Wilzoch and Gidley to contest the remainder of season
SONOMA, Calif., (August 11, 2021) – The SRO America season has reached its halfway point, and Flying Lizard Motorsports has put together a two-car effort to run the remainder of the 2021 GT America season. The team will see the return of the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by longtime Lizard Andy Wilzoch. For the second entry, Flying Lizard Motorsports has partnered with TKO Motorsports to enter a Bentley Continental GT3 to be driven by Memo Gidley.
Wilzoch took part in two early races of the 2021 GT America season at Circuit of the Americas, earning a first and second-place finish in the new series. The No. 460 will return to GT America with the same Porsche 911 GT3 R, which will sport a new rendition of the iconic Lizard livery, replacing the traditional silver and red for black and grey.
“I have been racing with Flying Lizard for many years now and really enjoy driving the GT3 R,” said Wilzoch. “Flying Lizard is a top-tier team who has such a rich history with Porsche and it is great to be part of that. I like what SRO has put together with the GT America class. It has a competitive group of drivers, and I enjoyed the event earlier this season, so I am looking forward to a competitive run for the final four rounds of the 2021 season.”
The Bentley Continental GT3 was purchased from K-PAX Racing who campaigned the cars for three seasons in Pirelli World Challenge, now the Fanatec GT World Challenge America. K-PAX Racing went on to win the 2018 and 2019 team championships with the Bentley machinery.
Driven by Memo Gidley, the No. 101 Bentley Continental GT3 brings together TKO Motorsports and Flying Lizard. TKO designs, engineers, and manufactures high-end performance productions for top-tier motorsports competition, making them a perfect match for the ten-time sportscar racing champions.
“We at TKO Motorsports are excited and honored to have the opportunity to partner with a professional race team like Flying Lizard,” said Dave Traitel, Owner of TKO Motorsports. “We look forward to putting our best foot forward, presenting the TKO Motorsports image with Flying Lizard, and having a good team camaraderie for the fans to enjoy.”
The Bentley program will also bring back together Memo Gidley and Flying Lizard Team Principal and Program Manager Darren Law, who were previously co-drivers together in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in both 2013 and 2014. In 2014 a harrowing crash temporarily side-lined Gidley, a longtime racing veteran with experience in CART, the Champ Car World Series, American Le Mans Series, Indy Racing League, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
“I am so excited to get the TKO Motorsports with Flying Lizard Bentley and myself back to Road America: a fantastic track and awesome car,” said Gidley. “TKO Motorsports have become family and are so supportive of the effort I put into racing and the joy I get out of being at the track competing! I like to inspire people in life to keep chasing their dreams at any age, and not just get stuck thinking about what was or could have been. Chase those dreams and live your prime today!”
The Bentley livery will race a similar livery to its days in K-PAX Racing, with a dark green body with red highlights. The previous logos will be replaced by TKO Motorsports and the iconic Flying Lizard shield, a strong fan favorite piece of imagery in North American sports car racing.
“GT America has a great program for this type of racing with the GT3 cars, and this is an exciting opportunity for both Flying Lizard and our customers Andy Wilzoch and Dave Traitel of TKO Motorsports,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Dave purchased one of the ex-K-PAX Racing Bentley Continental GT3 cars and is giving Memo Gidley an opportunity to showcase the ability of the machinery. We have had a lot of experience with this car and it certainly has the capability. Memo is such a great driver and has such a storied career, what makes this more special for me is that he and I were teammates several years ago. We drove together at Gainsco Racing in the Corvette Daytona Prototype at the Rolex Daytona 24 hour in both 2013 and 2014, it will be fun working together again.”
The multi-race effort will begin later this month at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Each GT America weekend consists of two forty-minute races, with no pit stops and a single driver per car. The event will be open to fans and offer a three-day festival of speed starting Friday, August 27. For full event information, visit roadamerica.com.
About TKO
TKO Motorsports designs, manufactures, installs and races our own proprietary line of track proven, street legal performance products. Since 2008 TKO Motorsports of Reno, NV has produced some of the most extreme custom built, street legal cars in the world. Follow us as we expand into the retail market with a new line of off-the-shelf TKO parts and accessories.
About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.
The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.
