ÅðéóôñïöÞ óôï Forum : 2015 TUDOR Championship
BMW ANNOUNCES 2015 TUDOR CHAMPIONSHIP GTLM PROGRAM
LUHR, WERNER JOIN AUBERLEN, EDWARDS FOR TWO-CAR BMW Z4 GTE CAMPAIGN
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BMW Team RLL will once again fly the flag for BMW Motorsport and BMW of North America in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in 2015, BMW announced today at its annual Sports Trophy presentation in Germany.
Bill Auberlen and John Edwards will remain on-board as drivers while BMW works driver Dirk Werner, who previously raced in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón for BMW Motorsport in 2011, returns to BMW Team RLL. Lucas Luhr, who is third on the North American endurance racing wins list with 51 career wins, joins the team for 2015. DTM drivers Bruno Spengler and Augusto Farfus will join the team for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, along with Jens Klingmann and IndyCar driver Graham Rahal.
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/bmw-announces-2015-tudor-championship-gtlm-program#sthash.T5iU8nwH.dpuf
Priaulx joins Turner Motorsport for USCC endurance races.
BMW works driver Andy Priaulx will return to racing in North America in 2015 with the championship winning Turner Motorsport team. He will be contesting the endurance races in Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta in a BMW Z4 GTD.
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When announcing the deal team principal Will Turner explained: “I have been working on putting this IMSA programme together since the last race. Now my guys are going to have to work round the clock to get the car ready for Daytona.”
Priaulx added: “This is an amazing opportunity for me and one I grabbed with both hands. Last year I was able to see how this team worked close at hand and I was very impressed by its professionalism. It can¢t get much better than going racing in a fiercely competitive series with the team that won the GTD team and driver titles last year. I thoroughly enjoyed racing in America in these endurance races and so I can¢t wait to get back on track in a couple of weeks for the Daytona 24 Hours.”
The Guernsey driver will compete in the North American Endurance Cup, which is part of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC). He will drive alongside Finland¢s Markus Palttala, who was the 2014 BMW Sports Trophy winner, and America¢s Michael Marsal in the number 97 BMW Z4 GTD. 2015 will be a busy year for Priaulx who is also competing for BMW in the European Le Mans Series. In 2014 Turner Motorsport clinched the GTD titles in the USCC with four wins, six podiums and ten top ten finishes in 11 races.
The North American Endurance Cup calendar at a glance:
24th /25th January – Daytona 24 Hours
21st March – 12 Hours of Sebring
28th June – Six Hours of the Glen
3rd October – Petit Le Mans
Luhr Eager To Begin Season With BMW
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One of the most successful drivers in the history of North American endurance racing looks forward to a new challenge in 2015, when he joins BMW Team RLL for the full TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season. He will drive the team¢s No. 24 BMW Z4 GTE, beginning with the Rolex 24 At Daytona. He participated in the recent Roar Before the Rolex 24, where he joined John Edwards, Jens Klingmann and Graham Rahal in the No. 24.
Luhr was the leading winner in the history of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón with 49 triumphs. Including two in Rolex Sports Car Series competition, he has 51 career victories – trailing only Scott Pruett (59) and new BMW teammate Bill Auberlen (53). The 35-year-old German also has a pair of class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2002 and 2003). He won the GT class at the Rolex 24 in 2001 in a Porsche fielded by Michael Peterson, and was the Rolex 24 pole sitter in 2006, finishing third overall in a Porsche/Crawford fielded by Alex Job Racing.
How big is the Rolex 24 for you?
“I think it¢s a very special event. Over the last couple of years you could see there was more and more competition, and more cars and real professional drivers, including drivers from IndyCar and NASCAR. You can see the status of the race increased over the last 10 years.”
How big was winning the Rolex 24 back in 2001?
“It¢s good to be on the winner¢s list. Unfortunately, I don¢t have an overall victory yet, but maybe that still can come in the future. But I have a Rolex watch – that¢s important!”
Does anything stand out from your Rolex 24 victory?
“I remember that it was very wet. We had 19 or 20 hours of rain, and the infield was just like a lake. We might have been better off that year with a speed boat than a race car! At that time it was GT and the (SportsRacer) Prototypes from the past. We finished second overall with a GT car. It was very special. It was a very tough race with all that rain.”
You had the car to beat in 2004 with Alex Job Racing, only to lose a lot of time with axle boot problems. Any memories from that race?
“Once every 10 years you have a car like we did back then. I put it on pole and we were in the lead. We had by far the quickest car on the track. Then we had a driveshaft issue that we had to repair. We made up three or four laps and got back in the lead, and then in the morning we had another issue. Then we knew it was over. We were very disappointed, because we knew an opportunity like that doesn¢t come very often. But hey, this year we have the opportunity to win in GTLM, and a win is a win, right?
Wasn¢t your last full season in America a dream season, winning eight of 10 races and the ALMS championship?
“It was very successful. The LMP1 cars are not allowed anymore, so that¢s why I¢m looking to GTLM. I think it¢s the best GT racing in the world. It has a lot of manufacturers fighting it out, and I¢m very much looking forward to not only the Rolex 24, but the whole season. It¢s great competition. It¢s not for nothing that so many great car manufacturers come here to compete against each other. Therefore it¢s very important that we do a good job. I know it¢s always tight, but you¢ve got to be just a tiny bit better than the others.”
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/luhr-eager-begin-season-bmw?invalidate-cache=#sthash.TISrrYAX.dpuf
The engines are running again.
Ready to roll: BMW Team RLL launches the 2015 USCC campaign in Daytona.
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BMW Team RLL will begin its seventh consecutive season of sports car racing competition at this weekend¢s 53rd annual Rolex 24 at Daytona celebrating a very special anniversary. The race marks the 40th anniversary of BMW¢s first race in the US and BMW Team RLL will compete with the numbers 24 and 25 on its two BMW Z4 GTLM machines in honour of the iconic BMW 3.0 CSL racing cars that debuted at the same race four decades ago.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said: “We are looking forward to an exciting USCC season in 2015, in which BMW Team RLL will once again fly our flag in the GTLM class. Our mission is to return to winning ways with the BMW Z4 GTLM and strong drivers, and build on the great successes we have celebrated in North America in the past. After all, the 40th anniversary makes this a very special year for BMW of North America. We want to do everything in our power to ensure that we also have plenty of reason to celebrate from a sporting point of view.”
“Forty years ago, while BMW of North America was still in its infancy, BMW¢s first national marketing programme in the United States was to go racing," commented Ludwig Willisch, Chairman and CEO of BMW of North America, LLC. “BMW Motorsport introduced two BMW 3.0 CSL racing cars in North America for the 1975 IMSA season at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Those cars became legends and laid the foundation for the success BMW has enjoyed in the past four decades, where today we are the number-one luxury brand.”
2015 is the third season of competition for the BMW Z4 GTLM and this year two new chassis have been constructed and tested extensively at two pre-season tests at the Daytona International Speedway.
For the Rolex 24 at Daytona, BMW has assembled a team of stellar BMW drivers that include current BMW DTM stars Augusto Farfus and Bruno Spengler. Spengler will be having his first 24-hour race start ever. Farfus and Spengler will co-drive the number 25 car with season-long drivers Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner, the latter pair having driven together in 2012 in a BMW M3 GT. Jens Klingmann and Graham Rahal will join John Edwards and Lucas Luhr in the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. Edwards and Luhr will drive the car for the entire season.
With the addition of the experienced Luhr, BMW Team RLL includes two of the top-three drivers on the all-time North American sports car racing victories list. Luhr stands third with 51 victories and Bill Auberlen stands second with 53. Both are chasing Scott Pruett who has 59 wins.
Rolex 24 At Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL
Qualifying (http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/TUSC%20Rolex%2024%20Daytona%20Qualifying.pdf)
On the podium.
BMW Team RLL finished second and fourth in this weekend's 53rd Daytona 24 Hours on the 40th anniversary of BMW Motorsport's very first race in North America and the start of the 1975 IMSA season for the iconic BMW 3.0 CSL.
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With car numbers chosen to honour that car, the no. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM finished second and the no. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM took the chequered flag fourth. Bill Auberlen, Augusto Farfus, Bruno Spengler and Dirk Werner completed 725 laps around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course in the number 25 machine during the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic.
Werner, the finishing driver, crossed the line a scant 0.478 seconds behind the winning no. 3 Corvette. The no. 24, driven by John Edwards, Jens Klingmann, Lucas Luhr and Graham Rahal finished 24 laps in arrears after an accident just past the nine-hour mark cost the quartet 29 laps.
Last year, the team finished the season opener of the United SportsCar Championship at Daytona in the same positions, and, following another podium finish at Sebring, led the championship for the early part of the 2014 season.
