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Le Mans / ALMS
ALMS: CORE Expands To GT, Fields Porsche For 2013
Porsche factory driver Patrick Long, British ace Tom Kimber-Smith to drive Porsche 911 GT3 RSR...
CORE autosport will expand into the ALMS GT ranks in 2013, fielding a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. (Image: CORE autosport)
Following back-to-back American Le Mans Series PC titles, CORE autosport will be expanding its efforts into the production-based ranks for 2013, with an eye towards the future.
The Rock Hill, S.C.-based team announced Tuesday that it will campaign a customer Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the highly competitive ALMS category.
Porsche factory driver Patrick Long and three-time Le Mans class winner, Tom Kimber-Smith, have been tabbed to handle driving duties of the No. 05 entry, which is expected to make its debut by the third round of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
“CORE autosport has obviously achieved great success in the PC class in the ALMS but we’re really looking to expand our horizons and show what the team is capable of,” team owner, Jon Bennett said.
“This has been a strategic business design by our company. Our target for 2013 is to build a strong infrastructure capable of supporting a two-car factory effort. We want to prove we are capable of being successful in GT racing and this year will be a great learning experience for us.”
Building on its impressive two-year run in the PC ranks, which delivered back-to-back driver and teams titles, CORE will mount a dual-class attack in 2013, with the goal of learning the ropes in the highly competitive GT category and trying to attract the interests of a manufacturer.
“We know the GT class in the ALMS is one of the most fiercely contested events in the world,” Bennett added. “That will become a great measuring stick for us. We know we are really stepping into the big leagues – not only against other Porsche customer teams but Corvette, BMW and Ferrari.
“Morgan (team manager, Morgan Brady) and I are thrilled that Porsche has shown faith in our team by making Patrick available for us. There are a lot of Porsche fans in the paddock and we look forward making them CORE autosport fans as well.
“We know the car can win races and Patrick’s record with three ALMS championships and two Le Mans wins is exceptional.”
For Long, who was left on the sidelines following Flying Lizard Motorsports’ move to the GTC ranks for this season, the three-time ALMS GT champion is looking forward to the new opportunity, while remaining in familiar machinery.
“2013 is a transitional year for the American Le Mans Series,” Long said. “It is a great opportunity for CORE autosport to get up to speed. I need to learn the team, the team needs to learn the car but we have realistic expectations and to be at the ground level to start that building process is very exciting.”
Partnering the American Porsche factory driver is Kimber-Smith, another accomplished pilot who made an impression in a partial season of ALMS PC competition with CORE last year.
While having extensive prototype experience, he has also enjoyed success in GT racing, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006 aboard a Panoz Esperante in the GT2 class.
“This has all come together really quickly and I am sure the time between now and when we make our race debut will go by very quickly,” Kimber-Smith said. “I am really excited about being in the ALMS on a full-time basis. I don’t think there is another championship in the world quite like it.”
CORE will continue to field at least one Oreca FLM09 in the PC class, with team owner Bennett and Colin Braun returning to defend the team’s title.
Additionally, Bennett will add a season of the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge to his plate, racing in the single-make Porsche series on ALMS weekends.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
The Rock Hill, S.C.-based team announced Tuesday that it will campaign a customer Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the highly competitive ALMS category.
Porsche factory driver Patrick Long and three-time Le Mans class winner, Tom Kimber-Smith, have been tabbed to handle driving duties of the No. 05 entry, which is expected to make its debut by the third round of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
“CORE autosport has obviously achieved great success in the PC class in the ALMS but we’re really looking to expand our horizons and show what the team is capable of,” team owner, Jon Bennett said.
“This has been a strategic business design by our company. Our target for 2013 is to build a strong infrastructure capable of supporting a two-car factory effort. We want to prove we are capable of being successful in GT racing and this year will be a great learning experience for us.”
Building on its impressive two-year run in the PC ranks, which delivered back-to-back driver and teams titles, CORE will mount a dual-class attack in 2013, with the goal of learning the ropes in the highly competitive GT category and trying to attract the interests of a manufacturer.
“We know the GT class in the ALMS is one of the most fiercely contested events in the world,” Bennett added. “That will become a great measuring stick for us. We know we are really stepping into the big leagues – not only against other Porsche customer teams but Corvette, BMW and Ferrari.
“Morgan (team manager, Morgan Brady) and I are thrilled that Porsche has shown faith in our team by making Patrick available for us. There are a lot of Porsche fans in the paddock and we look forward making them CORE autosport fans as well.
“We know the car can win races and Patrick’s record with three ALMS championships and two Le Mans wins is exceptional.”
For Long, who was left on the sidelines following Flying Lizard Motorsports’ move to the GTC ranks for this season, the three-time ALMS GT champion is looking forward to the new opportunity, while remaining in familiar machinery.
“2013 is a transitional year for the American Le Mans Series,” Long said. “It is a great opportunity for CORE autosport to get up to speed. I need to learn the team, the team needs to learn the car but we have realistic expectations and to be at the ground level to start that building process is very exciting.”
Partnering the American Porsche factory driver is Kimber-Smith, another accomplished pilot who made an impression in a partial season of ALMS PC competition with CORE last year.
While having extensive prototype experience, he has also enjoyed success in GT racing, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006 aboard a Panoz Esperante in the GT2 class.
“This has all come together really quickly and I am sure the time between now and when we make our race debut will go by very quickly,” Kimber-Smith said. “I am really excited about being in the ALMS on a full-time basis. I don’t think there is another championship in the world quite like it.”
CORE will continue to field at least one Oreca FLM09 in the PC class, with team owner Bennett and Colin Braun returning to defend the team’s title.
Additionally, Bennett will add a season of the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge to his plate, racing in the single-make Porsche series on ALMS weekends.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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