Bergmeister and Long reunited at Flying Lizard

Bergmeister and Long do battle in 2008

Flying Lizard Motorsports announced a two-car GT2 program for the 2009 American Le Mans Series season, adding American Porsche factory driver Patrick Long to its lineup. Long will reunite with Jörg Bergmeister in the team’s No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, a combination that netted the 2005 GT2 championship.

In the No. 44, Seth Neiman will return with co-drivers Darren Law and Johannes van Overbeek. All are American drivers.

Bergmeister will return to Flying Lizard in 2009 for his third consecutive season to defend his and the team’s 2008 championships. The coming season will be the third that Bergmeister and Long have competed together as a team. Two of the top Porsche drivers in the world, together they teamed for a total of eight Series GT2 races, and won in GT2 at the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans (with Sascha Maassen). While the two shared the 2005 class championship, Bergmeister claimed the 2006 championship although Long was his co-driver for all but one season.

Flying Lizard team management for 2009 includes: Neiman, team principal; Tommy Sadler, crew chief and co-technical director; Craig Watkins, chief engineer; Stefan Pfeiffer engineer, No. 45 Porsche and co-technical director; Thomas Blam, chief strategist; Eric Ingraham, team manager and No. 44 Porsche strategist; Jennifer Hart, team marketing; and Paul Pillitteri, team merchandising.

“Flying Lizard is excited and energized to be back with the series for our sixth consecutive year," Neiman said. “Our goal this year is to defend our team and drivers’ championships. Everything we’ve done since the day after celebrating at Laguna Seca has been focused on that goal. With 2009 likely to be a step up from the already intense competition of last season, it is going to be a very tough and challenging effort. The fans should be in for a real treat."

Flying Lizard expects to receive its two new 2009 Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs in early January and plans to attend the American Le Mans Series Winter Test in Sebring, Fla., in late January. Flying Lizard will announce additional program details in early 2009.