INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (May 11, 2022) – Era Motorsport has a short drive this weekend from their Indianapolis-based shop to Lexington, Ohio for the fourth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. The team is entering the weekend as the LMP2 class points leaders in the driver standings, ready for the variety of weather the mid-west road circuit may have in store for Sunday’s race.
The team recently traveled to Lexington, Ohio’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for a private test, eager to get practice laps in for drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel, while the engineers obtained valuable data to get the jump on their race weekend set up. Though teams normally opt not to test in rainy conditions, Era Motorsport decided to get a few wet laps in, which may prove beneficial for this weekend’s upcoming event. While Friday’s track activities look to enjoy sunny and clear conditions, Saturday’s qualifying session may have afternoon thunderstorms, followed by a chance of scattered thunderstorms on Sunday, race day.
This will be the first time Merriman has raced at the 2.258, 13-turn road course and the first time since 2019 for Dalziel. Together with the team, the pair have momentum on their side, rebounding from an early retirement in round one at the Rolex 24 At Daytona to back-to-back podium finishes at the Twelve Hours of Sebring and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The team’s second-place finish at Laguna Seca brought the squad to the LMP2 points lead, giving them strong footing to keep moving forward this weekend at Mid-Ohio.
The LMP2 class will account for six of the 24 entries competing in the two-hour and forty-minute sprint race. The GTD Pro class will not be racing in the event, leaving the DPi, LMP2, LMP3, and GTD classes to race for overall and class position on the hilly road course.
This weekend’s on-track activities will be condensed into a three-day weekend, with practice one taking place on Friday afternoon. Saturday will hold practice two and qualifying before the field goes green on Sunday. The Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio will air live on Sunday, May 15 starting at 2:00 PM Eastern on the USA Network and stream live on Peacock. International audiences can stream on imsa.tv or check IMSA’s International Coverage page.
EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Eastern
Friday, May 13
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Practice 1
Saturday, May 14
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Practice 2
2:05 PM – 2:20 PM LMP2 Qualifying
Sunday, May 15
8:40 AM – 9:00 AM Warm-Up
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Autograph Session
12:55 PM – 1:50 PM Open Grid Fan Walk
2:10 PM – 4:50 PM Lexus Grand Prix at Mid Ohio | Live on USA & Peacock
DRIVER QUOTES
Dwight Merriman
While we don’t know what the weather has in store for us this weekend at Mid-Ohio, we’re expecting to be strong and consistent here. We’re coming off a great run at Laguna Seca, and we’ve also put in both some wet and dry laps to get ready for this weekend. We’ve got some good competition in the LMP2 class, but I’m feeling good about the team we have lined up.
Ryan Dalziel
Daytona was pretty rough on us. We had the early setback, but probably one of the best comeback races we ever had. With 23 minutes to go in fourth, we lost the gearbox. We had a good rebound at Sebring but got a puncture towards the end, otherwise, we would have been in contention. In Laguna Seca, we were strong from when we unloaded. Mid-Ohio is a continuation of that momentum and constant improvement. We try to do as much as we can with Dwight between races. There’s a balance in how hard you push your Am drivers to continue their development and racecraft. We tested at Mid-Ohio a few weeks ago to continue that development, and we were able to get in a couple of dry laps at the end of the day. Everybody likes to win races, but it takes consistency to win championships. Mid-Ohio ranks up there as one of the least enjoyable places in the rain, so hopefully, it stays dry.
About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sports car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team secured a prestigious victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and also became class champions in the Asian Le Mans Series.