Quotes after the Daytona 24 Hours:
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was a nail biter for the last ten to fifteen minutes. The final yellow came in just the right moment for us so we were lucky at the end. I should give a compliment to everyone involved for the hard work here and back in Munich over the winter to build some top speed into the BMW Z4 GTLM that we were lacking here last year. We can definitely see the improvement. We aren¢t there yet, but the guys had something in their hands that they could fight with today, and in that respect I send big, big congratulations to all the drivers and the team. They really fought hard and deserve this second-place. I would have been super happy with a win, but only one-half second behind at the finish is a result we can be proud of. Second and fourth make a fantastic start the 2015 season and the 40th anniversary here for BMW.”
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“All the drivers did a great job in their respective cars. They did, frankly, everything we asked them to. We are getting closer every year. Maybe next time we'll get to the top of the Daytona podium.”
Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“To finish a race like that is nice. In the last couple of laps we were both on the limit. I tried to give everything, but it was just not enough – although we were really close. I think the team can be really happy with all that we have achieved in this 24 hour race and the performance of the car, which was down to the time and work BMW have put into it over the winter. It makes me optimistic for the rest of the season and looking forward to that already. Thanks to everybody involved, my team-mates and the entire team.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“It was a great finish. It is two years in a row we have finished second. Last year, we finished two and a half seconds behind, and this year Dirk drove it up there and got it within half a second. It was amazing. All the guys put their heads down and achieved the best possible result. Hats off to all these guys in the team as that is all we could do.”
Augusto Farfus (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“That last stint was practically a qualifying stint, and one of the best days of my life. I got out there and then when I knew it was my last stint of the race I gave everything I had.”
Bruno Spengler (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“My first 24-hour race in a racing car and I finished second. I am very, very happy about that. I had to learn a lot of things here – especially getting used to the cold tyres at night. There were also so many cars around and I had to try and pass them without getting into trouble. It was a great experience. I wish I had not done that little mistake trying to overtake. I guess that was a little bit of my sprint racer character trying to come out, but I still managed to get back on track and then it ended up well. Dirk had an amazing drive and was putting pressure on the Corvette in front of us, but unfortunately there was not enough time to overtake but he did great. It was an amazing experience and I really hope I can do this again.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“That last one was a triple stint so a bit longer than my first two, and actually it was green for most of it. I think I only had one full course yellow during that whole of it. That¢s why I have been sweating a lot! We made up a couple of positions due to other people falling out. That¢s all we knew we had to do at around midnight last night. It was kind of a frustrating position to be in at that point because you know your race is pretty much over when it comes to winning a watch. You know you have got to keep pushing because we made up two or three positions just by continuing to run. That will help us later on in the year for the championship.”
Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“First of all I have to say I am very proud of the improvements the whole team – the guys from BMW Motorsport, BMW Team RLL, and BMW of North America – have made since last year. It is still the same result, but we were ready to fight and ready to hunt. Our car had an accident with John, which was unfortunate but the other car also had a little off. Speed-wise we had improved a lot since last year and I am very proud to be part of it. Some days in racing it is just not your day, and unfortunately today it was not our day, but we are second and fourth and these are very important points for the manufacturer and for the team championship, so I think we can work with that and move on to Sebring.”
Jens Klingmann (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“It was my first race in the States and my first race in a GTLM, and it was really a beautiful experience. I think we did quite well apart from that little accident. At least we had the performance and the package is working and I am looking forward to doing another couple of races with this team, my team-mates and, of course, the BMW Z4 GTLM.”
Graham Rahal (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“As everybody knows in these sorts of races a lot of luck goes into it. Unfortunately, she wasn¢t on our side today. I am disappointed we couldn¢t be a little bit better, but the boys did a great job fixing the car and making up for the mistakes that were made, not on our part but by other guys hitting us. I am proud of our effort and hope we will be back next year to do a better job.”
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BMW Celebrates 40th Anniversary of First US Race Win at 2015 Amelia Island Concours d¢Elegance
10.03.2015
From left to right: The No. 25 BMW 3.0 CSL, winner of the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring. The camoflaged 2015 BMW Z4 GTLM Sebring ...
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BMW 328 to be honored in special class at the 20th annual Concours.
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – March 10, 2015 … BMW of North America will mark the 40th anniversary of two key milestones in the company¢s history in the United States at the 20th-annual Amelia Island Concours d¢Elegance at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island, March 12-15, 2015. Forty years ago, BMW of North America began operating as a subsidiary of BMW AG, and only days later, BMW Motorsport scored its first US victory at the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring.
Also to be celebrated at the Concours is the legendary BMW 328, which helped establish the company¢s decades-long racing heritage. BMW of North America and BMW Group Classic have helped gather a group of significant BMW 328 models, including the 328 Touring Mille Miglia Coupe that pioneered lightweight construction techniques and advanced aerodynamics, and won the 1940 Mille Miglia endurance race. A sure highlight will be the BMW 328 in which Sir Stirling Moss, once again the Concours¢ honoree, won his first professional race, circa 1947.
BMW of North America will publicly launch its 40th Anniversary celebration with “Cars & Coffee at the Concours” on Saturday, March 14, where it will unveil the special BMW 3.0 CSL-inspired livery for the current Z4 GTLM cars that will race in the 2015 edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring, on March 21st. BMW ace driver Bill Auberlen and 1975 12 Hours of Sebring winners Brian Redman, Sam Posey, and Hans Stuck will be on-hand for the unveiling. Also on-hand will be original BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch, and the complete BMW Motorsport crew from the 1975 IMSA Camel GT effort.
BMW will bring a number of BMW USA Classic vehicles to display at the event:
On the show field, BMW will display the 1975 25 BMW 3.0 CSL that received Best in Class honors at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d¢Elegance and was part of the team that won the 24 Hours of Sebring in 1975, paired with the current No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM Tudor United Sports Car Championship race car.
In addition to the Mille Miglia-winning 328 Touring Coupe, BMW Group Classic will display a 1973 street version the BMW 3.0 CSL that was developed for homologation, as well as the 1980 BMW M1, the first street car developed by BMW Motorsport (also for racing homologation).
The then-new BMW Z3 Roadster used in the filming of the James Bond film “Goldeneye” 20 years ago will also be featured. Since BMW is a company whose legacy rides on two wheels as well as four, a BMW R69 motorcycle will also be featured.
While honoring its past, BMW resolutely looks to the future. Also on display through the weekend will be newly-updated, 2016 BMW 6 Series Convertible and all-new 2016 BMW X6 M, along with the 2015 BMW i8, the company¢s award-winning plug-in hybrid sports car.
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Straight six
13-03-15, 13:56
õðåñï÷á :screwy:
40 years after the first win in Sebring: BMW presents anniversary design of the BMW Z4 GTLM for the 12-hour race.
14.03.2015
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BMW publicly unveils a special livery for the 2015 BMW Z4 GTLM, paying tribute to the 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL, which won the 12 Hours ...
Munich (DE), 14th March 2015. On 21st March, BMW Team RLL will contest the 63rd staging of the legendary 12-hour race of Sebring (US) in the US state of Florida. The endurance classic is also the second race of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship (USCC). BMW Motorsport and BMW of North America celebrate a special anniversary on their return to Sebring this season: 40 years ago, BMW Motorsport got its first Sebring victory, with the BMW 3.0 CSL.
In honour of that success, the two BMW Z4 GTLMs of BMW Team RLL will sport special designs as they compete on the “Sebring International Raceway”. Car number 25 will carry the colours of the winning BMW 3.0 CSL of 1975. At an unveiling ceremony, which was part of the “Amelia Island Concours d¢Elegance” in northern Florida, BMW of North America presented the anniversary design of the vehicles to the public for the first time.
Many of the successful heroes of that time took the opportunity to attend the presentation. Forty years after the historic victory, then winners Brian Redman (US), Sam Posey (US) and Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE) were reunited on Amelia Island. Jochen Neerpasch, the first managing director of BMW Motorsport GmbH, and BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt were also among the guests. They all had front row seats as current BMW Team RLL driver Bill Auberlen (US) completed the first presentation laps in the BMW Z4 GTLM with the anniversary design.
1975 was a significant year in the history of BMW in North America: BMW of North America was founded, and just a few days later came the historic first victory with the BMW 3.0 CSL in Sebring. After finishing second and fourth in the GTLM class at the season opener in Daytona (US), BMW Team RLL is hoping to add another chapter to the BMW success story at this year's classic.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8cJHZbBhEs&feature=em-uploademail
Historic Sebring 12 Hours.
