IMSA: Mowlem shares BAR1 PC with McMurry

British sportscar stalwart Johnny Mowlem will contest the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the Prototype Challenge class this year.

Mowlem, (ABOVE) who announced the program at the Autosport International motorsports show, will share one of two ORECA-Chevrolet FLM09s entered by BAR1 Motorsports with 18-year-old Matt McMurry in the sprint rounds of the championship. His teammates for the long-distance rounds that make up the North American Endurance Cup element of the IMSA series have yet to be confirmed, but are likely to include Tomy Drissi and Marc Drumwright.

Other potential options include 2015 Mercedes DTM driver Lucas Auer, who contested three rounds of the World Endurance Championship with the Kolles/Lotus privateer LMP1 squad.

Both Mowlem and McMurry are returning to BAR1 after respectively contesting three and two races in last year's IMSA series.

Mowlem, who claimed class pole at the Rolex 24 at Daytona on his debut with BAR1 last year, told Autosport: "Matt is a very quick silver-rated driver, so I'd like to think we've got a chance of doing very well and winning a few races."

BAR1 team boss Brian Alder said: "We have had instant success with both drivers in the past, so I foresee them having us in contention for podiums right out of the gate."

McMurry (LEFT), who became the youngest driver to start the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2014, will drive a GT Daytona class Porsche 911 GT3-R for Park Place Motorsports in the four NAEC enduros.

"Johnny and I raced as a pairing once before in Europe in 2014 and we are looking forward to a strong silver-gold combination that we hope will throw a wrench into things for the season-long Prototype Challenge contenders," said McMurry. "Last season I scored two podiums in four Prototype Challenge races, and his two races Johnny sat on the pole for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in addition to a podium Petit Le Mans.

Mowlem will also contest the new GT3 Le Mans Cup at the wheel of a Ferrari 488 run by the British FF Corse team this season.