Dickerson climbing IMSA ladder via LMP3
by Ryan Kish
(April 1, 2022) When IMSA introduced the LMP3 class into the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, it was a multifaceted decision. The series’ LMP2 class was not flourishing as it had in Europe while costs were, as they always seem to be, rising. Allowing LMP3 machines into the WeatherTech Championship would provide teams with the opportunity to race the same chassis across multiple IMSA series.
Drivers are also looking to take advantage of the cross-platform play that is now available. Dakota Dickerson, the 2021 IMSA Prototype Challenge Series champion, made his WeatherTech Series debut in LMP3 at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Racing with Jr III Racing, Garett Grist, Dickerson and Ari Balogh (pictured left to right, above) finished second in class behind Sean Creech Motorsport’s Malthe Jakobsen, Joao Barbosa and Lance Willsey. It was the Jr III team’s second podium in the WeatherTech Championship after Petit Le Mans last year.
Photo:
Dickerson joins Jr III Racing for Sebring
By Ryan Kish
(February 28, 2022) -Reigning IMSA Prototype Challenge champion Dakota Dickerson will make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Jr III Racing at Sebring.
This will be Jr III Racing’s third race in the WeatherTech Series after contesting Petit Le Mans and Road America last season. Dickerson will join a lineup of Ari Balogh and Garett Grist for the 12-hour race.
Photo: Chris Green
Spin and Win with a Twist in IMSA Prototype Challenge
Lindh and Goldburg Recover to Claim VIR Victory; Dickerson and Sarchet Take Points Lead
by Mark Robinson
OCTOBER 10, 2021 Alton, VA – Move over, Danny Sullivan. Rasmus Lindh has put an emphatic new twist on the “Spin and Win” strategy.
Lindh successfully survived a 360-degree on-track whirl midway through Sunday’s IMSA Prototype Challenge race at VIRginia International Raceway, lost the lead on a late restart and then made a bold pass on the final lap to collect the victory …
Josh Sarchet and Dakota Dickerson had a memorable day of their own in the No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier, charging from 14th on the starting grid to finish second and grab the championship lead with one race remaining.
Photo: Chris Green
Dakota Dickerson, Taylor Hagler recover from opening lap contact to score third Pro/Am Class victory of season for Racers Edge Motorsports
Dickerson, Hagler Come From Back of Field To Win at Sebring
(4 October, 2021) Sebring, FL - The Racers Edge pairing of Dakota Dickerson and Taylor Hagler snatched victory from the proverbial jaws of defeat Sunday at Sebring International Raceway to score the team’s third Pro-Am win of the 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS season.
Following up on a Saturday effort that saw the Racers Edge #93 Acura NSX GT3 come home a close second in the Pro/Am class, the team was poised to move another step up the podium as Dickerson took the first stint in Sunday’s race.
The optimism didn’t last long as Ryan Dalziel initiated contact with the Compass Racing Acura NSX GT3 of Matt McMurry on the opening lap, sending McMurry into Dickerson and pushing the Racers’ Edge car into the Sebring sand. Dickerson recovered and was able to continue but did so only after dropping to last in the field.
Photo: Chris Green
Another podium finish for Dickerson, Hagler, and Racers Edge Motorsports.
Thrilling GT World Challenge America Sebring Opener
(2 October, 2021) Sebring, FL - Hagler and co-driver Dakota Dickerson took thrilling second place in the Pro-Am class at the opening Fanatech World Challenge USA on Saturday with AWS races at the last doubleheader weekend of the season, the Sebring International Raceway.
After Hagler and No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsport Acura NSX GT3 were launched at the 8th starting point, the charge to the top went smoothly.
The opening Green Flag Shuffle saw Hagler start another thrilling drive through the field, similar to recent races. By lap 12, she was fifth overall and second in class, 5.5 seconds behind the leader.
Photo: Chris Green
First win of the season for Dickerson/Hagler pair and Racers Edge Motorsports.
