New faces in new places

November 19, 2013

New faces in new places

November 19, 2013

2013-11-19 at 13-27-29The first major test sessions for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship attracted a stack of new faces in new places as teams and drivers play their annual game of musical chairs. Many drivers and owners have already locked in their place for 2014, but for many, the test here at Daytona and Sebring last weekend was an opportunity to audition for a regular ride.

Audi’s two-time Le Mans winner and inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship winner Benoit Treluyer is testing at Daytona this week – this time in an R8 GT Daytona car alongside Bryce Miller at Paul Miller Racing.

The winning machine in the GT class at the Rolex 24 last year, the Audi R8 will also be used this year by Flying Lizard Motorsports and Fall-Line Motorsports.

Young French IndyCar star Tristan Vautier is on site at Daytona doing some laps with RSR Racing in the PC class. The Frenchman was teammate to Simon Pagenaud at Sam Schmidt in IndyCar last year but is looking to add some sportscar experience to his IndyCar prowess and Indy Lights and Star Mazda Championship wins.

More IndyCar names are also on site in Florida. You may not recall the name Ana “Bia” Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo – but as Ana Beatriz you could be familiar with her IndyCar efforts in recent seasons. Now using the name Bia Figueiredo – the Brazilian female racer is on board 8Star Motorsports’ Daytona Prototype with Gustavo Yacaman.

So what’s in a name – Bia is probably keen for her driving to do the talking and not be confused with fellow Brazilian and model, Ana Beatriz Barros.

One time Highcroft Racing Petit Le Mans driver and former British Formula 3 ace Robbie Kerr is on site with the new Project Libra P2 project. Kerr is on board the Radical (that’s the name of the chassis, not the description) P2 machine alongside Belgian Nicolas De Crem.

While Dominic Farnbacher will return as one of the stars of SRT’s Viper program in the new championship this year, his younger brother Mario will also be a regular in 2014, driving a Porsche GT Daytona machine for Alex Job Racing.

Canadian Paul Dalla Lana will also be a busy man. He has been behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT Le Mans entry this week as well as turning laps in Turner Motorsports’ new GT Daytona BMW

 

 

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