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"There Are No Speed Limits On The Road To Excellence"
by Brian Wagner / Photos by John Thawley
Twenty-five years ago, Rob Dyson raced a 1983 Firebird at the IMSA Coca-Cola Three Hours of Lime Rock. Of the thirty seven cars entered in that race, there is only one team still racing today: Dyson Racing. The upcoming American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park on July 12 marks their celebration of twenty five years in professional motorsports. It is a silver anniversary built on success at the highest levels: sixty one victories, one hundred sixty five podiums and seventeen championships.
photo by John Thawley “When we first started twenty-five years ago, we had five guys and one car and now we have a compliment of twenty-five at the track,” reminisces Rob Dyson. “We had one small thirty foot truck and now we have two forty-three foot trucks. I think the biggest thing I take away from the past twenty-five years is that you’ve got to keep working at it and eventually with the right talent and the right bunch of guys behind you, you can succeed in this sport. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of heart. Racing is a very emotionally and physically demanding sport. It’s the type of sport that demands so much of you that you just have to step up to it. I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned over the years.”
Dyson Racing moved from that 1983 IMSA GTO Firebird to a Porsche 962 in 1985. They won the first time out with it at that year’s Lime Rock IMSA race and twelve more wins followed through the golden years of GTP racing. In 1995, they moved to a Ford-powered Riley and Scott which netted them thirty-six wins over nine years. From 2002 through 2006, they ran AER-powered Lolas and returned to the Porsche family last year with two Porsche RS Spyders. The team’s record of consistent success over the past quarter century has solidified their standing as the premier sportscar team in America.
Cytosport Aiming to Make Powerful Return
Story by: John Dagys
Photo credit: John Thawley / Regis Lefebure
Team Cytosport opted out of running the first half of the 2008 American Le Mans Series season to instead focus on only one thing: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Team owner/driver Greg Pickett had dreamed of competing in the twice-around-the-clock French classic for years, and he got to soak in the entire experience two weeks ago. But now, the California-based team is ramping up efforts in hopes of making a powerful return to the ALMS – utilizing key ingredients that they think will put them up in contention.