Scottish racer Ryan Dalziel returns to the Grand-Am Rolex Series with
a full-time ride with Peter Baron's SAMAX team. This time around the
former open-wheel ace will be in the cockpit of a Daytona Prototype --
a car and team he is familiar with from previous experience last season
in one-off rides with the Florida-based team and again this year in the
season opener at Daytona.
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The two contenders for the 2004 Atlantic Series championship: Ryan Dalziel and Jon Fogarty. Photo by Todd Corzett.
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Dalziel will pilot the No. 2 BMW Riley with his new teammate Henri
Zagaib. "I'm really excited to be back full-time in the Grand-Am Rolex
Sports Car Series," said Dalziel. "I'm extremely grateful to both
Peter Baron and Henri Zogaib for allowing me the opportunity to resume
my sports car career and I'm looking forward to a competitive season
together."
Dalziel is not new, as he indicated, to sportscar racing. After chasing
for the Atlantic title with rival Jon Fogarty, Dalziel and Pacific Coast
Motorsports headed in a different direction. The winner of the 2004
Gilles Villeneuve Award and sub-champion to Fogarty in the Atlantic
Championship series, Dalziel had looked to move up the ladder into Champ
Car World Series. The Scotsman had proved his talent and ran quick times
in testing but fate stepped in and Dalziel remained with PCM in their
sportscar racing debut in 2005.
The California-based team return to open-wheel racing and in 2007,
Dalziel was racing Champ Cars, until sponsorship dollar signs put him
out of the ride in favor of another.
However the Scotsman did not sit idly by the rest of the 2007 season.
Dalziel had driven for Baron on previous occasions, teaming with Bryan
Sellers for the Baron-TRG East team in the GT class. The two made their
debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2005.
His first time with Baron's SAMAX Motorsport Pontiac Riley Daytona
Prototype team was in the 2007 Rolex 24 at Daytona. The team was
delighted as they started the season with a second place finish at the
challenging event; his fellow open-wheel racing co-drivers were Milka
Duno, Patrick Carpentier and Darren Manning. That was the start of the
four endurance races Dalziel would compete in for SAMAX before the
season ended.
Baron invited the Scot to aid in the team's final campaign of the season
at Miller Motorsports Park. At the end of the six-hour race, SAMAX
landed second on the podium. It was a good finish for what was a year
that saw ups and downs for the race car driver.
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Pitstop for #11 SAMAX Pontiac Riley: Kris Szekeres, Tomas Enge, Ryan Dalziel. Photo by Larry Kuivila.
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"I have to say Peter was the first team owner to call me and offer
me some prospects after my Champ Car season ended prematurely last
year," Dalziel said. "We've always enjoyed a great relationship and I'm
delighted to be partnering Henri in the SAMAX line-up."
Over the years, Baron has had sportscar and open-wheel stars at the
wheel of his cars including Dario Franchitti, Allan McNish, Harold
Primat, Kevin McGarrity, Johnny Mowlem, Ian James, Ryan Hunter-Reay,
Marino Franchitti and a slew of other top-notch racers.
Dalziel will share the driving duties with a racer whose heart lays with
medical care for children. At the season opener, Zagaib secured well
known Audi factory drivers to support his cause and his partnership
with the Florida Children's Hospital. While McNish, Lucas Luhr and Mike
Rockenfeller gave it their best shot, a powerplant problem with the
Pontiac Riley took them out of the race.
Dalziel will now go head-to-head on the track with his former Atlantic
rival Fogarty -- who along with his co-driver Alex Gurney -- is the
series defending champions. Dalziel looks forward to his new adventure.
"I think it's great that we're kicking off our new agreement at the
place where it all began in 2005, Homestead Miami Speedway. We've got a
great engine package now with tremendous support and from a personnel
perspective SAMAX has really strengthened its capabilities with the
addition of guys like Phil Le Pan," Dalziel said. "I think someone
with Phil's professional experience and outlook will give the team the
opportunity to mirror the performance bases enjoyed by the likes of
Ganassi Racing and GAINSCO / Bob Stallings Racing. This weekend's race
will be a big test for us in every department but I think we're set
for a good year in what is undoubtedly a highly competitive Daytona
Prototype field."
