Rolex 24 at Daytona winners Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell will drive for AIM Autosport Ferrari for remainder of TUDOR United Sports Car Championship
AIM Autosport, who captured the 2012 Rolex Sports Car Series drivers, teams, and manufacturers championships, will be back on the grid for this weekend's Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. Drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell, who teamed to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the GT-D class in January, will drive a Ferrari 458 Italia for AIM Autosport for the remainder of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
The duo will enter the Sebring weekend as the GT-D points leaders in the TUDOR Championship as well as the Patron North American Endurance Cup. Sweedler and Bell partnered for two previous seasons in the American Le Mans Series, and were part of the lineup of the GT-D winning Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona this year. In their new partnership with AIM Autosport they will continue to work with engineer Ian Willis, who engineered their race-winning Ferrari at Daytona.
Sweedler, a veteran of several seasons of sportscar racing, drove to a class victory at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012.
"This is definitely a new situation, but we know that the AIM Autosport team is a high-caliber program," said Sweedler. "I have no doubts that with AIM, Townsend and I will be able to fight for wins and for the championship. We have also won before at Sebring, which definitely gives us a level of comfort and confidence and since we are still riding a wave of momentum from Daytona, I'm really excited to get back behind the wheel."
Bell, an open-wheel veteran who has competed at the Indianapolis 500 seven times with a best finish of fourth, is also excited for next weekend's Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.
"Daytona was probably the biggest roller coaster I've been through in my career, and it's nice to have that behind us and to have Sebring ahead of us," said Bell. "AIM Autosport is a new team for us, but we have continuity with Ian Willis and with the Ferrari 458 Italia. And, while Daytona was a new experience for Bill and me, we understand what it takes to win at Sebring. It will be great to compete there in the Ferrari and to continue that relationship."
AIM Autosport won the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series with the Ferrari 458 Italia, and fielded two cars during the 2013 season scoring one victory, four podium finishes and one pole position. Forced to take a pause for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the team is thrilled to contest their first race in the TUDOR Championship.
"After our GT-Daytona program was put on hold in December, it is really exciting to be back and competing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship," said Willis. "Luckily for us, we were in the right place at the right time and Level 5 Motorsports recommended AIM Autosport to Bill and Townsend. We'd like to thank them for the recommendation and helping to facilitate this transition. Working with Bill and Townsend was a real treat at Daytona and I am looking forward to competing with them at Sebring.”
Photo courtesy of Ferrari North America
