WATKINS GLEN, NY, AUG. 9 — Dyson Racing team boss Rob Dyson and Butch Leitzinger won Friday evening`s Bully Hill Vinyards 250 at Watkins Glen, leading home the sister #16 Ford R&S of James Weaver and Chris Dyson.
For Rob Dyson, the win marked his first visit to Victory Lane as a driver since he won the 1997 Daytona 24 Hours. “I am not sure how many of these I have left in me,” Dyson said, “So it is an honor to take the last win of open-top prototype competition at the Glen.”
Leitzinger took the lead early in the race when series points leader Didier Theys was forced into the pits with electric gremlins. He would relinquish the lead when Rob Dyson took over, but Leitzinger would regain the point after a mid-race caution period. From there he would not be headed.
“The car was great all day, and the crew did a fantastic job,” the Pennsylvanian said. “Thanks to everyone.”
James Weaver started the #16 car and ran fourth before spinning to avoid an errant backmarker. He lost nearly a lap for an early unscheduled pit stop, but moved up into third before handing over to Chris Dyson. Dyson enjoyed a scrap with George Robinson for several laps before short pitting to give the controls back to Weaver. Weaver shrunk the gap to Leitzinger to 20 seconds at the end, but it was not to be.
“Our engine was a bit flat all day,” said Weaver, the defending race champion. “It is a shame we could not really challenge them today.”
Chris Dyson, who picked up two points on Didier Theys in the championship standings, had mixed emotions about the result. “I am never happy to lose, but if it had to be anyone, I am glad it was my dad.” With three rounds remaining in the championship, Dyson is unofficially 11 points behind the Belgian.
The race will be televised on a tape-delay on the Speed Channel on Sunday, at 1 PM EST.
The team now heads to Mosport where it begins testing its new MG-Lola EX257 Le Mans Prototype before next weekend`s American Le Mans round at the famed Canadian venue.