Mowlem, Papadopoulos Set for PC Season with BAR1

Photo: John Dagys

Johnny Mowlem will return to full-time sports car racing competition in North America this year, as the former European Le Mans Series champion has signed with BAR1 Motorsports for the entire TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season.

Mowlem will share the wheel of the No. 16 Oreca FLM09 with ex-Ferrari Challenge champion Tom Papadopoulos. The pairing took part in the final two TUDOR Championship races of 2014, also with the Brian Alder-led squad.

“I am so pleased to be racing again for Brian Alder and his superb team,” Mowlem said. “Even better is that it means after a three-year absence I get to return to the famous Daytona International Speedway.

“I have such happy memories of the place. From racing there 12 times, I’ve been lucky enough to finish on the podium four times, finished second overall twice and won the famous Rolex watch once, so I hope that luck holds in 2015.”

Mowlem and Papadopoulos will be joined by 2014 IMSA Prototype Lites L2 champion Alder and Tomy Drissi in this weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24, with the final driver lineup for the Rolex 24 to be decided shortly after.

“Having Johnny’s skills back in our team gives us some much needed continuity from 2014,” Alder said. “Johnny proved by leading for us for much of the first two hours of Petit Le Mans that we are a front running team and can win races and I believe Tom and him can be a threat for the championship.

“We are evaluating other drivers to join Johnny and Tom for the NAEC races, and we are also close to announcing our plans for our second car for the 2015 season, so the future is looking solid.”

BAR1’s second entry will be driven at the test by Martin Plowman, Marc Drumwright, Lance Fenton and Cody Ware.

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