POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 1, 2024) – Chris Dyson is looking to put his #16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang into the GYM WEED Winners Circle this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway in the penultimate round of the Trans Am by Pirelli 2024 season. Dyson won the 2021 VIR race and is the reigning three-time Trans Am series champion. In the six most recent Trans Am races at the legendary circuit Dyson has won the pole three times and finished on the podium four times. He currently stands second in the 2024 championship with only one race remaining after this weekend.
“Realistically, winning our fourth straight championship at this point is a tough hill to climb,” Dyson said, noting that a first-turn crash at the season’s opening round at Sebring has had him playing catch-up all year. “Last year we also had misfortune at Sebring, but we came overcame that deficit by mid-season and dominated the second half. The difference this season is that while we’ve been strong at every race – we’ve been on the podium in seven of the eight races after Sebring – after winning the pole at Road America we had an electrical problem and finished 10th. That put us in a difficult spot, points-wise.
“The team’s given me a really strong car for this weekend. The goal is to sweep the points here and next month in Texas (final race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin), but even then, with way points are awarded, Paul (Menard) would need to have catastrophic misfortune at both races for us to overtake his 65-point lead. He could just coast at VIR and COTA. But I’m not worried about it. I just want to win a couple more this year and reward the team for their hard work.”
Dyson has been competing at VIR for over two decades. Instantly a team favorite testing facility upon its reopening in 2000, Chris Dyson and Andy Wallace were delighted to claim the circuit’s first major international event in more than 30 years, the VIR 500 in 2002. Since then, Dyson has revisited that success at the classic track and cannot hide his enthusiasm for VIR. “This is one of the grandest circuits on our calendar,” Dyson noted. “It’s a mighty layout and is a place that puts us as drivers to a real test. Like all epic tracks, there are corners and sections that are breathtaking and there’s no let-up over the lap. I love competing here and can’t wait for this weekend.”
Matos Goes Looks to Clinch TA2 Title at VIR
Two-time TA2 titlist Rafa Matos his Concord American Flagpole Ford Mustang have dominated the class this year, winning five of the ten races run to date and finishing on the podium in three others. Second-place in points is Thomas Merrill, who has won twice. But with a 120-point lead over Merrill, a podium finish for Matos could seal his third title.
VIRginia International Schedule
Qualifying takes place Saturday, October 5, 4:40 PM – 4:55 PM (ET)
The 100-mile race takes the green flag Sunday, October 6, at 1:20 PM, (ET)
Broadcast Schedule
The race will be live-streamed on both the Trans Am andSpeedTour’s YouTube channels.
Additional Broadcast Coverage On MAVTV
In addition to the livestream, highlights of the race will be broadcast the following Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET to MAVTV’s 22 million North American linear households and 175 million connected devices.
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