PHOENIX, Ariz., (December 13, 2023) – With the start of the 2024 race season four months away, Flying Lizard Motorsports is running full steam ahead to prepare for an exciting new year of sports car racing. The 2023 GT4 America and GT America team champions will advance to the Fanatec GT World Challenge with Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, while Jason Bell is set to continue another season in the GT America Powered by AWS, advancing from the GT4 class to the GT3 class. Todd Parriott and Tom Dyer, who joined the team for the season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will return to continue their quest in the Pirelli GT4 America championship while Parriott also competes in the GT4 class of GT America.
“Having our drivers Elias Sabo and Andy Lee move up to GT3 racing in the GT World Challenge as Jason Bell also moves into GT3 class racing is a great step forward,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Flying Lizard has a long history and a lot of success in GT3 racing and we look forward to sharing our experience and continuing this success to build this program. They have put in the time, hard work and effort to refine their skills in GT4 and this is a natural progression for them. We also are looking forward to continuing the relationship with Aston Martin. Based on the previous success the current model has had and from what we see from the upgrades in the new EVO GT3 it should be a very competitive car. It is also exciting to have Todd Parriott and Tom Dyer joining us for a full season next year. They showed great potential in the season finale at Indianapolis, and we look forward to seeing their growth and success as well in such a competitive series. We have several test days scheduled over the winter at our new facility at Apex Motor Club and plan to hit the ground running for the season opener at Sonoma.”
Elias Sabo and Andy Lee first joined Flying Lizard Motorsports in 2022, competing together in the GT4 America series while Sabo contested a solo pursuit in the GT4 class of GT America. Together, the pair finished third in the GT4 America championship with one win and eight podiums. They retuned in 2023 with a determined effort to again fight for the title. With one win and four podiums in the competitive series, they again finished third in the driver standings, but still played a critical role in Flying Lizard earning the team championship title. Following two years of racing an Aston Martin Vantage GT4, they will upgrade to an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, competing in SRO’s main series, the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS. The pair’s race time will now move up from 60 minutes to 90 minutes, with a mandatory driver change still required in each race. The move up from GT4 to GT3 machinery will be a welcome challenge for the duo, who will kick off the 13-race season in April at Sonoma Raceway.
Jason Bell, the reigning GT America champion will also return for the 2024 season in GT America, selling his pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT4s to upgrade to the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. With Michael Cooper as his coach, and possibly the occasional co-driver, Bell will again compete in GT America, a bronze-only sprint series comprised of GT2, GT3, and GT4 machines. He clinched the GT4 driver title last season with two wins and an additional 13 podium finishes in the 18-round championship. The 2024 championship will host its first two of 16 rounds in April at Sonoma Raceway.
After first racing with the Lizards at the GT4 America season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the fall, Todd Parriott will now complete in two full-season efforts with the reigning champions. Competing in the bronze-only GT America series, Parriott will run an Aston Martin GT4 in the GT4 class, while also racing an Aston in the GT4 America series alongside co-driver Tom Dyer in the 14-round season.
The season will mark the start of the team’s 20th year in operation, and 10th year under the ownership of Darren Law, Thomas Blam, and Tommy Sadler. The team is celebrating the occasion with the move from their shops in Sonoma Raceway to a new facility built at APEX Motor Club in Phoenix, Arizona.
DRIVER QUOTES
Elias Sabo
We are looking forward to our 2024 campaign with Flying Lizard. Andy and I couldn’t be more excited for our inaugural season of GT World Challenge.
Andy Lee
I’ve dreamt of racing in the GT3 category for a very long time so to say I’m excited for next season would be a huge understatement! Elias and I are coming off back-to-back podium finishes in the GT4 America championship, and it felt like the right time to take the leap. We face a steep learning curve with the new car, new competition, and a new race format so we’re excited to get testing underway with Flying Lizard at their new home at Apex in Arizona
Jason Bell
I am thrilled to announce my return to the esteemed Flying Lizard race team for the upcoming 2024 GT America season. This return signifies a continuation of our successful partnership, and I couldn’t be more excited about the prospects that lie ahead.
After a tremendously triumphant run in the Aston Martin GT4, where we secured victory in the GT America GT4 Championship with an outstanding record of 16 podium finishes and no mechanical failures, the 2024 season promises an exhilarating new challenge.
This season, I’ll be steering the new Aston Martin GT3 EVO—a thrilling transition and a significant leap for both the team and me. The GT3 category poses a new adventure, and I’m eager to take on the challenge with the Flying Lizard team by my side.
Joining forces once again with Michael Cooper as my driver coach and potential co-driver for upcoming events further strengthens our pursuit of excellence. His expertise and partnership have been pivotal in our past successes, and I am confident that our collaboration will continue to elevate our performance in the GT3 realm.
Additionally, I am elated to work alongside my esteemed friend and teammate, Elias Sabo, who will be venturing into the GT3 category in an Aston Martin as well. Our shared enthusiasm and dedication to the sport promise an exciting journey ahead.
The Flying Lizard race team has been an incredible foundation for my career, and I am honored to rejoin this exceptional group of professionals. The team’s legacy of excellence and dedication aligns perfectly with my aspirations for the 2024 season.
Together, we aim to push boundaries, pursue excellence, and uphold the esteemed reputation of the Flying Lizard race team in the GT America series. I am eager to hit the track and showcase our potential in the forthcoming season.
Todd Parriott
In 2023 I got my first opportunity to compete in GT4 and GT America, what an exciting group to compete with, an unforgettable experience. Wanting to compete on a high level with such a strong group requires me to find a team capable of making it happen. Lizard racing is that, they produce winners and to have an opportunity to work with them is awesome. I looking forward to 2024 to see what hard work and a great team will produce.
Tom Dyer
I’m excited and looking forward to the 2024 season teamed together with Todd and Flying Lizard for our first full season of racing together. To race with and represent a team that’s iconic like the Lizards, who have such a rich history in sports car racing is really cool. They’re a top team for a reason and we plan to leverage that together in 2024. We got a preview working together at the last race of the 2023 and it gives us a little head start going into the new season. The goal is to grow and build into a championship contender in the Pro-Am category. First things are first and with that in mind it’s important to help Todd and my learning curve with the team and car improve one session, race, and day at time through consistency. Through consistency, we can achieve the ultimate goal of constant progress towards those first podiums, wins and championships. It’s a journey that we collectively are ready and looking forward to embracing in 2024!
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.