Lamborghini Takes Overall Win, Racers Edge Breaks Through to Win First Pro-Am
(28 August 2021) Elkhart Lake, Wisc. - The #3 K-PAX Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Jordan Pepper and Andrea Caldarelli took the checkered flag under Full Course Yellow conditions after an incident between race leaders and traffic ended with a car in the wall, making the pole-sitter the provisional winner of the first race of the double-header weekend. The #93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3, driven by Taylor Hagler and Dakota Dickerson, has provisionally captured the Pro-Am win with a third-overall finishing position, while Conrad Grunewald and Jean-Claude Saada have taken the Am-class win in the #61 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3.
Photo: Brian Cleary/SRO
Dickerson takes overall pole for the second race at Road America.
Caldarelli, Dickerson Take Road America Poles
By John Dagys
(August 28, 2021) - Andrea Caldarelli and Dakota Dickerson claimed poles for this weekend’s Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS races at Road America.
Caldarelli reeled off a best lap of 2:07.102 in Q1 to put the Pro class championship leading No. 3 K-PAX Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo on the top spot for Race 1.
Q2 saw the Pro-Am Racers Edge entry of Dakota Dickerson take pole with the quickest overall lap of qualifying at a 2:05.925.
A Complete Team Effort Takes the No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier to Victory at Watkins Glen
Sarchet, Dickerson Win Prototype Challenge Race to Tighten Points Standings
By Mark Robinson
(July2, 2021) – Racing is a team sport, the saying goes. MLT Motorsports proved it Friday in winning the IMSA Prototype Challenge race at Watkins Glen International.
Following a solid opening stint from driver Josh Sarchet that had the No. 54 Ligier JS P320 in second place, the MLT Motorsports crew completed a quick enough pit stop to put co-driver Dakota Dickerson into the lead. Dickerson held strong from there through changing conditions around the 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course and pulled away to a comfortable victory in the Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) development series.
Dickerson reflects on experience coaching 7 time NASCAR series champion, Jimmie Johnson.
Student or Teacher, Dickerson Learning Fast Way Around
(May 12, 2021) Dakota Dickerson still gets a kick recalling the scene in the Daytona International Speedway paddock this January as IMSA teams rolled in for the traditional Roar Before the Rolex 24 preseason test.
“We were just setting up our paddock and we were waiting for our trailer to come in, and all of a sudden an SUV came by and slammed on its brakes right next to us with tinted windows,” Dickerson recalled. “We were like, ‘What’s going on?’
“And it was Jimmie (Johnson) and Simon (Pagenaud), and Jimmie recognized me in the paddock and pulled over to talk to me. I was like, ‘Man, this guy is awesome. Super humble. Just like he’s ‘another’ racer.’
Dickerson, who’s been coaching at VRD for nearly two years, had the opportunity to work with Jimmie Johnson.
Teaming up with 15-year-olds turned Jimmie Johnson into IndyCar's most intriguing rookie
(March 8, 2021) “Ultimately, it was about learning different basic racing techniques, learning to trust in the ‘aero’ of the car, working on cornering speeds and just a general introduction to the open-wheel ranks,” said Dakota Dickerson, Johnson’s driving coach for his four days with VRD this winter.
Racer’s Edge Motorsports places on the podium twice at Sonoma Raceway in the first round of the GT World Challenge America season.
Racer’s Edge Acura NSX GT3 Evo Earns Pair of Podiums in Sonoma
(March 8, 2021) Dickerson and Hagler place third, just five seconds behind the opening-race winning Porsche 911 GT-R, in the first GT World Challenge America race of the season.
Racer’s Edge Motorsports leaves the opening weekend second in the provisional Pro/Am points after a pair of hard-fought Pro/Am podium placements in the two races at Sonoma Raceway.
Dakota Dickerson announced to be one of the three HPD 2021 Junior Factory Drivers.
HPD announces 2021 factory drivers
(March 3, 2021) Honda Performance Development, which runs all Honda and Acura high-performance racing programs in North America, has revealed its 2021 line-up of drivers receiving factory support at all levels of motorsport.
Dakota Dickerson, 2018 F4 U.S. Champion, 2019 F3 Americas Champion, IMSA Prototype challenge winner, and 2015 Team U.S.A. Scholarship winner, is one of the HPD 2021 Junior Factory Drivers.
