finishes in 2011 – placing third at Barber and Lime Rock – while finishing fourth in the the most recent Rolex Series races. He was the overall winner of the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and gave Starworks Motorsport its first DP victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2008.

Popow and Potolicchio have six top-10 finishes this season, placing seventh three times.

- Grand-Am | Photo: Marshall Pruett / SpeedTV

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1. Andy Lally back with TRG for the 2011 Watkins Glen 200

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In addition to racing TRG Motorsports’ Ford in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Northport, N.Y., native will return to the GRAND-AM Rolex Series, joining Duncan Ende in the No. 66 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 in Saturday evening’s Watkins Glen 200.

“This is really cool for me, because it’s my home state and my favorite racetrack,” said Lally, who won with TRG in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in his lone Rolex Series race of 2011. “It’s great to be doubling up with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This makes the boyhood dream of racing in what was then the Winston Cup come to a realization, and it’s pretty epic.”

Lally has four GT victories at Watkins Glen. He won the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in 2004 (with TPC), 2007 and 2010, and the Crown Royal 250 in 2005 run in conjunction with the IndyCar event. However, he has yet to win in the August race on the 2.45-mile short course.

“The two courses at The Glen use very similar setups,” Lally said of the differences between the short course and the 3.4-mile long circuit. “The gearing changes a little bit, and the downforce desires are a little different. I love the short course. It’s such a blast. It’s the closest thing to a Talladega version of a road course you can get. It’s super-high speed the whole time, and there’s very little slow-speed corners. The draft is big from Turn 1 to the Inner Loop. The short course always makes for an exciting race. Regardless of how the rules are going, there’s usually two or three different marques at the front going at it, hard.”

Even though he’s been away from the Rolex Series since January, Lally has kept in touch with his sports car racing roots.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on what’s going on in the series this year, and I think you’re going to see one of the closest grids – and probably one of the closest finishes – that we’ve seen all year.”

Lally came up with a prediction on the outcome.

“I think you’re going to see four guys coming to the white flag real close to each other, and you’re not going to know who’s going to win until they get to the checker,” Lally said. “It’s going to be a pretty wild race.”

While Lally is 33rd in the Sprint Cup standings, more importantly his 26th-place finish in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 moved TRG up to 35th in the car owner standings. Lally will now be guaranteed a starting position as long as he can remain in the top 35 in the owner points.

“Hands down, this has been the toughest racing challenge I’ve had in my life,” Lally said of the transition to the Sprint Cup. “Up until this week, we’ve been a ‘go or go homer’ for the past few months, and that is one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done. Everything you do for the whole weekend rides on one single lap. We made the race on time the last eight races, and to be able to do that is a testament to how hard all of these guys are working. This car has a much different feel from what I’m used to, and that makes the challenge all that greater. ”

- Grand-AM

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GRAND-AM Road Racing has added a long-anticipated Indianapolis Motor Speedway date to its 2012 schedules for both the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, with races set for Friday, July 27 on IMS’ road course.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is giving its popular Brickyard 400 weekend an innovative and exciting makeover starting next season and GRAND-AM will play a huge role, in what will be called the “Super Weekend at the Brickyard,” on July 26-29.

In addition to GRAND-AM’s two series, there will be a third series making its IMS debut – the NASCAR Nationwide Series on July 28. The weekend’s marquee event, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Brickyard 400 on July 29, will have ample support to say the least.

“GRAND-AM is an organization on the move and this announcement personifies that fact,” said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. “This is a great, great day for GRAND-AM and for sports car racing in North America.

“We have been negotiating with our good friends at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for awhile to make this happen, while also working in concert with our parent organization, NASCAR, to put together the most attractive event possible.

“GRAND-AM has the finest sports car racing in North America, and we’re proud that we’ll be able to showcase the racing at Indy.”

It will be the first time in IMS history that races will take place on the 2.5-mile oval and 2.605-mile, 13-turn Grand Prix road course during the same weekend. The detailed one-day schedule for GRAND-AM has yet to be finalized, including the respective lengths of the two races.

“The Super Weekend at the Brickyard will offer non-stop excitement for every auto racing fan with the addition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and CEO. “There will be competitive, fender-rubbing action from many different types of machinery for four days, featuring established stars and rising talents, on both the IMS oval and road course.”

“This will be an unforgettable event and the start of a great new racing tradition at the Speedway.”

For many GRAND-AM drivers, such as reigning and three-time Rolex Series Daytona Prototype champion Scott Pruett of the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates organization, this new event affords a racing return to the Brickyard. Two years ago, GRAND-AM tested at IMS, fueling speculation about a possible future event.

