Didier Theys


Didier Theys is a Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona ; a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring ; the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa. He was also the polesitter and a podium finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 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.

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 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 CART Indy Car Series from 1987 to 1993 with 47 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 three times. 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.

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.

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. His 2002 Daytona victory came in the Doran Lista Dallara Judd with co-drivers Baldi, Fredy Lienhard and Max Papis.
His 1998 season was a record-setter, as in addition to winning Daytona and Sebring, Theys also won the Six Hours of Watkins Glen.
He also finished second overall in the FIA Sportscar Championship that year, winning at Paul Ricard, France.

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.

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.

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

Post-retirement

Theys currently works as a racing driver coach and consultant. He is also the Driving Director of , 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.

Personal

Although he never gave up his Belgium citizenship, Theys resides in Scottsdale, Ariz., 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.

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

American open–wheel racing results

PPG Indycar Series

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617RankPoints
1987Newman TeamworksLBH
7
PHX
INDY
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
TOR
MCH
POC
ROA
22
MDO
NAZ
LAG
30th6
1987Truesports Co.MIA
17
30th6
1988Dick Simon RacingPHX
LBH
INDY
MIL
POR
10
CLE
9
TOR
18
MEA
21
MCH
POC
MDO
10
ROA
23
NAZ
LAG
8
MIA
3
15th29
1989Arciero RacingPHX
20
LBH
23
INDY
20
MIL
17
21st9
1989Hemelgarn RacingDET
9
POR
20
CLE
12
MEA
26
TOR
MCH
POC
21st9
1989Granatelli RacingMDO
11
ROA
11
NAZ
21
LAG
17
21st9
1990Granatelli RacingPHX
14
LBH
11
INDY
11
MIL
DET
13
POR
20
CLE
23
MEA
28
TOR
7
MCH
DEN
9
VAN
25
MDO
16
ROA
NAZ
18th15
1990A. J. Foyt EnterprisesLAG
12
18th15
1991Leader Card RacingSRF
LBH
10
PHX
INDY
DNQ
MIL
DET
DNQ
POR
22
CLE
12
MEA
20
TOR
13
MCH
DEN
23
VAN
MDO
23
ROA
25
NAZ
LAG
14
25th4
1992PennzoilSRF
PHX
LBH
INDY
DNQ
DET
POR
MIL
NHA
TOR
MCH
CLE
ROA
VAN
MDO
NAZ
LAG
13
40th0
1993Delta FaucetsSRF
PHX
LBH
INDY
22
MIL
DET
POR
CLE
TOR
MCH
NHA
ROA
VAN
MDO
NAZ
42nd0
1993Kinko'sLAG
15
42nd0
1994Project IndySRFPHX
LBH
INDY
DNQ
MIL
DET
POR
CLE
TOR
MCH
MDO
NHA
VAN
ROA
NAZ
LAG
NC
1995Hemelgarn RacingMIA
SRF
PHX
LBH
NAZ
INDY
Wth1
MIL
DET
POR
ROA
TOR
CLE
MCH
MDO
NHA
VAN
LAG
NC