Riley & Scott Mk III
Encyclopedia
The Riley & Scott Mark III (Mk III) was a sports prototype
auto racing
car developed by Bob Riley, Bill Riley, and Mark Scott of Riley & Scott Cars Inc.
. Initially designed in 1993, the car was created for the World Sports Car (WSC) category which was to debut in the North American IMSA GT Championship
during their 1994 season
. It was not until 1995 that the first Mk III was completed, but the construction of further cars allowed a variety of teams to campaign in several North American and European racing series, including competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
.
In 1999, Riley & Scott evolved the Mk III's designs in order to adapt to the newer Le Mans Prototype
(LMP) regulations which were now used in several series. An all new third design officially known as the Mark III Series C debuted in 2001 as the final variant developed by the company before they moved onto other programs. Several private teams
also made their own modifications to their Mk IIIs in attempts to improve the car's performance to suit their own needs.
The original Mk IIIs were used in competition until the end of 2002, in the process accumulating 47 overall race victories in both North American and Europe, as well as championship titles in the IMSA GT Championship, United States Road Racing Championship
, Rolex Sports Car Series
, and American Le Mans Series
. Mk III Cs continued to compete until 2005, although they were never able to achieve victories like their earlier predecessor.
to meet the International Motor Sports Association
's (IMSA) World Sports Car regulations. The new regulations, announced during the 1993 and intended to be debut in the 1994 season
, sought low-cost open-cockpit prototypes to replace the expensive closed-cockpit GTP models used in the IMSA GT Championship
. Riley & Scott, already experienced constructors in the Trans-Am Series
, were looking to enter the sports prototype category of motorsports.
The new car, known as the Mk III, featured a radical design with tapered rear sidepods that flowed into the rear wing mounts. This opened a large amount of empty space around the rear wheels and exposing much of the floor of the chassis. Radiator
s for cooling were all placed at the front of the car, under a simple sloping nose. Interest in this design was however low, and Riley & Scott did not construct a car for the 1994 season. During that same year, Dyson Racing
contracted Riley & Scott to aid in improving the team's current WSC car, a Spice
DR3 chassis with a Ferrari
engine. After completing the improvements for Dyson, Bob and Bill Riley returned to their Mk III design with new knowledge from their Dyson experience. After the Mk III was redesigned, Riley & Scott were able to convince Dyson Racing to replace their Spice-Ferrari with two new Mk IIIs for the 1995 season
.
Bill Riley's redesigned Mk III was simpler in its design, allowing more variety for customers as well as a low cost. Although the extreme aerodynamics of the original design were gone, the car was conceived to be fast enough to compete for overall wins. The redesign and eventual construction of the first car took only four months. The chassis featured a steel
tube frame
with panels made of carbon fiber
. Behind the cockpit the engine bay was designed to be large enough to allow for a variety of naturally aspirated engines, mostly the V8s
of Ford
, Chevrolet
, and Oldsmobile
that were common amongst IMSA GT privateers
. All cars used a 5-speed transmission
. The suspension consisted of double wishbone
s with coil spring
s attached by a pushrod. A power steering
system was also part of the standard Mk III.
The redesigned carbon fiber and kevlar
bodywork of the Mk III was developed by aircraft designer John Roncz, who assisted Bob Riley in using early computational fluid dynamics
programs to refine the aerodynamics of the new car. Final aerodynamic testing was performed at a Lockheed
windtunnel. The nose of the final Mk III was very similar to the original design model from 1993, featuring a nose which sloped downward towards a splitter
extended from the front of the car. In the center, a wide intake allowed air into the radiator
mounted flat under the nose. The air exited the radiator from two openings on top of the nose and in front of the cockpit. Between these exit vents, teams had the option of installing extra headlights for night races. A circular duct was placed on either side of the radiator intake to allow air to the front brakes for cooling. Behind the front wheels the bodywork was now relatively square and flat, with full sidepods running the full width of the car. A rules-mandated full width roll hoop was positioned behind cockpit. Positioned under the roll hoop was an arched intake for the engine airbox
.
On the sidepods several square holes were created in order to allow teams to adjust their cooling and aerodynamics dependent upon circuits and conditions. The squares could be filled with bodywork of various shapes and sizes effectively closing or opening the holes as much as the team wished. At the back of the car, the bodywork ended immediately behind the rear wheels, with only the rear wing placed beyond the end of the bodywork. Overall, the aerodynamics of the Mk III were designed to be low in drag
, but still offer large amounts of downforce
.
In total, 17 Mk IIIs were built by Riley & Scott from 1995 until 1998, with a price of approximately $285,000 for a chassis sans engine. In 1999, Riley & Scott continued their development of the Mk III by created a second series of Mk IIIs. These cars had minor alterations, and a further four chassis were built to this specification. Several teams, hoping to remain competitive with the Mk III, also upgraded their cars to match the Series 2 specifications.
(GM) to construct a Le Mans Prototype
for their Cadillac
brand. The resulting Northstar LMP
borrowed elements of the Mk III's design and layout. Modern features were however included on the Cadillac, including a carbon fiber
monocoque
replacing the composite monocoque of the Mk III, a roll hoop over only the driver's seat instead of the full width of the cockpit, and a relocation of the radiator
s to lower the nose. An evolved Riley & Scott-built Northstar LMP design appeared in 2001, but the company was not contracted to built the 2002 version of the car.
Once the Northstar LMPs for the 2001 season were completed, Riley & Scott turned their attention back to their Mk III which were still earning victories even without major upgrades in nearly two seasons. Rather than evolving a design which was now six years old, Riley & Scott chose to start from scratch and develop an all-new car which continued the Mk III's simple design, but received some of the advancements that Riley & Scott had used on the Northstar LMP.
At its most basic the Mk III Series C is nearly identical to the Mk III in terms of its layout. At the front, a slanted nose housed a radiator fed air from a vent above the front splitter, and exiting over the top of the bodywork just in front of the cockpit. The sidepods were straight and flat and featured a variety of exchangeable panels for cooling and aerodynamics. An engine intake was mounted behind and above the cockpit, and shrouded an engine bay which could accept multiple naturally aspirated engine designs. Also shared with the Mk III was the use of a steel
tube frame and carbon fiber chassis, rather than the all-carbon monocoque used by the Northstar LMP.