BMW Team RLL and BMW Motorsport are ready for the second round of the 2015 USCC: They return to Florida for the renowned “12 Hours of Sebring” which will be held this Saturday (21st March). This year sees the 63rd edition of the endurance classic, and for BMW Motorsport it is a very special one.
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BMW celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first major sports car racing victory in the US. The triumph of the BMW 3.0 CSL at the 1975 “12 Hours of Sebring” marked the start of the history of BMW Motorsport in North America. To honour this anniversary, the two BMW Z4 GTLM will race at Sebring with special liveries that pay homage to the winning BMW 3.0 CSL.
BMW Team RLL finished second (No. 25) and fourth (No. 24) at the season-opening “Rolex 24 At Daytona”. Last season, the team reached the podium at Sebring, claiming third place. As he did at Daytona, BMW DTM works driver Augusto Farfus will drive the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM along with season-long drivers Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner. BMW works driver Jens Klingmann will join John Edwards and Lucas Luhr in the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. Supporting BMW Team RLL at Sebring will be many members of the 1975 BMW Motorsport team, including Jochen Neerpasch, the first managing director of BMW Motorsport GmbH as well as drivers Brian Redman and Hans-Joachim Stuck.
Sebring: P4 und P6 for BMW Team RLL.
The second race weekend of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship (USCC) is in full swing: In qualifying for the classic 12 Hours of Sebring, BMW Team RLL secured fourth and sixth on the grid in the GTLM category and is now well-prepared for Saturday¢s race.
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Dirk Werner clocked a lap time of 1:58.842 minutes at the wheel of the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, finishing just 0.255 seconds behind Porsche¢s Frédéric Makowiecki, who claimed pole position. Werner and his team-mates, Bill Auberlen and Augusto Farfus, will start fourth on the grid in their white BMW Z4 GTLM.
For the crew of the black number 24 car, Lucas Luhr was on duty in qualifying. Setting a time of 1:58.930 minutes he finished sixth in the GTLM class. Luhr will alternate at the wheel of the BMW Z4 GTLM with John Edwards and Jens Klingmann on the 6.02 km Sebring International Raceway.
The race in Florida also marks the highlight of the anniversary celebrations of BMW Motorsport¢s maiden victory in North America. Forty years ago, the legendary BMW 3.0 CSL carrying number 25 claimed the first BMW win on American soil in Sebring. Both current BMW Z4 GTLMs are racing in this year¢s 63rd running of the endurance classic sporting a special livery, which is identical to that of the BMW 3.0 CSLs from 1975.
The 12 Hours of Sebring will go green on Saturday at 10:40hrs local time.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
"We went a little bit quicker than we did last year. Fourth and sixth are good spots to start. The Porsches seem to have a little bit on everybody at this point in qualifying, but it is a long hard race and we are in a good spot. I am generally pleased with where we are, but it really doesn¢t matter where you start this race from. I think the pace is pretty good. We will see what happens tomorrow."
Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
"It was an exciting qualifying. It took quite a long time until the times came in this session, and pretty much everybody did their fast time on the last lap. We were close and we did our best to qualify fourth, which is a good position for the start of the race. We are really happy with what we have now with our package and we are ready and looking forward to the 12-hour race."
Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 6th place):
"It was obviously very close. I think it demonstrated in qualifying we were showing before what we could do, but not everybody was. Obviously the others are a little bit quicker than us by about two and a half tenths, but other than that I think we still need to work a little bit on our car. Again it is going to be a very tight battle here. I am looking forward to that and we shall see what we have got for tomorrow. It is going to be a very hot race."
Missing out on podium in Sebring.
Lucas Luhr, John Edwards and Jens Klingmann finished fourth in the GTLM class for BMW Team RLL in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the second round of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC).
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The three drivers completed a total of 329 laps with the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. The Corvette crew of Antonio García, Jan Magnussen and Ryan Briscoe claimed GTLM victory.
With temperatures of up to 33 degrees Celsius, the endurance classic at the Sebring International Raceway turned out to be a truly hot affair. For most parts of the race, the GTLM field was running closely together, delivering some gripping racing action to the American fans. Following a final full-course yellow with two hours to go, the cars on the lead lap were once again bunched up before entering the decisive phase of the race. With final stint driver Luhr at the wheel, the number 24 car crossed the line in fourth after 12 hours of racing, despite a problem with the power steering in the final stages of the race.
For Dirk Werner, Bill Auberlen and Augusto Farfus the race didn¢t go according to plan with the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM. After five and a half hours, Werner entered the pit lane with a damaged front subframe, running in sixth at that time. The necessary repair work cost the trio more than ten laps, and they dropped to the very back of the GTLM field. Werner, Auberlen and Farfus proved their fighting spirit in the second half of the race, ultimately finishing eighth.
In the GTD class Turner Motorsport raced a BMW Z4 GTD at the Sebring International Raceway. BMW works driver Andy Priaulx, Boris Said, Markus Palttala, the 2014 BMW Sports Trophy winner, and Michael Marsal took the chequered flag in eighth.
Prior to the start of the race, the winning BMW 3.0 CSL from 1975 went out on an honorary lap with Hans-Joachim Stuck at the wheel. Several members of the BMW Motorsport crew from 40 years ago followed him in two BMW M4 Convertibles. Among them were Jochen Neerpasch, the first Managing Director of BMW Motorsport GmbH, and Stuck¢s 1975 team-mate, Brian Redman. In addition, Stuck had the honour of serving as “Grand Marshal” for the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmNv_ZhgN48&feature=em-uploademail
BMW Team RLL gearing up for the next USCC round at Long Beach.
16.04.2015
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18.03.2015 to 21.03.2015, Tudor United Sportscar Championship 2015, Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida, ...
The BMW Team RLL carries the momentum of two fourth-place finishes for the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM car at the 24 Hours of Daytona (US) and the 12 Hours of Sebring (US) and a second-place finish at Daytona (US) for the number 25 machine to the third race of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) on the 18th April. As part of the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend, the race is the shortest of the year at only 100 minutes, and is held on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street course – the site of the very first win for the BMW Z4 GTLM racing programme in 2013.
John Edwards (US) and Lucas Luhr (DE), drivers of the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, are currently second in the GTLM Drivers¢ and Team standings with number 25 drivers Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (US) one point behind in third. BMW stands second in the manufacturer points, ten behind Chevrolet (Corvette), the winners of the two opening rounds.
IMSA announced Balance of Performance changes for the Long Beach event. The BMW cars will lose ten kilograms of weight and be allowed to race with an additional two litres of fuel. Other competitors in the GTLM class also received adjustments.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“All you have to do is look at BMW Team RLL¢s track record at Long Beach to know our expectations. We have had a high degree of success there finishing one-two two years ago and second last year. We could have had a double-podium again last year after qualifying second and third, but the number 56 car had an issue in the race and got caught up in an incident that ended its podium hopes. The number 55 car ran strongly throughout the race to finish second. If there is a track that is made for the BMW Z4 GTLM, it would be Long Beach. The races are always close but we feel pretty good about our chances. Street circuits are a great fit for the BMW Z4.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Long Beach is my home track and an amazing event. I won it two years ago and I plan on winning it again. Sebring didn't go as planned, so it¢s time to get back to the top step of the podium where we belong. All my friends and family will be there, so I would like nothing better than to make them all proud.”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Long Beach is always a very intense race weekend. The big challenge is to get up to speed as fast as you can. The preparation of the cars and the drivers is the key. My team-mate Bill lives on this track, so he can tell me all the secrets. The race is short, so we will push from the first to the last lap.”
John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Long Beach is a spectacle as much as it is a race. It¢s an iconic event that I feel lucky to be a part of. Last year we walked away with a podium finish, but this year we will try to repeat the feat accomplished two years ago, where the two Z4s finished one-two. Lucas and I have had a steady start to the season points-wise, but there¢s nothing like a couple of P4¢s to make us want to stand back up on the podium.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“I am really looking forward to Long Beach. I always like the challenge of a street circuit and Long Beach is one of my favourites. I have won there a few times – which maybe is part of the reason why I like it. The whole atmosphere of the event is great. I think our BMW Z4 GTLM will be strong, but, as we have seen in Daytona and Sebring, the whole GTLM grid is very competitive with some very good drivers. John and I will push hard and try for the best result we can for BMW.”
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BMW Team RLL claims victory at Long Beach.
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Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner, driving the number 25 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTLM, claimed a dramatic class victory in the third round of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) at Long Beach.
The duo completed 76 laps of the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit during the 100 minute race, finishing 2.9 seconds in front of the number 62 Ferrari of Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer.
The victory was the first for BMW Team RLL since a win at Lime Rock Park in 2013 and the 11th since the programme's inception in 2009. The win also moves Auberlen¢s tally of all-time North American sports car victories to 54, second only to Scott Pruett (59).
