Dillon Matthew Battistini (born 3 December 1977) is a British racecar driver.
Career Battistini competed in various classes of karting, finishing third in the Junior European Championship and becoming the British Open Champion before moving to cars. In the Caterham R400 challenge in 2003, he won the most races and the driver of the year award, finishing second in the Championship after being taken out from behind in the penultimate race at Brands Hatch which cost him the points lead considering his track position at the time. In 2006 and 2007, he raced in the Asian Formula Three Championship, finishing fourth his first year and winning the 2007 series championship and the most races on five race wins. After testing a Champ Car for Minardi Team USA and the subsequent unification of American Open Wheel Racing, Battistini signed to race in the Firestone Indy Lights Series (formerly the Indy Pro Series) for Panther Racing less than ten days before the season was set to begin. Battistini won his first race in the series which was also his first race on an oval track at Homestead-Miami Speedway on 29 March 2008.Lewandowski, Dave. Great Start, IndyCar.com, 29 March 2008
On 24 May, Battistini won the Firestone Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the pole for his second win of the season. Later that week he revealed that he and his team are preparing for him to make his IndyCar Series debut later in 2008.English, Steven & Andrew van de Burgt. Battistini plans two Panther outings, autosport.com, 29 May 2008 He won two further races at Iowa and Kentucky. For the final race of the year, Battistini left the Panther team to race for Team Moore Racing.Loomis, Katie. Battistini Shifts Gears to Drive Team Moore Entry in Chicagoland Finale , Team Moore PR via IndyProRacer.com, 4 September 2008 Battistini was presented with the Gregory and Appel 'Securing Tomorrow' Award for winning the most races in the season at the 2008 IRL Awards Evening in Las Vegas. He competed in the fourth race of the 2009 season in a one-off for Genoa Racing and has been attempting to find a ride in the IndyCar Series. Having been unable to do so, he made two Indy Lights oval race appearances in 2010 for Team PBIR and Bryan Herta Autosport.
Battistini participated in an IndyCar test with Conquest Racing at Kentucky Speedway on 23 September 2011 and made his IndyCar Series debut with the team in the 2011 season's race at Kentucky.Battistini to test for Conquest, Racer, 19 September 2011, Retrieved 19 September 2011 He retired on lap 124 out of 200 due to fatigue.
Racing record
American open–wheel racing results (key)
Indy Lights Series Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points Ref 2008 Panther Racing HMS1 STP121 STP24 KAN4 INDY1 MIL14 IOW1 WGL117 WGL220 NSH19 MOH118 MOH219 KTY1 SNM118 SNM215 6th 385 Team Moore Racing CHI23 2009 Genoa Racing STP1 STP2 LBH KAN15 INDY MIL IOW WGL TOR EDM KTY MOH SNM CHI HMS 29th 15 2010 Team PBIR STP ALA LBH INDY IOW WGL TOR EDM MOH SNM CHI9 KTY 22nd 44 Bryan Herta Autosport HMS9
IndyCar Series Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rank Points Ref 2011 Conquest Racing 34 Dallara Honda STP ALA LBH SAO INDY TXS1 TXS2 MIL IOW TOR EDM MOH NHM SNM BAL MOT KTY28 LVS1 46th 10
1 Cancelled after Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash on lap 11.
References
External links Dillon Battistini – professional racing driver