LAKEVILLE, Conn. — With a huge crowd fanning across Spectator Hill, Rob Dyson delivering the call to start engines ahead of the race start as the grand marshal, a flyover from the Connecticut Air National Guard 103rd Airlift Wing and perfect weather, Lime Rock Park celebrated Memorial Day the only way it knows how — in style.
Family legacies saw new chapters written at Lime Rock Park on Monday as Dyson and Brabham topped the podium for Dyson Racing in the Trans-Am Memorial Day Classic finale.
Claiming the checkered five seconds ahead of teammate Matthew Brabham, Chris Dyson remained undefeated in Trans-Am at Lime Rock — winning in 2019, ’21 and ’22 (no race held in 2020). Dyson started from pole after setting a new track lap record in qualifying with a 49.832-second flyer, beating the benchmark he set in 2019 of 50.262-seconds.
Indy 500 veteran and current Andretti Autosport Indy Lights driver Brabham was a last-minute addition to the Dyson Racing roster after the team’s regular-season driver Humaid Masaood was unable to make the trip from England. Monday morning’s qualifying session was Brabham’s first time turning laps at Lime Rock Park.
Both drivers’ fathers have a winning history at Lime Rock on Memorial Day. In 1985, Rob Dyson won his first IMSA GTP race at Lime Rock while Geoff Brabham won back-to-back Memorial Day races in 1988-’89 piloting the Electramotive Nissan GTP. Rob returned to Lime Rock this weekend as the Trans-Am Memorial Day Classic Grand Marshall.
Ken Thwaits rounded out the podium by taking third overall, first in the Master Class.
Local drivers Randy Hale (first in XGT) of Old Saybrook, Conn. and Jason Berkely (second in SGT) of Falls Village, Conn. also drove to podium finishes in front of their home crowd.
“This place just means so much to me, it’s overwhelming,” said Dyson. “This place meant the world to me growing up, coming out here with my family and watching my dad race. It really planted the seed of my love for this sport. Now, to come back here and have success, a 20-year career, I’m very fortunate. I have a sense of perspective that I obviously didn’t have as a kid, but I have the same sense of love for this place. Winning on Memorial Day never gets old. And it being Memorial Day, we’ve got to be mindful of why we’re celebrating today and honor those who have given their lives so we can come out here and enjoy our freedoms.”
The Skip Barber Racing hosted a pair of homecoming races on Monday. Dean Lambros was victorious in the opening round while Elvis Rankin closed out the weekend with a win.
Boris Said Jr. made his open-wheel debut with his best result coming in the second race with a fifth-place finish.
Sportscar Vintage Racing Association also held a full day of racing vintage race cars.