Ryan Lewis - Founder - Vanguard Odyssey llc

Racing Driver. Driver Coach. Automotive Professional

I was born in Cambridge, England, but since 2007 I have been a proud resident of Indianapolis, Indiana.

I started racing Saloon cars in the UK at the age of just 13. That was the beginning of the racing sickness for me. I was lucky enough to be able to move on to single-seater cars in the early 2000s.

After winning the 2003 Formula Palmer Audi Championship and 2004 British Formula 3 National Championship, I had the opportunity to compete in the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. And I have been in the US ever since.

In 2008 my career moved to Sportscar racing. Since then I have competed in the ALMS, Grand Am, ELMS, and Weather Tech United Sportscar Championship, primarily driving Le Mans Prototypes. Most recently, he finished 3rd in the LMP2 class at the 2020 24 Hours of Daytona.

Throughout my racing career, I have always worked as a driver coach/instructor. I also began to work as a facilitator, product specialist, and event manager for a wide variety of automotive manufacturers.

Over this time I have gained a great deal of experience in experiential marketing and vehicle launch events. Providing test drive experiences, route planning, track experiences, event management, and practical training.

In 2021, I decided to put this experience to good use and strike out on my own, to offer my expertise directly to clients.

I love being part of the creative and planning process of a new project. And then being able to transfer the focus and knowledge from my motorsport career to the automotive world.

I am still involved in motorsport through driver coaching and vintage racing. All the years of driver coaching have allowed me to drive almost everything there is. I hope I can make it to the 100th anniversary of Formula Ford in America to defend my title from the 50th-anniversary race in 2019. I also hope I can get a shot at racing at Le Mans before then.

When I’m not on a track or elsewhere in a fast car, I enjoy staying home in Indianapolis to be with my wife Sara and daughter Quinn.

My Experience

  • • 1999-2001 Started racing T-Cars Jnr Sedan series at 14 2 wins 5 podiums

    • 01-02 Races in Legends, Zip Formula, Open saloons to obtain license for Formula Palmer Audi

    • 2002- Formula Palmer Audi Championship partial season 4 podiums, 1 win, 2 Fastest Laps

    • 2003 Formula Palmer Audi Championship 1 win 4 podiums 3 Fastest Laps - Champion

    • 2004 British Formula Three Scholarship class – 17 Wins, 22 Podiums, 17 Fastest Laps, Champion

    • Testing at Fiorano for Maserati. Nominated as BRDC Rising Star

    • 2005 British Formula Three Championship class 2 Podiums. 2 Fastest

    Laps- 8th

    • Testing with Ecurie Ecosse Ferrari 360/430 GT2.

    • Team Escuela De Pilotas. Spanish F3

    • 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship- Half season 3 podiums - 12th

    • 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship 2 Podiums - 12th

    • Indy Lights Testing. Target Chip Ganassi Racing

    • 2008 American Le Mans Series LMP1 Class- Lola/AER - 1 Podium

    • European Le Mans Series. Creation LMP. Silverstone 1000km

    • 2010 American Le Mans Series LMPC Class - 3rd Petit Le Mans

    • Grand Am Continental Tire Series Camaro GS R .

    • British GT Championship and GT Cup Series - Ferrari F430 GT3

    • 2011 Rolex Daytona 24 Hours- BMW M6 GT

    • 2011 ALMS LMPC. Petit Le Mans Winner

    • 2012 ALMS LMPC Dempsey Racing Endurance Driver

    • 2013 -15 Vintage Formula Ford

    • 2016 - United Sports Car LMPC. Endurance events.

    • 2017 - IMSA United Sports Car. LMPC

    • 2019 – Formula Ford 50th Anniversary VFF Champion

    • 2020 – IMSA Era Motorsport LMP2. 3rd place at the 24hrs of Daytona

  • Professional Driving instructor, with 20 years of 1-2-1, in car tuition and corporate motorsport experience.

    13 years of experience in Automotive experiential marketing, technical training, manufacturer driver training and precision driving.

    • Professional Instructor for the Motorsport Vision Group, instructing on corporate and racing school events at the MSV groups collection of circuits. 2001-2008.

    • Manufacturer experience: Acura, Honda, Toyota Lexus, Mini, Nissan, Renault, Jaguar, Audi, Vauxhall, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Caterham, Bentley and McLaren.

    • Member of the Bentley Motors, North American factory drive team.

    • McLaren Automotive senior driver coach and event manager.

    • Product specialist for FCA & VAG Groups.

    • FIA International C License holder. On track experience of the

    majority of North America’s iconic road courses.

    • Deep experience in building and managing both on road and on

    track automotive test drive and experiential marketing events.

  • Extensive coaching experience with drivers in IMSA sanctioned series. Predominantly drivers in prototype and GTD classes in IMSA Weathertech

    Consistent coaching experience in the Ferrari Challenge North America series. Offering right seat coaching when applicable

    I have also coached several drivers racing under the SVRA and VSCDA vintage racing organizations, in cars ranging from vintage Formula Ford and other single seaters, to vintage trans am and contemporary prototype sportscars.

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