Dominic Dobson

Last updated
Dominic Dobson
NationalityFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Born (1957-09-14) September 14, 1957 (age 66)
Stuttgart, Germany
Previous series
1985-1994
1998
CART
Craftsman Truck Series

Dominic Dobson (born September 14, 1957) is a German-born former CART and Craftsman Truck Series driver who made 7 starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 12th in 1992, over 60 starts in the CART (Championship Auto Racing Series), with a best finish of 3rd at the Michigan 500 in 1994. Dobson also drove numerous IMSA and other Sport car races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989 in Porsche 962 alongside Jean Alesi and Will Hoy and at Daytona and Sebring, where his best finish was a 2nd place in 1990, co-driving with Sarel van der Merwe and Klaus Ludwig.

Contents

Dobson was raised in, and currently resides in, Seattle.

In the early 1980s, he was an instructor at the Bob Bondurant Driving School, then based at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma. In the mid-1980s, he started Zephyr Racing with Ron Nelson, another Bondurant instructor. Zephyr originally had its shops in San Rafael, CA but moved to a new facility built at Sears Point Raceway in the spring of 1985. Zephyr rented out, maintained, and provided race support for a stable of formula and sportsracing cars. Cars were rented on a race-by-race or season long basis. Zephyr's customers competed in SCCA regional and National events as well as the American City racing League.

In the late 1990s he was involved in a short lived North American Touring Car Championship's Dodge Stratus factory team that ran in conjunction with CART race weekends. He also made 10 starts in the Craftsman Truck Series for Dodge in 1998 with a best start of 3rd in Nazareth, PA and a best finish of 17th at Texas Motor Speedway.

From 2000 to 2003, he presided over a multimillion-dollar collection of historic automobiles, primarily European post-war racecars and rare road cars called the Cavallino Collection. From 2007 to 2015, he was the Chief Development Officer for the LeMay - America's Car Museum, in Tacoma, WA.

In 2005, Dobson competed in the Baja 100 with co-driver Frank Everett in a Baja Challenge car and in 2015, Dobson won the "Unlimited" Class at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb and was awarded the coveted "Rookie of the Year" as a result. He continues to race occasionally in vintage car races in the US and abroad.

Dobson owns and operates Dobson Motorsport, LLC (www.dobsonmotorsport.com) a high-end Collector Car Brokerage and Management service and Gerber Motorsport (www.gerbernotorsport.com), a Porsche repair and restoration facility, both in Seattle. He also is co-founder and COO of VR Motion Corp in Hillsboro, OR, a company that builds products that power Virtual Reality experiences for the automotive market.