Pruett has raced in the Indianapolis 500 four times, with a best finish of 10th back in 1989. After a move from open-wheel to NASCAR, he ran the Brickyard 400 twice, finishing 10th in 2000.

“This is huge for the sport, for our team and it’s huge for me personally,” said Pruett.

“When we had the opportunity to go and test at Indy in 2009, it was incredible to go back. After racing Indy Cars and NASCAR stock cars at Indianapolis, now to get the opportunity to go there with GRAND-AM …it’s one of those absolute pinnacles of racing.”

Rolex Series regular David Donohue’s father, the legendary Mark Donohue, won the Indianapolis 500 in 1972. David raced at IMS in the Porsche Supercup series in 2001, finishing eighth in two races.

“Indianapolis Motor Speedway is such an iconic race track,” Donohue said. “It’s one of those places where there’s an electricity when you step on the grounds. Going to race there with GRAND-AM is a long-time dream, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to realize that dream.”

Ticket orders for the 2012 Super Weekend at the Brickyard will be accepted starting Monday, Aug. 1, 2011. Orders can be made at www.imstix.com and through the IMS Ticket Office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

General admission tickets will cost $10 for Thursday, July 26, $30 for Friday, July 27, $40 for Saturday, July 28 and $30 for Sunday, July 29. Four-day general admission tickets are $75. Children ages 12-and-under will be admitted free any of the four days when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.

- Grand-Am

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Andy Lally is on another level! Due to vibrations in the Porsche, he came in for a pitstop on lap 50. This gave the lead to the Turner Motorsport / BMW M6. Being 8 seconds down, he put in an amazing run and bridged back up to the BMW. The BMW of Joey Hand was no match and a few laps later, Lally was able to make the pass and drop he BMW for the win.

After the race, Lally flew out to Maryhill, Wash. for the U.S. Streetluge World Cup. The dude in on another level right now! 

TRG’s RJ Valentine and Andy Lally won this morning’s running of the Grand-Am Rolex Series presented by Crown Royal Reserve Cask No.16 Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway.  The win represents the third in as many races for TRG.

Valentine started the No. 66 Advanced Aerosol Acquisitions/TRG/Porsche and put in a strong first stint.  Turning the car over to Lally, the Dacula, Georgia resident, proceeded to make his way to the front of the field, taking the lead on lap 40. Ten laps later Lally reported a vibration.  With the possibility of rain looming, team owner, Kevin Buckler called Lally to pit lane to change tires and get fuel, giving up the lead to the No. 94 BMW. Lally returned to the action some eight seconds down.  He proceeded to take time off of the lead and got to the bumper of the yellow M6 on lap 74. The pair went side-by-side for two laps until he passed for the lead on lap 76 and cruised home to the checker seven laps later.

“It was a typical hot, greasy day at Daytona,” Lally said.  “We made a change on the car after RJs qualifying run and that it made it better. On that last pit stop we took four tires, the BMW took two and that helped me to charge and catch them toward the end for the win.  I always have a good clean battle with Joey (Hand, BMW driver) on the track, it is fun.  I also think he hit some traffic at some unfortunate spots on the track.  When I caught Joey my tires were gone.  We had a good battle.  RJ took a year-and-a-half off and he jumped back in and drove some incredible laps.  The team did a great job with the car and pit stops all day.  It was a good points weekend.”

“Kevin called me three weeks ago and asked if I wanted to do Daytona,” Valentine said.  “It has been a year-and-a-half since I have been in the car.  Should I do this?  One of my partners walked in and said go do it.  I think I turned the fastest times I have ever run here.  The car was really good and Andy does a great job to coach me around here.  TRG always has a well prepared car and they really know their way around this track.”

In the No. 67 Fisher Industrial/TRG/Porsche Peter Bassett and Spencer Pumpelly had a tough start to the day.  In the early morning 15-minute warm-up, Pumpelly reported some shifting problems with the transmission.  A rubbing tire forced a pit stop under green setting them back in the order eventually settling for a 13th place finish.  The duo showed good speed all weekend shadowing the speeds of the 66 car, but ended up having a tough race.

“It was a great day for TRG with Andy and RJ winning,” Bassett said.  “In the warm-up Spencer was not happy with the transmission.  The TRG guys took the car back to the trailer and changed the transmission in less than 50-minutes.  Their hard work allowed me to take the green flag from pit lane and join the field. We really didn’t miss a beat before the race.  I had a great first experience.”

“I went out for the warm-up and the transmission was difficult to engage, which usually means that it is going,” Pumpelly said.  “The guys did a great job to get the car to the grid so Peter could take the start without being down.  When Peter came in and turned the car over we were looking good. I smelled some rubber in the car, I think we had a rub on one of the rear tires.  So I had to pit and change tires, that put us back in the running order. As it turned out we had something rubbing, so we made the right choice.”

