Dalziel Completes Weekend Sweep at Mid-Ohio

Ryan Dalziel completed a weekend sweep in the Pirelli World Challenge Rounds 14 and 15 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, following his second straight flag-to-flag triumph from pole in Sunday’s 50-minute race.

The driver of the No. 31 EFFORT Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R has now won four consecutive GT class races at Mid-Ohio, after also sweeping the weekend last year.

Dalziel controlled the race from start-to-finish over the pair of AE Nissan GT Academy Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3s, who like on Saturday, pressed Dalziel throughout the race but were unable to make a move past.

Unofficially, Dalziel also moves into the series points lead over Olivier Beretta, who finished fourth. The unofficial margin before the results go final is seven points, 1312 to 1305.

However, Dalziel is slated to miss the Sonoma rounds August 29-30 as he will be competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Nurburgring with Tequila Patron ESM.

James Davison finished second for the second straight race in the No. 33 Nissan, 0.875 of a second back, for his fifth consecutive podium finish.

Teammate Bryan Heitkotter finished a season-best third overall in the No. 05 Nissan. Heitkotter’s latest GTA class win, his fifth of the season, will come with a caveat.

By virtue of the overall third place, he will be reclassified as a GT class driver at the series’ next race, as Michael Lewis was after two overall top-five finishes earlier this season.

Per Rule 2.1.3.1.A of the Pirelli World Challenge rulebook, a driver who achieves an overall first, second or third position, or two overall fourth and fifth positions will automatically be moved to the GT class.

Beretta and Johnny O’Connell completed the overall top five.

Behind Heitkotter, Austin Cindric and Frankie Montecalvo finished eighth and ninth overall and rounded out the GTA class podium.

Order was restored in the GT Cup presented by MOMO class with Colin Thompson taking his tenth win in 13 races this season, over Saturday winner Alec Udell and Brett Sandberg.

The series resumes in three weeks at Miller Motorsports Park, August 21-23.