Flying Lizard Faces Florida Heat for Sebring SRO America Doubleheader
SEBRING, Fla., (September 21, 2023) – As the conclusion to the race season looms ahead in one month’s time, competitors in the Pirelli GT4 America and GT America Powered by AWS championships head to Sebring International Raceway for the penultimate event of SRO America in 2023. Flying Lizard Motorsports has five entries competing in the four races between the two series, racing a herd of Aston Martin Vantage GT4 cars and a Porsche 911 GT3 R. Currently involved in both championship hunts, the weekend ahead holds strong series title implications, and every point gained may play a pivotal role in determining the season victors.
“This weekend is an extremely critical one for us,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “We are very close in points for both the driver and team championship in GT4 America. Sebring is one of our favorite tracks to race at, it is challenging for the drivers and the engineers with the mixture of both fast and slow corners and of course, the bumps and that is why we came here a few weeks ago to test. We gathered a lot of additional information and hopefully, this will help us to close the gap in the championship fight.”
Though chilly autumn weather may be gracing the other road racing circuits, Sebring International Raceway is still basking in the heat of Florida summer. With temperatures consistently in the high 80s, throughout race week. Having recently tested at the Sebring, Florida circuit privately, the drivers and crew of the Sonoma, California-based team braved even warmer temperatures in preparation for the approaching weekend’s showdown.
Pirelli GT4 America
Race Length: 60 minutes
Classes: Silver, Pro-Am, Am
Race Start: 9/23 at 5:00 PM ET, 9/24 at 10:50 AM ET
Race Stream: YouTube.com/GTWorld
Following a fourth and third-place finish in Rounds Nine and 10 at Road America last month, Elias Sabo and Andy Wilzoch have momentum pushing them forward into Sebring International Raceway. With only one of the 10 races resulting in a finishing position outside the top five, the pair climbed from fourth in the Pro-Am driver standings to third and stand within 35 points of the leaders with a maximum of 100 points still up for grabs. The success of the No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage also moved Flying Lizard up from third to second in the team standings, just 16 points away from the current leaders, Bimmerworld.
On Friday afternoon, Sabo and Lee will participate in their first of three GT4 America races for the weekend, acting as a makeup for Round Two of the championship that was canceled due to weather at NOLA Motorsport Park.
Returning as a duo for their second race weekend together to compete in the two-driver sprint series will be Jason Bell and Michael Cooper, racing the No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4. The pairing participated in the doubleheader near the beginning of the season at Circuit of the Americas, where they earned the team’s sole GT4 America win of the 2023 race season. Their participation in the GT4 America series this weekend gives the team an additional chance to earn valuable championship points towards the team title.
GT America Powered by AWS
Race Length: 40 minutes
Classes: GT2, GT3, GT4
Race Start: 9/23 at 12:50 PM ET, 9/24 at 8:40 AM ET
Race Stream: YouTube.com/GTWorld
With 16 podium finishes and four wins, Flying Lizard Motorsport and Jason Bell and the No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage currently lead the GT America championship fight in the GT4 team and driver categories. With 133 points to the leader’s 219 Elias Sabo and his No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 stands in fourth place, still in the fight to finish the season out in the top three. Andy Wilzoch and his fan favorite Porsche 911 GT3 R continue to race in the traditional Flying Lizard livery in the GT3 class, in what will be Wilzoch’s last race weekend of the 2023 season. The Lizard veteran will step out of the final two rounds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, making this weekend’s doubleheader his final appearance of the season.
Schedule | All Times Eastern
Thursday, September 21
5:15 PM – 6:00 PM GT4 America Practice 1
Friday, September 22
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Bronze Test
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM GT America Practice 1
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM GT4 America Practice 2
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM GT America Practice 2
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM GT4 America NOLA Makeup Race
Saturday, September 23
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM GT America Qualifying
10:20 AM – 10:35 AM GT4 Qualifying 1
10:40 AM – 10:55 AM GT4 Qualifying 2
12:50 PM – 1:30 PM GT America Race One
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM GT4 America Race One
Sunday, September 24
8:40 AM – 9:20 AM GT America Race 2
10:50 AM – 11:50 AM GT4 America Race 2
