Lotus and Alex Job Racing will this season join forces to compete in the American Le Mans Series' GT class. The team will be known as Lotus Alex Job Racing, with factory backing from Lotus. The partnership marks the first time Lotus has participated in factory form in the ALMS.

Lotus AJR will run the 2012 Lotus Evora GTE but will skip the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring on March 17 in favor of a debut on April 14 at the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix. Team boss Alex Job confirmed that part-time Izod IndyCar Series racer Townsend Bell will drive the team's one-car effort, teaming up with AJR driver Bill Sweedler.

“I am excited to announce the racing partnership between Lotus and Alex Job Racing in North America,” Job said. “Our efforts and ability to attract Lotus is a testament to the hard work that AJR has put in over the past several years. This partnership, along with our key sponsors William Rast, Battery Tender and Yokohama represent a new chapter for our seasoned organization and for the ALMS.

“Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Colin Dyne [William Rast CEO] played the key role in forging this long-term relationship with Lotus. We collectively look forward to representing this iconic sports-car brand for years to come in GT racing.”

The Evora GTE is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 Toyota engine featuring Cosworth electronic controls, with redline set at 7,000 rpm. The engine produces 470 hp and 328-lb-ft of torque. The racing version of the car weighs 2,740 pounds, and it has a six-speed sequential Xtrac gearbox with a paddle-shift option.

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said, “We are focused on winning. Aex Job has one of the best records in sports-car racing. We look forward to working together and developing a top-tier team over the coming years. Racing is a core component of the Lotus brand, and we are thrilled to have this new partnership to further enhance our winning racing heritage.”

Bell added, “Having the chance to represent such a great brand like Lotus is simply awesome. The fact that I get to work with one of the best teams in sports-car racing is icing on the cake. I'm really fired up to work with Lotus AJR and Bill in what will undoubtedly be a great adventure. Time to buckle up!”

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