Some notable changes to the design of the Mk III for the Mk III C were concentrated on the cockpit and nose areas. While the Mk III had a roll hoop which ran the full width of the cockpit, the Mk III C was designed to share the roll hoop design of the Northstar LMP. This standard hoop was positioned immediately behind the drivers seat and integrated the intakes for the engine, although an option roll hoop extension was offered as it was required for the Rolex Sports Car Series
. The front of the cockpit was also redesigned, as an aerodynamic windshield was added immediately in front of the driver.
The nose of the Mk III C was notably more rounded than the Mk III. The front fenders were no longer square, and tapered as they extended to the front splitter. The headlights were also redesigned, including four lights instead of the previous two. The exits for the radiator were also designed to run the full width of the nose, although the openings were now slimmer than they had been on the Mk III. A new addition was further ducting located on either side of the cockpit designed to allow air from the front diffuser to exit upwards and over the top of the bodywork. The bodywork in general was also lower on the Mk III C, with exception of the vehicle's fenders.
Mechanically, the Mk III C's transmission was a major improvement from the older car. A new 6-speed gearbox built by X-Trac was part of the package, replacing the previous 5-speed. This gearbox was further enhanced by the option of a pneumatically actuated gear change system developed by Megaline which was activated by paddles behind the steering wheel
, rather than by a traditional gear stick
.
In total, five Mk III Cs were constructed by Riley & Scott, although only four were used for competition purposes. Autocon Motorsports' Mk III C, chassis #01-002, was the last car still in use by time it was retired at the end of 2005.
's first Mk III took its first laps of the Daytona International Speedway
in testing for the 24 Hours of Daytona
later that month. The team's pilots set the fourth fastest time, behind a trio of Ferrari 333 SP
s, but ahead of the brand two new Porsche WSC-95
prototypes. For the race itself Rob Dyson, James Weaver
, Scott Sharp
, and Butch Leitzinger
were assigned to the car and successfully qualified sixth. The race would however be short-lived as the Ford
engine failed after only eleven laps. In March, the team entered the 12 Hours of Sebring
, and improved their qualifying record with a fifth place starting position. The Mk III was able to survive this endurance race and finish for the first time, earning 37th position.
Dyson's second Mk III-Ford was completed by the Grand Prix of Atlanta in April, but it was the first chassis in which James Weaver achieved victory, giving Riley & Scott their first victory as a constructor in only their third IMSA GT event. The season further improved as the team's second chassis won three consecutive races at Watkins Glen
, Sears Point
, and Mosport, as well as earning the Mk III's first pole position
at the Mosport event. Dyson Racing ended the debut season with the Mk III by finishing first and second at New Orleans. James Weaver finished second in the Drivers Championship, two points behind Ferrari driver Fermín Vélez
.
After a successful debut season, several teams purchased Mk IIIs for 1996. General Motors
instigated the use of Oldsmobile
Aurora
V8s by the Riley & Scott-backed Doyle Racing, Dyson returned with their two entries. Doyle Racing immediately showed the potential of the Mk III-Oldsmobile combination by winning both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Fighting throughout the season with the various Ferrari and Riley & Scott teams, Doyle won two further events before Dyson Racing ended the season with three straight victories. Doyle Racing's Wayne Taylor
earned the WSC Drivers Championship, while Oldsmobile was able to win the Manufacturers Championship. Doyle's Mk III-Oldsmobile was also flown to Europe that season to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. The team qualified ninth, but a transmission problem forced the car to retire after fourteen hours.
The 1997 season began for Riley & Scott in the same way the 1996 season had, with a second consecutive victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona, this time earned by Dyson Racing. Ferrari was however able to prevent a similar repeat win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, but Dyson rebounded with five wins in the nine remaining races in the 1997 season to win the WSC Teams Championship. Dyson's Butch Leitzinger
won the Drivers Championship and Ford secured the Manufacturers Championship, giving Riley & Scotts a clean sweep of the series.
(USRRC). Riley & Scott was not able to win a third successive 24 Hours of Daytona in USRRC, but Dyson Racing won the next three races and ended the five race season with a Teams Championship, a Manufacturers Championship for Ford, and a Drivers Championship for James Weaver. In IMSA GT, Dyson also won three events and secured second consecutive Drivers Championships for Butch Leitzinger and Constructors Championships for Ford, but failed to win the Teams Championship against the Doyle-Risi
Racing Ferrari. A fourth Riley & Scott IMSA GT victory was also achieved by the BMW
-supported Team Rafanelli of Italy, who were also among a trio of teams using Mk IIIs in the European International Sports Racing Series (ISRS) and supported by Riley & Scott's European arm. The French Solution F team of Philippe Gache
earned the marque's first success outside North American by winning the final 1998 round at Kyalami
, South Africa
and finishing the season third in the Teams Championship.
Riley & Scott launched their revised Series 2 Mk III in 1999 and the company immediately returned to victory, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona for the third time in four years. Dyson's victory was followed by another in the third race of the USRRC season, but that was enough for Dyson's drivers Butch Leitzinger and Elliot Forbes-Robinson to be crowned champions due to the rest of the season being canceled. The IMSA GT Championship had also recently ceased to exist but had since been replaced by the American Le Mans Series
(ALMS) for 1999. Dyson opened the ALMS season by finishing only nine seconds behind the winning BMW Motorsport
entry at the 12 Hours of Sebring
. Team Rafanelli followed this by winning the next ALMS round at Road Atlanta
. The rest of the ALMS season was dominated by the BMW and Panoz
entries, but consistent finishes for Dyson Racing allowed Elliot Forbes-Robinson to win his second Drivers Championship of 1999.
Outside North America, the Mk III did not have as successful of a season. Target 24, Solution F, and RWS Motorsport all contested the ISRS, now renamed the Sports Racing World Cup, but none of the three were able to win races. Solution F also entered two Mk IIIs in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside the Japanese Autoexe's team's car (relabeled as an Autoexe LMP99). However, all three cars were retired from the race after only 74 laps. The Autoexe's LMP99 later participated in the Le Mans Fuji 1000 km
, but ran out of gasoline
during the race.
In 2000, Riley & Scott's attention moved from the Mk III to their new Cadillac Northstar LMP
program in partnership with General Motors
. Although this meant that upgrades to the Mk III were scarce, the cars were still strong competitors. After the USRRC dissolved, the Rolex Sports Car Series
was formed to take its place. Dyson Racing entered the Rolex Series, but newcomer Robinson Racing, using a new Mk III with a Judd
V10 engine, was able to win in the second race of the season. A further victory was added to Robinson's total, but Dyson's four victories later that season allowed them to once again win the Teams Championship, and James Weaver earned yet another Drivers Championship from piloting the Mk III. Robinson's efforts earned them third in the Rolex Teams Championship. In the ALMS, Dyson chose not to return, leaving the German Pole Team as the sole Riley & Scott entrant over the year. The team's best result was an eighth place finish, but following European rounds the team decided not to return to North America for the rest of the year. In the Sports Racing World Cup, two Italian teams campaigned for Riley & Scott. The R & M Mk III, also using a Judd V10, won the team's home race at Monza
, but reliability problems over the rest of the season left them fifth in the Teams Championship.
