Winning 19 American Le Mans Series races and the 2008 and 2009 ALMS GT championships is exciting, but what really makes the Flying Lizard team happy is seeing all the fans outside the Flying Lizard paddock at every American Le Mans Series race.

Since the Lizard’s 2004 entry intothe ALMS, the FLM team has delivered a rare blend of Northern California cool, on track success, and unmatched fan outreach.

“From the start, we set out the goal to keep the team accessible and open to our fans,” said Jennifer Hart, who is responsible for marketing for the Sonoma-based team.

The team’s popularity is readily apparent at the ALMS driver autograph sessions where the long line of fan stoping to talk with the Lizard drivers snakes through the paddock.

The team’s focus on their fans shows in everything they do, from the presentation of the Porsche 911 GT3RSRs, to their website, Facebook and Twitter sites, and their trackside and online stores which sell Lizard gear.

The team even broadcasts their radio live during the race so fans can get an insiders’ view into how it all happens.

“The Lizards are a great team on multiple levels,” said Silvia Mammone, Michelin motorsports manager.

“The wins and the ALMS championships prove that the Flying Lizards are a top flight professional racing team, but the beautiful thing about the Lizards is that they don’t take themselves too seriously, they open up for the fans.”

Lizard fans seem to come in all ages and from all backgrounds.

They like cheering for a winner, but what really makes them love the Lizards is the team’s fun, friendly, and approachable style.

The Flying Lizard drivers and crew are sincerely friendly and obviously love what they do.

It’s a common occurrence to see the crew offer kids a chance to sit in one of the race cars.

The Lizards have developed a serious fan base overseas as well, with entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in each of the past seven years.

This year, the Lizard’s commemorative livery design by Troy Lee was a huge hit – celebrating the success of Porsche at Le Mans and the 28 drivers who won the race overall in a Porsche.

So what makes a Lizard a Lizard? Winning races. Winning Championships. Being friendly. Reaching out to fans and having a blast doing it.

No wonder everyone wants to be a Lizard.