Dion von Moltke (born 27 July 1990, in The Woodlands, Texas) is an American-born race car driver who has participated under a South African racing license for the majority of his career. Von Moltke currently competes in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship GTD class with Paul Miller Racing in the #48 Audi R8 LMS with co-driver Christopher Haase. His early career involved an upbringing in karts and the Skip Barber National Championship.

Early life Von Moltke was born on 27 July 1990, in The Woodlands, Texas. His parents are both from South Africa, and he has lived in Sydney, Australia, Los Angeles, California, and Dallas, Texas, before moving to Miami, Florida. While enrolled in a laptop-based school following their move to Miami in 2003, von Moltke's father offered him a choice of a gaming computer or a go kart to make up for the relocation, which led to the start of von Moltke's racing career. He later went on to attend Florida International University, joined the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, and began his professional career in 2008.

Racing career

Karts

Von Moltke's karting career began in 2004, when he finished second in the EasyKart 100 cc Summer Championship Series. His first victory came at the Cope DeLas America's karting championship in San Carlos, Venezuela. In 2005, von Moltke won the EasyKart 100 cc Winter Championship Series and the WKA Florida State Regional Championship.

Skip Barber Von Moltke moved to the Skip Barber National Championship in 2007 after completing formula car schooling at the Skip Barber Racing School. He earned several podium finishes over the course of the season, and was named the most improved driver at the school in 2007. In 2008, von Moltke won the inaugural Skip Barber Mazda Speed Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Sports Car Racing Von Moltke signed with APR Motorsports to drive a Volkswagen GTI in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in 2008. He also made his Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series debut at New Jersey Motorsports Park with Racers Edge Motorsports.

In 2009, von Moltke remained with APR in the Challenge Series, while also competing in Rolex with MCM Racing Porsche. He earned his first victory in Challenge at Watkins Glen International co-driving with Mike Sweeney, followed by victories at Mid-Ohio and Miller Motorsports Park. In 2010, von Moltke participated in the Daytona Prototype class of the Rolex Series with Doran Racing for the full season and earned the Rookie of the Year title.

Von Moltke returned to the GT category in 2011, driving for the German Mühlner Motorsport Porsche team at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, backed by PR Newswire and South African Airways. He also began racing in the American Le Mans Series' GTC category for Porsches with The Racer's Group. He completed the American Le Mans Series season with a win at Lime Rock Park and was fifth in the championship standings.

For 2012, von Moltke returned to APR Motorsport as the team moved into the Rolex GT category with an Audi R8 LMS, partnered with Jim Norman. A switch to the Alex Job Racing team in the American Le Mans GTC category earned von Moltke a class victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring with co-drivers Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler.

In 2013, von Moltke took the GT-class win at the 24 Hours of Daytona then a GTC class win at Sebring and followed it up with another GTC class win at the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

In 2014, von Moltke signed with the Flying Lizard Motorsports team for the full 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season behind the wheel of the No. 35 Audi R8 LMS. Although the #35 kicked off the season with three top five finishes, bad luck and Balance of Performance issues plagued the team, finishing ninth in the GTD championship standings.

In January 2015, it was announced von Molkte would join Paul Miller Racing for the entirety of the race season, again competing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's GTD class. Von Moltke earned his first career TUDOR United SportsCar Championship pole position at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, where he and co-driver Christopher Haase finished third in the GTD class. He earned his second pole position three races later at Lime Rock Park. Von Moltke led his entire stint, but the car was later taken out by another competitor, ending their race. The Paul Miller Racing duo finished third in the GTD class championship, with von Moltke earning a total of four pole positions.

Personal life As of 2012, von Moltke resided in Coral Gables, Florida, while attending Florida International University while participating in motorsport. He is a member of one of the university's fraternities. Von Moltke is also involved in a training program for new drivers in motorsport. He is also involved with the Best Buddies International charity. In November 2014, von Moltke spoke at a TEDx Talk night of Fearless Journeys at Florida International University.