, but in April the Riley & Scott program was rejuvenated. Having completed their year of running the Cadillac squad, Riley & Scott had returned to development of the Mk III and were completing their latest evolution. Dyson received the first Mk III C, but rather than remain in the Rolex Series, the new car made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring
in the American Le Mans Series. The new car finished in fifth place in its first race, but quickly improved that performance with a podium finish at the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio
. For the Rolex Series, Dyson and Robinson Racing initially campaigned their older Mk IIIs, but Robinson Racing received the second new Mk III Cs in time for the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen
. The car's debut was however short lived as a heavy accident in practice required a lengthy reconstruction. Dyson still proved the old car was able to succeed, winning four more Rolex races. Robinson's damaged Mk III C was able to be repaired in order to make its race debut at the last event of the season, finishing in third place. Even with the Mk III in the process of being replaced, Dyson still won the Teams Championship and James Weaver earned his second straight Rolex Series Drivers Championship.
By the start of the 2002 season Riley & Scott had been dissolved by the bankruptcy of owners Reynard Motorsport
and Riley Technologies
had taken over care of the Mk III Cs. Two more chassis were now completed and Intersport Racing and Riley-backed Jim Matthews Racing joined the ranks of Dyson and Robinson. Dyson however chose not to continue using their Mk III C in 2002, opting instead to actually use the older Mk III once again. Dyson's choice to return to the older car did not however hinder their performance, as the team was winning races once again in the Rolex Series, earning four straight in the middle of the season. Dyson also campaigned their Mk III in the ALMS with a best finish of fourth, including at the 12 Hours of Sebring
, but later chose to replace their ALMS Mk III with an MG-Lola EX257
. Still running the Mk III in Rolex a final victory was earned before the close of the season. Chris Dyson
fell two short of the Drivers Championship behind Didier Theys
, but the Dyson Racing team beat out Theys' Doran Racing by two points to earn another Teams Championship. New regulations for the Rolex Sports Car Series were announced during 2002 which made the Mk III ineligible to compete from 2003 onwards, so Dyson Racing's victory at the Daytona
finale marked the last win earned by the original Mk III design.
The Mk III C, although not victorious, did manage several podium finishes in both the Rolex Series and the ALMS during 2002. Robinson Racing twice finished in third place in Rolex, while Riley Racing succeeded in finishing in third place at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Riley & Scott also returned to Europe to enter their latest Mk III in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
, but the car was once again unable to endure after its engine failed 13 hours into the race.
Although development of the Mk III C ended in 2003 as Riley Technologies concentrated on their new Daytona Prototype
, Mk III Cs continued to be used by a few teams attempting the American Le Mans Series. American Spirit Racing, using a Lincoln
-badged V8, entered the full season and had their best finish of fifth at Laguna Seca
. Intersport Racing and Jim Matthews Racing also entered select ALMS rounds, but they also competed in two different events in Le Mans. The Matthews car entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans
but as in the previous year suffered engine failure, this time after 15 hours. Intersport however entered the 1000 km of Le Mans
later that year, but retired with clutch
failure after only an hour.
During the 2004 American Le Mans Series season
, Mk III Cs ran only two races. Intersport Racing ran alongside newcomer Autocon Motorsports, with the latter finishing the 12 Hours of Sebring
in seventh place. Autocon returned on their own at the end of the year, failing to finish the Petit Le Mans
. Autocon's 2005 season actually featured more events for the Mk III C, but the team never finished better than seventh. The last race of the 2005 season, the Monterey Sports Car Championships
at Laguna Seca, became the final race of the entire Mk III line.
V8 powerplants in an attempt to prepare for BMW's launch of the V12 LM
in 1999. After Rafanelli was replaced my Schnitzer Motorsport
as BMW's supported team, Rafanelli purchased a Judd
GV4 V10 for the second of their chassis, #014. Although Riley & Scott was developing their Series 2 upgrades for the Mk III at the time, Rafanelli's design team attempted to modify their own car to better suit the demands of the American Le Mans Series
in which the team now planned to compete in 1999.
Nearly all modifications to the Mk III were aerodynamic in nature, concentrating on the nose and rear tail of the bodywork. The nose of the Rafanelli Mk III featured a subtle curve, blending into the horizontal splitter, rather than the static angle used on the standard car. The central air intake at the bottom of the nose was extended outwards, now positioned vertically rather than flush with the nose of the car. At the rear, the tail of the car was extended further than the standard bodywork, and a new design for the rear wing was implemented. The rear fender flares were also extended forward to create a longer transition in the shape of the bodywork.
Rafanelli's Mk III competed throughout the entire 1999 American Le Mans Series season
, earning a victory at the Grand Prix of Atlanta
. This became the only win scored by a Mk III in the American Le Mans Series. Team Rafanelli ended the season sixth in the Teams Championship before they decided to move on from their Mk III and purchase a Lola B2K/10
prototype the following year.
GV4 V10 in the FIA Sportscar Championship
and even won one race, but increasing competition from other teams as well as a lack of upgrades for the Mk III from Riley & Scott during the 2000 and 2001 seasons led team organizers to begin a project to build their own improved car based on the Mk III.
Started in the middle of the 2001 season, the SR01 project involved the creation of an all new carbon fiber
monocoque
to replace the Mk III's mixed steel tube frame and carbon chassis. Elements of the Mk III's construction were however retained so that parts could easily be moved from the Mk III to the SR01. The rear structure of the SR01 was also redesigned around the Judd GV4, while an R & M-designed differential replaced the standard unit. Some aerodynamic improvements were also made to the front bodywork.
R & M's SR01 competed during the entire 2002 FIA Sportscar Championship season
, earning several third place finishes en route to a third place result in the Teams Championship. The SR01 did not compete again after the 2002 season.
