-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Le Mans / ALMS
ALMS: Q&A With Flying Lizard’s Eric Ingraham
SPEED.com Exclusive: Flying Lizard team manager fills in the details of team’s switch to GTC and future prospects...
Flying Lizard Motorsports team manager Eric Ingraham. (Photo: Bob Chapman/Autosport Image)
After nine years competing in the highly competitive GT category, Flying Lizard Motorsports will make the move to the American Le Mans Series GTC class next year, fielding at least one Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
The radical shift comes on the heels of Porsche’s discontinued factory support for its 997-model 911 GT3 RSR, which was announced late last month. The development has not only impacted Flying Lizard, but also Team Felbermayr-Proton in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
SPEED.com caught up with Flying Lizard team manager Eric Ingraham for an exclusive interview, revealing further details of the team’s 2013 plans as well as a look into the future.
Q: Why make the move to GTC?
INGRAHAM: Nearly all of our experience and expertise has been in GT, so I think a step up to a prototype would certainly be something we could do from a racing standpoint, but from the technical expertise standpoint, it would be new territory.
The GT landscape looks a little more stable and a little more understood. Between the fact that our experience has largely been in GT cars, and the fact that the GT and GTC class is likely to continue in '14, it's the more logical transition step for us, to wherever it leads us for '14.
We'd love to race in GT again but I think for this interim year, it makes more sense money-wise to race in GTC as a 'gap' year deal and then figure out if there are manufacturers interested for '14, etc and potentially returning in GT, or whatever GT classes exist for '14 yet, which we don't quite know yet.
Q: How many cars do you hope to field in GTC next year?
INGRAHAM: We'd certainly like to run a two-car GTC team. Beyond that, it's going to depend on customer interest and what we think we can do at a high level.
On one hand, I don't want anything on Seth's program to be any less well executed than it has been for the last few years. On the other hand, if we do take on customers, which we hope to, my expectation is that their program will be as well run as any of our programs have been or will be.
Q: Is there a possibility of seeing Porsche factory drivers, such as longtime Lizard aces Patrick Long and Joerg Bergmeister, in Flying Lizard GTC cars?
INGRAHAM: We'd love to work with those guys again. I imagine that the focus of the factory drivers next year will largely be on 991 development. But if it's possible to work it, and with Porsche's support, which it really requires, we'd love to do it. But it's mostly a question of what their schedules are like for next year and I think Porsche is still developing that.
The radical shift comes on the heels of Porsche’s discontinued factory support for its 997-model 911 GT3 RSR, which was announced late last month. The development has not only impacted Flying Lizard, but also Team Felbermayr-Proton in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
SPEED.com caught up with Flying Lizard team manager Eric Ingraham for an exclusive interview, revealing further details of the team’s 2013 plans as well as a look into the future.
Q: Why make the move to GTC?
INGRAHAM: Nearly all of our experience and expertise has been in GT, so I think a step up to a prototype would certainly be something we could do from a racing standpoint, but from the technical expertise standpoint, it would be new territory.
The GT landscape looks a little more stable and a little more understood. Between the fact that our experience has largely been in GT cars, and the fact that the GT and GTC class is likely to continue in '14, it's the more logical transition step for us, to wherever it leads us for '14.
We'd love to race in GT again but I think for this interim year, it makes more sense money-wise to race in GTC as a 'gap' year deal and then figure out if there are manufacturers interested for '14, etc and potentially returning in GT, or whatever GT classes exist for '14 yet, which we don't quite know yet.
Q: How many cars do you hope to field in GTC next year?
INGRAHAM: We'd certainly like to run a two-car GTC team. Beyond that, it's going to depend on customer interest and what we think we can do at a high level.
On one hand, I don't want anything on Seth's program to be any less well executed than it has been for the last few years. On the other hand, if we do take on customers, which we hope to, my expectation is that their program will be as well run as any of our programs have been or will be.
Q: Is there a possibility of seeing Porsche factory drivers, such as longtime Lizard aces Patrick Long and Joerg Bergmeister, in Flying Lizard GTC cars?
INGRAHAM: We'd love to work with those guys again. I imagine that the focus of the factory drivers next year will largely be on 991 development. But if it's possible to work it, and with Porsche's support, which it really requires, we'd love to do it. But it's mostly a question of what their schedules are like for next year and I think Porsche is still developing that.
FIA WEC Six Hours of Spa
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
DAGYS: A Bright Future For V8 Supercars In America
John Dagys reflects back on the successful inaugural Austin 400 and… -
GT: Sofronas, Lee Win Sunday's WC GT, GTS Races At COTA
GMG Racing's James Sofronas takes Audi R8 LMS to third Pirelli World… -
MILLER: Carpenter's Simply A Great Story
Regardless of what his detractors might say, Ed Carpenter's mighty… -
V8: Whincup Dominates Austin 400
Red Bull Racing Driver wins three of the four 100km sprints in V8… -
INDYCAR: Newgarden Fastest Sunday Indy 500 Qualifier, Legge Completes…
Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing's Josef Newgarden led Sunday's final… -
V8: Red Bull's Whincup On A Roll At COTA
Jamie Whincup takes pole for V8 Supercar Races 15 and 16, Live! on… -
V8: Nissan Coming To Grips With New Altima
John Dagys explores Nissan's new factory venture in V8 Supercars… - More News