Racing record

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

PPG Indycar Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

YearTeamChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
1985 Leader Card Racing March 84C Ford Cosworth DFX LBH
INDY
MIL
POR
MEA
DNS
CLE
Rpl1
MCH
ROA
POC
MDO
SAN
MCH
38th2 [1]
March 85C LAG
18
PHX
MIA
11
1986 Leader Card Racing March 86C Ford Cosworth DFX PHX
LBH
12
INDY
MIL
POR
19
MEA
11
CLE
18
TOR
16
MCH
POC
MDO
19
SAN
MCH
ROA
18
LAG
21
PHX
MIA
13
31st3 [2]
1987 Dobson Motorsports March 86C Ford Cosworth DFX LBH
PHX
INDY
DNQ
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
TOR
MCH
POC
ROA
MDO
NAZ
LAG
MIA
NC- [3]
1988 Dale Coyne Racing March 86C Chevrolet V8 PHX
LBH
26
43rd0 [4]
Dobson Motorsports Lola T87/00 Ford Cosworth DFX INDY
18
MIL
POR
21
CLE
TOR
MEA
MCH
POC
MDO
ROA
NAZ
LAG
18
MIA
1989 Bayside Disposal Racing Lola T88/00 Ford Cosworth DFX PHX
23
LBH
19
INDY
18
MIL
DET
7
POR
18
CLE
MEA
17
TOR
11
MCH
POC
MDO
ROA
NAZ
LAG
11
19th10 [5]
1990 Bayside Disposal Racing Lola T90/00 Ford Cosworth DFS PHX
23
LBH
15
INDY
22
MIL
DET
26
POR
24
CLE
MEA
8
TOR
8
MCH
DEN
25
VAN
11
MDO
ROA
19
NAZ
LAG
20
19th12 [6]
1991 Burns Racing Team Lola T89/00 Judd AV SRF
LBH
PHX
INDY
13
MIL
DET
POR
CLE
MEA
TOR
MCH
DEN
VAN
MDO
ROA
NAZ
LAG
35th0 [7]
1992 Burns Racing Team Lola T91/00 Chevrolet 265A SRF
PHX
LBH
INDY
12
DET
POR
MIL
NHA
TOR
MCH
CLE
ROA
VAN
MDO
NAZ
LAG
35th1 [8]
1993 Burns Motor Sports Galmer G92B Chevrolet 265A SRF
PHX
LBH
INDY
23
MIL
DET
POR
CLE
TOR
MCH
NHA
ROA
39th0 [9]
PacWest Racing VAN
14
MDO
DNQ
NAZ
LAG
18
1994 PacWest Racing Lola T94/00 Ford XB SRF
12
PHX
24
LBH
17
INDY
29
MIL
13
DET
25
POR
17
CLE
25
TOR
11
MCH
3
MDO
15
NHA
6
VAN
19
ROA
11
NAZ
19
LAG
10
18th30 [10]
1995 PacWest Racing Reynard 94I Ford XB MIA
SRF
PHX
LBH
NAZ
INDY
Wth2
MIL
DET
POR
ROA
TOR
CLE
MCH
MDO
NHA
VAN
LAG
NC- [11]
1 Replaced by Phil Krueger
2 Did not appear

Indianapolis 500

YearChassisEngineStartFinishTeam
1987 March 86C Ford Cosworth DFX DNQ Dobson Motorsports
1988 Lola T87/00 Ford Cosworth DFX 2118 Dobson Motorsports
1989 Lola T88/00 Ford Cosworth DFX 2918 Bayside Disposal Racing
1990 Lola T90/00 Ford Cosworth DFS 1122 Bayside Disposal Racing
1991 Lola T89/00 Judd AV 3013 Burns Racing Team
1992 Lola T91/00 Chevrolet 265A 2912 Burns Racing Team
1993 Galmer G92B Chevrolet 265A 2723 Burns Motor Sports
1994 Lola T94/00 Ford XB 1229 PacWest Racing
1995 Reynard 94I Ford XB Wth PacWest Racing

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1989 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team Schuppan Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Will Hoy
Flag of France.svg Jean Alesi
Porsche 962C C169DNFDNF

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627NCTCPtsRef
1998 PacWest S/T Motorsports 78 Dodge WDW HOM
DNQ
PHO
19
POR
29
EVG
22
I70
25
GLN
34
TEX
17
BRI
35
MLW
31
NZH
33
CAL PPR IRP NHA FLM NSV HPT
23
LVL RCH MEM GTY MAR SON MMR PHO LVS 35th842 [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eliseo Salazar</span> Chilean racing driver (born 1954)

Eliseo Salazar Valenzuela is a Chilean former racing driver. As of 2024, he is the only Chilean to have participated in a Formula One World Championship. He made his Formula One debut on 15 March 1981, and ultimately contested 37 races scoring a total of three championship points. After Formula One, Salazar has participated in numerous motorsport disciplines, including the Chilean national rally championship, Formula 3000, IndyCar, and the World Sportscar Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Papis</span> Italian racing driver (born 1969)

Massimiliano "Max" Papis is an Italian professional motorsport driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the son-in-law of Emerson Fittipaldi. Papis also currently drives in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Andretti</span> American racing driver

Jeff Andretti is a former American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Andretti</span> American race car driver (1963–2020)

John Andrew Andretti was an American race car driver. He won individual races in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series, and NASCAR during his career. A member of the Andretti racing family, he was the son of Aldo Andretti, older brother of racer Adam Andretti, nephew of Mario Andretti, and the cousin to CART drivers Michael and Jeff Andretti. He is also the first cousin once-removed of racer Marco Andretti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Bliss</span> American racing driver