When the Mk III C debuted in 2001, Robinson Racing was amongst the first customers, purchasing chassis #001 and entering it in the Rolex Sports Car Series
with a Judd
powerplant. The car however did not compete until the season finale after an earlier testing accident. The team was however not satisfied with the Mk III C's performance, and during the off-season began modifications to the Mk III C's design. Automotive design
er John Mills was hired by Robinson Racing to improve the aerodynamics of the team's car.
As part of Mills' design, the front end of the car was replaced with entirely new bodywork attempting to fulfill two problems. The front radiator
was removed and the bodywork opened to allow two wide channels on either side of a shallow nose. These channels fed cooling air into the sides of the car, where new radiators were now located. This not only gave the car better speed in a straight line, but also improved the cooling capabilities of the radiators.
The rear end of the car also received design changes, most notably the relocation of the exhaust system. Instead of exiting out the back of the car, the exhaust was now ejected vertically from towers attached to the front of the rear wheel arches. Robinson Racing's Mk III C debuted at the 2002 24 Hours of Daytona
, but did not finish due to gearbox problems. The car competed in three other events that season, twice earning a best finish of third. After 2002 the SRP class no longer competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series and Robinson's Mk III C was retired from competition. Robinson Racing's modified Mk III C is however still driven, now entered in several historic racing events. The car now runs a larger 5.0 litre Judd GV5 in place of the older GV4.
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
car developed by Bob Riley, Bill Riley, and Mark Scott of Riley & Scott Cars Inc.
Riley & Scott
Riley & Scott Cars Inc. was a racing constructor and racing team that primarily provided chassis for various forms of motorsport, but worked primarily in sports car racing. It was founded in 1990 by Bob Riley and Mark Scott.-Sports car racing:...
. Initially designed in 1993, the car was created for the World Sports Car (WSC) category which was to debut in the North American IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
during their 1994 season
1994 IMSA GT Championship season
The 1994 Exxon World Sports Cars Championship and Supreme GT Series seasons were the 24th season of the IMSA GT Championship. It was the first year for the new World Sports Car class of open-cockpit prototypes in the premiere category, replacing the previous closed-cockpit GTP class. Grand...
. It was not until 1995 that the first Mk III was completed, but the construction of further cars allowed a variety of teams to campaign in several North American and European racing series, including competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
.
In 1999, Riley & Scott evolved the Mk III's designs in order to adapt to the newer Le Mans Prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
(LMP) regulations which were now used in several series. An all new third design officially known as the Mark III Series C debuted in 2001 as the final variant developed by the company before they moved onto other programs. Several private teams
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
also made their own modifications to their Mk IIIs in attempts to improve the car's performance to suit their own needs.
The original Mk IIIs were used in competition until the end of 2002, in the process accumulating 47 overall race victories in both North American and Europe, as well as championship titles in the IMSA GT Championship, United States Road Racing Championship
United States Road Racing Championship
The United States Road Racing Championship was created by the Sports Car Club of America in 1962. It was the first SCCA series for professional racing drivers. SCCA Executive Director John Bishop helped to create the series to recover races that had been taken by rival USAC Road Racing...
, Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
, and American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
. Mk III Cs continued to compete until 2005, although they were never able to achieve victories like their earlier predecessor.
Development history
In 1993, Bill Riley began initial work on a design for a sports prototypeSports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
to meet the International Motor Sports Association
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
's (IMSA) World Sports Car regulations. The new regulations, announced during the 1993 and intended to be debut in the 1994 season
1994 IMSA GT Championship season
The 1994 Exxon World Sports Cars Championship and Supreme GT Series seasons were the 24th season of the IMSA GT Championship. It was the first year for the new World Sports Car class of open-cockpit prototypes in the premiere category, replacing the previous closed-cockpit GTP class. Grand...
, sought low-cost open-cockpit prototypes to replace the expensive closed-cockpit GTP models used in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
. Riley & Scott, already experienced constructors in the Trans-Am Series
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
, were looking to enter the sports prototype category of motorsports.
The new car, known as the Mk III, featured a radical design with tapered rear sidepods that flowed into the rear wing mounts. This opened a large amount of empty space around the rear wheels and exposing much of the floor of the chassis. Radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s for cooling were all placed at the front of the car, under a simple sloping nose. Interest in this design was however low, and Riley & Scott did not construct a car for the 1994 season. During that same year, Dyson Racing
Dyson Racing
Dyson Racing is a professional sports car racing team based in Poughkeepsie, New York in the United States. Founded by Rob Dyson in 1974, the team is one of the longest-running and most successful privateer racing organizations. Over the years, it has competed in IMSA GTO and GTP, SCCA Trans-Am,...
contracted Riley & Scott to aid in improving the team's current WSC car, a Spice
Spice Engineering
Spice Engineering was a British racing team founded by driver Gordon Spice with his brother Derek Spice in the early 1980s, later becoming a successful sports car constructor in 1986...
DR3 chassis with a Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
engine. After completing the improvements for Dyson, Bob and Bill Riley returned to their Mk III design with new knowledge from their Dyson experience. After the Mk III was redesigned, Riley & Scott were able to convince Dyson Racing to replace their Spice-Ferrari with two new Mk IIIs for the 1995 season
1995 IMSA GT Championship season
The 1995 Exxon World Sports Car Championship and Supreme GT Series seasons were the 25th season of the IMSA GT Championship. It consisted of open-cockpit prototypes referred to as the World Sports Car class and Grand Tourer-style racing cars divided into GTS-1 and GTS-2 classes...
.
Bill Riley's redesigned Mk III was simpler in its design, allowing more variety for customers as well as a low cost. Although the extreme aerodynamics of the original design were gone, the car was conceived to be fast enough to compete for overall wins. The redesign and eventual construction of the first car took only four months. The chassis featured a steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
tube frame
Tube frame
Tube frame may refer to:*Tube , a structure designed to act like a three-dimensional hollow tube so to resist lateral loads*Space frame or space structure, a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern*Superleggera, sometimes referred to as a...
with panels made of carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
. Behind the cockpit the engine bay was designed to be large enough to allow for a variety of naturally aspirated engines, mostly the V8s
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
of Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, and Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
that were common amongst IMSA GT privateers
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
. All cars used a 5-speed transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
. The suspension consisted of double wishbone
Double wishbone suspension
In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
s with coil spring
Coil spring
A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
s attached by a pushrod. A power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
system was also part of the standard Mk III.
