Dyson qualified the #16 Mazda Lola second in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MD - Dyson Racing enters the final stretch of the 2013 American Le Mans Series season with a front row start for the Grand Prix of Baltimore. Chris Dyson qualified the #16 Mazda Lola second for the Labor Day weekend race on the street circuit around the Inner Harbor here.

Chris Dyson, Guy Smith

Photo by: Martin W. Spetz

This is the third consecutive front row start for the team in the city they call Charm City. Guy Smith won the pole in the inaugural 2011 race and started second last year.

"It is a shame about the red flag during qualifying," said Dyson. "The car was just starting to come in. We had just made a big step on the predictive time. I don't think we were going to be on the pole but we could have been a lot closer. It is a thrill to get back in the car and really feel like I am picking up right where we left off at Lime Rock."

After two races with Tony Burgess and Chris McMurry in the #16 Mazda Lola, Chris Dyson and Guy Smith are back in the car for Baltimore. "It has been a busy two months," Dyson said. "It was great that Tony and Chris were keen to do some events with us because it gave me an opportunity to focus on 2014.

We have a couple initiatives we are working on. I have still been doing testing and driving and working on the Catherham SP/300.R program. I had the opportunity to drive a 360 non-wing sprint car when I was out in California at Corey Kruseman's school in Ventura.

It is quite the experience with 725 horsepower and only 1150 pounds. Having started my career racing karts on dirt it felt to a certain extent like coming home. It is always something I have wanted to do and I was thrilled to have the opportunity."

Guy Smith also had a busy "how I spent my summer vacation." He debuted the Bentley GT3 race car at Goodwood and drove his winning 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans Bentley at the Festival, commemorating the tenth anniversary of their victory. He drove demonstration laps of the new Bentley GT3 car at Silverstone, and traveled to Pebble Beach as an ambassador for Bentley.

"I am very glad to be back in this car. You forget how quick these LPM1 cars are, especially here at Baltimore, the tightest and twistiest race of the season. It is great to come back to the ALMS paddock and see all your old friends again. Dyson Racing is like family and it is always good to be back."

Dyson Racing