Auberlen started the race from the pole, but both he and John Edwards, in the number 24 car on the outside of the front row, were passed by the Ferrari on the first lap. Both BMWs held station for the opening stint with Auberlen the first in the class to pit on lap 31. A poorly venting fuel tank and slow fuel fill delayed Werner's departure from the pits after he exchanged with Auberlen. He dropped to fifth place as Lucas Luhr, entering the number 24 car on the next lap, benefited from usual quick team service and took over the second position.
With one hour complete, Werner had made up all the time lost in the pits and had passed for fourth. On lap 45 he moved into third, only 0.6 seconds from the 24 car, still in second place. Werner passed his teammate and set his sights on the Ferrari some eight seconds ahead. On lap 63 the BMW works driver set a new race record (1:18.009 minutes) and two laps later drove past the Ferrari for the lead and the victory.
Ultimately, Edwards and Luhr finished a disappointing fifth after a suspected brake issue slowed Luhr in the closing stages of the race.
The win moves BMW into second place in the GTLM Manufacturers' points standings, five points behind Chevrolet. Auberlen and Werner move to second in Drivers' points. Edwards and Luhr stand fourth.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“It is great to be back in victory lane. Both drivers did a great job, Bill at the beginning, while Dirk was fast at the end and able to chase the Ferrari down. I felt we could win this race even though I knew how tough the competition would be. It is gratifying to actually do it.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“This is a special win as it has been a long time for our team. On top of that it is my home race. Between Dirk and myself we pretty much checked off every box this weekend. We won, we had pole and the lap record in qualifying and Dirk brought it home with the win and a new lap record in the race. You can¢t do much better than that. When it came to the race the extent of my lead was on the pace lap. I wanted to get a really strong jump off the hairpin but (Giancarlo) Fisichella in the Ferrari passed John Edwards in the sister car and then it went by me. I was thinking there was nothing I could do. I then just hunted him down and stayed with him and we were really close. He made no mistakes and I was waiting for one. So then we went off strategy as when he stayed out I came in and we had a little issue in the pits with a long fuelling. We saw our lead go away, but you never give up in racing and Dirk proved that with his stint.”
Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“For me it is a great feeling to not only win with BMW for the first time in this championship since 2013, but for me the last win was five years ago in a car race. I have been waiting for this win and today is just a great day. Everybody in the team deserves this. Last year was a tough year and this year, especially at this track now, the car is really good. Everyone can be proud.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpcuYrHVFFk&feature=em-lbcastemail
FIRST TUDOR CHAMPIONSHIP GTLM TRIUMPH FOR BMW
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 18, 2015) – Joining the race in seventh place, Dirk Werner made a thrilling charge to take the lead in the closing minutes and give BMW its first TUDOR United SportsCar Championship victory in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class in Saturday¢s Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach.
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Bill Auberlen started the winning No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM from the pole, but lost the lead on the opening lap as Giancarlo Fisichella charged from third to first in the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia. The Ferrari added to its lead when Pierre Kaffer took over at the midway point of the 100-minute race – while the BMW fell back due to a miscue during refueling.
“Without a yellow flag, we know it¢s going to be a long day,” Auberlen admitted from the pits.
Without the benefit of a caution period in the 100-minute race on the 1.968-mile street circuit, Werner put his head down. Driving a car carrying the paint scheme of BMW Motorsport¢s first U.S. victory at Sebring in 1975, Werner caught Kaffer on the 68th lap and made the pass for the lead in Turn 9. With the Ferrari¢s tires going away, Werner cruised through the final 11 minutes, winning by 2.911 seconds over Kaffer.
Hopes for a double podium for BMW went away when Lucas Luhr briefly went off course in the No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW started by John Edwards. That allowed Antonio Garcia to take third in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R started by Jan Magnussen. A year ago, the pair gave the new Corvette model its first victory at Long Beach, launching a four-race winning streak.
Fred Makowiecki took fourth in the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 started by Patrick Pilet, followed by the BMW of Luhr and Edwards.
The entire TUDOR Championship event was run under the green flag – including the race, qualifying and Friday¢s two practice sessions.
The Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach will be televised on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, April 19, beginning at 4 p.m. ET.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Fisichella and Risi Competizione rebounded from an incident on the last lap of Friday¢s final practice, only 10 minutes before the beginning of qualifying. The team repaired the car in 17 minutes, with Fisichella managing to qualify third – setting the stage for his opening-lap charge. It was the team¢s sixth podium finish in the last 11 races.
• The No. 62 Risi Competizione team won the race¢s DEKRA Green Challenge Award for the second consecutive event. The DEKRA Green Challenge Award is presented to the most environmentally clean, fast and efficient GTLM competitor at each TUDOR Championship race. The DEKRA Green Challenge award is determined through Green Racing protocols established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International as part of an overarching strategic alliance with IMSA.
• An incident on the opening lap dashed the hopes of two contenders when Oliver Gavin¢s No. 4 Corvette C7.R squeezed the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR of Richard Lietz in Turn 1. Gavin lost a lap and finished seventh with Tommy Milner. The Porsche wasn¢t as lucky. Joerg Bergmeister returned the car to the race 14 laps down and could not make up the deficit, finishing eighth.
• The victory was the first for BMW RLL since winning an American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón race at Lime Rock Park in 2013 (Edwards and Dirk Mueller). It was the 54th career victory but first major triumph for Auberlen since winning for the team at Long Beach in 2013 with co-driver Maxime Martin in the second race of the team¢s debut season.
• The victory unofficially allowed Auberlen and Werner to take over second in the GTLM point standings. The pair trail Daytona and Sebring winners Magnussen and Garcia by 10 points, 103-93. Fisichella and Kaffer move into third with 89 points, followed by Edwards and Luhr with 85 points.
• The next race for the TUDOR Championship will be the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda, on May 3 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
QUOTEBOARD
Bill Auberlen – Driver, No. 25 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTLM
(On the start) “I floored it, but the Ferrari floored it better. We know the Ferrari is fast in a straight line. It was too early in the race to do something foolish. After that, I needed Fisichella – one of the best in the business – to make a mistake, and it didn¢t happen.”
(On the victory) “We were down in the mouth with 25 minutes left, and now we won the race. This is my favorite track. I¢m so happy you can¢t imagine. Winning doesn¢t ever get old. Bobby Rahal is like a rock. He hung in there and Dirk put his head down. He hunted down the Ferrari and made a beautiful pass.”
Dirk Werner – Driver, No. 25 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTLM
“After two or three laps, my tires came in. I knew the car was really fast. Catching the other cars was good fun. I found I could run down the Ferrari to a certain distance. Then he had a problem. I felt our car was better, so I waited for the right corner to set him up. The last couple of laps I enjoyed a lot. I knew how much it meant for the team, and I hadn¢t won in five years (1000 km of Zhuhai in 2010).”
Giancarlo Fisichella – Driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia
“I was slightly quicker than them at the start/finish, so it was my chance to get by them. I braked later than them (in Turn 1) and I was able to pass them.”
Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach
Qualifying
http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/TUDOR%20Championship%20Long%20Beach%20Qualifying.p df
Race
http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/TUDOR%20Championship%20Long%20Beach%20Race%20Unoff icial.pdf
BMW Team RLL claims victory at Long Beach – Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner win from pole.
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19.04.2015 17.04.2015 and 18.04.2015, Tudor United Sportscar Championship 2015, Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach, Long ...
Munich (DE), 19th April 2015. Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE), driving the number 25 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTLM, claimed a dramatic class victory in the third round of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) at Long Beach (US). The duo completed 76 laps of the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit during the 100 minute race, finishing 2.9 seconds in front of the number 62 Ferrari of Giancarlo Fisichella (IT) and Pierre Kaffer (DE).
The victory was the first for BMW Team RLL since a win at Lime Rock Park (US) in 2013 and the 11th since the programme's inception in 2009. The win also moves Auberlen¢s tally of all-time North American sports car victories to 54, second only to Scott Pruett (US, 59).
Auberlen started the race from the pole, but both he and John Edwards (US), in the number 24 car on the outside of the front row, were passed by the Ferrari on the first lap. Both BMWs held station for the opening stint with Auberlen the first in the class to pit on lap 31. A poorly venting fuel tank and slow fuel fill delayed Werner's departure from the pits after he exchanged with Auberlen. He dropped to fifth place as Lucas Luhr (DE), entering the number 24 car on the next lap, benefited from usual quick team service and took over the second position.
With one hour complete, Werner had made up all the time lost in the pits and had passed for fourth. On lap 45 he moved into third, only 0.6 seconds from the 24 car, still in second place. Werner passed his teammate and set his sights on the Ferrari some eight seconds ahead. On lap 63 the BMW works driver set a new race record (1:18.009 minutes) and two laps later drove past the Ferrari for the lead and the victory.
