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"I can’t believe we put that lap together" - TA2 polewinner Merrill

Image by Chris Clark


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By: Trans Am | 15 hours ago


In the end, the top eight qualifier for today’s Trans Am TA2 feature race at Lime Rock Park (12:55 p.m. EDT, live scoring on gotransam.com) were separated by less than 0.4s. Fastest of all was Californian Thomas Merrill, whose experienced Mike Cope Racing crew found a gap for him in the heavy traffic and turned Merrill — who three weeks ago came from the back of the grid to win the TA2 race at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca — loose at the very end of the session …




Lime Rock, TA2, Thomas Merrill, Trans Am, Videos

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Merrill's last-lap flyer takes the TA2 pole at Lime Rock

Image by Chris Clark


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By: Trans Am | 19 hours ago


In the closest qualifying session of the season so far, a mid-session strategy switch up for the Mike Cope Racing team sent Thomas Merrill straight to the pole, the California native stealing the fastest lap in the final seconds of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli TA2 powered by AEM qualifying Friday at Lime Rock Park.

Underscoring the nature of the tight TA2 competition, the top eight times were separated by less than four tenths of a second.

With an initial strategy to find a gap and lay down a fast time in the opening laps, Merrill caught traffic in the tight, fast corners of the 1.53-mile circuit, eventually falling back to mid-pack in the 29-car field. About halfway through the session, Merrill’s team called his No. 26 Mike Cope Race Cars Big Dielhl Racing Skip Barber Ford Mustang into the pits.

With minutes left on the clock and the track clearing out, the team found the perfect gap and sent Merrill out for a last-ditch attempt at a flying lap. On the final lap of the session, Merrill eclipsed the previous fastest time by just over two tenths of a second to clinch pole position.

“I got to give Mike Cope and the crew huge credit for timing my return to the track perfectly,” said Merrill. “Traffic played a huge factor in the start of qualifying, really foreshadowing what we should expect for tomorrow’s race.”

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Watching from pit lane as Merrill’s name shot to the top of the results, was Dillon Machavern, fastest of all in testing, practice and through much of qualifying. Driving the No. 77 Liqui-Molly Prefix Ford Mustang, Machavern got off to a rough start in qualifying, though, being shunted off track on the opening lap. The New Englander recovered, though, and started chipping away until he reached the top of the standings … only to be beaten out by Merrill in the final minutes.

With no time left on the clock, Machavern had to settle for a front-row P2 start.

“This is the most competitive field we’ve had all season,” said Machavern. “Keeping it clean and making no mistakes is going to be the name of the game. We have a really strong car for the race, and the Liqui-Moly Prefix Ford Mustang has been fast all weekend. I am really excited for the race tomorrow.”

One of the most spectator-friendly road courses in the U.S. Image by Chris Clark


Returning to TA2 for the first time this season, Tony Ave in the No. 25 BC Race Cars Chevrolet Camaro will share Row 2 with points leader Marc Miller in the No. 40 Prefix Stevens-Miller Racing Dodge Challenger.

Scott Lagasse Jr. in the SLF/Fields Racing/M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro rounded out the top five.

The TA2 powered by AEM class kicks off the Memorial Day Classic on Saturday at 12:55pm EDT with a 100-mile (or 65 minutes, whichever comes first) feature. For results and live timing and scoring, visit GoTransAm.com.

TA2 QUALIFYING


Lime Rock, TA2, Thomas Merrill, Trans Am

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Chris Dyson Wins Biggest Race of His Career at Lime Rock Park

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Published on May 27, 2019



A true Cinderella story unfolded on Monday during the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli TA, Super GT, GT feature as the Lime Rock Park hometown driver Chris Dyson, claimed his first win of the season in the TA class. Wheeling the No. 20 Ford Mustang, Dyson never surrendered his pole start, leading the round green to checkers in the 100-mile feature.

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Bruised and battered Dyson dominates Lime Rock Trans Am

Image by Chris Clark


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By: Trans Am | May 27, 2019 6:07 PM


A true Cinderella story unfolded on Monday at Lime Rock Park as a bruised and battered Chris Dyson claimed the Trans Am presented by Pirelli victory in the No. 20 Plaid Ford Mustang.

