lastturnclub.com

About the Boys from Poughkeepsie (and being Wrong)

We can’t say much good about our recent record of prognostication, at least in regard to the winners. When we finally were so frustrated with Dyson Racing, and unable to identify some specific problem, we “did a Jimmy Carter,” accusing the whole lot of a kind of malaise. We can tell you that wasn’t taken well, and was also clearly well off the mark, since they immediately won, then stayed in the hunt at Road America. Our readers who clung to the idea that the engine supplier deserved most of the “credit” for pre-Mid-Ohio performance were closer to the facts than were we. Yes, the block and head were re-designed to strengthen them over the winter, but no, that hasn’t been a panacea for AER.

Should we expect Road America, Round 7 of the 2010 American Le Mans Series championship, to be the best race for prototypes thus far?

We think we can. Sebring was – as always – a great event, but with the Peugeots on hand and the Audis missing in action it was never likely to be a great race.

Our preview questioned either the commitment of Dyson Racing to capturing the Mid-Ohio pole, or the ALMS Radio crew for claiming it was a priority, but  in the end we were wrong on two counts. We thought Guy Smith would be the team’s best shot at the top starting position, but Chris Dyson put the Lola Mazda on the front row, and since Paul, Lord Drayson, elected to start his team’s Lola Judd, Dyson inherited the “virtual” (real?) pole. And Dyson - on this day at least - was the on-track star of his team.