Chris Dyson

Chris Dyson
Nationality American
Born February 24, 1978 (1978-02-24) (age 34)
Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
2012 American Le Mans Series
Debut season 2002
Current team Dyson Racing
Car no. 16
Starts 90
Wins 6
Poles 2
Best finish 1st in 2003 (P675), 2011 (P1)
Previous series
200103, 0507
200405
Rolex Sports Car Series
Atlantic Championship
Championship titles
2003
2011
ALMS LMP675
ALMS LMP1
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years 2004, 2009
Teams Racing for Holland, RML
Best finish 7th (2004)

Chris Dyson (born February 24, 1978, in Poughkeepsie, New York) is a professional sports car racing driver and team owner of Dyson Racing.

Dyson made his professional racing debut in the 2001 Grand American Road Racing Championship season, driving a Riley & Scott Mk III in the final two races of the season. In 2002, he finished second in the Grand-Am SRP1 points, winning five races.[1] He also made his American Le Mans Series debut at the 2002 12 Hours of Sebring.

In 2003, Dyson raced full-time in the American Le Mans Series, driving an MG-Lola EX257. Driving with Andy Wallace for most of the season, and with Didier de Radiguès and Chad Block at Sebring and Petit Le Mans, Dyson took 4 wins and the drivers championship in the LMP 675 class.[2]

The 2004 season saw the MG-Lola reclassified into the LMP1 category against the Audi R8s; Dyson and Wallace scored 6 podiums in 8 races together. In 2005, he finished 2nd in the LMP1 drivers' championship, scoring 6 runner-up finishes.[2] Dyson also drove at the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans for Jan Lammers' Racing for Holland team with Lammers and Katsutomo Kaneishi, finishing 7th overall and 6th in the LMP1 class.[3] Dyson drove in 7 Atlantic Championship races in 2004 and 2005, earning a best finish of 4th at Long Beach in 2005.[4]

Dyson finished 5th in driver points in 2006, with a best finish of 2nd at Mosport. Dyson also finished 4th at Laguna Seca with James Weaver, in Weaver's final race. 2007 saw Dyson team with Guy Smith in a Porsche RS Spyder; the pair finished 4th in points. He finished 6th in points in 2008 and 5th in 2009. Dyson drove at Le Mans in 2009 for Ray Mallock, retiring after 19 hours.[5] In 2010, he finished 4th in LMP1 points and won one race with Guy Smith.[2]

In 2011, despite winning only one race, Dyson and Guy Smith won the LMP1 drivers' championship.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Driver Bio". Grand-Am Road Racing. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. http://www.grand-am.com/drivers/driver.cfm?series=r&did=1184. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d "Chris Dyson". American Le Mans Series. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=driver%7C32. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
  3. ^ "Le Mans 24 Hours 2004 - Race Results". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. http://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-2004-06-13.html. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
  4. ^ "Chris Dyson". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/drivers/DysonChris.htm. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
  5. ^ "Le Mans 24 Hours 2009 - Race Results". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. http://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-2009-06-14.html. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jon Field
American Le Mans Series LMP675 champion
2003
Succeeded by
Ian James (LMP2)
Preceded by
David Brabham
Simon Pagenaud
American Le Mans Series LMP1 champion
2011
with Guy Smith
Succeeded by
Incumbent