Taylor Hagler, Jacob Abel, and Dakota Dickerson will run Racers Edge Motorsports in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS.
HPD GT3 Academy Graduates in Racers Edge Acura
(February 9, 2021) Racers Edge Motorsports will return to Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS competition with a single Acura NSX GT3 Evo featuring three HPD GT3 Driver Academy graduates.
The Florida-based team, which claimed the 2019 Pro-Am and 2020 Overall championships, will run Taylor Hagler, Dakota Dickerson and Jacob Abel, three of the four graduates that took part in the program’s inaugural season last year.
Dakota Dickerson’s “Paws on a Race Car” fundraiser is back at it for the third year in a row to raise money for rescued animals in Afghanistan.
Paws on a Race Car 2020
(November 11, 2020) For the third year in a row, Dakota Dickerson has partnered up with Nowzad, an animal rescue and training organization based in Afghanistan, to undertake the “Paws on a Race Car” fundraiser. Dakota’s car was plastered in donator pet names in pawprint stickers as he raced his Ligier JSP3 racecar during the IMSA Prototype Challenge season finale at the world-famous Road Atlanta during the Petit LeMans weekend.
Back-to-back wins (at Mid-Ohio) for MLT Motorsports
Flawless Execution Drives Home Prototype Challenge Victory for MLT Motorsports
(September 26, 2020) The MLT Motorsports drivers executed flawlessly in Saturday’s IMSA Prototype Challenge race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, to collect their first win of 2020.
Dom Cicero kept the No. 54 Ligier JS P3 within earshot of the lead in the opening stint before turning the car over to Dakota Dickerson. It didn’t take long for the pro from San Diego to make a daring pass for the lead, and Dickerson pulled away to a comfortable victory by a margin of 6.672 seconds.
The new generation LMP3s will race in the premier endurance series in the United States.
The Ligier JS P320 is ready for the 24 Hours of Daytona and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2021
(September 10, 2020) IMSA or not IMSA? That has been the question these past few weeks. Wednesday September 9, the long-awaited news finally arrived: the new generation LMP3 introduced in 2020 will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA WSCC) in 2021 and will compete alongside GT, DPi and LMP2 machines. Presented at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in June 2019, the Ligier JS P320 will participate in seven races in the 2021 IMSA WSCC, including the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, the 10-Hour Petit Le Mans and the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona, which will be held outside the championship.
Two-day run at Mid-Ohio in the books for HPD GT3 Driver Academy. Photo: HPD
HPD GT3 Academy Drivers Dive Deeper into Race Training
(July 30, 2020) The second of four planned HPD GT3 Driver Academy events took place last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with drivers Taylor Hagler, Jacob Abel, Dakota Dickerson and Karl Wittmer taking part in the two-day training session, utilizing the Acura NSX GT3 Evo.
This second Academy event focused on understanding vehicle electronics, and interaction with team engineering personnel.
The #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JSP3 LMP3 car.
MLT Motorsports Continues Championship Challenge at Road America
(July 29, 2020) – The #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JSP3 LMP3 car heads to Road America looking to capitalize on its strong start to the season. Currently sitting in 2nd position in the IMSA Prototype Challenge series, drivers Dakota Dickerson and Dominic Cicero are focused on a strong finish at the historic race track in Wisconsin.
The team’s 3rd place finish at Daytona in January, coupled with a 4th place finish at Sebring just two weeks ago has them well position for a championship run, just four points behind series leader K2R Motorsports.
Including the Type R TCR, HPD has three ready-to-race Civic models for touring car competition.
Top-10 TCR Finish Highlights Honda Results in Sebring
Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra finish tenth in the Advent Health 120
#77 Honda Civic Type R TCR of Eversley and Dickerson experience tire issue
Three LA Honda World entries look for closer competition at RoadAmerica
(July 17, 2020) –The #57 LA Honda World Racing Civic Type R TCR managed a top-ten finish Friday at Sebring International Raceway, the first IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 season after the opening round at Daytona in January.
MLT Motorsports looks to challenge for the championship in 2020.