Ultimately, Edwards and Luhr finished a disappointing fifth after a suspected brake issue slowed Luhr in the closing stages of the race.
The win moves BMW into second place in the GTLM Manufacturers' points standings, five points behind Chevrolet. Auberlen and Werner move to second in Drivers' points. Edwards and Luhr stand fourth.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“It is great to be back in victory lane. Both drivers did a great job, Bill at the beginning, while Dirk was fast at the end and able to chase the Ferrari down. I felt we could win this race even though I knew how tough the competition would be. It is gratifying to actually do it.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“This is a special win as it has been a long time for our team. On top of that it is my home race. Between Dirk and myself we pretty much checked off every box this weekend. We won, we had pole and the lap record in qualifying and Dirk brought it home with the win and a new lap record in the race. You can¢t do much better than that. When it came to the race the extent of my lead was on the pace lap. I wanted to get a really strong jump off the hairpin but (Giancarlo) Fisichella in the Ferrari passed John Edwards in the sister car and then it went by me. I was thinking there was nothing I could do. I then just hunted him down and stayed with him and we were really close. He made no mistakes and I was waiting for one. So then we went off strategy as when he stayed out I came in and we had a little issue in the pits with a long fuelling. We saw our lead go away, but you never give up in racing and Dirk proved that with his stint.”
Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“For me it is a great feeling to not only win with BMW for the first time in this championship since 2013, but for me the last win was five years ago in a car race. I have been waiting for this win and today is just a great day. Everybody in the team deserves this. Last year was a tough year and this year, especially at this track now, the car is really good. Everyone can be proud.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 5th place):
“It was a bit of a disappointing day for the black car. I feel as we started on the front row we at least wanted the same result at the finish. The Ferrari made it interesting for my stint after dragging us down to turn one. Unfortunately Lucas had a problem at the end, but I think that is why everyone enters two cars - we had two shots. Congratulations to the 25 car! It is a great day for BMW to race the Z4 back to victory lane.”
Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 5th place):
“First of all it is obviously a good day for BMW. The BMW Z4 GTLM has won a race in 2015, so that is good and well done to Bill and Dirk for that. I struggled, especially at the end, and I nearly hit the wall twice. I don¢t know exactly what happened as we have to investigate it. It is too early now to say after the race what happened, but it is like this in racing sometimes and it is just not your day. For our car, or for me personally, it was not so good today, but next time things can get better. The most important thing is that a BMW is on top.”
The fourth round of the United SportsCar Championship will be held at Laguna Seca (US) on 3rd May 2015.
BMW Team RLL aims for more success at Laguna Seca.
Following a sweet victory in the streets of Long Beach two weeks ago, BMW Team RLL will look for another success as the 2015 United SportsCar Championship remains in California for the “Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix”, at Laguna Seca.
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The victory at Long Beach by Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner in the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, has moved BMW and the Auberlen/Werner duo to second place in both Manufacturers¢ and Drivers¢ points standings. Teammates John Edwards and Lucas Luhr, who share the number 24 car, stand fourth in Drivers¢ points with three top-five finishes in the first three rounds of the season.
Laguna Seca has an important place in BMW racing history. It was the site of BMW Motorsport¢s second victory in 1975, the first year of IMSA competition for the brand in the US as well as the start of BMW of North America. Hans-Joachim Stuck finished second in the first 100-mile heat race and won the second, driving the now iconic BMW 3.0 CSL. BMW Team RLL has finished second at Laguna Seca twice (2011, 2014) and third place twice (2012, 2013).
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“Laguna Seca has always presented a challenge for us. We¢ve been close to winning the race on a couple of occasions. We¢ve qualified reasonably well, we have had some podiums but never a win. We are in a little better situation with the car this year than last, so that could help us. We have a few things we need to work on but, all in all, I think we will be in the hunt. When you are in a position to be on the podium every year, it doesn't take much to make that final step to the top and we are going to work hard to achieve that.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Here we come Laguna Seca! We¢re coming off two podiums out of three races, including the victory in Long Beach, so the objective is to keep the momentum and podium finishes coming. We¢re second in the points and very close to the leaders. The battle is heating up!”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Laguna Seca is a track I love to drive. It has a good flow and the atmosphere is just great. To reduce the gap to P1 in the points we need to have a strong result. Our car seems to be in good shape and the whole team has a great spirit right now. Bill and I will keep pushing!”
John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Monterey is one of my favourite places in the country, and that would hold true regardless of whether the racetrack was there or not! The track itself though is very well-known, and I¢ve been fortunate to have plenty of success there, including my first GTE podium with BMW Team RLL in 2013. After a steady, but not stellar start to the season, I¢m hoping that Lucas and I can get back on the podium. The twisty track at Laguna should suit our BMW Z4 GTLM, so I think we have a good shot this weekend.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“First, I have to say it was great for BMW Team RLL to get the first win of the year in Long Beach. My compliments to Bill and Dirk. They were on fire. We had good pace in our car and, if we had not had the problem with the brakes, it would have been great to get a BMW one-two finish. Laguna Seca is one of my favourite tracks in America and it is always a challenge, not just the Corkscrew that everyone talks about, but the entire circuit is actually very technical, which I like. John and I will work hard and for sure we aim to have a good result, but with how close GTLM is this year until we are on track it is tough to say how our weekend will be.”
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BMW Team RLL finish 1-2 at Laguna Seca – Lucas Luhr and John Edwards take the win.
04.05.2015
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01.05.2015 to 03.05.2015, Tudor United Sportscar Championship 2015, Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Powered by Mazda, ...
Munich (DE), 4th May 2015. John Edwards (US) and Lucas Luhr (DE) drove the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM to victory in Sunday¢s United SportsCar Championship (USCC) race at Laguna Seca (US). The duo completed 108 laps of the 2.238-mile circuit, finishing 20.4 seconds ahead of team-mates Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE) in the number 25 car. This marks the first win for BMW Team RLL at Laguna Seca, the first for Edwards and Luhr sharing a car, as well as the first for Luhr as a BMW driver.
This victory – the second for the team this season after Long Beach (US) two weeks ago – comes almost exactly 40 years to the day after Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE) drove a BMW 3.0 CSL to a win here in 1975, which was also the second win of the season for Stuck and BMW Motorsport. The BMW Z4 GTLM cars are competing this season in a similar livery to that of the BMW 3.0 CSL to commemorate that very first season of competition for BMW Motorsport in North America.
Unofficially, the win moves BMW into first place in the GTLM Manufacturers¢ points standings. Auberlen and Werner remain second in the Drivers¢ points while Edwards and Luhr jump from fourth to third.
Werner and Luhr started the race from first and second on the GTLM grid. Luhr was able to get by Werner in the opening laps and the team-mates raced in first and second for the first 40 minutes of the event. At the first pit stop a crowded pit lane delayed both BMWs and Edwards, who was then in the number 24 car, dropped to second and Werner to third. With one hour complete, Edwards had regained the lead, but Werner was now in fourth spot. While Edwards stayed in the car to the chequered flag, Auberlen got into the number 25 car, which was by then back up to second, at the final stop on lap 64.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“It was a good day. I think what made the big difference early on was John had a great restart and got ahead. He was able to use traffic and really got a good gap to the field because of that. Then he just maintained that. Bill and Dirk did a great job coming through. Good pit stops – and I think our stops were better than everybody else¢s today and that gave us some breathing room. The car was very reliable, as always.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“It is nice to get to the top step of the podium after our team-mates did it at the last race. It has been a really good weekend for BMW, but these don¢t come easy. It has been over two years since I had a win. Today we had a lot of traffic and I was able to get through it a bit better than the rest and that is what gave me an advantage. I just kind of managed the pace from there. I don¢t think I really did too many quicker laps than the rest of the field except that I got through the traffic, so that was definitely the key. After two years it is a relief to finally be back on the top step.”
Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 1st place):
“It is very special for me. A special day. It is my first win as a BMW works driver, so that is very, very sweet and I think I am going to remember it for a long time. I think the key for us was we were the only car that started on the soft tyres and that was maybe a little bit of a risk. Then the next key was that in traffic I was able to go by Dirk and was able to pull a little gap and that gave us a bit of an advantage over the competitors. But then we changed and we came out behind the Ferrari when we blocked ourselves a little bit in the pits. John did a great job to get by him again. Then it was our race to control and he did an awesome job to control the pace and also to manage the traffic well. He still gave me some grey hairs at some of the overtaking moves, but he did really well and I am happy. It is a one-two for BMW and for BMW Team RLL, so it is a very good day here in beautiful California.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“Apparently the West Coast market is a good one for BMW. It is good for us, we came here, we did really well in Long Beach and won, and now we have decided let¢s switch it up and the black car wins. You cannot be happier for this team. The team is amazing. I came into the pits with just barely a gap, it was tooth and nail with the Porsche and the Ferrari and our pit stop gave me a gap that I could baby those Michelins, because we were very hard on our tyres today. I just kept them under me. They stayed there the whole time just enough to make it to the end to finish second. This moves our team car up in the points and this is about as good as it is going to get. I just lucky we had that gap because if I had to fight at the end it would have been tough, but I was up for the challenge. The car was as good as the car could be.”
Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“For the team this is the perfect day and we can be really happy because we just got the optimum out of our package and that is how you win races. To come in one-two is a great result for BMW and the whole team. For us in the manufacturers¢ championship it now looks good, and for the two cars it looks a lot better again in the drivers¢ championship. But it is only four races into the season. We have to focus on the next races, as there are still six to go. Just being able to turn around the kind of bad luck we had in the first two races is great. The team worked well, the car was fast so I am very happy.”
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BMW Team RLL restarts USCC season.
Following an eight week break in the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) action for teams participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, BMW Team RLL will restart its season at Watkins Glen International, in Watkins Glen, NY, on 28th June with the Sahlen¢s Six Hours of the Glen.
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Watkins Glen International this weekend will also be the site of the North American public reveal of the new BMW M6 GT3 and BMW M235i Racing cars. The BMW M6 GT3 is BMW Motorsport's replacement for the BMW Z4 GT3 that has seen so much professional and privateer success worldwide in recent years. The BMW M6 GT3 is currently in the testing phase and is expected to make its racing debut in 2016. The BMW M235i Racing is planned to be made available to North American enthusiasts next year. Both cars will be on display at the BMWUSA Classic display along with the number 25 BMW 3.0 CSL that gave BMW its first motorsport victory at Sebring in 1975 and the BMW of North America sponsored McLaren F1 GTR that raced at Le Mans in 1996.
With two wins (Long Beach-No. 25; Laguna Seca-No. 24) and an additional two runner-up finishes (Daytona-No. 25, Laguna Seca-No.25) in the first four races of the ten-event season, BMW Team RLL sits at the top of the GTLM class Manufacturer points standings, with two more points than Chevrolet. The team stands second (No. 25) and third (No. 24) in Team points with the pairings of Bill Auberlen/Dirk Werner and John Edwards/Lucas Luhr second and third in the Driver points respectively.
The team shoehorned in a productive two-day test on 20th and 21st May at Watkins Glen just days before many of the crew joined the RLL IndyCar team for the Indianapolis 500. Auberlen, Edwards and Luhr attended the test. More than 200 laps were run on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn circuit that hosted the United States Grand Prix from 1961 to 1980.
Last year, Andy Priaulx qualified the number 55 car on the class pole for the six-hour contest, but the team struggled with pace over the longer stints in the race – finishing sixth and tenth.
BMW Team RLL survives to finish third.
Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner drove the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM to a third place finish in a very wet “Six Hours of the Glen” on Sunday.
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The duo completed 157 laps of the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Watkins Glen International circuit with the race slowed by eight caution periods and red flagged for 14 minutes during the worst downpour. The race ended behind the BMW M4 Safety Car during the last yellow flag with the GTLM victory going to the Porsche of Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers.
The BMW duo¢s third podium finish of the season, including a win at Long Beach, moves Auberlen and Werner to the top of the GTLM driver points standings, and keeps BMW at the top of the GTLM manufacturer points standings.
The day ended in disappointment for the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM of John Edwards and Lucas Luhr as Edwards was caught out by the slick conditions on lap 77, spinning into the tyre wall entering the heading into the “boot” section and was retired from the race.
The race started with Auberlen in the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM and Edwards in the number 24 car from the second and third class grid positions, which were decided on current championship positions after qualifying was cancelled due to heavy rain. Auberlen spun on the opening lap due to the rainy conditions and fell to the rear of the class. In the opening stint Edwards moved into the lead on lap 36 and Auberlen recovered to fourth. Both pitted ten laps later for Luhr and Werner to take over. Edwards was back in the umber 24 on lap 76, but went off on the next lap and the car was retired.
By mid-race the rain was in control of the race and with two hours to go the entire field was racing on wet tyres. As the conditions deteriorated the race was red flagged for 14 minutes with one-hour-and-28-minutes remaining. Auberlen was in the car for the final laps, and with 30 minutes to go he had moved into second place. He survived the difficult final minutes as the rain poured down causing the track to be extremely slick, affecting the car's electronics and causing the engine to shut off intermittently. He lost second on lap 151 and was unable to get the position back as the race ended under a full course yellow.
BMW Team RLL kicks off second half of the USCC season in Canada.
09.07.2015
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Munich (DE), 9th July 2015. BMW Team RLL has raced to the top of all the GTLM class points standings as the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) begins the second half of the ten-race 2015 season at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) in Bowmanville (CA) on the 12th July.
After a winless 2014 season, the first half of 2015 has seen both BMW Z4 GTLMs take a victory. Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE) won on the streets of Long Beach (US) in the number. 25 car and John Edwards (US) and Lucas Luhr (DE) took the victory at Laguna Seca (US) in the number 24 machine. With podium finishes in every event except the 12 Hours of Sebring (US), Auberlen and Werner are tied for the lead in the driver points standings. Edwards and Luhr stand in a tie for second place. The number 25 and 24 cars are second and third in the team points standings respectively. Most importantly, BMW holds a four point lead in the manufacturer points standings.
BMW Team RLL has never reached the top of the podium at CTMP, finishing fourth and sixth last year. Beginning with this race, the next four events will be two-hours-and-forty-minutes in length before the season ending 10-hour Petit Le Mans.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“CTMP has always been a problematic race for us. We had a really good chance to win there a few years ago, and then got penalised for avoidable contact. We have always been able to qualify well, but when it comes to the race we have been at a disadvantage on that long uphill straight where you need the top speed. But this year I think we are a bit more competitive in that area. It is going to be tough, like they all are, but I am optimistic this year.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“What amazes me is we have been on the podium in four out of five races and we are only tied for first. That gives you an idea of how unbelievably competitive the GTLM class is. It¢s the best of the best competing at the highest levels of sports car racing. Dirk (Werner) and I will just keep doing what we¢ve been doing and that should get us to the front of the pack. We have all the tools to win it this year.”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“It is nice to be racing again just two weeks after our podium in Watkins Glen. Bill and I are in a good rhythm now and, together with the whole team, we want to keep pushing. The last time I drove at Mosport was together with Bill in 2011, so I need to work on getting up to speed quickly. I am sure Bill will coach me. The track is very special with its ultra fast corners and can be quite a big challenge, but that's what we are looking for.”
John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“After a disappointing end to a promising day at the Six Hour, I¢m ready to bounce back at Mosport. Our car has been quick the past few events and the high speed nature of the Mosport layout should once again suit the BMW Z4 GTLM. I¢m confident we¢ll be contending for the win. Although Lucas and I fell back in the championship, we are far from being out of it, especially as we¢ve only reached the halfway point in the season.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
"I love racing at Mosport. It is a very quick track. Turns one and two are very cool. After some good runs in the past races I think our BMW Z4 GTLMs should be very good there as well, despite the fact that we are still a little bit slower on the straights then our competitors.”
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BMW Team RLL finishes second and fourth at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
John Edwards and Lucas Luhr drove the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM to a second in Sunday¢s two-hour-and-forty-minute sixth round of the United SportsCar Championship at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
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The duo took the chequered flag 15.5 seconds behind the winning Porsche of Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet, completing 122 laps of the 2.4-mile, ten-turn classic Canadian circuit during the contest.
Team-mates Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner finished fourth in the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, losing a podium finish on the last lap of the race as Edwards in the sister car and a Corvette were able to get by the Californian as he struggled with the car¢s balance.
Another successful weekend maintained BMW¢s lead in the Manufacturer points standings. Auberlen and Werner drop to second in the driver points, while Edwards and Luhr remain in third. The number 24 car was awarded the DEKRA Green Challenge trophy as the most environmentally clean, fast and efficient GTLM competitor of the race.
The first round of pit stops occurred on lap 33 under the only caution period of the race. Werner pitted from second place and stayed in the number 25 car for a second stint. The crew fueled and changed the Michelin tyres quickly, almost beating the lead Porsche out of the pits. Luhr handed the number 24 over to Edwards, but the slightest of delays in release caused by a twisted shoulder harness lost the car two positions.
