Memo Gidley makes his return to ALMS this weekend in the Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Porsche RS Spyder. Photo credit: Rick Dole

Muscle Milk Team CytoSport, LMP2 class winners at the 12 Hours of Sebring, made a late driver change on Thursday afternoon. Team owner and driver Greg Pickett is unable to race this weekend citing heavy business commitments.

The change marks a welcome return to the cockpit for Memo Gidley, who has driven with CytoSport before but never in the Porsche RS Spyder. This weekend is Gidley’s fourth start in ALMS.

“I only did a few laps on Thursday but the car felt great,” he said. “It’s great to be back.”

Gidley has two podiums in three previous ALMS starts and finished second at Mazda Raceway in a CART series event in 2001. The team starts third in today’s race, as Gidley will drive with Klaus Graf and Sascha Maassen.

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Factory Porsche pilot Timo Bernhard has a great history with the manufacturer in the American Le Mans Series, with 29 wins and three championships driving for Roger Penske in the LMP2 RS Spyder and Alex Job in GT 911s.

But before this weekend, he has never been part of Porsche’s defending champion GT team – Flying Lizard Motorsports.

“It’s the first time I’ve been anointed a Lizard,” Bernhard joked. “With all the teams I’ve driven for, it’s surprising this is the first.”

It’s his first start in ALMS since the last round of 2008, also in Monterey, when he raced with longtime co-driver Romain Dumas in Penske’s Porsche. This weekend is a rare occasion when the two aren’t paired, as instead, Bernhard races with Seth Neiman and Darren Law.

“It’s weird to be without my twin!” Bernhard said. “But Seth and Darren are great and getting me into it.”

Law finds it ironic to now be racing with one of the series’ fastest drivers for the first time.

“I’ve raced against him for years, and a key for us was always to beat him,” Law said.