TAVARES, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2012) — Long-time American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Porsche racing team Alex Job Racing is switching to a Lotus Evora GTE in partnership with Lotus Motorsports for the 2012 ALMS GT championship, with Yokohama Tire Corp. supplying the race rubber.
Tavares-based Alex Job Racing is partnering with Norfolk, England-based Lotus to created Lotus Alex Job Racing, which will prepare and campaign the Evora GTE, a race-prepped version of the two-seat, mid-engine Evora sports car. The 2,740-pound GTE is powered by a 4-liter V6 Toyota Cosworth engine mated with an Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox.
The Alex Job entry will be driven by IndyCar veteran Townsend Bell and two-time ALMS Founders Cup winner Bill Sweedler.
Alex Job Racing boasts a successful pedigree in sports car racing, having secured the ALMS GT series championship in 2002, '03 and '04; claimed class championships twice at the 24-Hour of Le Mans; and took seven class wins at the 12-hour of Sebring classic.
YTC's deal with Alex Job Racing replaces its deal with the still-born project in 2011 by West Racing to field a pair of Lamborghini Gallardos.
This is YTC's only supply deal so far for the ALMS GT class, but it will be the spec tire supplier for the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge and the GTC Class.
Lotus AJR will debut the Evora GTE at Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix the weekend of April 14th. Key sponsors will be denim clothing company WilliamRast and Deltran/Battery Tender.
The ALMS GT Class comprises production-based, two-wheel drive race cars. Other cars competing this year include BMW M3, Corvette C6.R, Ferrari F458 GT, Ford GT-R, Jaguar XKR GT and Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.