Next year is bringing huge changes to the United States sports car racing landscape in 2014. The American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sport Car Series are merging into the Tudor United Sports Car Championship. ALMS stalwarts Flying Lizard Motorsports are dropping its partnership with PorschePorscheGermany, 1931 > present43 models
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with the move to the new series in favor of racing two AudiAudiGermany, 1909 > present83 models
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cars in the GT Daytona class.

Audi says that while Flying Lizard is its first confirmed customer team in the new series, it will announce more later.

“We’re delighted that such a renowned team has opted for the Audi R8 LMS. Our aim is to increase our presence in U.S. motorsport. I’m convinced that Flying Lizard won’t be the only team in United SportsCar Championship to rely on the Audi R8 LMS in 2014. Other teams will follow,” said Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.

The Flying Lizard Motorsports will make the competition debut of its R8s at the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 25 and 26 and will race in TUSC’s entire 12-race inaugural season. It will hold test sessions at Sebring and Daytona in November.

"We are excited to be working with Audi. Their success with prototypes and the potential of the R8 LMS is a great fit for our experience and success in GT,” said chief strategist Thomas Blam.

The Audi R8 GT3 car has proved itself to be quite capable. It was introduced in 2009 and since then Audi has delivered 100 of them for GT3 racing worldwide. The latest LMS version uses a 5.2-liter V10 that is nearly identical to the version used in the production car.

Flying Lizard Motorsports began racing in 2004 and proved itself to be one of the leading teams in the ALMS. It was class champion in 2008, 2009 and 2013, and it won drivers’ championships in its class in 2008, 2009 and 2010. For all of those victories, it has used Porsches.