Dyson’s Memorial Day winning-streak comes to an end. 

Wreaths Across America photos via Marie Heister

The final day of the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic was a testament to the unpredictable nature of racing and the resilience of its fans and participants. Heavy rain greeted the day and later bid it farewell, but in between, the sun broke through just in time for the 100-mile Trans Am TA/XGT/SGT/GT race, providing perfect conditions for a dramatic and thrilling event.

Dyson’s Dramatic Recovery
The much-anticipated Trans Am TA/XGT/SGT/GT race began with a heart-stopping moment on the opening lap. Hometown favorite Chris Dyson, who has dominated the Bullring with three consecutive victories, spun out in Turn 1 following contact, causing a collective gasp from the crowd. The incident pushed Dyson to the back of the field, but the seasoned driver was far from finished. Dyson launched a remarkable comeback, maneuvering through the pack to an impressive second-place finish.

However, the day belonged to Paul Menard, who achieved his maiden win at Lime Rock Park in the Trans Am Series. Menard’s flawless performance and strategic prowess disrupted Dyson’s winning streak, earning him a well-deserved victory. Adam Andretti rounded out the podium with a solid third-place finish.

“I’ve never been here before, so I leaned on Paul Gentilozzi for advice,” said Menard. “The team set up a good car. We tweaked on it just a little bit after qualifying. I’ve never qualified in the rain in this car before. We qualified fourth and knew that Turn 1 was going to be a bit crazy, and like hell it was.

“Lime Rock Park is a bucket list track for me,” continued Menard. “I am just in awe of the fans here. I always hear that the fans here are the best, and they did not disappoint.”

Tomy Drissi started on pole, a first for him at Lime Rock, after eclipsing Dyson by a mere 0.03-seconds in a very wet qualifying session. Drissi finished the race fourth after experiencing mechanical issues early in the race.

Women Shine in SGT
The SGT class saw both female drivers entered in the class celebrate on the podium today with a first and third-place finish. Jenn Krpata of Farmingdale, New York, topped the podium, recalling how she used to roll down Spectator Hill as a child and now was winning races at Lime Rock Park.

“This is a dream come true,” said Krpata. “I can’t believe we are here. We went from regional racing as a father-daughter team to Trans Am winner, it’s insane. We just had to push through the fight, stay clean and make it through.”

Last month at NOLA Motorsports Park, Kaylee Bryson clinched her first career Trans Am victory in the SGT class, driving her No. 02 Logical Systems Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette to the top of the podium. Building on that success, Bryson made history last weekend at Belleville High Banks by becoming the first woman to win a USAC National event and a Silver Crown event. After flying in from Indianapolis this morning, Bryson took her first laps in qualifying at Lime Rock Park, facing the dual challenges of a new track and rainy conditions for the first time. Despite these hurdles, she finished a commendable third in the SGT class.

Richard Forsythe completed the SGT podium in second, while Joe DaSilva finished first in the GT class.

Sam Posey Celebrates 80th Birthday at Lime Rock Park
Amidst the high-octane action, the event also celebrated a legendary figure in racing history—Sam Posey. Today, the iconic racer marked his 80th birthday. This weekend also marked Posey’s 55th anniversary of his first Trans Am win at Lime Rock Park. In 1969, Posey, a local favorite, won pole position and then easily claimed the win over Swede Savage, driving a Carroll Shelby-prepared Ford Mustang.

Military Honored for Memorial Day
In keeping with the Memorial Day spirit, Lime Rock Park paid homage to military personnel and their families. All veterans, active-duty service members and their families received free admission to the event. Additionally, Danny Lowry, a former Marine, and his No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3, featured a special livery dedicated to Wreaths Across America. Lowry, who finished second in the XGT class, presented a wreath to a local family. Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization, renowned for its mission to lay wreaths on all veteran’s graves across the U.S. each December.

Lowry’s patriotic paint scheme was not just a visual spectacle, but a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by military personnel. The presence of The National Guard, presenting the colors for the event’s live National Broadcast on MAVTV, further underscored the solemn and respectful commemoration of Memorial Day.

What’s Next

SpeedTour returns July 19-20 for the Speed-Tour All Star Race, bringing legends from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and IMSA to Lime Rock Park to race. The SpeedTour All-Star race will pair TA2 drivers and cars with motorsports legends to co-drive in a 60-minute feature race. Sixteen racing legends have already signed on including Danny Sullivan, Ron Hornaday, Greg Biffle, Boris Said and Geoff Brabham. The first IROC event to be held in nearly 20 years will also be part of the SpeedTour All-Star Race weekend. Featuring both an on-track racing exhibition and static display, the event will reunite original IROC competitors with the cars they actually raced in the legendary series. For more information and tickets, visit: www.limerock.com/tickets