2008 News

Orlando, Florida (July 17, 2008) – Ryan Dalziel and SAMAX Motorsport will be absent from Round 9 of the 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 this weekend, Friday 18th – Sunday 20th July, hosted at the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

Despite a maiden victory earlier this year in the #2 SAMAX Motorsport BMW-Riley Daytona Prototype, in Round 5’s ‘Rum Bum.com 250’ at Laguna Seca in California, the Florida-based squad run by Peter Baron has chosen to skip the Barber event this weekend due to a lack of resources.  SAMAX is now taking the time to reorganize its on-track program to finish the remaining five races with the best chance to win.

Peter Baron stated, “Since we are not competing for a championship currently, it’s more beneficial for us to take a weekend off and make sure our preparations are focused on the final races in order to build on our previous successes.”

“I’m obviously very disappointed to be missing out on competing at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday,” commented Dalziel.  “We’ve had a great run this season capped by our first win together in May.  I totally respect Peter Baron’s decision with regards to missing this event; he’s a good friend and someone who’s given me a great opportunity to compete here in North America so I stand by him.  I love racing at Barber Motorsports Park so it’ll be a bit frustrating to be there on Sunday watching from the sidelines but I’m looking forward to being back in the car in Montreal at the start of August.”

Dalziel (26) plans on attending Sunday’s Grand-Am event in Alabama following a two-day trip to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio to check out Round 6 of the 2008 American Le Mans Series.