MLT Motorsports Back on Track at Sebring
(July 16, 2020) MLT Motorsports will take to the track this weekend at Sebring International Raceway, after the extended break due to the Covid 19 global pandemic. The team scored a podium finish in the series opener at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona back in January and looks to capitalize on the strong run in Sebring.
Dakota Dickerson will share driving responsibilities with veteran racer Dominic Cicero, after it was determined travel restriction on Canadian teammate Dean Baker would prevent him from competing in Florida.
The No. 77 L.A. Honda World Honda Civic Type R TCR (Motorsport Images)
Dickerson joins Honda World Civic team for Sebring after positive COVID test for Hagler
(July 15, 2020) IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series rookie Taylor Hagler will miss this weekend’s event at Sebring International Raceway after testing positive for COVID-19.
Hagler opened the season with teammate and coach Ryan Eversley sharing the No. 77 L.A. Honda World Honda Civic Type R TCR where they earned a 12th-place finish, and after recently participating in the inaugural HPD GT3 Driver Academy, where she spent two days onboard an Acura NSX GT3 Evo, her sights were set on building from the experience in the TCR class.
Young open-wheel standout Dakota Dickerson will partner with Eversley while Hagler recovers from the coronavirus.
Acura NSX GT3 Evo prepped and crewed by the 2019 SRO World Challenge GT America Championship-winning Racers Edge Motorsports team.
HPD GT3 Academy Drivers Master Road Atlanta
(June 23, 2020) – A quartet of promising racers became the first graduates of the Honda Performance Development GT3 Driver Academy earlier this week, as HPD’s program to assist young drivers accelerate their careers held its inaugural session at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The four members of the first GT3 Academy class all were selected for the racing career promise and included Taylor Hagler, Jacob Abel, Karl Wittmer and Dakota Dickerson.
Dickerson wins championship at WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca.
Dickerson wins FR Americas iRacing title by tiebreak
(May 6, 2020) Two Global Racing Group teammates ended the inaugural Formula Regional Americas iRacing Invitational Championship tied for a title as the seven-race virtual championship came to a close Tuesday evening at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Blake Upton led the championship entering into the finale with a seven-point advantage over a third-place Dakota Dickerson. But, after Dickerson scored a dominant win, his second of the Esports season, at Laguna Seca, the pair finished the night both with 97 points.
Forced to a tiebreaker to decide the inaugural winner, Dickerson, with two victories, was crowned champion
Dakota Dickerson, 2020 finalist for Gorsline Scholarship.
Gorsline Scholarship returns with strong list of 2020 nominees
(February 17, 2020) He’s not a household name, but around the sports car and open-wheel racing paddocks of North America, John Gorsline cuts a familiar figure. With his flat cap and ready smile he can be spotted chatting with drivers and team owners, sharing a laugh or offering words of encouragement. You’d be partially right for mistaking him as nothing more than a friend. A friend certainly, but it’s when drivers and teams face a crisis that Gorsline is the first name they call.
SETTING THE SIGHTS
It’s Back-to-Back SCCA Pro Racing titles for Dakota Dickerson
(February, 2020) “My family was big into racing,” 22-year-old Dakota Dickerson explains, then he casually drops the next line like it describes everyone’s grandmother: “My grandma raced go-karts when she was younger and was a big IndyCar fan. ”As it turns out, motorsports was a family affair. "My dad was always at the racetrack watching Trans Am and Can-Am out at Riverside International Raceway,” he explains. Dickerson’s turn at the track came when he was 6 - and since then he’s proven himself a force to be reckoned with.
33 Dreams of Indy
DAKOTA DICKERSON 2019 F3 AMERICAS CHAMPION & 2020 DAYTONA PODIUM WINNER
(January 21, 2020) What does the winner of the 2019 F3 Americas Championship do for an encore? How about claiming a podium finish in the 1st race of 2020 in the IMSA Prototype Challenge at Daytona International Raceway.
I had the pleasure of catching up with Dakota Dickerson, 2015 Team USA Scholarship winner, to discuss his great start to 2020 and his Indy Dreams.