Gregor Fisken is to return to modern racing for the first time this season after signing for Intersport Racing to compete at this weekend’s American Le Mans Series meeting at Elkhart Lake.
The Scottish born racing driver, who is also managing director of Fiskens, London’s premier historic automobile dealership, will pilot the team’s LMP1 Lola B06/10 AER alongside Ryan Lewis and John Faulkner at the four-hour race. As well as marking his first modern race of the year, the deal sees Fisken return to prototype machinery for the first time since 2006 when he raced a works Courage at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the Le Mans Series.
Fisken raced a Larbre Competition Aston Martin DBR9 in the Le Mans Series and at the Le Mans 24 Hours last season, winning the GT1 class at the 1000 Milhas at Interlagos in Brazil. He also has previous experience with Intersport in the ALMS, including a class win at Portland and a class podium at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2005, and is relishing his return to both the team and the championship: “I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a prototype car although I know I have to adapt quickly to driving this type of car again. All season I’ve been driving a number of different historic cars and it really is a different world from driving a high down force machine such as this,” Gregor said.
“I don’t know the circuit and have never driven the Lola before, but this really was too good an opportunity to turn down. I have very fond memories of racing with Intersport and have a huge respect for the team. We’ve been talking all season with Clint and Jon Field about the possibility of doing some races, so when this opportunity came up at the last minute I decided to go for it. The American Le Mans Series, along with the LMS in Europe, really is the place to be at the moment and I am looking forward to the race immensely.”
Gregor also revealed one of the attractions was to race at the stunning Elkhart Lake circuit for the first time. “I’ve read so much about the place, from the great Can Am races of 1970s right through to the present day. It’s one of America’s greatest road racing courses and to drive there in an LMP1 car will be a very special experience for me.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the historic racing season so far and have driven some incredible cars, but I have missed modern racing. Throughout my career as a non-professional driver, I’ve thrown myself in at the deep end, but things have always worked out well for me. Ryan and John did superbly to score a class podium in the last round at Salt Lake City and my target is to do a good solid job alongside them this weekend.”
The race takes place on Saturday 9 August and can be watched in full, Delayed-as-Live, on Motors TV (Sky Digital 413, Virgin Media 545) on Sunday 10 August, visit motorstv.com for full listing details.
