Vess, Hart to Drive Flying Lizard Audi at COTA

After competing in three TUDOR United SportsCar Championship events in 2015, Flying Lizard Motorsports has announced the driver lineup and a new partner for their fourth race on the IMSA-sanctioned series calendar, Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas.

Drivers Mike Vess and Jason Hart will pilot the No. 45 Audi R8 LMS, both of whom have tested previously at Circuit of the Americas with the team.

Vess has earned five class wins so far this year in Porsche Club of America, having also clinched five PCA class wins in 2014. In 2013, Vess, alongside driver Mike Skeen finished 6th in the GTD class at Circuit of the Americas in GRAND-AM Road Racing.

Hart also comes with experience, having run in Continental Tire (2011 and 2012), select GRAND-AM and TUDOR United SportsCar events from 2012 to 2014. Hart also has valuable seat time as a driver coach and testing driver, and currently holds the OEM SportsCar with OEM Tire track record at Texas World Speedway, a title previously held by Kuno Wittmer.

“Although our drivers are new to the team, they’re not new to endurance racing,” said program manager Darren Law. “Both Mike Vess and Jason Hart have experience in TUDOR, and this is their home track. Both guys are solid drivers and have a great shot at doing well.

“We came to COTA about a month ago and spent a day testing with them and letting them get used to the Audi. They did a great job and were very consistent.”

The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, the leading driving school in North America, will also join Flying Lizard as a partner for the event.

Before accepting his role Program Manager with the Lizards, Law previously held the title of COO for four years at Bondurant, a company he has remained close with since his departure.

The 2015 race season has been a busy one for the Sonoma, Calif.-based team. In addition to running a full season in Pirelli World Challenge with K-PAX Racing, Flying Lizard has also competed in several Porsche Club events, as well as the TUDOR Championship’s 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and the Monterey Grand Prix.

“We are really looking forward to coming back for another event this year in the TUDOR United SportsCar Challenge,” Law said. “This is where Flying Lizard’s roots are and where we have had so much success in the past.

“Unfortunately, with so many other projects going on this year, we haven’t been able to commit to a full season, so we have chosen select races that can fit within our existing schedule.”