Reigning champion Ernie Francis Jr., meanwhile, recovered from an early-race setback to claim a hard-fought second place, finishing ahead of super-sub Josh Hurley to complete the podium as Trans Am returned to the traditional Memorial Day weekend event at Lime Rock Park.

Starting from the pole, Dyson never surrendered the lead to claim his first TA victory of the season just days after suffering a crash in sprint car competition.

But Dyson, unsure if he was going to be medically cleared to participate following a wreck in the Hoosier 100, slipped on the glass slipper to seize the points lead in the tight TA championship, making for a perfect ending to his fairytale weekend.




“To think that two days ago I was laying in a hospital bed, not knowing if I was going to make it here,” said Dyson. “I told my dad they were going to have to tie me to this bed if they’re going to keep me from racing in Lime Rock. Luckily I was cleared to race because this might be my biggest career win. It’s so special to see all my friends and family members waving as I drive by — it’s just a fantastic feeling.”

Starting from pole, Dyson didn’t shy away from unleashing all 850-plus horsepower around the tight Connecticut circuit that’s known as road racing’s bullring.

Muscling his way through lapped traffic, Dyson slowly started to build a gap from Hurley in the No. 03 McAleese and Associates Chevrolet Camaro, who had been pressuring the hometown favorite for the lead in the early laps.

“I was just waiting for Chris to make a mistake, and the mistake never came,” said Hurley, filling in on race day for the car’s owner and regular driver, Jim McAleese, who was ill. “Then I got caught in traffic. This course is basically an oval in the woods, with limited areas to pass. Lapped traffic played a huge role in the outcome, and traffic just didn’t fall into my favor.”

Starting from Row 2, Hurley got the jump on Ernie Francis Jr. (No. 98 Frameless Shower Doors Ford Mustang) entering Turn 1 to take second. Francis Jr. tailed Hurley, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. But it was late-race lapped traffic that allowed the defending TA champion to pay Hurley back, reclaiming P2 with four laps left in the race.

The podium finish edged Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca winner Francis back into championship contention, only trailing the newest championship leader Dyson by eight points.

“It felt like a Late Model race out there,” Francis Jr. said. “We were never a single lap without traffic, never a lap where we were trying to get around a car and figure out a way to go. It’s really tough to pass here. Every time Josh and I caught up to traffic, it was a battle for who could get around it quickest. We came up to a large group near the end of the race and I was able to get through all of them the fastest. The podium really came down to who could work traffic the fastest.”

Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Godzilla King of the Monsters/Burtin Racing Chevrolet Camaro) was fourth in TA at the finish, with Paul Fix (No. 4 Ave Motorsports Ford Mustang) crossing the line fifth.

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Lime Rock park course guide

The 67-lap race featured three classes of competition, with Super GT and GT machines sharing the track with the more powerful TA class machines.

In a perfect balance of fending off competitors while watching for the faster TA traffic in his mirrors, Fall Line Motorsports driver Mark Boden went flag-to-flag in the SGT class race for his first win of the season in the No. 46 Beverage Flavors International Porsche 991 GT3.

Boden led SGT flag-to-flag for his impressive first win of the season. Image by Chris Clark


Brian Kleeman in the No. 07 DWW Motorsports/ExpoIT/Forgeline Ford Mustang took second while Adrian Wlostowski in the No. 96 F.A.S.T. Auto Ford Mustang claimed the bottom step of the podium, finishing third.

“It’s awesome to win here at Lime Rock,” said Boden. “The car setup was great and the crowd was wonderful. It was hot out here but the Pirelli tires held up for me to finish on top.”

In a near-perfect drive, Steven Davison wheeled his No. 22 Davinci Plastic Surgery Aston Martin Vantage to score the GT class victory.

“Sometimes surviving is winning, and that was today,” said Davison. “I am happy to be here, and these fans here at Lime Rock are some of the best in the country.”

Kerry Hitt won the Masters award in the TA class following a 10th-place finish in the No. 19 Advanced Composite Products Inc. Cadillac CTSV.

As the winner of the TA class round, Dyson took home the $500 EMCO Gears Top Gear Award, while Hurley received the Cool Shirt Cool Pass of the race award for his big move on the way to the podium.

The TA, SGT and GT drivers now have a two month break before returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway August 1-4. For full results, standings and weekend photos, visit GoTransAm.com.

