Veteran racing driver, staff proprietor, businessman, vehicle collector and motorsports historical past preservationist Rob Dyson is the Grand Marshal for this weekend’s Classic Competition 43 at Lime Rock Park. Dyson is also the occasion’s Honored Collector.
“Rob Dyson’s historical past with Lime Rock Park goes again 50 years to his earliest days as a racing driver,” mentioned Skip Barber, chairman of the Classic Competition and former president of the observe. “Extra than simply as a competitor, Rob has been a steadfast supporter Lime Rock Park specifically and of the game general in quite a few methods, each giant and small, by way of thick and skinny. Everybody who treasures Lime Rock Park immediately owes Rob a debt of gratitude.”
Barber additionally famous Dyson’s work over the previous decade on the board of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, most not too long ago as chairman, growing and overseeing the execution of the museum’s not too long ago accomplished main growth and renovation.
“I’m deeply honored by this recognition,” Dyson mentioned. “Lime Rock is Dyson Racing’s house observe and a particular place for me and everybody on the staff now and all through the years. Forty years in the past we scored our first skilled win at Lime Rock, on the IMSA Camel GT race on Memorial Day. It’s a reminiscence I treasure – and I’m proud that on show this weekend shall be our Porsche 962, in precisely the configuration it was when it took the checkered flag. However there are lots extra from my earlier SCCA Membership Racing days, and much more within the years since.”
Over the 4 days of the Historic Competition 15 automobiles from Dyson’s private assortment shall be on show at three totally different areas within the paddock.
Among the many automobiles within the Ragtime Racers Tent (racing automobiles from the primary years of the twentieth century) shall be three of Dyson’s, together with his 1913 Isotta Fraschini Tipo M, 1904 Napier L48 “Samson” Racer and a Hispano Suiza.
5 of Dyson’s automobiles are amongst these within the Classic Indy Vehicles Tent, together with the automotive that led the change from front-engine to rear-engine at Indy, the 1961 Cooper Climax T-54, pushed by the then-reigning F1 world champion Jack Brabham. Dyson’s lovely 1974 Carling Black Label McLaren M16 C/D shall be reunited with its driver that yr, David Hobbs, who’s the Historic Competition’s Honored Visitor this weekend.
Others of Dyson’s Indy automobiles on show embrace his jewel-like 1927 Miller 91, the 1967 All American Racers Eagle and McLaren Racing staff’s 1978 Budweiser McLaren 24B, as raced by three-time 500 winner Johnny Rutherford.
Seven of Dyson’s different automobiles shall be in A Paddock Tent 2. Race automobiles embrace the 1974 Datsun 510, by which Dyson started his racing profession, working with longtime crew chief Pat Smith; the 1984 Porsche 962 that scored Dyson Racing’s first skilled win; the 2002 MG Lola EX-257, the American Le Mans Collection championship-winning 2011 Lola Mazda B11/86; and three-time Trans Am champion Chris Dyson’s 2018 Ford Mustang. Additionally on show would be the street-driven 1965 Shelby Cobra Rob has owned for greater than 50 years and the Ford Mannequin A coupe Dyson purchased when he was 13 and rebuilt in anticipation of getting his driver’s license at 16.
