The GT America Powered by AWS season starts this weekend in Florida at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and Flying Lizard Motorsports will ring in the new season with two entries: hometown hero Jason Bell in the No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, and Andy Wilzoch in the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R. The pair will each complete in the weekend’s two 40-minute races, racing on the temporary street course built for the weekend.
“It is nice to finally get the season started this year,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “I have raced St Peterburg in the past and it is a great layout for a street circuit. It has a good mix of high-speed sections as well as technical slower left and right transitions. We will need to maximize the little track time we have, and qualifying is at a premium. Passing on a street circuit is always tough. This is always a great race weekend with lots of fans so I am looking forward to seeing both our drivers compete and we hope to have great results.”
The sports car racing series will run in support of the NTT IndyCar Series, one of several race series participating in the street festival weekend. Due to the action-packed track schedule, competitors will have less time than normal to become acquainted with the circuit and the ideal car setups. Drivers and engineers will be sure to take advantage of Thursday’s track walk, a one-hour gap where series competitors are able to walk the track on foot to inspect it before running full speed in a field of sports cars. The GT America entries will have only 65 minutes of total practice time on Friday before qualifying that afternoon and conducting race one that evening.
The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is the home race for 2021 champion Jason Bell, who will have his own section of supporters this weekend as he aims to defend last year’s win at the temporary street circuit. He’ll race the black, white, and yellow No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, competing against 20 other entries in the GT4 class.
Andy Wilzoch will be proudly racing the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R, which will wear the traditional Flying Lizard livery from the team’s early years of racing. He’ll compete in the GT3 class with 11 other entries, in what will be his first time at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. In an effort to familiarize himself with the circuit, Wilzoch has been getting in plenty of track time on the simulator in preparation for the event ahead.
Twenty-three entries will compete in the weekend’s doubleheader, season opening event. The single-driver series will showcase eight different manufacturers in a pair of 40-minute races. No driver changes are allowed and no pit stops are required, providing the bronze-rated drivers the opportunity to immerse themselves fully in the experience throughout the race.
Source. Flying Lizard Mororsports
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