The Trans Am TA2 powered by AEM machines will stage a double-header event in Detroit this weekend as part of the combined IndyCar and IMSA WeatherTech event weekend.

TA/SGT/GT RESULTS


Chris Dyson, Lime Rock, TA, Trans Am

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Lime Rock recap

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Chris Dyson, Trans Am’s Jack-of-all-trades

Images by Richard S. James


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By: Richard S. James | 10 hours ago


There’s a wide range of racing experience throughout the Trans Am Presented by Pirelli paddock. But not many racers might be found getting out of their sprint car in Indianapolis and heading to Lime Rock Park to win a Trans Am race. That’s what Chris Dyson did on Memorial Day weekend, although in less-than-ideal circumstances.

Dyson was in Indianapolis to compete in some of the pre-Indy 500 short track races, the Hoosier 100 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds followed by the Carb Night Classic Silver Crown race at Lucas Oil Raceway. Unfortunately a big crash in the first of those events meant no racing in the other in order to concentrate on the Trans-Am race at his home track of Lime Rock. Despite Dyson being battered and bruised, that race ended up being the first time in 2019 he put the No. 20 Plaid Mustang into victory circle, in front of a lot of friends and family.

“To think two days ago I was laying in a hospital bed, not knowing if I was going to make it here,” said Dyson after the Lime Rock victory. “I told my dad they were going to have to tie me to this bed if they’re going to keep me from racing in Lime Rock. Luckily I was cleared to race because this might be my biggest career win. It’s so special to see all my friends and family members waving as I drive by, it’s just a fantastic feeling.”

Going from sprint cars to Trans Am illustrates much about Dyson, painting a picture of a pure racer willing to tackle just about anything. Like his father, Rob, he started in SCCA Club Racing. And also like his father, who went on to race Trans-Am and a Porsche 962 in IMSA GTP, Chris went on to win a pair of American Le Mans Series titles, the LMP675 championship in 2003 and the LMP1 championship in 2011. He also raced and won in Pirelli World Challenge in a Bentley Continental GT3. Now he finds himself concentrating on the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli.

“I’ve been wanting to [race in Trans-Am] since I was a kid,” said Dyson. “Then I kind of fell into it by accident when I was given an opportunity to race one of the cars. David Pintaric gave me a chance in 2017 and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was really blown away by the cars. They are wonderful and visceral, massive horsepower, no driver aids, decent downforce but not overly dependent. There is a lot of work for the driver to do.

“It got the spark lit in a way that I was perhaps not expecting. I started thinking about what I was going to do in racing. I wanted to keep the team active and I wanted to stay active. It was just a good time to jump into the series. I felt there was a good base of talent with the competitors, and it was going to be a good challenge for the team and myself.”

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Dyson entered Trans Am full time in 2018. He scored a second in the first race of the season, and won the second at Road Atlanta. Some mechanical issues later in the season kept him from a serious run at the championship, but he ended the season third in points and the top rookie – if someone with Dyson’s résumé can be called a “rookie.” Unfortunately, he’s had some similar issues to start 2019, but perhaps Lime Rock marked a turning point.

“I think it was a little bit of a leap into the unknown when we took the program on; that was one of the more exciting elements of it. The competition is stout and the teams and the crews that are running these cars have a lot of experience. I think Mark Meissen gave us a very good car and the team had to get up to speed with what made the car work,” he says.

Dyson is vice president at Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corporation, a holding company that has interests in a variety of companies, including many that have graced the panels of his race cars. That keeps him pretty busy, but he’s also vice president and sporting director of Dyson Racing — a separate entity from Chris Dyson Racing which runs the Silver Crown and Trans-Am efforts — which is open to other opportunities in racing. Dyson doesn’t really need a second job, but it’s one he relishes.

“I’m someone who’s been extremely fortunate to witness some exceptional moments in racing history,” Dyson noted. “I’ve gotten to watch my father experience tremendous success and develop a massive love for this sport at a very young age. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to compete at a high level for a long time. I love pushing the boundaries, I love pushing myself and I think that’s what racing is all about. It’s my intention to keep going and look for new and exciting frontiers. Every single day I get up I have to think to myself how lucky I am. This has been a real privilege, and I am humbled by the sheer breadth of racing experiences I have been able to enjoy with my family.”




Chris Dyson, Trans Am