Besides the team's usual No. 89, Intersport Racing adds a second car at Lime Rock for Jon Field and James Kovacic. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America

In years past, Jon Field has made a name for himself with energetic starts and a knack for opportunistic driving in ALMS races. So it might come as a surprise that Jon has been out of the cockpit the first two rounds of the 2011 season, but that will change this week at Lime Rock.

After a long stint in the P1 class, Field and Intersport have a second car in the LMP Challenge class for the first time. The team’s primary entry of Kyle Marcelli and Tomy Drissi finished second in class last race at Long Beach.

While those two seek a step one step higher in class, Field will drive himself with 17-year-old James Kovacic in the team’s traditional No. 37 car. Australian Kovacic, incidentally, is the second 17-year-old to make his ALMS debut in as many races after PR1/Mathiasen ran Miles Maroney in its LMPC car at Long Beach. However, Kovacic is two months older than Maroney, so Maroney’s record for the youngest starter in ALMS history set at Long Beach still stands!

Field’s enthusiasm for driving and Kovacic’s debut make this team an intriguing one to watch at Lime Rock. Kovacic makes his ALMS debut after solid testing and some previous U.S. experience, including a race win in his only IMSA Lites start and a previous appearance at Lime Rock driving a Formula BMW open-wheel car.