The redesigned carbon fiber and kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
bodywork of the Mk III was developed by aircraft designer John Roncz, who assisted Bob Riley in using early computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
programs to refine the aerodynamics of the new car. Final aerodynamic testing was performed at a Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
windtunnel. The nose of the final Mk III was very similar to the original design model from 1993, featuring a nose which sloped downward towards a splitter
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
extended from the front of the car. In the center, a wide intake allowed air into the radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
mounted flat under the nose. The air exited the radiator from two openings on top of the nose and in front of the cockpit. Between these exit vents, teams had the option of installing extra headlights for night races. A circular duct was placed on either side of the radiator intake to allow air to the front brakes for cooling. Behind the front wheels the bodywork was now relatively square and flat, with full sidepods running the full width of the car. A rules-mandated full width roll hoop was positioned behind cockpit. Positioned under the roll hoop was an arched intake for the engine airbox
Airbox
Motorcyclists and car enthusiasts use the term airbox for what might more properly be described as an air intake chamber. Older engines drew air directly from the surroundings into each individual carburetor...
.
On the sidepods several square holes were created in order to allow teams to adjust their cooling and aerodynamics dependent upon circuits and conditions. The squares could be filled with bodywork of various shapes and sizes effectively closing or opening the holes as much as the team wished. At the back of the car, the bodywork ended immediately behind the rear wheels, with only the rear wing placed beyond the end of the bodywork. Overall, the aerodynamics of the Mk III were designed to be low in drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
, but still offer large amounts of downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
.
In total, 17 Mk IIIs were built by Riley & Scott from 1995 until 1998, with a price of approximately $285,000 for a chassis sans engine. In 1999, Riley & Scott continued their development of the Mk III by created a second series of Mk IIIs. These cars had minor alterations, and a further four chassis were built to this specification. Several teams, hoping to remain competitive with the Mk III, also upgraded their cars to match the Series 2 specifications.
Mk III C
Riley & Scott had ended their progressing development of the Mk III during the 1999 season, in part due to the company being contracted by General MotorsGeneral Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) to construct a Le Mans Prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
for their Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
brand. The resulting Northstar LMP
Cadillac Northstar LMP
The Cadillac Northstar LMP was a series of Le Mans Prototypes built by General Motors' Cadillac brand for use in the American Le Mans Series as well as an attempt to return Cadillac to the 24 Hours of Le Mans since they first entered in . The Northstar LMPs were named after the Northstar V8...
borrowed elements of the Mk III's design and layout. Modern features were however included on the Cadillac, including a carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
replacing the composite monocoque of the Mk III, a roll hoop over only the driver's seat instead of the full width of the cockpit, and a relocation of the radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s to lower the nose. An evolved Riley & Scott-built Northstar LMP design appeared in 2001, but the company was not contracted to built the 2002 version of the car.
Once the Northstar LMPs for the 2001 season were completed, Riley & Scott turned their attention back to their Mk III which were still earning victories even without major upgrades in nearly two seasons. Rather than evolving a design which was now six years old, Riley & Scott chose to start from scratch and develop an all-new car which continued the Mk III's simple design, but received some of the advancements that Riley & Scott had used on the Northstar LMP.
At its most basic the Mk III Series C is nearly identical to the Mk III in terms of its layout. At the front, a slanted nose housed a radiator fed air from a vent above the front splitter, and exiting over the top of the bodywork just in front of the cockpit. The sidepods were straight and flat and featured a variety of exchangeable panels for cooling and aerodynamics. An engine intake was mounted behind and above the cockpit, and shrouded an engine bay which could accept multiple naturally aspirated engine designs. Also shared with the Mk III was the use of a steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
tube frame and carbon fiber chassis, rather than the all-carbon monocoque used by the Northstar LMP.
Some notable changes to the design of the Mk III for the Mk III C were concentrated on the cockpit and nose areas. While the Mk III had a roll hoop which ran the full width of the cockpit, the Mk III C was designed to share the roll hoop design of the Northstar LMP. This standard hoop was positioned immediately behind the drivers seat and integrated the intakes for the engine, although an option roll hoop extension was offered as it was required for the Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
. The front of the cockpit was also redesigned, as an aerodynamic windshield was added immediately in front of the driver.
The nose of the Mk III C was notably more rounded than the Mk III. The front fenders were no longer square, and tapered as they extended to the front splitter. The headlights were also redesigned, including four lights instead of the previous two. The exits for the radiator were also designed to run the full width of the nose, although the openings were now slimmer than they had been on the Mk III. A new addition was further ducting located on either side of the cockpit designed to allow air from the front diffuser to exit upwards and over the top of the bodywork. The bodywork in general was also lower on the Mk III C, with exception of the vehicle's fenders.
Mechanically, the Mk III C's transmission was a major improvement from the older car. A new 6-speed gearbox built by X-Trac was part of the package, replacing the previous 5-speed. This gearbox was further enhanced by the option of a pneumatically actuated gear change system developed by Megaline which was activated by paddles behind the steering wheel
Semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
, rather than by a traditional gear stick
Gear stick
A gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...
.
In total, five Mk III Cs were constructed by Riley & Scott, although only four were used for competition purposes. Autocon Motorsports' Mk III C, chassis #01-002, was the last car still in use by time it was retired at the end of 2005.
1995 – 1997
In early January 1995, Dyson RacingDyson Racing
Dyson Racing is a professional sports car racing team based in Poughkeepsie, New York in the United States. Founded by Rob Dyson in 1974, the team is one of the longest-running and most successful privateer racing organizations. Over the years, it has competed in IMSA GTO and GTP, SCCA Trans-Am,...
's first Mk III took its first laps of the Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
in testing for the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
later that month. The team's pilots set the fourth fastest time, behind a trio of Ferrari 333 SP
Ferrari 333 SP
The Ferrari 333 SP was a sports prototype car built by Michelotto to World Sports Car regulations for Ferrari. Unveiled at the end of 1993, at the behest of amateur racer Giampiero Moretti , the 333 SP marked Ferrari's official return to sports car racing after a 20 year absence...
s, but ahead of the brand two new Porsche WSC-95
Porsche WSC-95
The Porsche WSC-95 was a Le Mans Prototype built for Porsche by Tom Walkinshaw Racing and run by Joest Racing, yet can trace its origin to a Jaguar sports car designed in 1991...
prototypes. For the race itself Rob Dyson, James Weaver
James Weaver (racing driver)
James Weaver is a British former racing driver. He began his career in the European F3. In 1982 he was the Eddie Jordan Racing team's primary driver, but in 1983 he went back to the European F3. He debuted in the British Touring Car Championship in 1989 at the Oulton Park circuit in March that year...
