Series news on Dyson Racing

Dyson Racing Returns To Rolex Series, Partners With Godstone Ranch

To Field New Roush-Yates Ford/Lola For Season-Ending Utah 250 Veteran Davy Jones, John McCutchen To Pilot New Daytona Prototype

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 31, 2010) - Dyson Racing, one of the dominant teams in the early years of GRAND-AM Road Racing, will make its return to the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16, fielding a new Daytona Prototype in the season-ending Utah 250 at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City.

Dyson Racing will partner with Godstone Ranch Motorsports to field the No. 16 Lola powered by a Roush-Yates Ford V-8. The car will be driven by sports car legend Davy Jones - an overall winner of both the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans - and John McCutchen II.

Dyson Racing was one of the founding teams of GRAND-AM, winning 16 races, two drivers' and three consecutive team championships from 2000 through 2002. The program will be run from the team's Poughkeepsie, N.Y. headquarters.

"We were fortunate to hook up with some really great people at Godstone Ranch Motorsports with John McCutchen, Karen Garrett and their partners, who helped bring the effort to fruition," said Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director of Dyson Racing.

"I believe we have the fastest car in the series in the Lola and the best engine - the Roush Yates Ford," Dyson added. "There are some great people who have come to the table to make this happen. We are looking forward to racing at Utah with the goal of doing more races in 2011. We have won the Rolex 24 At Daytona twice and it would be great to go back there again with a proper, in-house effort."

The team joins Krohn Racing, AIM Autosport, Michael Shank Racing and SunTrust Racing using Roush Yates Engines in DP competition.

"Roush Yates Engines is excited to add another prominent partner to our solid list of Daytona Prototype teams in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series," said John Maddox, Sports Car Program Manager for Roush Yates Engines. "Dyson Racing won the Rolex 24 At Daytona twice with Ford power back in the 1990s, and we are happy to have them running with Roush Yates Engines in their return to America's most competitive sports car series."

The car was prepared by Multimatic, which recently tested the car three hours north of its Toronto, Ont. shops. Driver Scott Maxwell ran 60 laps without any flaws.

"We are proud to have Dyson Racing running the Lola chassis in its return to GRAND-AM," said Stephen Charsley, Manager USA of Lola Cars International. "The new Lola has enjoyed success in Daytona Prototypes, and we look to enjoy continued success with a solid partner in Dyson Racing, along with the proven power of Roush Yates Engines. We would like to thank Multimatic for helping prepare the car and making this venture possible."

Jones brings a strong foundation of experience to the team, having been competitive in any car he has driven, from British Formula Three to NASCAR. He made his name in prototype racing with TWR Jaguar, winning 12 IMSA GTP races. He won the 1990 Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1996. In that same year, he was second in the Indy 500.

McCutchen began racing in the mid-1980s, driving Formula Renault and F3 in Europe. He recently re-entered the sport and finished fifth in the SCCA National Championship. He debuted in the Rolex Series in this year's Rolex 24 At Daytona, and has also teamed with Jones in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Godstone Ranch Motorsports was founded by Karen Garrett as a non-profit corporation to raise funds for the Texas Heart Institute in Houston.

"Our desire is to have motorsports contribute to our daily lives and be more than just a sport," Garrett said.

Practice and qualifying for the Utah 250 will be held on Friday, Sept. 10. The season finale takes the green flag at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on MRN Radio.

-source: grand-am