Dalziel joins SRT Motorsports for the enduros
Proud Scot Ryan – who now lives in Windermere, Florida – will strap himself into the awesome SRT Viper GTS-R as part of the team’s assault on the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, the Le Mans 24 Hours in France and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
He will join an SRT Motorsports line-up that includes Tommy Kendall, Marc Goossens, Kuno Wittmer, Dominik Farnbacher and Jonathan Bomarito.
All six drivers will be participating in the ALMS open test session today at Sebring (Fla.) Int’l Raceway in preparation for the season opening 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16 at the 3.7-mile road course.
The SRT Viper GTS-R made its competition debut in 2012, at select American Le Mans races, but Ryan is confident of helping to take it to victory in 2013.
The SRT Viper GTS-R is built for three things – speed, reliability and durability. SRT partnered with Riley Technologies of Mooresville, N.C. to create the 2013 Viper GTS-R race car. Riley Motorsports, a subsidiary of Riley Technologies, will manage the racing program. The SRT VIPER GTS-R will run in the ALMS/ACO GT class against Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and Corvette among others.
Ryan is the first and only Scottish driver to hold all the major endurance race titles after his Rolex 24 at Daytona win in 2010 and class wins at 24 hours of Le Mans, 12 hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans last year. Now he is determined to repeat the feat when the green flag waves this year.
RYAN SAYS: “I am really excited about this opportunity. It was something we started to discuss last year but the timing just didn’t work out with my 2012 commitments.
“But now the timing is perfect. I have to thank all the great people at SRT for making me feel at home in such a short time and for giving me this amazing opportunity to work for one of the coolest and most enthusiastic manufacturers in the world right now.
“Their long-term commitment to this program and their unbelievable performance at Petit Le Mans in 2012 is what made me push to be part of this program. I am humbled to be part of the factory SRT Viper GTS-R program and be reunited with Riley Technologies and Bill Riley. So much of my success as a sportscar driver has come in Riley Technologies designed cars and I know that this program will continue that success for SRT Motorsports and myself.
“Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans are three of the toughest races in the world. To go back to all three races after winning them all last year, in another competitive car, such as the SRT Viper is a dream come true for a driver, and I am going to do everything I can to help put the team on the top step of the podium."
The detailed driver line-up for each of the two Viper GTS-R cars will be announced prior to the 12 Hours of Sebring.