Werner continued to hound the leader as Edwards worked to regain the positions lost during the pit stop. On lap 63 he was successful, passing two competitors and placing the number 24 machine back into third place. As the clock wound down to show less than one hour to the end of the race Edwards was the first GTLM class car to make a second stop on lap 76. Werner followed the leader into the pits one lap later, handing over the number 25 machine to Auberlen. After the rest of the field cycled through their second stops Auberlen held second place, five seconds behind the leader. Edwards, followed in thirdten seconds back.
Everything remained as it was until Edwards was able to pass Auberlen on the penultimate lap to secure the first podium finish for the crew of number 24 since a win at Laguna Seca. The number 3 Corvette passed the number 25 car on the white flag lap to drop Auberlen to fourth.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“We have always struggled at this race. Dirk did a great job and really had a good second. The number 911 Porsche was just in a class of its own, that was really clear. It was all going according to plan, but then the plan unravelled at the end. John and Lucas did a great job to end up P2. It will be interesting to see what happened with the number 25 car, as we had ten seconds in hand with ten laps to go and lost it all. We earned some great points this weekend to stay ahead of Corvette in the manufacturer championship. This is the best result we have had here and is definitely a big improvement over where we have been in the past.”
John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“We made it hard on ourselves with the pit stop, as when I got into the car the belt folded through the adjuster and I couldn¢t tighten it. By the new rules, we have to tighten them part way before we leave, so I got held up with that. Then I had to work really hard to get around the Falken Porsche and the Ferrari, but I tried to stay patient because we knew tyre wear was going to be an issue. Luckily I had it in my mind enough that I could make them last to the end of my first stint. Once we put the new tyres on at our last pit stop the car was fantastic and I was running by myself. I think after the past few years second is a great result at Mosport for sure.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 2nd place):
“It was good starting P3 and coming in P2. Overall I think it is quite a good team result. If the two guys at the end would have been a little bit nicer to each other both could have stayed in front of the Corvette, which I think would have been an even better team result. If you see the way we started the weekend and now have finished second I will take that. Let¢s bring on the next one. Everybody is focused and we all have the same goals, which are win the manufacturer and team championships, and if it happens to be a driver championship as well, whoever it is, then it is an awesome result. We cannot lose our focus, that is what we have to keep in mind and that is what is the most important thing.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“Up until the end it was a picture perfect race for us. We didn¢t have the pace of the Porsche, but we ran a solid second. Dirk did a fantastic job in qualifying and the first stint, and then I got into the car and we were fine, fine, fine until about the last 15 laps. I felt the fronts start to go, so I tried to baby it, and tried to stay ahead. Then within the last seven laps I was a sitting duck as the set-up went away.”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“To lose the podium on the last couple of laps is not nice, but Bill didn¢t have anything left to fight with. This track has a high tyre degradation, we knew that, so we tried to make them last, but in the end it just didn¢t work out for us. It is better to get a fourth place after a difficult race than come in worse. We lost two points in the driver standings to the Corvette, but that is no drama as we are still in a good championship position. We have to swallow that and am now looking forward to the next race.”
TIGHT GTLM POINTS BATTLE BETWEEN CORVETTE, BMW ENTERING CONTINENTAL TIRE ROAD RACE SHOWCASE AT ROAD AMERICA
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 4, 2015) – Living up to its reputation as the best GT racing on the planet, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) class features a close battle for the championship lead between Corvette and BMW teams, separated by only two points entering Sunday¢s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America.
Corvette Racing¢s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen hold a slim advantage over BMW Team RLL¢s Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner entering Round 9, which features all four TUDOR Championship classes in a two-hour, 40-minute race at the historic 14-turn, 4.048-mile venue. The race will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
Garcia and Magnussen opened the year with victories in the endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R; they currently lead Auberlen and Werner – winners at Long Beach in addition to two runner-up finishes in the No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM – by a 188-186 tally with four races remaining.
Both teams field competitive second entries. Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin return in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R they drove to the GTE Pro class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June; John Edwards and Lucas Luhr co-drive the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca-winning No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM.
Ferrari is the defending GTLM winner at Road America, with Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer returning in the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia they piloted to consecutive victories in 2014.
“I have such a good memory of this race last year at Road America,” said Fisichella, who competed in 229 Formula One Grands Prix before transitioning into sports car racing. “We had a good car and we thought we could fight for a podium finish but we actually did not expect to win. We pitted in fifth place and came out in first and Pierre was able to keep that position right to the end of the race. We would all like to have a repeat and be back on the podium at Road America this year.”
Porsche teams won the two most recent GTLM races. Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet triumphed at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR. Bryan Sellers and Wolf Henzler won the Sahlen¢s Six Hours of The Glen in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR. Additionally, Earl Bamber joins Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 912 Porsche North America entry.
TRG-AMR Halves Paul Miller Racing¢s GTD Lead To Five Points
An incident while leading the recent race at Lime Rock Park cut Paul Miller Racing¢s lead from 10 to five points in GT Daytona (GTD), 171-166. Christopher Haase had taken over the No. 48 Castrol EDGE Audi R8 LMS from TOTAL Pole Award winner Dion von Moltke shortly before the car was sidelined from the event, resulting in a 10th-place finish.
That allowed Christina Nielsen to take over second place in the standings with a third-place finish at Lime Rock. It was her third podium of the season in the No. 007 TRG-AMR Royal Purple/Orion Energy/LaSalle Solutions/PassTime USA Aston Martin Vantage now co-driven by 2014 GTLM champion Kuno Wittmer.
Two other teams are also within 10 points of the lead.
Leh Keen and Cooper MacNeil have scored 164 points in Alex Job Racing¢s No. 22 WeatherTech Porsche 911 GT America, three more than Scuderia Corsa No. 63 Robert Graham/Royal Purple Ferrari 458 Italia drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell.
Turner Motorsport won the GTD class at Lime Rock with Michael Marsal joined by substitute driver Dane Cameron in the No. 97 Alvarez & Marsal/IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4. A year ago, Cameron and Markus Palttala took class honors at Road America. Palttala returns to the team this weekend.
Other Porsche contenders include the two-time winning No. 23 Team Seattle/Alex Job Racing Heart of Racing Porsche 911 GT America of Ian James and Mario Farnbacher; Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca winners Patrick Lindsey and Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche; and the No. 44 Magnus Racing Flex-Box Porsche of John Potter and Andy Lally.
The No. 33 Riley Motorsports ViperExchange.com Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R of Jeroen Bleekemolen and Rolex 24 At Daytona class winner Ben Keating is coming off its best finish of the season, second at Lime Rock. Another contender is Compass360 Racing¢s No. 76 AERO Advance Paint Technology/Children¢s Tumor Foundation Audi R8 LMS, which finished eighth in its debut at Lime Rock Park, piloted by co-drivers Ray Mason and Pierre Kleinubing.
TUDOR Championship practice opens at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, with qualifying streamed live on IMSA.com and the IMSA mobile app beginning at 4:35 p.m. ET.
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/tight-gtlm-points-battle-between-corvette-bmw-entering-continental-tire-road-race-showcase#sthash.LtSiU82h.dpuf
High noon in Texas.
The Circuit Of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas, will host the penultimate round of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship (USCC).
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BMW Team RLL recently completed a two-day test with both BMW Z4 GTLM racing cars at the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit with drivers Bill Auberlen, Dirk Werner and John Edwards in attendance. Lucas Luhr was participating at the Goodwood Revival, driving a BMW Group Classic BMW 1800 TiSA. BMW¢s best finish at COTA is a third-place finish for Edwards and Dirk Müller in 2013.
Auberlen and Werner are third in the driver points standings, eight points in arrears of Patrick Pilet. Seven points further back, Edwards and Luhr stand tied in fourth. The number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM and the number 24 sister car are third and fourth in the team points standings respectively. BMW stands second in the manufacturer points, eight points behind Porsche and six points in front of Chevrolet (Corvette).
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“It¢s going to be a tough weekend for sure. In past years we have qualified reasonably well there, but COTA is a very fast circuit and has not really been to our liking in terms of our competitiveness on the long straights. And we are struggling with that again compared to the Porsche and Ferrari.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“We still have a chance at the championship, but we need to continue to improve. Our test at COTA went well and I¢m confident we¢re on the right track for the push at the end of the season.”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Certainly we need to get back on the podium if we hope to continue the chase for the championship. The test went well with me turning my first laps on the COTA circuit. It is a very technical track and I look forward to the race.”
John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“I¢m excited to come back to COTA. My first race here with BMW proved to be a hard fight, but Dirk (Müller) and I finished third after starting at the back of the field. Lucas (Luhr) and I have lost a bit of ground in the last few races this season, but no one has given in. The test went well with a lot of miles driven in very hot conditions. We¢ve made progress and I believe we¢ll show more competitiveness.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“COTA is a very cool, modern track. We need a very strong result with both cars to stay in the hunt for the championship and I know everybody is pushing hard for that.”
