Former Sebring GT class winner Pat Long is on the sidelines for the opening round of the 2013 American Le Mans Series but the California native is not concerned about experiencing the race from a different point of view.

The Porsche factory driver will soon be back behind the wheel as CORE autosport begins its test program with its Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

Long will team up with fellow Le Mans winner Tom Kimber-Smith for CORE’s GT debut this season. The team will run multiple programs this year with team owner Jon Bennett and Colin Braun chasing the team’s third consecutive PC class title.

Bennett is also contesting the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge for the first time with Long on hand to teach the Porsche “rookie” the finer points of handling the German marque’s machinery.

Long and Kimber-Smith are expected to launch CORE’s GT attack some time after the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend.