Trans Am Champion, Tomy Drissi will join BAR1 Motorsports for the 53rd Rolex 24 at Daytona. Driving the #16 SpongeBob Movie Prototype Challenge, Tomy will team his formidable sports car skills with co-drivers, Johnny Mowlem, Martin Plowman, Tom Papadopoulos and Brian Alder. With 53 cars from 10 different automotive manufacturers, and lineups comprised of star drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One joining the best of the best from international sports car competition, this year’s 53rd running of the Rolex 24 is a can’t-miss event.
“This is such an amazing event,” said Tomy. “We’ve got an excellent team of drivers and judging from the way we ran at the ROAR test, I’m really confident we can put the SpongeBob car up front.”
Known by the fans for his movie themed liveries, Tomy is bring the SpongeBob Movie – Sponge Out of Water, to the Rolex 24. The movie opens February 6.
“The car looks great,” added Tomy. We’re going to have a lot of fun with SpongeBob and the fans are going to love it. We’ve teamed up with Paramount on this one… I think it’s a perfect fit for this race.”
“I have a lot of confidence in Brian [Alder] and the BAR1 guys,” said Tomy. “These endurance races require a Herculean team effort and this is a great team. Plus, we’ve got Spongebob’s reputation on the line… we’re going to the front.”
The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 At Daytona will run Jan. 22-25. The start of the race will be broadcast on, Jan. 24 on FOX starting at 2:00 pm and continuing on the network until 4:00 pm ET. FOX Sports 2 will take over from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. Then over to FOX Sports 1 8:00 – 10:00 pm. From 10:00 pm – 7 am it will stream live at IMSA.com and return to FOX Sports 1 for the finish from 7:00 am – 2:30 pm. IMSA Radio will carry the entire broadcast, link at IMSA.com.
Tomy Drissi is an American driver and Trans Am Champion. His driver experience includes ALMS, Trans-Am, NASCAR and Speed World Challenge.
Born December 9 in Hollywood, California, Tomy owns an advertising firm that produces upcoming film displays for cinemas. Drissi’s first racing experience in motorsports was street racing on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills.
Tomy’s professional racing career highlights include:
• 1999 Trans-Am Rookie of the Year,
• 2000 Trans-Am BBS Most Improved Driver,
• 2000 Trans-Am Crew of the Year
• 2000 Trans-Am Long Beach Champion
• 2009 Trans-Am Champion.
• 2010 ALMS (one off race) Prototype LMP1 3rd. at Mid Ohio
• 2011 saw Tomy’s return to the American Le Mans LMPC division. He scored a 2nd at Long Beach, 3rd at Lime Rock, 1st at Mid Ohio,1st at Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix and second at Road Atlanta -Petit Le Mans.
• 2012, Drissi teamed with Bruno Junqiera for finishing 2nd at Laguna Seca, a win at Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park), 2nd at Baltimore and second at the season finale, Petit Lemans.
• 2013 NASCAR CUP/Nationwide. Best result at Mid Ohio starting 38th and finishing 19th.
• 2014 IMSA LMPC at Daytona 3rd.
The SpongeBob Movie – Sponge Out of Water
SpongeBob SquarePants, the world’s favorite sea dwelling invertebrate, has his most super-heroic adventure yet. SpongeBob goes on a quest to discover a stolen recipe that takes him to our dimension, our world, where he tangles with a pirate. In theaters February 6.
IMSA
The International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) is the sanctioning body of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the road-racing series resulting from the merger of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. IMSA also sanctions the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda, as well as four single-make series: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin, Ferrari Challenge North America and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. IMSA is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected TUDOR United SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.