Dalziel Steers SAMAX to Maiden Grand-Am Victory

Ryan Dalziel (helmet on) gets congratulations from his teammate Henri Zogaib

Bob Heathcote/AutoRacing1

Scotland’s Ryan Dalziel took the lead from Scott Pruett on a three-wide pass on Lap 76 and held off Marc Goossens by 1.504 seconds to give SAMAX its first Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 victory in Saturday's RumBum.com 250 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The race will be televised on SPEED at noon Sunday (ET).

While Dalziel led the final 23 laps, he had one close call late in the race. Following a restart with 15 minutes remaining, Goossens managed to pull alongside Dalziel. Both cars went through the dirt through the famed Corkscrew turn and managed to maintain control, with Dalziel holding the lead at the exit of the fast downhill corner.

Dalziel gave the No. 2 SAMAX BMW Riley its first Rolex Series Daytona Prototype victory after three runner-up finishes. Henri Zogaib started the car before turning to over to Dalziel 14 laps into the race. Once in front, Dalziel led the final 23 laps of the 98-lap race. Goossens and Jim Matthews were seeking their second victory of the season in the No. 91 Riley-Matthews Pontiac Riley.

Pruett, seeking his fourth victory of the season in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Riley started by Memo Rojas, had taken the lead from Cristiano da Matta on a restart following a caution for a fire that damaged Matt Plumb's No. 7 Rum Bum BMW Riley. Moments later, Goossens made his move on Pruett. Dalziel, seeing his opportunity, went by on to take the lead, although pressured by Goossens for the remainder of the race.

Pruett and Rojas finished third, followed by the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney, and the No. 58 Brumos Porsche Riley of pole winner David Donohue and Darren Law.

Donohue dominated the early portion in the No. 58 Brumos Porsche Riley, leading 29 laps. Michael Valiante also led early in the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley, which he turned over to Angelelli on a pit stop. The No. 23 Ruby Tuesday Porsche Crawford of Bill Auberlen and the No. 7 Rum Bum BMW Riley of Plumb were side by side exiting the pits. Angelelli exited the pits into the side of Auberlen, causing minor bodywork damage on both cars. The SunTrust and Ruby Tuesday cars were served drive-through penalties following the incident.

The GT race came down to the final lap. Sylvain Tremblay had been leading the class in the No. 70 SpeedSource Castrol Mazda RX-8, but went off course through the Corkscrew, allowing two cars to go by. Paul Edwards took the checkered flag in the No. 07 Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R 1.131 seconds ahead of the No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3 of Spencer Pumpelly and Tim George Jr. That was the second victory of the season for Collins and Edwards, and the fourth consecutive GT triumph for Pontiac.

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