LAKEVILLE, CT – Racing has returned to Lime Rock Park with the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic scheduled for today. Seven-time Trans Am Series champion Ernie Francis Jr. surprised local favorite Chris Dyson in heavy rain Friday, winning the Motul Pole Award for today’s race.
Despite running on only seven cylinders, Francis turned a lap of 59.205-seconds in the No. 98 Future Star Racing Breathless Racing Ford Mustang to capture his second pole of the season and 49th of his career – 21st in the lead TA category.
“Qualifying went well, we are always good in the rain,” said Francis Jr. “The car might have helped us out a little bit, we were down a cylinder for that run. It seemed to help us not spin the tires too much coming around the track.”
Poughkeepsie’s Dyson grew up at Lime Rock and considers it his home track. “I’m thrilled to be racing at Lime Rock with Trans Am on Memorial Day weekend. This date for me was always synonymous with Lime Rock. I spent my childhood there watching my Dad race, took my first Skip Barber Racing School there, and won my first National event there twenty years ago. So the track means a lot to me and I’ve had some memorable successes there at key points in my career.”
Dyson put his extensive Lime Rock Park knowledge to work early in the challenging conditions, turning a best lap of 1:00.051-seconds in the No. 20 ALTWELL CBD Ford Mustang. Prior to qualifying, Dyson unofficially eclipsed his two-year-old record on the 1.478-mile Classic Course with a lap of 49.951-seconds on a cool, dry track.
“We did our normal changes to the car that have worked pretty well for us in the past,” said Dyson. “The balance was pretty good, but unfortunately my visibility was really, really bad. I just could not see out there, so I did the best time. I thought that was good enough to hold, and I came in. Then Ernie went a fraction quicker that next lap. I thought we could go out and try to improve, but the track was getting worse, and the session got flagged prematurely.”
Sports car veteran Andy Lally will start third in the No. 21 Dyson Mustang, 1:00.077-seconds. Trying to improve his time, the Long Island native crashed in Turn 1, putting an end to the session three minutes early. Lally won in his lone TA start in 2017 at Watkins Glen International.
“I’ve never driven a Trans Am car in the wet before,” Lally said. “I was very happy with the balance of the car, but we lost the windshield (fogged up from the inside) and I just couldn’t see going into Turn 1. I missed my brake marker and just flew. Unfortunately, we went off on the outside of Turn 1, and tagged the wall enough to do a little left front fender damage. We were pushing to go get pole and I was just too deep.
“I feel bad for the crew,” Lally continued. “This is the first time in all the years racing for Dyson that I’ve done damage to the car. The team says the damage doesn’t look too bad, so we will make it to grid tomorrow for the race.”
The TA/XGT/SGT/GT drivers take the green on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. for the 100-mile feature. A fan walk will be held on pitlane prior to the start of the race.
The Trans Am Memorial Day Classic concludes on Monday with a 100-mile race for the exciting TA2® category. Qualifying begins at 9:05 a.m. (all times ET) with the 68-lap race taking the green flag at 1:15 p.m.
The full weekend will be live-streamed on the Trans Am by Pirelli Racing App. Download and subscribe: https://gotransam.com/news/Download-the-Trans-Am-by-Pirelli-Racing-App-to-Watch-Live-Events/70250