, Scott Sharp
Scott Sharp
Scott Sharp is an American race car driver in the American Le Mans Series. He is the son of six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp. Scott Sharp is best known for his years as a competitor in the Indy Racing League....
, and Butch Leitzinger
Butch Leitzinger
Robert Franklin "Butch" Leitzinger is a professional racecar driver. He is best known as an ALMS driver with Dyson Racing, but he has also driven for a variety of other teams and race series....
were assigned to the car and successfully qualified sixth. The race would however be short-lived as the Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
engine failed after only eleven laps. In March, the team entered the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
, and improved their qualifying record with a fifth place starting position. The Mk III was able to survive this endurance race and finish for the first time, earning 37th position.
Dyson's second Mk III-Ford was completed by the Grand Prix of Atlanta in April, but it was the first chassis in which James Weaver achieved victory, giving Riley & Scott their first victory as a constructor in only their third IMSA GT event. The season further improved as the team's second chassis won three consecutive races at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, and Mosport, as well as earning the Mk III's first pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
at the Mosport event. Dyson Racing ended the debut season with the Mk III by finishing first and second at New Orleans. James Weaver finished second in the Drivers Championship, two points behind Ferrari driver Fermín Vélez
Fermín Vélez
Fermín Vélez was a Spanish sports car racing driver, two-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring and two-time World Sportscar Championship Group C2 champion....
.
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
instigated the use of Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
Aurora
GM Premium V engine
The Northstar engine series of automobile engines is General Motors' most technically complex 90° V engine architecture. The family is most associated with Cadillac's Northstar V8, but the family has also seen use at Oldsmobile...
V8s by the Riley & Scott-backed Doyle Racing, Dyson returned with their two entries. Doyle Racing immediately showed the potential of the Mk III-Oldsmobile combination by winning both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Fighting throughout the season with the various Ferrari and Riley & Scott teams, Doyle won two further events before Dyson Racing ended the season with three straight victories. Doyle Racing's Wayne Taylor
Wayne Taylor
Wayne Taylor is a South African sports car racer. He won the 1996 and 2005 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 2005 Rolex Series. He co-drives for SunTrust Racing with Max Angelelli...
earned the WSC Drivers Championship, while Oldsmobile was able to win the Manufacturers Championship. Doyle's Mk III-Oldsmobile was also flown to Europe that season to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. The team qualified ninth, but a transmission problem forced the car to retire after fourteen hours.
The 1997 season began for Riley & Scott in the same way the 1996 season had, with a second consecutive victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona, this time earned by Dyson Racing. Ferrari was however able to prevent a similar repeat win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, but Dyson rebounded with five wins in the nine remaining races in the 1997 season to win the WSC Teams Championship. Dyson's Butch Leitzinger
Butch Leitzinger
Robert Franklin "Butch" Leitzinger is a professional racecar driver. He is best known as an ALMS driver with Dyson Racing, but he has also driven for a variety of other teams and race series....
won the Drivers Championship and Ford secured the Manufacturers Championship, giving Riley & Scotts a clean sweep of the series.
1998 – 2000
1998 was a year in which the racing campaign of the Mk III blossomed. Dyson Racing was joined by Matthews-Colucci Racing, Intersport Racing, and Transatlantic Racing in running not only the IMSA GT Championship, but also the new United States Road Racing ChampionshipUnited States Road Racing Championship
The United States Road Racing Championship was created by the Sports Car Club of America in 1962. It was the first SCCA series for professional racing drivers. SCCA Executive Director John Bishop helped to create the series to recover races that had been taken by rival USAC Road Racing...
(USRRC). Riley & Scott was not able to win a third successive 24 Hours of Daytona in USRRC, but Dyson Racing won the next three races and ended the five race season with a Teams Championship, a Manufacturers Championship for Ford, and a Drivers Championship for James Weaver. In IMSA GT, Dyson also won three events and secured second consecutive Drivers Championships for Butch Leitzinger and Constructors Championships for Ford, but failed to win the Teams Championship against the Doyle-Risi
Risi Competizione
Risi Competizione is an American auto racing team formed by Giuseppe Risi in 1997. Initially a partnership with Doyle Racing using the name Doyle-Risi Racing, Giuseppe Risi took full control of the project and it was rebranded with its current name in 2000...
Racing Ferrari. A fourth Riley & Scott IMSA GT victory was also achieved by the BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
-supported Team Rafanelli of Italy, who were also among a trio of teams using Mk IIIs in the European International Sports Racing Series (ISRS) and supported by Riley & Scott's European arm. The French Solution F team of Philippe Gache
Philippe Gache
Philippe Gache is a French racecar driver. He has raced in a number of disciplines, but for the last 20 years has specialized in off-road racing. In 1992 he competed in the Indianapolis 500, but crashed his car. He has driven in the Dakar Rally in 2003-2006 and 7 times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans...
earned the marque's first success outside North American by winning the final 1998 round at Kyalami
Kyalami
Kyalami is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng province, South Africa. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix many times. In recent years, the area surrounding the circuit has developed into a residential and...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and finishing the season third in the Teams Championship.
Riley & Scott launched their revised Series 2 Mk III in 1999 and the company immediately returned to victory, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona for the third time in four years. Dyson's victory was followed by another in the third race of the USRRC season, but that was enough for Dyson's drivers Butch Leitzinger and Elliot Forbes-Robinson to be crowned champions due to the rest of the season being canceled. The IMSA GT Championship had also recently ceased to exist but had since been replaced by the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
(ALMS) for 1999. Dyson opened the ALMS season by finishing only nine seconds behind the winning BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...
entry at the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
. Team Rafanelli followed this by winning the next ALMS round at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
. The rest of the ALMS season was dominated by the BMW and Panoz
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
entries, but consistent finishes for Dyson Racing allowed Elliot Forbes-Robinson to win his second Drivers Championship of 1999.
Outside North America, the Mk III did not have as successful of a season. Target 24, Solution F, and RWS Motorsport all contested the ISRS, now renamed the Sports Racing World Cup, but none of the three were able to win races. Solution F also entered two Mk IIIs in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside the Japanese Autoexe's team's car (relabeled as an Autoexe LMP99). However, all three cars were retired from the race after only 74 laps. The Autoexe's LMP99 later participated in the Le Mans Fuji 1000 km
1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km
The 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000 km was an endurance race backed by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , who ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Japan Automobile Federation , who ran the JGTC race series...
, but ran out of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
during the race.
