Utah: Dyson Racing race report

Hot Lapping

SALT LAKE CITY, UT July 15, 2006 - "This is a gratifying result," commented team principal Rob Dyson. "The hard work has paid off. We had a trouble-free run and that was a definite plus for us. The pit stops were right on and the guys are doing a great job on the race prep."

Dyson Racing christened the inaugural American Le Mans race here at Miller Motorsports Park with third and fifth place finishes in today's Utah Grand Prix. On the longest track in the U.S. (4.5 miles with 68 shifts per lap), in 105 degree weather, Butch Leitzinger and James Weaver came in third overall and second in LMP1 class and Chris Dyson and Guy Smith were fifth overall and fourth in LMP1 class. The third place finish of Weaver and Leitzinger added to their second place championship points and reduced the gap to first at the half-way point of the season.

The tone was set at the beginning of the race: Weaver passed the Audi of Alan McNish on the first lap for second place. By the third lap, Smith was pressuring the two Porsches and split them ten laps later. A third of the way into the race, it was Weaver and Smith second and third. The first round of pit stops shuffled the order, but Leitzinger was second by lap 40 of 65, falling to third after two spins on dirt thrown up by cars going off track. An extra pit stop for tires moved Dyson down to fifth. The two AER-powered Lolas ran well in demanding conditions that took its toll on other front-runners.

"We brought both cars to the end, solidly in the points," said team manager Randall Kelsey. "This is a good result to build on this for the second half of the season."

Dyson Racing, America's premier sports car team, will be competing next in the sixth round of the American Le Mans Series at Portland International Raceway next Saturday, July 22.

-dyson racing