POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, FEB. 4 — Thetford / Norcold Dyson Racing is pleased to announce that Butch Leitzinger and Andy Wallace will be returning for another full season in 2004.
Leitzinger, 34, will be partnering his erstwhile teammate James Weaver in the same #16 MG-Lola he and Weaver qualified on the front row five times in 2003 and drove to overall victory at the Grand Prix of Sonoma. With over twenty-five overall victories and two drivers` championships to his credit, Leitzinger is North America`s most successful sportscar pilot. This season will be his tenth with Dyson Racing.
“I think that there has never been a more exciting time at Dyson Racing,” Leitzinger said. The level of development that has been put into the Lola, and the results that we are seeing from that, have made us a serious threat at every race, as well as for the championship. We have shown that we have the speed to win races, and I am confident that we have addressed the issues that have affected our reliability. James, Andy, Chris, and I will be giving it everything that we have to reward all of the team`s hard work.”
Wallace is slated to co-drive with Chris Dyson in the #20 sister car in the series` sprint races in 2004. The Anglo-American pairing claimed four class victories in 2003 en route to the series` championship. Wallace has scored victories in every major international endurance race, and is generally considered one of the foremost sportscar drivers in the world. Wallace will co-drive with Weaver and Leitzinger in the 12 Hours of Sebring. Wallace`s relationship with Dyson Racing dates back to 1995.
“I am delighted to be rejoining Dyson Racing for the full 2004 American Le Mans Series,” Wallace said. “We had a great year together last season, capturing both team and driver titles in the P675 class. I look forward to working again with defending Champion, Chris Dyson, and to sampling the latest modifications to the Team`s MG-Lolas.”
Team principal Rob Dyson, whose squad has claimed eight drivers` and team championships since 1997, is delighted with his driving talent for 2004.
“Butch and Andy are true professionals,” Dyson said. “They are fast, reliable drivers who are proven winners. They havve done a phenomenal job for us over the years and I am really happy to have them back with us for another year.”
Since entering the sportscar racing world in 1985, Dyson Racing has been North America`s most successful sportscar team. For 2004 the team will campaign two of its MG-Lola EX257 prototypes in the nine-race American Le Mans Series. The series` first event is the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 20.
