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Laguna Seca: Dyson Racing qualifying report

Dyson Cars Start 4th & 5th at Laguna MONTEREY, CA, October 16, 2004 - Qualifying for tomorrow's Audi Sports Car Championships at Laguna Seca proved disappointing for Dyson Racing, whose pair of Thetford / Norcold Lolas had taken pole position ...

Published: Oct 16, 2004, 6:31 PM

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Dyson Cars Start 4th & 5th at Laguna

MONTEREY, CA, October 16, 2004 - Qualifying for tomorrow's Audi Sports Car Championships at Laguna Seca proved disappointing for Dyson Racing, whose pair of Thetford / Norcold Lolas had taken pole position in six of the eight races run to date in the 2004 American Le Mans series. Accustomed to the first row of the grid, they could muster speeds today sufficient only for the fourth and fifth place starting positions. Pole position was taken Zytek of Nicolas Minassian, followed by the pair of Audi R8s of JJ Lehto and Johnny Herbert.

With what team owner Rob Dyson described as a heroic effort, Butch Leitzinger put the Dyson #16 car into the fourth spot on the grid half a second behind Minassian. Andy Wallace was a further seven-tenths behind with the #20 Dyson entry.

"The balance was pretty good," Leitzinger reported after pulling into the pits at the conclusion of the 20-minute qualifying session. But in the end, neither Leitzinger nor Wallace was able to match the team's usual qualifying pace.

"There was really nothing wrong with the cars that we could fix," reported Team Manager Randall Kelsey. "The engines ran strong. We just aren't going fast enough."

Wallace and Leitzinger both pulled into the pits with several minutes left in the session. "I couldn't go any faster," said Wallace over the radio. "That was a perfect lap; there's no way this car will go any faster."

"Clearly we aren't going to win tomorrow on sheer speed," Dyson said. "But then races are seldom won on speed alone. We're going to run the smartest, best race we can, and see where we come out. It'll be a tough task, but our team will give it everything we've got."

-dr-

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