Team Falken will add a third accomplished driver – renowned pilot Patrick Long – to form a powerful trio that will place the entry in winning contention in the GTLM (GT Le Mans) class for the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, January 22-25, 2015. The team will again field its Porsche 911 RSR.
Long’s credentials as a professional driver are exceptional: three-time ALMS GT driver’s champion; class winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. He is the only North American employed as a Porsche factory driver and has many endurance races under his belt including a class win at the 2013 SCORE Baja 1000. He will join Team Falken at Daytona, having previously driven the Porsche 911 RSR for Porsche North America. Long also will join Team Falken for the other TUDOR endurance races this year – at Sebring and the season finale at Petit Le Mans.
“I am very pleased to be a part of this incredible race effort,” Long said. “I’ve known Wolf and Bryan for a long time and have admired their teamwork and the crew’s dedication to preparation. Having raced against them in the past, I look forward to joining this proven winning combination in 2015."
“We share the excitement of having Patrick join us at Daytona,” added Nick Fousekis, Falken’s Director of Motorsports Marketing. “We’ve watched him succeed throughout his career and know he will add further strength to our entire race effort.”
Running the Porsche 911 RSR will be Team Falken’s longstanding crew of Derrick Walker Racing. The team has been busy during the off-season, conducting multiple private tests to improve Falken’s tire and car set-up. Next stop is the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test this week and then the team will be ready to conquer Daytona.