Results

Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge

YearTeamClass1234567891011RankPoints 2008APR MotorsportSTDIS 41LRP14MOS29MOH31WGINABARNAIOW23TRR32NJP15UTA2VIR2444th82Rehagen RacingGSDIS NALRPNAMOSNAMOHNAWGINABAR12IOWNATRRNANJPNAUTANAVIRNA70th192009APR MotorsportSTDIS NAHOM NANJPNALAG 15LRP21WGI1MOH1BAR15TRR7UTA1VIRNA44th112 2010Mitchum MotorsportsGSDIS NAHOM NABARNAVIRNALRP8WGINAMOHNANJPNATRRNAUTANA71st23 2011Doran RacingSTDIS NAHOM 19BARNAVIRNALRPNAWGINA ROANALAG NANJPNAMOHNA78th12 2012APR MotorsportSTDIS NABARNAHOM 19NJPNAMOHNAROANAWGINAINDNALAG NALRPNA81st12

Rolex SportsCar Series

YearTeamClass123456789101112131415RankPoints 2008Racers Edge MotorsportsGTDIS NAHOMNAMEXNAVIRNALAGNALRPNAWGINAMOHNADIS NABARNAMONNAWGINASNONANJP13UTANA89th18 2009Racers Edge MotorsportsGTDIS 12VIRNANJPNALAGNAWGINAMOHNADIS NABARNAWGINAMONNAUTANAHOMNA34th62Battery Tender/MCM RacingGTDIS NAVIR12NJP6LAGNAWGINAMOHNADIS NABARNAWGINAMONNAUTANAHOMNABMW RileyDPDIS NAVIRNANJPNALAGNAWGINAMOHNADIS NABARNAWGINAMONNAUTANAHOM1348th18 2010Starworks MotorsportDPDIS 12VIRNANJPNALAGNAWGINAMOHNADIS NABARNAWGINAMONNAUTANAHOMNA12th277Doran RacingDPDIS NAHOM9BAR4VIR8LRP11WGI9MOH7DIS 5NJP6WGI9MON9UTA72011Mühlner MotorsportsGTDIS 9HOMNABARNAVIRNALRPNAWGINA ROANALAGNANJPNAWGINAMONNAMOHNA51st222012APR MotorsportGTDIS 31BAR11HOM17NJP14DET11MOH13ROA12WGI18IMS18WGI13MON9LAG12LRP213th2412013Alex Job RacingGTDIS 1AUSNABARNAATLNADETNAMOHNAWGINAIMSNAROANAKANNALAGNALRPNA16th145Mühlner MotorsportsGTDIS NAAUS9BAR7ATLNADET9MOH11WGINAIMSNAROANAKANNALAGNALRPNAAudi Sport Customer RacingGTDIS NAAUSNABARNAATLNADETNAMOHNAWGI9IMSNAROANAKANNALAGNALRPNA

American Le Mans Series YearTeamClass12345678910RankPoints2011The Racers GroupGTCSEB5LBGP5LRP1MOS2MOH7ROA6BAL5LAG6RAT45th108 2012Battery Tender/William RastGTCSEB 1LBGPNALAGNALRPNAMOSNAMOHNAROANABALNAVIRNARATNA16th38Alex Job RacingGTCSEB NALBGPNALAGNALRPNAMOSNAMOHNAROANABALNAVIRNARAT5 2013Alex Job RacingGTCSEB 1LBGPNALAGNALRPNAMOSNAROANABALNAAUSNAVIRNARATNA9th81Flying Lizard MotorsportsGTCSEB NALBGP3LAG9LRP6MOS7ROA5BAL1AUS7VIR5RAT5

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship YearTeamClass1234567891011RankPoints 2014Flying Lizard MotorsportsGTDDIS 5SEB 5LAG 5DET 13WGI7MOS14IND 13ROA 8VIR7AUS 13RAT 1211th252 2015Paul Miller RacingGTDDIS 5SEB 5LAG 2DET 3WGI3MOS - LRP 10ROA 6VIR5AUS 3RAT 103rd277

References

External links