Yahoo Autos Flying Lizard makes IMSA return for Long Beach
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach always brings out a few extra players eager to drive the iconic Southern California street circuit, and this year is no exception. Flying Lizard Motorsports will make its return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Elias Sabo and Andy Lee in a No. 28 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class for this year’s event.
A local to the Long Beach area, Sabo has long wanted to race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event in front of his home crowd.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be driving in the Long Beach Grand Prix this year,” said Sabo, a resident of Newport Beach. “This race is at my home track. It’s so exciting to be able to compete in front of a number of my friends and family who will be in attendance. Andy and I had originally entered the race in 2020 but it was canceled due to Covid. Now four years later we get a chance to compete in a bucket list race for me.”
For many years a stalwarts of IMSA competition, Flying Lizard Motorsports is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The now 24-time sports car racing championship program started racing in the American Le Mans Series in 2004. For many years a Porsche factory team, famously with Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long piloting the red and silver 911s, in 2014, the Lizards became a customer racing team after owner and founder Seth Neiman sold the outfit to longtime Lizards Darren Law, Thomas Blam, and Tommy Sadler.
Sabo and Lee have been participating in SRO America for several years, primarily in the Pirelli GT4 America series but stepping up to Fanatec GT World Challenge America this season.
“From the moment I started working with Elias, Long Beach was always a huge goal for us,” said Lee. “It’s basically Elias’ hometown race since it’s so close to his business and family. We came close to competing in 2020 in the GT4 division before the event was cancelled during the pandemic. I can’t tell you how excited we are for the opportunity to compete this year and to do so in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD class is extra special.”
The 1h40m race for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship takes place Saturday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. Pacific time, featuring the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and GTD classes.
