Kimber-Smith Completes Greaves Lineup for COTA

Photo: John Dagys

Tom Kimber-Smith is set to be one of the busiest drivers in the upcoming International Sports Car Weekend at The Circuit of The Americas, as the Englishman will take part in both the American Le Mans Series and FIA World Endurance Championship events.

The three-time Le Mans class winner was confirmed Monday as the third driver in the No. 41 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Z11SN-Nissan, joining Christian Zugel and Chris Dyson aboard the WEC LMP2 entry.

He’ll also be at the wheel of the No. 06 CORE autosport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for the two-hour and 45-minute ALMS race, making Kimber-Smith the only driver slated to pull double-duty between both sports car series that weekend.

“It will be the first time I will have ever driven two series on the same weekend, so for me, it’s going to be a bit of a learning experience,” Kimber-Smith told Sportscar365. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m glad I get the opportunity to race in the WEC in Austin. I think it’s going to be quite a special event.

“A lot of us have never been to the circuit. On the WEC side, we’re all in the same boat. On the ALMS side, quite a lot of drivers have done the GRAND-AM race, so they’re going to be familiar with the circuit. But I’ll be getting more track time. Whichever way you look at it, it will benefit me in whatever series I’m going to be in.”

Kimber-Smith and ALMS co-driver Patrick Long will be looking to rebound after getting collected in a massive start-line crash at Baltimore, which destroyed CORE’s 997-model Porsche. The team is in the process of building a new car around a replacement chassis, in time for the event.

On the WEC side, the 28-year-old will be making his fourth start of the season with Greaves. Kimber-Smith was forced to skip the recent Interlagos round due to the conflicting ALMS race in Baltimore.

Dyson, a regular in the ALMS driving for his family’s Dyson Racing squad, will focus his driving efforts entirely with Greaves for COTA. Chris McMurry and Tony Burgess are tabbed to drive Dyson’s P1-class No. 16 Lola B12/60 Mazda during the weekend.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John