Drewer dials in.

Young Australian driver Tom Drewer heads to the famous Sebring circuit, Florida, this week in preparation for the 2008 IMSA Lites Championship.

Drewer is competing in Lites 2 this year in the latest generation IMSA spec WEST WR1000 ‘Tunnel car’ for Atlanta based PVM Racing after dominating and winning the 2007 Australian Thundersports Championship in a ‘flat bottomed’ factory backed WEST.

‘I am over in the USA to further my motor racing career. I believe that you have to test yourself in a new environment and I am looking forward to learning from the American drivers, from the crew at PVM and WEST, and of course to learn circuits that I have never raced on. This year is all about learning.’

The official Sebring test will only be Drewer’s second time in the brand new WEST, following a brief shake down at Little Talladega.

‘We turned only a couple of laps on Saturday to test a new dry sump system, that PVM has developed, and to bed in the brakes plus the engine. I had to take a conservative approach but the car felt fantastic. WEST and PVM have done a great job.’

‘Sebring will be my first real opportunity to test with the tunnel car and on Hankook radial tyres– we raced on cross-plies in Australia. Given that I’ll be taking the same conservative approach as I did at Little Talladega. It’s very much a matter of getting some laps in, bedding in the car and getting a little data as a starting point for the season.’

‘I am determined to reach the top levels of international motorsport and follow in the footsteps of a fellow South Australian, Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan, who has endorsed my decision to race in America, but for now this is a small step in a very big learning curve.’

Drewer’s USA race debut is at Sebring International Raceway, Florida on March 13/14.