Michael Duane Bliss is an American professional stock car racing driver. A journeyman NASCAR competitor and the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, he has run in all three national series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Hamilton</span> American stock car racing driver

Charles Robert Hamilton Sr. was an American stock car racing driver and racing team owner. A driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing. Hamilton's son, Bobby Hamilton Jr., was also a NASCAR driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Jourdain Jr.</span> Mexican racing driver

Michel Jourdain Lascurain, better known as Michel Jourdain Jr., is a Mexican racecar driver, best known for winning two Champ Car races in 2003. He is the 2020 Super Copa GTM Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacy Compton</span> Former American stock car racing driver

Stacy Marshall Compton is a NASCAR former team owner and former driver. He is a former co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the Craftsman Truck Series and is a former racing analyst for ESPN full-time. Before he ran in NASCAR, Compton was a successful short track racer in Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Hornaday Jr.</span> American stock car racing driver

Ronald Lee Hornaday Jr. is an American former professional stock car racing driver and businessman. He currently owns Team Hornaday Development, a driver development program as well as Hornaday Race Cars a Dirt Modified chassis builder. He is also the father of former NASCAR driver Ronnie Hornaday and son of the late Ron Hornaday Sr., a two-time NASCAR Winston West Series Champion. Hornaday himself is a four-time champion in the NASCAR Truck Series, his most recent coming in 2009 and is a NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour Champion. He was noticed by Dale Earnhardt while participating in the NASCAR Winter Heat on TNN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Sprague</span> American stock car racing driver

Jack Eugene Sprague is an American former stock car racing driver who has competed in all of NASCAR's three top divisions, most notably in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he won series championships in 1997, 1999 and 2001.

Shigeaki "Shige" Hattori is a Japanese professional race car driver and team owner based in the United States. As a driver, he competed in the CART and IndyCar Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He is not related to Naoki Hattori, whom he briefly raced against in CART.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Tagliani</span> Canadian racecar driver

Alexandre Tagliani, nicknamed "Tag", is a Canadian professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Canada Series, driving the No. 18 Chevrolet Camaro for 22 Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Bell</span> Racecar driver

Timothy Peter "T. J." Bell Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has primarily competed in NASCAR competition, driving in all three national touring series. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 83 Chevrolet Silverado for CMI Motorsports and the No. 12 Silverado for Young's Motorsports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Hooper</span> American racing driver

Lance Allen Hooper is a race car driver and crew chief in NASCAR as well as several touring divisions. Hooper attended his first race when he was just two weeks old, and also came from a long line of racing champions, including his uncle, father, and brother. Hooper last served as the driver and crew chief of the No. 44 Key Motorsports Chevy in the Truck Series in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Starr (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

David Leon Starr is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro for Our Motorsports. He has also raced in the Camping World Truck Series, where he is a four-time race winner, and the NASCAR Cup Series in the past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davy Jones (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Davy Jones is an American racing driver. He won the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Alexander Wurz and Manuel Reuter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pancho Carter</span> American racing driver (born 1950)

Duane Claude Carter Jr., nicknamed "Pancho," is an American retired open-wheel racing driver. Best known for his participation in Championship car racing, he won the pole position for the 1985 Indianapolis 500, and won the Michigan 500 in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Renfrow</span> American stock car racing driver (born 1958)

Randy Renfrow is an American former stock car racing driver. He raced many years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before retiring. Renfrow has won 237 late model races at 40 different tracks over his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Hansen</span> American stock car racing driver

Scott Hansen is an American stock car driver from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Now retired, Hansen primarily competed in the American Speed Association. He raced for several years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series.

Conner Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, and the ARCA Menards Series West, driving the Nos. 15 and 25 Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing.

References

  1. "Dominic Dobson – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. "Dominic Dobson – 1986 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  3. "Dominic Dobson – 1987 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  4. "Dominic Dobson – 1988 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. "Dominic Dobson – 1989 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  6. "Dominic Dobson – 1990 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. "Dominic Dobson – 1991 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  8. "Dominic Dobson – 1992 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. "Dominic Dobson – 1993 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  10. "Dominic Dobson – 1994 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. "Dominic Dobson – 1995 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  12. "Dominic Dobson – 1998 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 9, 2016.