POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. After missing the most recent race on the Trans Am by Pirelli schedule, three-time series champion Chris Dyson plans to be back behind the wheel of his No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang for this weekends 100-mile sprint race at Californias Sonoma Raceway.

Lingering effect of a hard crash in the season opener at Sebring (caused by the loss of a front wheel) forced Dyson to withdraw from the following race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Fortunately Matty Brabham was available when it became clear that I wasnt yet sufficiently fit to give the 100% effort that the team deserves, Dyson said. Brabham qualified second in Atlanta and won the 100-mile sprint race. Im grateful to Matty; hes always there when we need him. And the team scored maximum points for the season championship, which is our target now.

The four-week break between the Road Atlanta race and this weekends at Sonoma has given Dyson the opportunity to recover from his injuries and to regain as much of his fitness as possible.

It was touch and go for me up until the last ten days, and thats when my body started to feel somewhat healed. And then last week we were able to squeeze in a 30-minute session at the end of a club day at Lime Rock, and that run is what convinced me that racing at Sonoma was feasible, Dyson said. It was great to be back in the car and my body felt surprisingly good despite not a lot of conditioning. Like Sonoma, Lime Rock is physically demanding. So while I would have liked to run for a solid hour, Im confident Ill be good to go.

Many Dyson-entered events at Sonoma have yielded excellent results. The team has competed at the famed Wine Country-adjacent circuit since the mid-1980s, and Dyson entries claimed memorable overall race victories in IMSA GTP, IMSA World Sports Car and American Le Mans Series events. More recently, Chris Dyson won the 2021 and 2022 Trans Am races.

When asked about contributing factors for the teams multiple triumphs, Chris Dyson was effusive in his praise for the circuit and the demands it places on drivers and teams.

Sonoma, with its variety of speeds and elevation changes, puts a big emphasis on chassis setup and tire management, Dyson said. Fortunately our truck setup tends to hit the track and deliver strong performance at Sonoma. Behind the wheel, the place has all the elements a driver wants in terms of challenges. There are massively fast corner entries and despite having few straight areas, the circuit has an excellent flow to it. Its been a team favorite for all of these reasons. Im so glad Im going to make this one.

Watch the event live on SPEED SPORT 1.