Porsche fan favorite Patrick Long returns to ALMS competition this weekend as CORE autosport makes its debut in the GT class at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Long will team up with fellow Le Mans winner Tom Kimber-Smith to form a potent driver line-up as CORE joins Paul Miller Racing and Team Falken Tire to represent the German manufacturer.

“The way GT has gone, you can hit all your marks during a race and still finish seventh, so it’s too early to try and predict where we’re going to be,” Long said.

“It seems like the Porsches have been running pretty well, pace wise, and Laguna has been good to us the past couple of years.

“The goal is to operate as a team and hit all our marks. I think the finishing result is secondary. We’ll judge our performance based on what we all know we’re capable of. If we all hit our marks and have a mistake free day, that’s what’s going to determine our success.

“Certainly, coming in with a known quantity like Michelin is a huge help. It means we have no concerns on the tire side. We know we have the speed and reliability that the front-runners have. People underestimate how important those four contact patches are. You could have a perfect car, but if the tires aren’t working, it’s all for nothing.”

CORE will continue to run the No.05 PC class entry for Jon Bennett and Colin Braun. The Long Beach race winners were fastest in the PC class at Laguna Seca today. Bennett and Braun took their first ALMS PC wins here in Monterey last year.

The No.06 Porsche or Long and Kimber-Smith was ninth fastest debut in a packed GT field today, stopping the clocks today at 1 minute, 24.631 seconds.

Michelin Alley caught up with Long today after the team’s GT debut in testing in Monterey.