Wishaw’s Ryan Dalziel received a late Christmas present when he was confirmed as the lead driver for Miami-based Alegra Motorsports’ assault on next year’s Grand-Am Championship in the States.
The 26-year-old Scot, who scored a series of top 10 finishes this autumn in the underperforming Rangers car in the new Superleague Formula, will make his debut driving the team’s BMW-Riley Daytona Prototype in next month’s Daytona 24-Hours.
Dalziel, who finished second in the famous American endurance race earlier this year, will be partnered by American owner-driver Carlos de Quesada, fellow US driver Chapman Ducote, Canadian Jean-Francois Dumoulin and Czech ace Tomas Enge.
“I’m really excited to join Alegra Motorsports for next year,” Orlando-based Dalziel, back in Scotland for Christmas, said before heading to today’s Old Firm match.
“I think we’re going to have an extremely strong on-track package by running the BMW-Riley Daytona Prototype. I’d like to thank Carlos for having faith in me and bringing me onboard to lead the team’s assault on the Grand-Am Championship.
“I definitely feel like we’re set to have a long-term future together as a team and all the ingredients are there to be successful. The car’s fast; the crew are super-efficient, and there’s already a winning mentality.”
Dalziel will get his first feel for the car at the Daytona test days next weekend before tackling the 24-Hours race on January 24/25. The Scot will then team up with de Quesada to contest the full Grand-Am season.
The team have a track record of success having already been crowned Daytona GT Champions before stepping up to the Daytona Prototype class for next season.
Ironically Dalziel scored his maiden Grand-Am Daytona Prototype win last season at California ’s Laguna Seca circuit behind the wheel of a BMW-Riley.
“It’s going to be fantastic getting back behind the wheel of a prototype,” the Scot, who already has a bank of Grand-Am podium finishes under his belt, continued. “Racing the Rangers single-seater was a terrific experience, but sportscars is where my longterm future lies.”
JM