Team Introduction \\
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
US Base: Bozeman, Montana, USA
Principals: Elspeth, Lady Drayson, Owner /
Paul, Lord Drayson, Owner/Entrant
Team Manager: Dale White
Manufacturer Affiliation: Lola Coupé with Judd V10 power
Unique note: Drayson Racing is committed to advancing environmentally responsible automotive technologies through the use of motorsports, science and technology.
Drayson Racing returned to the American Le Mans Series and debuted in the Le Mans Series in 2009. The United Kingdom-based team, owned by Elspeth and Paul Drayson with Elspeth handling the day-to-day administrative operation of the programme, ran the full Le Mans Series (best finish of seventh at Spa) and debuted in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Not Classified after an electrical issue ended the team’s race after 22 hours) with the Aston Martin Vantage GT2. They switched the single car team to the No. 88 Lola Coupé powered by the Judd V10 engine for the Petit Le Mans (finished tenth) and Laguna Seca rounds of the American Le Mans Series. Drivers Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) showed the true potential of the team in the Asian Le Mans Series winning the overall pole position for both Race 1 and Race 2 at the Okayama Circuit in Japan. The programme led extensively in both races and won the Michelin Green X Challenge ® finishing fourth in Race 2.
Highlighting Drayson Racing’s commitment to success is found in the role of Team Manager, filled by multi-time 24 Hours of Le Mans and American Le Mans Series championship-winning director Dale White (Bozeman, Mont., USA). White is the winner of the world’s most prestigious sports car events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans (’03, ’04), the 12 Hours of Sebring (‘05), the Petit Le Mans (’05, ‘06) and the 24 Hours of Daytona (‘01) and American Le Mans Series GT2 titles in 2005 and 2006.
Drayson Racing, in conjunction with Barwell Motorsports, premiered in the British GT Championship in 2006 finishing sixth in the GT3 class. Retaining its partnership with Barwell into 2007, the programme competed with a bio-ethanol fuelled Aston Martin DBRS9. The first year driving combination of Drayson and Cocker finished second in the GT3 Driver Championship with two wins on the ‘07 season. Drayson also used an E85-powered Aston Martin to win the Night Race in the Britcar Series that same year. Continuing its dedication to “green” technologies, Drayson and Barwell then travelled to the American Le Mans Series in 2008 for its first full season of international sports car competition with an E85-power Vantage GT2.
Paul Drayson, a former member of the United Kingdom Parliament’s House of Lords and former Minister for Science and Innovation in the UK Government, has long been dedicated to “green”, environmental causes. Having successfully competed in 2008 running the latest ‘Second Generation’ cellulosic E85 Bio-Ethanol fuel, the team will again fuel the Lola-Judd with E85 in the American Le Mans Series and E10 in the Le Mans Series. The move the LMP1 class allows Drayson Racing to further expand its green initiatives and, throughout the 2010 season, the team will continue to pursue new innovations to advance environmental friendliness and responsibility at the highest levels of motorsport.
At a Glance:
2010
Lola-Judd, Michelin Tyres
Drivers: Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker, Emanuele Pirro (endurance races)
American Le Mans Series LMP1 Class Competitor, Car No. 8
ACO Intercontinental Cup Competitor
Asian Le Mans Series, LMP1 Class Competitor
24 Hours of Le Mans, LMP1 Debut (Pending ACO Invitation)
2009
Lola-Judd, Michelin Tyres
Aston Martin Vantage GT2, Michelin Tyres
Drivers: Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker, Rob Bell (ALMS races), Marino Franchitti (Le Mans)
ALMS LMP1 Class, Car No. 88, Best Finish: P10 (Overall, Petit Le Mans)
ALMS GT2 Class, Car No. 007, Best Finish: P10 (GT2, Sebring)
Le Mans Series GT2 Class, Car No. 87, Best Finish: P7 (GT2, Spa)
Asian Le Mans Series, LMP1 Class, Car No. 87, Best Finish: P4 (Overall, Japan)
24 Hours of Le Mans GT2 Class Debut, Car No. 87, Not Classified, Electrical, 22 Hours
2008
Aston Martin Vantage GT2, Dunlop Tyres
Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing
Drivers: Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker, Tim Sugden
American Le Mans Series GT2 Team Championship: Eighth
American Le Mans Series GT2 IMSA Cup Championship: Tenth
Season-High Finish: Seventh, Laguna Seca
Green Challenge, Petit Le Mans: Overall Runner-Up
2007
Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3
Drivers: Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker
British GT Championship, Team: Second Overall
- Two Race Victories
- First-ever national victory in UK for a bio-ethanol fuelled car
Britcar Endurance Series: Night Race event winner
2006
Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3
Driver: Paul Drayson
British GT Championship, GT3 Class, Team: Sixth
Britcar Endurance Series
