Ryan Dalziel

Birthdate: April 12, 1982
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Residence: Orlando, Florida / Hamilton, Scotland

• 2011 – 10th in the 2011 LMPC driver championship, second in LMPC at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring in the #05 car with Jon Bennett and Frankie Montecalvo
• 2010 – Rolex 24 at Daytona overall winner
• 2008 – First Daytona Prototype victory at California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Twice a finalist in the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award

Dalziel is one of Scotland’s leading professional racing drivers with a track record of success forged in the ultra-competitive junior formulas in Britain and honed further through to the very highest levels of both open-wheel racing and sports car competition in North America and Europe.

The 29-year-old Scot, who has proudly sported the St Andrew’s flag on all his overalls and race cars through out his burgeoning career, not to mention a tartan design-oriented race helmet, is a firm fan favorite thanks to his outgoing and welcoming personality.

Dalziel has represented Scotland and the United Kingdom at the highest level of sports car competition, earning podium finishes in both the American Le Mans Series and Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series.

2011 Dalziel had hoped to have back-to-back victories at the Prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona driving for Star works Motorsport with season teammate Mike Forest and joined for Daytona by Tomas Enge, Colin Braun and Jim Lowe.

2010 was a busy year for Dalziel starting off with winning the 2010 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona for Action Express Racing and then finishing the season with the #8 Starworks Motorsport Riley Daytona Prototype. After running in contention for the championship title for majority of the season they ended up 5th in the final driver standings.

2010 also saw Dalziel’s first trip to the 24 hours of Le Mans with Jaguar in their GT2 car. Between Grand Am races, Dalziel competed alongside Marc Goosens in the ALMS championship for Jaguar and got to enjoy the experience of working closely with a manufacturer.

2009 was a season of ‘highs and lows’ for Dalziel. After signing for Alegra Motorsports to spearhead their first year campaigning in the Daytona Prototype field after winning the 2007 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season started well qualifying 4th at Daytona. But a team sponsor never paid and so our program was halted for four races. He competed once more for Alegra before making a tough decision to switch to Orbit Racing to finish out the season. The switch was a success and Dalziel scored a podium on his debut for the team, recording Orbit and teammate Bill Lester’s first Grand Am podiums.

2008 saw Dalziel grace the top step of the Grand-American (North America’s premier Sports Car Champion ship) podium for the first time having claimed his first Daytona Prototype victory at California’s Laguna Seca track in what was a typically charging performance from the Lanarkshire racer. The previous season Dalziel finished runner-up in the illustrious ‘Rolex 24 at Daytona’ – the American equivalent to the ’24 Hours of Le Mans’, the Scot having fought wheel-to-wheel for the lead with no less a talent than F1 race winner and former Indy 500 Champion, Columbia’s Juan-Pablo Montoya.

2007 saw Dalziel compete in the Champ Car World Series, becoming only the second Scottish driver to compete in the series following in the footsteps of Dario Franchitti. As a Champ Car rookie, and competing for a team new to the series as well, Dalziel showcased his talents behind the wheel steering his way to a total of six top-10 finishes from 11 starts made – including leading laps at the Toronto Grand Prix, a significant achievement for a young driver in a new race team.

Dalziel’s first-ever career start in the Champ Car World Series, a one-off entry at the 2005 Toronto Grand Prix, proved his ability to master top-flight open-wheeled racing equipment as he scored a top-10 points paying finish on his debut, ninth overall, despite just one day of testing prior to the race.

Twice a finalist in the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, Dalziel was awarded the ‘Ecurie Ecosse Trophy’ in 1999, presented to the most impressive Scottish racer of the season, and in 2004 he won the ‘Gilles Villeneuve Trophy’ traditionally given to the driver in the Toyota Atlantic series possessing the most star quality and ability.

Dalziel has represented a number of well respected international firms over his 18 year career including Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water, Hayton Coulthard Freight Forwarding Ltd, Scotland’s Daily Record Newspaper, Playboy Magazine, Plain Jane Couture Clothing, Yokohama Tire Corporation, Bridgestone Tires, Menards Home Improvement, SPARCO, Vonage Internet Phone Company, FORD, Pontiac, General Motors, Toyota, BMW, Porsche, CITGO, Molecule, Cigarette Boats, Bell Helmets, Toronto SUN, Edmonton SUN, Rangers Football Club, Albert Bartlet, Gatorade and Strategic Air.

With his talent allowing him to become one of the few racing drivers in the world fortunate enough to turn professional and earn his living doing what he loves, Dalziel’s versatility on-track and personality off-track have earmarked him as the natural successor to the popularity enjoyed by the likes of Scotland’s more established racing stars – David Coulthard (F1), Dario Franchitti (NASCAR / IndyCar) and Allan McNish.