Didier Theys

 ( 1956 Births ) 

Didier Maurice Theys (born 19 October 1956) is a Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona (1998 and 2002);O’Malley, J: "Daytona 24 Hours", David Bull Publishing, pps. 377 and 384. a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring (1998); the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association (2002)Hyde, C: "Grand American Road Racing Yearbook 2002", Stalker International Editions, p. 129 and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa (1987 in a factory BMW). He was also the polesitter (1996) and a podium finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1997, 1998 and 1999). The podium finish in 1999 was a third overall in the factory Audi R8R with co-drivers Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela. Theys' first appearance at Le Mans was in 1982, while his last start in the world's most famous endurance sports car race came 20 years later in 2002.

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Formula racing Theys won the Belgium Karting championship in 1977. Later he competed in several feeder formulae: he won several Formula Ford championships in the late 1970s and early 1980s; the U.S. Bosch Super Vee championship in 1986; and the American Racing Series (now Indy Lights) championship in 1987. He was also successful in the European Formula Three Championship and Formula 2 in the 1980s. He finished third in the Monaco Formula 3 Grand Prix in 1985.

Theys competed in the Champ Car Indy Car Series from 1987 to 1993 with 47 career starts,Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford 2006 Media Guide, Champ Car, p. 236 including the Indianapolis 500 three times (1989, 1990 and 1993).Davidson, D. and Shaffer, R: "Autocourse Official History of the Indianapolis 500", Crash Media Group Ltd., pps. 359, 360, 361. He finished in the top ten 10 times in CART events, and his best career finish in that series was a third position in Miami in 1988.

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IMSA Theys ran the IMSA GT Championship in 1995 on a Ferrari 333SP. He finished fourth in 1996, 11th in 1997 and 6th in the series' final season in 1998.

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1998 season Theys' 1998 victories at Daytona and Sebring came in the Kevin Doran-prepared MOMO Ferrari with co-drivers Mauro Baldi, Arie Luyendyk and Giampiero Moretti.O’Malley, J: "Daytona 24 Hours", David Bull Publishing, p. 377 His 2002 Daytona victory came in the Doran Lista Dallara Judd with co-drivers Baldi, Fredy Lienhard and Max Papis.O’Malley, J: "Daytona 24 Hours", David Bull Publishing, p. 384

Theys' 1998 season was a record-setter, as in addition to winning Daytona and Sebring, He also won the Six Hours of Watkins Glen.

Theys also finished second overall in the FIA Sportscar Championship that year, winning at Paul Ricard, France.

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2000–2002 seasons In addition to his Grand-Am driver championship in 2002, Theys finished third in the driver point standings in that series in 2001 and was the runner-up in 2000. He had four victories in his championship 2002 season, and established the largest margin of victory in series history in winning the race at Mont-Tremblant, Quebec from the pole that year.

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After 2002 Prior to retiring from pro racing in March 2009, Theys also competed in the Le Mans Series in Europe with Horag Racing from 2005 through 2008, winning the Monza 1,000 km race in the LMP2 category in 2007 and a similar event at the Nürburgring in 2005 in a Lola Judd. He finished his pro driving career in the Horag Racing-prepared Lista Office Porsche RS Spyder in the Le Mans Series' LMP2 division in 2008, finishing second in class at Spa and Silverstone, third at Monza and winning the Michelin Energy Challenge that season.

Theys also drove a Maserati MC 12 for Doran Racing in the ALMS in 2007, an effort that stunned the GT1 class when it beat the factory Corvettes to win the pole at the Petit Le Mans that year.

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Accomplishments Upon his retirement from driving professionally, Theys had finished on the podium 61 times in sports car races all over the world, with 18 victories, 22 second-place finishes and 21 third-place finishes through the end of the 2008 season. He has the most professional victories of anyone in a Ferrari 333 SP with 10.

Theys received the prestigious Driver of the Year Award in his native Belgium in 2002.

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Post-retirement Theys currently works as a racing driver coach and consultant. He is also the Driving Director of DrivingXllence , an automotive event company that allows guests to experience the exhilaration and adrenaline of being behind the wheel of the world's newest and best Supercars.

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Personal Although he never gave up his Belgium citizenship, Theys resided in Scottsdale, Arizona for many years, and still lives there. That municipality honored him with the keys to the city in honor of his GRAND-AM driver championship and second 24 Hours of Daytona victory. He is married to Florence Richardson.

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Racing record

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Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Complete 24 Hours of Spa results

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American open–wheel racing results ()

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Formula Super Vee

1986 ! Martini USA ! Martini MK 47, MK 50 ! Volkswagen Bertil Roos

LBH 4

IRP 1

Milwaukee Mile

DET Ret

MEA 1

CLE 1

Road America 13

MOH 8

Road America 2

LS 2

PHX Ret

MIA 1

STP 1

1st

155

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PPG Indycar Series () (Races in bold indicate pole position)

1987 ! Newman Teamworks

LBH 7

PHX

INDY

MIL

POR

MEA

CLE

TOR

MCH

POC

ROA 22

MOH

NAZ

LAG

30th

6 !rowspan=2

1988 ! Dick Simon Racing

PHX

LBH

INDY

MIL

POR 10

CLE 9

TOR 18

MEA 21

MCH

POC

MOH 10

ROA 23

NAZ

LAG 8

Tamiami Park 3

15th

29 !

1989 ! Arciero Racing

PHX 20

LBH 23

INDY 20

MIL 17

21st

9 !rowspan=3

1990 ! Vince Granatelli Racing

PHX 14

LBH 11

INDY 11

MIL

DET 13

POR 20

CLE 23

MEA 28

TOR 7

MCH

DEN 9

VAN 25

MOH 16

ROA

NAZ

18th

15 !rowspan=2

1991 ! Leader Card Racing

SRF

LBH 10

PHX

INDY DNQ

MIL

DET DNQ

POR 22

CLE 12

MEA 20

TOR 13

MCH

DEN 23

VAN

MOH 23

ROA 25

NAZ

LAG 14

25th

4 !

1992 ! Hall/VDS Racing

SRF

PHX

LBH

INDY DNQ

DET

POR

MIL

NHA

TOR

MCH

CLE

ROA

VAN

MOH

NAZ

40th

0 ! rowspan=2

1993 ! Hemelgarn Racing

SRF

PHX

LBH

INDY 22

MIL

DET

POR

CLE

TOR

MCH

NHA

ROA

VAN

MOH

NAZ

42nd

0 ! rowspan=2

1994 ! Project Indy

SRF

PHX

LBH

INDY DNQ

MIL

DET

POR

CLE

TOR

MCH

MOH

NHA

VAN

ROA

NAZ

LAG

! NC ! – !

• Didier Theys' IndyCar statistics
• Didier Theys' ARS (Indy Lights) statistics

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External links

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