In 2000, Riley & Scott's attention moved from the Mk III to their new Cadillac Northstar LMP
Cadillac Northstar LMP
The Cadillac Northstar LMP was a series of Le Mans Prototypes built by General Motors' Cadillac brand for use in the American Le Mans Series as well as an attempt to return Cadillac to the 24 Hours of Le Mans since they first entered in . The Northstar LMPs were named after the Northstar V8...
program in partnership with General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. Although this meant that upgrades to the Mk III were scarce, the cars were still strong competitors. After the USRRC dissolved, the Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
was formed to take its place. Dyson Racing entered the Rolex Series, but newcomer Robinson Racing, using a new Mk III with a Judd
Judd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
V10 engine, was able to win in the second race of the season. A further victory was added to Robinson's total, but Dyson's four victories later that season allowed them to once again win the Teams Championship, and James Weaver earned yet another Drivers Championship from piloting the Mk III. Robinson's efforts earned them third in the Rolex Teams Championship. In the ALMS, Dyson chose not to return, leaving the German Pole Team as the sole Riley & Scott entrant over the year. The team's best result was an eighth place finish, but following European rounds the team decided not to return to North America for the rest of the year. In the Sports Racing World Cup, two Italian teams campaigned for Riley & Scott. The R & M Mk III, also using a Judd V10, won the team's home race at Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, but reliability problems over the rest of the season left them fifth in the Teams Championship.
2001 – 2005
In 2001, the lifetime of the original Mk III was nearing its end. By April, Dyson had earned a sole Rolex Series victory at Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
, but in April the Riley & Scott program was rejuvenated. Having completed their year of running the Cadillac squad, Riley & Scott had returned to development of the Mk III and were completing their latest evolution. Dyson received the first Mk III C, but rather than remain in the Rolex Series, the new car made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring
2001 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2001 Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring was the 49th running of this event. It was both the second round of the 2001 American Le Mans Series season and the opening round of the new European Le Mans Series...
in the American Le Mans Series. The new car finished in fifth place in its first race, but quickly improved that performance with a podium finish at the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio
2001 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio
The 2001 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio was the eighth round of the 2001 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ohio, on August 25, 2001.-Official results:Class winners in bold.-Statistics:...
. For the Rolex Series, Dyson and Robinson Racing initially campaigned their older Mk IIIs, but Robinson Racing received the second new Mk III Cs in time for the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen
6 Hours of Watkins Glen
The Six Hours of Watkins Glen is a sports car endurance race held annually at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York...
. The car's debut was however short lived as a heavy accident in practice required a lengthy reconstruction. Dyson still proved the old car was able to succeed, winning four more Rolex races. Robinson's damaged Mk III C was able to be repaired in order to make its race debut at the last event of the season, finishing in third place. Even with the Mk III in the process of being replaced, Dyson still won the Teams Championship and James Weaver earned his second straight Rolex Series Drivers Championship.
By the start of the 2002 season Riley & Scott had been dissolved by the bankruptcy of owners Reynard Motorsport
Reynard Motorsport
Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy...
and Riley Technologies
Riley Technologies
Riley Technologies LLC is an auto racing constructor and team which specializes in the design and manufacture of complete race cars, as well as prototype development for racing and manufacturing applications.-Grand Am:...
had taken over care of the Mk III Cs. Two more chassis were now completed and Intersport Racing and Riley-backed Jim Matthews Racing joined the ranks of Dyson and Robinson. Dyson however chose not to continue using their Mk III C in 2002, opting instead to actually use the older Mk III once again. Dyson's choice to return to the older car did not however hinder their performance, as the team was winning races once again in the Rolex Series, earning four straight in the middle of the season. Dyson also campaigned their Mk III in the ALMS with a best finish of fourth, including at the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
, but later chose to replace their ALMS Mk III with an MG-Lola EX257
MG-Lola EX257
The MG-Lola EX257 was a Le Mans Prototype built by Lola Cars International for the MG car company for their attempt to compete again at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in...
. Still running the Mk III in Rolex a final victory was earned before the close of the season. Chris Dyson
Chris Dyson
Chris Dyson is a professional sports car racing driver and team owner of Dyson Racing.Dyson made his professional racing debut in the 2001 Grand American Road Racing Championship season, driving a Riley & Scott Mk III in the final two races of the season. In 2002, he finished second in the...
fell two short of the Drivers Championship behind Didier Theys
Didier Theys
Didier Theys is an Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona ; a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring ; the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa...
, but the Dyson Racing team beat out Theys' Doran Racing by two points to earn another Teams Championship. New regulations for the Rolex Sports Car Series were announced during 2002 which made the Mk III ineligible to compete from 2003 onwards, so Dyson Racing's victory at the Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
finale marked the last win earned by the original Mk III design.
The Mk III C, although not victorious, did manage several podium finishes in both the Rolex Series and the ALMS during 2002. Robinson Racing twice finished in third place in Rolex, while Riley Racing succeeded in finishing in third place at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Riley & Scott also returned to Europe to enter their latest Mk III in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2002 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 70th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 15 and 16 2002.-Pre-race:Following a reconstruction of the Bugatti Circuit, the Le Mans circuit was changed between the Dunlop Bridge and Esses, with the straight now becoming a set of fast sweeping turns...
, but the car was once again unable to endure after its engine failed 13 hours into the race.
Although development of the Mk III C ended in 2003 as Riley Technologies concentrated on their new Daytona Prototype
Daytona Prototype
A Daytona Prototype is a type of sports prototype racing car developed specifically for the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series as their top class of car, replacing contemporary open cockpit sports cars, specifically Sports Racing Prototypes...
, Mk III Cs continued to be used by a few teams attempting the American Le Mans Series. American Spirit Racing, using a Lincoln
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
-badged V8, entered the full season and had their best finish of fifth at Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
. Intersport Racing and Jim Matthews Racing also entered select ALMS rounds, but they also competed in two different events in Le Mans. The Matthews car entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2003 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 71st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 2003.-Race:After three consecutive wins, the Audi factory team officially did not field a team, although several privateers did use R8 chassis...
but as in the previous year suffered engine failure, this time after 15 hours. Intersport however entered the 1000 km of Le Mans
2003 1000km of Le Mans
The 2003 1000 km of Le Mans was one-off sports car event run under the organization of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest in preparation for the Le Mans Endurance Series that began in 2004...
later that year, but retired with clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
failure after only an hour.
During the 2004 American Le Mans Series season
2004 American Le Mans Series season
The 2004 American Le Mans Series season was the 6th season for the IMSA American Le Mans Series. It was a series for Le Mans Prototypes and Grand Touring race cars divided into 4 classes: LMP1, LMP2, GTS, and GT...
