LEXINGTON, OH August 4, 2012 – Dyson Racing pushed their podium total above 200 today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The team added numbers 200 and 201 to their tally as Chris Dyson and Guy Smith came in second overall in the #16 Modspace Mazda entry and Michael Marsal and Eric Lux brought home the #20 Dyson Racing car third in the P1 class. The team started the year with 190 podiums to their credit.

The Midwest summer’s heat and humidity continued unabated at one of the most physical tracks the American Le Mans Series runs at. “This is probably one of the toughest conditions I have ever faced in a racing car,’ commented Smith. “I did as much time in the car as I could and the team got me out at the right time. You can feel your performance peeking and your concentration leveling off.” Smith started the Dyson entry second and spent almost two hours in the car. He kept the gap to the leader under 12 seconds before the first pit stop rotations, set the second fastest race lap and led laps 71- 84, before handing the car over to Dyson with fifty minutes remaining in the race.

The #20 car was third overall ten minutes from the end when shifting problems kept if from finishing the last seven laps. Marsal started the car and was running fourth when he pitted for fuel, tires and driver change at the hour and a half mark. “The Dysons prep a great car and this is one of those electrical gremlins that happen in racing,” Marsal said. “We had a strong car for the race. We chased set up through the beginning of the weekend but when we took the green today, we had a good car to race.” Lux explained that “we were running third overall and came in for a splash-and-go to make sure that we were going to secure our position at the end. We were down 45 seconds at one point to third and we made that up, did the splash and made up another 28 seconds. We got back to third and then I had an issue with fourth gear and then the only gear that was left was neutral. But we had a good balance in the car in qualifying and we were able to keep 90% of that today during the race.”

“Michael and Eric drove great races today under trying conditions,” commented Dyson. “They were quick and fought hard to put themselves in position to finish third overall. Our hats off to them and to the Muscle Milk car for their victory. The 16 car wasn’t quick enough in the race, and we need to keep pushing technically on development. We are working our rear ends off at the moment. We made a step forward this weekend, but we are still struggling to get consistent balance on the car and tires. The car was quite different in the race to what we had in qualifying and we are looking into why this was the case. It has been frustrating, but I am hopeful for a better weekend at Road America.”

BOWMANVILLE, ONT July 22, 2012 – Dyson Racing owned most of the real estate on the podium at the end of the two hour and forty-five minute Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. Chris Dyson and Guy Smith came in second in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace entry and the #20 sister car of Eric Lux and Tony Burgess finished third in P1 and fifth overall.

It was a fighting back race. The #20 car made up six spots from its lowest race position after yellows and a stop and go penalty dropped it to eleventh in the first part of the race, and Guy Smith made a fight of it at the end, taking large chunks out of the lead of the Muscle Milk car after the last yellow period ended eleven minutes from the end. He set his personal best and the race’s second fastest lap on lap 113 of the 117 lap race. At race end, he was ten seconds back.

Smith noted that “the car was good at the end. We made a lot of changes throughout the race with tire splits and tire combinations. When I got in the car, it felt pretty good – certainly the best it has been all weekend. After the restart on the last yellow, we were forty seconds behind. Then they said I was twenty-five behind and then fifteen seconds. I kept on pushing because you want to be there to take advantage of any problems they may have at the end.”

“It was a good weekend,” summed up Lux. “I am learning how this car works and this is my best race so far with Dyson Racing. I can’t say enough about the job Tony (Burgess) did in the car having never turned a lap in it until this weekend. He got up to speed quickly in the first practice session. That says a lot about the car the Dyson crew gave us off the truck and also Tony’s knowledge of this track. It was a pleasure driving the Dyson car with Tony this weekend.”
“I could have raced that car all day,” Burgess said. “Half-way through the stint you get to really know the car and then you can do all kind of things with it. I had a good race with one error in terms of pit speed. I am glad we gave the Canadian fans a good show today: they are some of the most dedicated fans out there.”

BOWMANVILLE, ONT July 21, 2012 – One tenth of a second separated the two Dyson Racing cars in qualifying today for the American Le Mans Series race at the newly named Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Chris Dyson qualified in second place in the #16 Mazda-powered ModSpace P1 entry, with Eric Lux lining up third in the #20 Dyson entry for tomorrow’s Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport here at Canada’s oldest track.

Dyson won his first Mosport race in 2003, winning in LMP2. “This is the third year in a row we have been on the front row here with Guy Smith and I am pleased for that,” said Chris. “We were a day late in finding what our new car likes here, but we now have a car that is raceable with a better platform. We worked hard overnight and all today but were not able to get the absolute speed out of it that the Muscle Milk car has. Click for More Hi Res We will try some more things in the warm-up to get more performance out of the car.”

This is Eric’s second time at the series’ fastest track and what many consider the most daunting track of the year. “The car has been great pretty much all weekend,” noted Eric. “We made small changes here and there, but have not had to do too much. It has a stable platform and is a predictable car for this fast circuit. Tony (Burgess) has been doing a great job all weekend and I think we are going to have a strong race tomorrow.”

