M1 Racing's Bowlin set to join Pirelli World Challenge

M1 Racing has announced that it will field Walt Bowlin's Audi R8 LMS ultra in the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge Championship's GT-A class, starting at Toronto.

Bowlin, of Tarpon Springs, Fla., is the 2012 Star Mazda Expert class champion and a practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The GT-A class, which debuted this year, recognizes gentlemen drivers that compete in the GT class.

Bowlin plans to make his series debut in the double-header that is part of Honda Indy Toronto July 18-20 in Toronto. The team also plans to enter the Audi in IMSA's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona next January, and may make one or two starts in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship later this season in preparation for that effort. But the first challenge is to get actual race experience with the car in World Challenge competition.

"I chose to race in World Challenge because it has the top sports car drivers in the world, representing the world's finest sports car manufacturers," Bowlin said. "I feel that sponsors in World Challenge obtain great exposure via their excellent TV package.

"My goal for this season is very simple – get faster every weekend," he added. "Another reason that I chose World Challenge is it's a sprint race. It's an all-out scramble to the finish, and very much like what I'm used to in the Formula Mazda championship."

"We've always enjoyed working with Walt," said Paul Mata, owner of the Dallas-based team. "I'm very interested in seeing what he can do in a car that is a better fit for him physically than a Pro Mazda car."

Bowlin is 6 feet 3 inches tall.

M1 Racing and Mata are best known for their work with formula cars, especially in Star Mazda and its successor, the Pro Mazda Championship. The team will continue its work in the Mazda Road to Indy development series in addition to its Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA activities.

Bowlin drove an M1 Racing-prepared Pro Mazda car to Expert class victories in the Pro Mazda double-header last July on the 1.755-mile, 11-turn temporary street course at Toronto. When he returns this year for the World Challenge portion of the program he'll have just two 30-minute practice sessions at 9:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18 prior to qualifying at 4:35 p.m. that day. The standing start for the first 50-minute race is slated for 11:25 a.m. Saturday. The second half of the double-header is scheduled to get the green flag at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday. Bowlin will be one of 13 drivers in the GT-A class.