, Mk III Cs ran only two races. Intersport Racing ran alongside newcomer Autocon Motorsports, with the latter finishing the 12 Hours of Sebring
2004 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2004 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring was the 52nd running of this auto racing event, and took place on March 20, 2004. This was also the opening race of the 2004 American Le Mans Series season.-Official results:Class winners in bold...
in seventh place. Autocon returned on their own at the end of the year, failing to finish the Petit Le Mans
Petit Le Mans
The Petit Le Mans is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA. It uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete.The race was...
. Autocon's 2005 season actually featured more events for the Mk III C, but the team never finished better than seventh. The last race of the 2005 season, the Monterey Sports Car Championships
2005 Monterey Sports Car Championships
The 2005 Monterey Sports Car Championships was the final race for the 2005 American Le Mans Series season held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It took place on October 16, 2005....
at Laguna Seca, became the final race of the entire Mk III line.
Rafanelli Mk III
The Italian Team Rafanelli initially campaigned Mk IIIs in 1998 using BMWBMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
V8 powerplants in an attempt to prepare for BMW's launch of the V12 LM
BMW V12 LM
The BMW V12 LM was a racing car built for sports car racing in 1998. The car was built using a combination of WilliamsF1 engineering and construction and a BMW powerplant...
in 1999. After Rafanelli was replaced my Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport is a motorsport team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. From the early days of its establishment, the team has operated an automobile racing squad for BMW, and has remarkable results in touring car and sports car racing scenes....
as BMW's supported team, Rafanelli purchased a Judd
Judd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
GV4 V10 for the second of their chassis, #014. Although Riley & Scott was developing their Series 2 upgrades for the Mk III at the time, Rafanelli's design team attempted to modify their own car to better suit the demands of the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
in which the team now planned to compete in 1999.
Nearly all modifications to the Mk III were aerodynamic in nature, concentrating on the nose and rear tail of the bodywork. The nose of the Rafanelli Mk III featured a subtle curve, blending into the horizontal splitter, rather than the static angle used on the standard car. The central air intake at the bottom of the nose was extended outwards, now positioned vertically rather than flush with the nose of the car. At the rear, the tail of the car was extended further than the standard bodywork, and a new design for the rear wing was implemented. The rear fender flares were also extended forward to create a longer transition in the shape of the bodywork.
Rafanelli's Mk III competed throughout the entire 1999 American Le Mans Series season
1999 American Le Mans Series season
The 1999 American Le Mans Series season was the first season of the IMSA American Le Mans Series. It was a series for Le Mans Prototypes and Grand Touring race cars divided into three classes: LMP, GTS, and GT...
, earning a victory at the Grand Prix of Atlanta
1999 Grand Prix of Atlanta
The 1999 Grand Prix of Atlanta was the second round of the 1999 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at Road Atlanta, Georgia, on April 18, 1999.-Race results:Class winners in bold.-Statistics:* Pole Position - #16 Dyson Racing - 1:13.817...
. This became the only win scored by a Mk III in the American Le Mans Series. Team Rafanelli ended the season sixth in the Teams Championship before they decided to move on from their Mk III and purchase a Lola B2K/10
Lola B2K/10
The Lola B2K/10 was a Le Mans Prototype developed in 2000 by Lola Cars International for use in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series, Grand American Road Racing Championship, and Sports Racing World Cup...
prototype the following year.
R & M SR01
Italians Paolo Radici and Fabio Montani initially founded the Target 24 squad in 1996, campaigning one of the original Mk III chassis that same year. A Series 2 Mk III chassis was purchased by Montani in 1999 before the team was reorganized in 2000 and became R & M. The team campaigned the Mk III with a JuddJudd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
GV4 V10 in the FIA Sportscar Championship
FIA Sportscar Championship
The FIA Sportscar Championship was a sports car racing series created by John Mangoletsi and was eventually taken control of by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It was a series similar to the FIA GT Championship, concentrating on two classes of open-cockpit sports prototypes in...
and even won one race, but increasing competition from other teams as well as a lack of upgrades for the Mk III from Riley & Scott during the 2000 and 2001 seasons led team organizers to begin a project to build their own improved car based on the Mk III.
Started in the middle of the 2001 season, the SR01 project involved the creation of an all new carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
to replace the Mk III's mixed steel tube frame and carbon chassis. Elements of the Mk III's construction were however retained so that parts could easily be moved from the Mk III to the SR01. The rear structure of the SR01 was also redesigned around the Judd GV4, while an R & M-designed differential replaced the standard unit. Some aerodynamic improvements were also made to the front bodywork.
R & M's SR01 competed during the entire 2002 FIA Sportscar Championship season
2002 FIA Sportscar Championship season
The 2002 FIA Sportscar Championship season was the sixth season of the FIA Sportscar Championship although only the second to carry that name. It featured a series contested by sportscar style prototypes in two classes, SR1 and SR2, defined by power and weight. Separate titles were awarded for...
, earning several third place finishes en route to a third place result in the Teams Championship. The SR01 did not compete again after the 2002 season.
Robinson Mk III C
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
with a Judd
Judd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
powerplant. The car however did not compete until the season finale after an earlier testing accident. The team was however not satisfied with the Mk III C's performance, and during the off-season began modifications to the Mk III C's design. Automotive design
Automotive design
Automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans...
er John Mills was hired by Robinson Racing to improve the aerodynamics of the team's car.
As part of Mills' design, the front end of the car was replaced with entirely new bodywork attempting to fulfill two problems. The front radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
was removed and the bodywork opened to allow two wide channels on either side of a shallow nose. These channels fed cooling air into the sides of the car, where new radiators were now located. This not only gave the car better speed in a straight line, but also improved the cooling capabilities of the radiators.
The rear end of the car also received design changes, most notably the relocation of the exhaust system. Instead of exiting out the back of the car, the exhaust was now ejected vertically from towers attached to the front of the rear wheel arches. Robinson Racing's Mk III C debuted at the 2002 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, but did not finish due to gearbox problems. The car competed in three other events that season, twice earning a best finish of third. After 2002 the SRP class no longer competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series and Robinson's Mk III C was retired from competition. Robinson Racing's modified Mk III C is however still driven, now entered in several historic racing events. The car now runs a larger 5.0 litre Judd GV5 in place of the older GV4.
External links
- Mulsanne's Corner Technical analysis of the Mk III C