Tony Burgess joins Eric this weekend for his first race with Dyson Racing. Closing in on one hundred sports car races, Burgess is a Toronto native and resident. He has raced at the Mosport track eleven times, including the last 24 hour motorcycle race held here. “Not only is this is my home track but it is my favorite track in North America and probably the world. I think Spa is very good, but Mosport is still unmolested since they first built it in 1961,” commented Burgess. “It has a great flow to it, with fantastic high speed corners. In my view, it is one of the best tracks in the world, and the fact that it is my home track makes it that much better.”

― ModSpace, Sponsor of the No. 16 Dyson Racing Mazda Lola, makes charge at checkered this weekend ―

CONCORD, N.C., July 19, 2012 – With Modular Space Corporation’s Canadian Headquarters located in Brampton, ON, just 60 miles from this weekend’s American Le Mans Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the organization is eager to compete for the checkered flag as primary sponsor of Dyson Racing’s No. 16 ModSpace Mazda Lola in the LMP1 class.

“We are thrilled to be racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this weekend as a sponsor with Dyson Racing,” stated William Mann, Vice President of Motorsports for ModSpace. “Our relationship with Dyson Racing has been a key to our motorsports program this season and it is great to be in Canada this weekend competing in our Canadian headquarters’ backyard.”

Modular Space Corporation, better known as ModSpace, is among the largest modular building providers in North America with 13 branch and service offices across Canada and remains a leading innovator in modular construction. With 40-plus years of experience, the company offers a comprehensive list of temporary and permanent products, from ready-to-roll mobile offices and storage, to completely custom modular building solutions.

As part of the organization’s motorsports partnership objectives, ModSpace will entertain customers and employees at the race venue for Sunday’s American Le Mans Series event.

“This race has been referred to as Canada’s biggest sports car race of the year,” stated Mann. “ModSpace values our customers and employees. They are the backbone of our company and help us achieve success. This is a great way to give something back to them since they are racing enthusiasts to die-hard motorsports’ fans.”

Piloting the Dyson Racing No. 16 ModSpace Mazda Lola, Chris Dyson and Guy Smith want this race to be a success for ModSpace both on and off the track this weekend.

“Both Guy (Smith) and I are confident for this weekend’s race,” stated Chris Dyson, co-driver of the No. 16 ModSpace, Mazda-powered Lola. “When we climb into the cockpit on Sunday, we are going to charge to the checkered flag. With the support with have from ModSpace employees and customers attending the race this weekend, reaching the top of the podium on Sunday would mean a great deal to our team.”

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY July 10, 2012 — American Le Mans Series veteran Tony Burgess will be joining Dyson Racing for next weekend’s Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport on July 22nd and also at the 2012 Road Race Showcase at Road America on August 18th. Tony will be driving with Eric Lux in the #20 Mazda-powered Dyson IMSA P1 entry, the same car that won the ALMS championships last year. The Toronto resident has raced eleven times at the newly named Canadian Tire Motorsport Track.

“I am very much looking forward to driving with the legendary Dyson Racing team and I think this is the most exciting and competitive opportunity I have had for my home race,” Burgess said.
“We have been speaking with Tony for some time about putting a program together,” said team V.P. and Sporting Director Chris Dyson. “I’m delighted we were able to come up with the right situation for his home race at Mosport and also to get him on board with Michael (Marsal) and Eric for Road America. Tony’s got a wealth of experience in prototypes. He runs consistently and keeps it clean, and he has a great attitude towards the team. I think he’ll be a great addition to the #20 car lineup, and we’re looking forward to doing more with him.”

Tony started his racing career on enduro motorcycles, including a 24 hour motorcycle race at Mosport, and switched to racing on four wheels in 1990. He began racing sports cars in international events in 1997 and has sixteen 24 hour sports car races to his credit at Le Mans, Daytona, Spa and Bathurst. His first 24 Hours of Le Mans was in 2000, where he finished third in class in GT2. Tony started racing in the American Le Mans Series the same year and has been a regular competitor in the ALMS the past twelve years. He got his first taste of prototypes while racing in the 2006 European Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class. He moved up to LMP1 the following year, capturing third place at Mosport with Autocon Motorpsorts. He continued racing the familiar orange cars of Autocon through the 2011 season and finished third in the ALMS drivers’ championship.

He is closing in on one hundred sports car races since his start in 1997. During those years, he has raced in more than ten countries and has fifty-three ALMS races under his belt. Tony lives in Toronto with his wife and has a degree in aerospace engineering from Ryerson University.

LAKEVILLE, CT July 7, 2012 – As is the norm for Lime Rock Park, today’s American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix did not want for action. In addition to the depth of the on- track battles, there were a surfeit of yellows that added more flux than normal to the outcome. Dyson Racing finished second and third in P1 on the shortest track of the ALMS calendar. Chris Dyson and Guy Smith were second overall in the #16 ModSpace Mazda-powered car and Michael Marsal and Eric Lux finished third in class in their second race with Dyson Racing.

