'ONWARD AND UPWARD' FOR DYSON AFTER LIME ROCK WIN
Dyson Racing has had its share of landmark victories in the American Le
Mans Series but last weekend's LMP2 triumph at Lime Rock Park may trump
them all. In the first year of a new partnership with Mazda as well as a
reuniting with UK chassis manufacturer Lola, Dyson came home a winner on
its home track.
Butch Leitzinger and Marino Franchitti teamed in the class-winning Mazda-
powered Lola B09/86 coupe. They will try to make it two in a row at the
upcoming Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
"Everyone on the team worked so hard heading into the race. It was the most
intense week of the season," said team driver and principal Chris Dyson.
"It was great to finally win at our home track and fulfill our potential.
We're upbeat about the season and we think we're back to where we belong.
"The first win is always the hardest," he added. "After that, it's onward
and upward. We're aligned with the right partners at the right time to
reach our goal."
It took Franchitti six minutes into the race to get around the Lowe's
Fernandez racing Acura ARX-01b of Luis Diaz, which had won four straight
races to start the season. The Dyson Lola-Mazdas had led on pace at Long
Beach and Salt Lake City with confidence growing among the team as the
weeks and laps went by.
"It's been a lot of hard work from everyone involved in the whole program,"
said Franchitti, who claimed his long-awaited first Series victory. "I felt
really good about this car when I first drove it and it felt like a race-
winner. I think people have been seeing it since Sebring."
The Acura Sports Car Challenge from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in
Lexington, Ohio is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8 and
will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9 on NBC. American Le Mans Radio
presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub
on americanlemans.com. Radio coverage also will air live on Sirius Channel
126 and XM Channel 242. You also can follow the Series on Twitter
(almsnotes).
The race also will mark the sixth round of the MICHELIN® Green X®
Challenge. Tickets are available at americanlemans.com and midohio.com.
-credit: alms
