Jeremy Dale (racing driver)
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Jeremy Dale | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | November 23, 1962
Jeremy Dale (born 23 November 1962) is a Canadian racing driver. His career in motorsports has spanned more than 30 years as a racer, television commentator, race series director, race team president, and race team owner.
Racing career (1978-1995)
Dale began his driving career at the age of 16 in the Canadian amateur and vintage car ranks. His first racecar was a 1955 Cooper Formula 3 powered by a Triumph motorcycle engine. He later owned, prepared and raced a 1969 Lotus 69 Formula Ford.
In 1983, to further his skills and increase his racing acumen, Dale focused on learning the minutiae of racecars by attending the
During the mid-Eighties, Dale began working for the
In 1994, Dale was the lead driver for the Brix Racing / Oldsmobile IMSA World Sports Car (WSC) team, winning his class at the Daytona 24-Hour as well as overall wins in Portland and Phoenix. Dale missed winning the WSC championship in 1994 by a mere two points. 1995 started with another class win at the Daytona 24-Hour and a solid run at the Sebring 12-Hour race. However, at the following round in Road Atlanta, Dale suffered a career-ending injury when his car slammed head-on into the side of the spinning and near-stationary Ferrari 333SP WSC car of Fabrizio Barbazza at the last corner of the Road Atlanta course after Barbazza's Ferrari was collected in a related major accident between two slower GT cars. Dale used a wheelchair for one year and crutches for another year. After multiple surgeries and countless hours of physical therapy, Dale returned to racing ready to pursue new opportunities outside of the car.
Television work (1996-2002)
While recovering from his crash under the care of Dr. Terry Trammel in Indianapolis, IN, the renowned television motorsports production company, Lingner Group Productions, contacted Dale inquiring about his interest in trying his hand at color commentary for broadcast. Dale started slowly and moved quickly into full-time television, providing expert TV analysis for ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FOX SportsNet, SpeedVision and Speed Channel. Working with co-hosts such as Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, Derek Daly and Marty Reid, he provided insight for hundreds of racing programs, including Sports Car Endurance racing, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Formula One.
Motorsports management (2000-present)
Through his work as a driving coach and test driver for the Barber-Dodge Pro Series, Dale was familiar with the BDPS organization and assumed the Managing Director role in 2000. During his tenure at Barber-Dodge, the series helped form the skills of drivers A. J. Allmendinger, Danica Patrick, Alex Gurney, Ryan Hunter-Reay and many more. He continued with Barber-Dodge until late 2002, when his old friend, Carl Russo, recruited Dale to be the President of his new race team, RuSPORT.
RuSPORT competed in the 2003
Dale broke out on his own in 2007 and founded JDX Racing LLC, later licensing the entity to his former IMSA team owner, the late Harry Brix. Dale was forced to take time off through 2011 and 2012 due to the discovery of an aortic aneurysm, leading to open heart surgery in 2011. His recovery has been slow and steady, though the expectation is a full recovery with no long term side effects or consequences.
Personal life
Dale currently resides both in his hometown of Toronto and in northern Colorado with his wife, Joanne.
Career overview
- 2007–present: Founder, JDX Racing LLC
- 2003-2007: President, RuSPORT
- 2000-2002: Managing director, Barber-Dodge Pro Series
- 1996-2002: TV commentator (SPEED TV / Fox Sports / ESPN)
- 1996-1999: Driver coach and test driver, Barber-Dodge Pro Series
- 1994-1995; Lead driver for Brix Racing factory Oldsmobile World Sports Car Team; two-time class winner, Rolex/Daytona 24-Hour; overall wins at Portland and Phoenix.
- 1990-1992; Nissan factory driver for 300ZX IMSA sports car team. Multiple race wins including Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio and Mosport.
- 1989; Factory driver for Dodge Motorsports IMSA GTU program. Multiple wins including Mosport, Sears Point and Del Mar.
- 1988-1989; Dodge Daytona factory driver in IMSA Firehawk Series. Multiple wins including series champion in 1989.
- 1986-1988; Barber-Saab Pro Series. Won 7 of 27 races.
- 1984-1985; Skip Barber Race Series (North East Division). Multiple wins and rookie of the year in 1984.
- 1983; Jim Russell Racing School (Quebec, Canada); Elf-Winfield Racing School (Magny-Cours, France); Skip Barber Racing School (Poconos, PA, USA).
- 1978-1982; Multiple race winner in both modern and vintage racing cars.
References
- Interview - Autoracing1.com - July 2005 (subscription)
- Q&A - Crash.net - April 2004
- Motorsportpedia Page
- Champ Car Teleconference with Ryan Briscoe - October 2006
- The Globe and Mail - July 2003
- CNET News - July 2006
- Motorsport.com - February 2000
- Autoracing1.com - December 2001 (subscription)
- Racing Sports Cars
External Images
- 1988 - Columbus Street Circuit - Firestone Firehawk - Dodge Daytona
- 1989 - Road Atlanta - Firestone Firehawk - Dodge Daytona
- 1989 - Road America - Firestone Firehawk - Eagle Talon
- 1989 - Road America - IMSA GTU - Dodge Daytona
- 1990 - Topeka - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1990 - Topeka - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1990 - Topeka - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1990 - Topeka - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1990 - Topeka - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1990 - Mid-Ohio - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1991 - Mid-Ohio - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1991 - Road America - IMSA GTO - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1992 - Mid-Ohio - IMSA GTS - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1992 - Road America - IMSA GTS - Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 2003 - Toronto - RuSPORT Atlantic Car (Aaron Justus)
- 2004 - Road America - RuSPORT Champ Car (Michel Jourdain Jr.)
- 2005 - Edmonton - RuSPORT Champ Car (AJ Allmendinger)
- 2006 - Edmonton - RuSPORT Champ Car (Justin Wilson)