MONTEREY, CA May 11, 2012 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been good to Dyson Racing. At last year’s September ModSpace Monterey race, the team wrapped up four championships, including the Engine Manufacturer Championship for Mazda and the driver’s title for Chris Dyson and Guy Smith. Smith won the pole for last year’s event, set fastest race lap and he and Chris led 60% of the six-hour race.
In this afternoon’s qualifying for the American Le Mans Series Monterey, Guy Smith qualified the #16 ModSpace/G-OIL Lola-Mazda second quickest for the third longest race of the ALMS season. “We made some large changes before qualifying and I have to say the car is the best it has been all weekend,” said Smith. “Historically we have always been good here and I think it will be a good race car. We will have a look at the data tonight and see if we can find some more speed for the race tomorrow.”
Joining the team this weekend is British driver Johnny Mowlem. Johnny is considered one of racing’s best versed drivers. He has class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona and class podiums at the Petit Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1,000 km Nurburgring and will be driving with Chris and Guy in the longer ALMS enduros this year plus assisting in the ongoing development of the new Lola-Mazda.
Mazda Raceway has also been good to Johnny. “My first ever win in the American Le Mans Series came here back in 1999 and my first ever lap record was also done here. It has been a very kind track to me over the years,” noted Mowlem. “I love the surrounding area and the climate plus the track has a lot of elevation changes which makes it an exciting and challenging track to drive. You put all those things together and it makes it one of my top three favorite tracks in the world. I have driven here in GT1, GT2, LMP1 and LMPC – the last time I was here in an LMPC car we got the pole and track record.”
“All the years that I have been racing in the ALMS, Dyson Racing has been there year in and year out doing a fantastic job. It is just a pleasure to drive for a team that has such a desire to do well and is very professional plus there is a real family atmosphere here. To be honest, most of the teams I have driven for are very business-like in their approach to drivers but Dyson Racing is much friendlier. I am looking forward to being a part of the team and playing a small part in creating a little bit more of their history and helping Chris and Guy towards winning the championship again.”
The American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón starts at 1:30 p.m. PT tomorrow, from the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. ESPN2 airs the race at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 13. Live coverage is available starting at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
You can follow Dyson Racing at: dysonracing.com Facebook; Twitter and our YouTube Channel.