Team owner Kevin Buckler celebrated yet another TRG win at Daytona.  

“It is always exciting to win at Daytona,” Buckler said. “We brought RJ back and he proved he was more than up for the challenge.  He went out, after being gone for 18-months, and turned some of the fastest times he has ever run here.  Andy did a great job to get the lead and then go back out and get it again.  The car ran flawlessly and the guys really put together some strong pit stops.  The 67 car had a tough morning.  But once again the crew stepped-up, dug in and did a transmission change in about 45-minutes.  Peter was able to take the green with the other cars from pit lane and he ran a really strong first stint.  I was proud of him jumping in here and competing in his first professional race. He did a great job!  Spencer had the pace all weekend, but we just couldn’t put in a position to win today.  We had a slight tire rub on the 67 with Spencer that put us out of sequence with the pit stops with those guys.  It is too bad.  I think we could have had them on the podium as well.”

- TRG

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Michael DeNino snapped this Porsche Panamera Turbo at the Roar before the 24 in Daytona yesterday. Temperatures dropped enough where it had even “snowed” and iced the track, calling off one session in the morning.

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APR Motorsport is proud to announce that 2009 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge MESCO Building For The Future Rookie of the Year Josh Hurley will be returning with the team in the Street Tuner (ST) class. After a strong debut season including a victory at Barber Motorsports Park, two poles and five podiums, Hurley and APR are looking forward to keeping the momentum going.

“I’m really excited to be back,” Hurley said. “The level that APR operates at is just amazing, and I feel at home with APR. I can’t wait to fight for the championship again this year.”

Hurley will be paired with veteran racer Kevin Stadtlander, himself seeking the 2010 Rookie of the Year honors.

“We tested a lot of drivers in the offseason, but Kevin and I just really fit well together,” Hurley said. “I enjoy working with him and I think we’re going to have a lot of success this year.”

With the first driver pair ready to go, look for future announcements as APR Motorsport finalizes its plans for the 2010 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

About APR: APR LLC is an automotive engineering firm operating a 36,000 sq. ft. performance campus in Opelika, Ala. APR was founded in 1997 with a corporate philosophy of Integrity, Excellence and Innovation. APR’s Sole Mission is to provide the highest quality and most highly engineered aftermarket performance products available for Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen vehicles. Learn more at www.goapr.com.

About Josh Hurley: A Fort Lauderdale native, Hurley was the 2008 VW TDI Cup Champion. In 2009, he stepped up to the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge class, winning the MESCO Rookie of the Year award, as well as one race victory, two poles and five podiums. To learn more about Hurley, please visit www.GoJoshHurley.com.

- GoJoshHurley.com

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Driver Lineup: Bergmeister, Long, van Overbeek and Neiman

Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today that The Racer’s Group (TRG) will enter a TRG/Flying Lizard Porsche in GT at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season-opener for the Grand-Am Road Racing Series. In the ShoreTel-sponsored No. 66 Porsche GT3 Cup Car, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will join Johannes van Overbeek and Seth Neiman for the 24-hour endurance race to be held on January 30-31, 2009.

Bergmeister has won three times at the Rolex 24: in GT in 2009 (with Patrick Long), in GT and overall in 2003, and in GT in 2002, all with TRG. He was also the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype champion in 2006 (with Krohn Racing). Bergmeister and Long are Porsche factory drivers and will be co-drivers in the Flying Lizard No. 45 Porsche for the 2010 ALMS season. With Flying Lizard, the duo won the 2009 ALMS GT2 drivers’ championship. van Overbeek, who drove with the Lizards from 2004-2009 in the ALMS, has competed seven times at the Rolex 24. Notably, in 2007 he finished third with TRG, in 2004 took the pole and second in GT (and third overall) with Seth Neiman and Mike Rockenfeller in the Flying Lizard No. 74 Porsche and finished third in GT and overall in 2003.

All four drivers will participate in the test January 8-10 at Daytona. The No. 66 will be managed by TRG, with some Lizards at the helm including Thomas Blam (chief strategist in the ALMS), Craig Watkins (chief engineer) and Tommy Sadler (crew chief and co-technical director).

Seth Neiman commented, ‘I’ve always loved the 24 Hours of Daytona, but given our other commitments, it just hasn’t been practical to run here. Working with our Porsche cousins at TRG we have an opportunity to field a very strong entry. TRG has had consistent success in Grand-Am and I’m confident that they will deliver a solid program. Joerg, Patrick and Johannes have a lot of combined experience here and of course, have shown that they excel in long races. And having Thomas, Craig and Tommy there will bring the familiarity of the Lizard team to the effort.’

- Flying Lizard Motorsport

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