Chris Dyson started from pole and came in from the lead an hour into the race to hand the car over to Guy Smith. Ten minutes later, Guy had to slowly motor back to the pits with a puncture, dropping the car down to fourth. Around the same time, the #20 car was hit in the rear. The damage did not measurably affect the car’s speed, but took its toll later in the race when two unscheduled stops to fix inoperative brake lights dropped the car down the overall running order.

Rob Dyson noted that, “Guy lost almost three laps with the puncture. It happened just as he went by the pits and he had to slow down to preserve the car and bring it back to the pits. It is one of those things. Our congratulations to Greg Pickett and his team. At the end of day, we have made a lot of progress and I think we have a good shot at taking it to them almost anywhere so we are locked and loaded. Hats off to everyone at AER who did a superb job giving us great engines.”
“It was a tough race,” summed up Guy. “We got a break when the Muscle Milk car had their gearbox problems early in the race, but that advantage was mostly negated by the puncture, and then they were able to get a couple of wave-bys during the yellows that put them back on the same lap as us. Ultimately, we did not have the speed in the car that we had in qualifying. We have definitely turned the corner from Mazda Raceway but still have some work to do and will go on to Mosport, a track we have been consistently fast at in the past.”

“This is the second race we have had with Dyson racing and our second podium,” said Eric Lux. “The guys worked really hard. All in all, the car was strong. We had some understeer when I got in but I was able to climb a number of positions, but we than ended up losing those fixing the brake light damage.”

Michael Marsal also worked traffic well and made up a number of positions in the #20 car’s first stint. “Dyson racing prepared a great car and we were strong. We pitted early for fuel, and went down a lap but was able to work my way back to fifth when Eric got back in the car. Unfortunately, he lost a lot of time in the pits, but overall, it was a strong finish and outside of that, we ran the race we wanted to. All in all, I am very happy to be here. The first race I ever attended was an ALMS race here with the Dysons and that is what made me decide to be a racing driver. I really cannot believe that now in 2012, I am here driving with them and that it has all come full circle.”

The # 20 car of Michael Marsal and Eric Lux rejoins the Dyson squad this weekend for their second race with the team. Eric Lux qualified the car third in LMP 1. Last year, Eric won both the LMPC pole and race here at the historic New England track. “The team gave me a great car,” said Eric. “Michael got up to pace really quickly and he did a great job in practice. I did some initial laps in qualifying and came in make a change. The car was understeering and we were able to take care of maybe 60 per cent of it. We will continue with that change overnight and the car will be even better tomorrow.”

Michael Marsal brings his own Lime Rock winning tradition to the mix having won his debut race here driving a Turner Motorsport BMW M3 two years ago. He has been busy during the ALMS two month break and tomorrow’s race will be his fourth race in five weeks. He and Eric will be doing six races this season in the #20 Dyson entry.

“Klaus Graf and I always seem to put on an entertaining show,” commented Guy after winning the pole. “It was nip and tuck during qualifying. (.006 separated the two at one point). It has been an uphill battle for us this year. Rob said to us after Mazda Raceway, ‘look guys we have to knuckle down and go out there and get it done.’ He gave us the opportunity to test and test and we went to the seven post rig and did everything possible. This is a credit to the guys and the work they have done in this very hot weather. Last year this race was a turning point and here’s hoping it is déjà vu.”

MONTEREY, CA May 12, 2012 – Dyson Racing took home second place P1 points in the six-hour American Le Mans Monterey race here at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in their ModSpace/G-OIL Lola Mazda coupe. “I am happy for Mazda and AER to get another solid six hour finish with no reliability problems. We will take the points and go to Lime Rock only four points down in the championship,” said Chris Dyson.

The team lost time at the five-hour mark when they had to take the car back to the garage to repair the debris damaged front diffuser, which was cutting off cooling air to the radiator. With that putting them down the running order, they used the last part of the race testing various tire combinations.

Johnny Mowlem joined the team for the six hour enduro that has moved back to its traditional spring time running. “The first part of my stint I used to get my hands around the car and during the second part I was starting to feel comfortable with the car. I could run 1:17’s and 1:18’s and was happy with that pace. It was comfortable for the track conditions at the time and the only car faster than us was the Muscle Milk car. I am disappointed for the Dyson Racing team since we should have been second overall. At least we got second place P1 points which is good for the championship but more work needs to be done before the next race.”

Eight-year Dyson Racing veteran Guy Smith echoed the sentiment. “We have been out of sorts with the car during this weekend and are still looking for more speed. I was in rallye mode during my time in the car for the last two hours of the race. Muscle Milk drove a flawless race and our hats are off to Greg Pickett and his team.”

“We struggled for pace today and pretty much all through the weekend and I think today was definitely a character building day for the whole organization,” commented Dyson. “We have our work cut out for us in the next eight weeks to be in a better competitive position for Lime Rock and to turn it around and to get back on top. We are going to spend that time doing some pretty extensive testing and looking at some items on the car that have been problematic since we got first got the car. Ultimately we will take both the negatives and the positives from this weekend and learn from them knowing what we have to work on for performance.”

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 lookat 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.”