BMW CAPTURES LONE STAR LE MANS GTLM VICTORY
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BMW Team RLL drivers Dirk Werner and Bill Auberlen earned their second GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory of the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season in Saturday¢s Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas. The team¢s first victory of the season came at the Grand Prix of Long Beach in April.
The No. 25 BMW team is now unofficially second in the GTLM standings, just three points behind leader Patrick Pilet in thee No. 911 Porsche North America heading into the season-ending Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta in two weeks.
Late in the race, the No. 911 and No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSRs looked as though they were on their way to their third consecutive 1-2 finish, but were forced to pit with three minutes remaining to refuel. Both cars were overtaken by Werner and Ferrari driver Giancarlo Fisichella. Nick Tandy was able to still place the No. 911 Porsche on the podium, finishing third with Pilet.
The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari of Pierre Kaffer and co-driver Fisichella earned their third consecutive GTLM podium with today¢s second-place finish. The team had two consecutive third-place finishes from the two most recent events, VIRginia International Raceway and Road America.
NOTES
- BMW¢s win today in GT Le Mans snapped a streak of four consecutive wins for Porsche – the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche at Watkins Glen and three consecutive victory from the No. 911 Porsche at Candian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America and VIRginia International Raceway.
- The DEKRA Green Challenge Award winner was the No. 24 BMW Team RLL IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM. The award is presented each race to the most environmentally clean, fast and efficient GTLM competitor. The award is determined through Green Racing protocols established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International.
QUOTES
Dirk Werner – No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM
“On one hand, we had to make up ground and overtake the others, but we also had to save fuel. That made in the end, our race. We could drive two more laps than the Porsches. We did a lot of saving fuel. That was just great work by the team. I could overtake a few guys, but then the last few spots the team did for us [with strategy] we are getting close in the championship, I think that¢s where we belong, and its great to go into the last race for a fight. That¢s how it should be.”
Bill Auberlen – No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM
“The win is amazing. I¢ve won here a couple of times and it just keeps getting better and better. This came from the command center in our team, Bobby Rahal, Bruno Capri and Jeff (Schaffner). Coming out of the last stop they knew we were going to be tight on fuel. They leaned him out some more and pretty soon, we were on a pace-car map. I was like, “can we even race on this thing?” Then he was making it go. It was a hot day, it was a really great day. We are very close in the championship, and this is what we wanted.”
Source:
IMSA
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/auberlen-werner-victorious-circuit-americas#sthash.pVIv59jB.dpuf
Circuit of the Americas / 3.4 miles
Lone Star Le Mans
TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
September 16 - 19, 2015 / Austin, Texas
Qualifying (http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/2015_TUDORChampionship_COTA_Qualifying.pdf)
Race (http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/2015_TUDORChampionship_COTA_Unofficial.pdf)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hjKKz8NH7k&feature=em-uploademail
Auberlen and Werner win in Austin for BMW.
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BMW Team RLL survived a very hot and humid afternoon at Circuit of the Americas to finish first and seventh in the penultimate round of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship. The third victory for the team this season moves BMW to second place in GTLM Manufacturer points standings.
Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner took the victory in the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM for the duo¢s second win of the season. They completed 72 laps of the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit during the race, finishing 1.993 seconds ahead of the number 62 Ferrari. The balance of the race saw the number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM race as high as a solid third, but the win was in large part due to excellent BMW Team RLL strategy and management as Werner had exactly the amount of fuel necessary to win. In the closing minutes of the race both of the Porsches, which had led the field for almost every lap, had to pit from the first two positions for fuel. Auberlen and Werner now stand second in the GTLM driver points standings, only three behind the leader Patrick Pilet.
John Edwards and Lucas Luhr had a disappointing day, finishing seventh in the number 24 car after a late race puncture due to debris on the track forced the car into the pits nine laps from the chequered flag. Edwards and Luhr stand fifth in GTLM driver points.
BMW Team RLL is now firmly back in the championship chase and the season-ending 1000-mile Petit Le Mans on 3rd October will now settle all GTLM class titles.
Fourth and sixth in the rain of Road Atlanta.
The countdown to the nail-biting finale of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship at Road Atlanta is on. In qualifying for the final race of the season, the classic Petit Le Mans, BMW Team RLL secured promising grid positions.
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In difficult conditions with heavy rain and a wet track, Lucas Luhr qualified fourth at the wheel of the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. The German clocked a personal best time of 1:31.763 minutes and was 1.689 seconds slower than Porsche¢s Earl Bamber on the GTLM pole position. In Saturday¢s race Luhr will share driving duties with John Edwards and Jens Klingmann.
The second BMW Z4 GTLM, driven by Bill Auberlen, recorded a lap time of 1:33.680 minutes in the 15-minute qualifying session, finishing sixth in the GTLM category. In the ten-hour race Auberlen will alternate at the wheel of car number 25 with Dirk Werner and Augusto Farfus. Following an accident involving Bamber, the session had to be red-flagged.
The 2015 Petit Le Mans will be the deciding event in the fight for the United SportsCar Championship GTLM titles. Werner and Auberlen are trailing championship leader, Patrick Pilet (Porsche), by just three points in the drivers¢ standings. The same points gap separates BMW from the leaders in the team and manufacturers¢ classifications.
After the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on Saturday, BMW fans already had reason to celebrate at Road Atlanta: Ashley Freiberg and BMW Motorsport Junior Trent Hindman claimed their first victory of the season in the number 46 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3. After 77 action-packed laps and several yellows on a wet track, Hindman crossed the line with a 1.194-second lead over the second-placed car.
Petit Le Mans will go green on Saturday at 11:10hrs local time. The weather forecast predicts difficult conditions with heavy rainfall.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“I was a pleased with Lucas¢s qualifying, as he was quite close to the Porsches and kept it on the track. I think qualifying is important, but not to the point where you risk not making the race by damaging the car. Bill had some bad luck as he was on a much better lap, but there was a red just as he was about to go across the start/finish line and so that time was not accepted. But I was pretty pleased with the performance of both cars. Today is very wet and it is going to be a long arduous day tomorrow if it is going to be like this.”
Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):
“We were planning on going more towards the end, so that hurt us a little bit now with a car going off, as I think our car had more potential. I am pretty happy with our car and our performance here in the wet. Tomorrow is going to be about staying out of trouble and that is not so easy. I am confident we have a good package for tomorrow.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 6th place):
“They were pretty sketchy and pretty bad conditions. It was very, very slippery going down the Esses, so it was just a matter of time before somebody was going to wreck, and I didn¢t want it to be me. It is a ten-hour race and I went for the side of caution or I was going to do it over quite a number of laps, but then the session was red flagged when the number 912 had an accident. I think we are fine for the race.”
BMW narrowly misses title in water fight.
The 2015 United SportsCar Championship (USCC) came to an early end at Road Atlanta.
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At Petit Le Mans, which was called off two hours short of its scheduled ten hours due to bad weather conditions, John Edwards, Lucas Luhr and Jens Klingmann finished second in the GTLM class with the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. It was also P2 in the overall classification for the BMW trio. Car number 25, driven by Bill Auberlen, Dirk Werner and Augusto Farfus, came fourth in the GTLM category. Porsche¢s Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz secured victory at Road Atlanta. For the third time this season, the number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM won the DEKRA Green Challenge Award.
This meant that the BMW drivers narrowly missed out on the drivers¢, team and manufacturer titles. Werner and Auberlen had been just three points behind the leaders going into the race. By winning at Petit Le Mans, Pilet won the 2015 drivers¢ title, Werner/Auberlen finished second with 305 points – ten points behind the Frenchman. Edwards and Luhr concluded the season in fifth overall with 291 points. BMW Team RLL and BMW also finished second behind Porsche in the team and manufacturer classifications.
The iconic Petit Le Mans turned into the predicted water fight: When the race got underway at 11:10hrs local time, the track was already extremely wet due to the heavy rain. This made for tricky conditions. Several accidents caused full-course yellows, in which the USCC field was neutralised. Despite the terrible conditions, the BMW Team RLL drivers put in great performances without any mistakes, keeping their BMW Z4 GTLMs on track even in the heaviest periods of rain. Five hours and 22 minutes into the USCC season finale, however, the red flag was brought out due to bad track conditions. Another weather system bringing even heavier rain was visible on the radar, moving straight in the direction of Road Atlanta. After a one-hour break, the race was re-started. However, with darkness setting in, it was ultimately stopped for safety reasons at 19:01hrs local time – and the season came to an early end.
The season finale at Road Atlanta also marked the final race appearance of the BMW Z4 GTLM in America. In 2013 the car celebrated its debut in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and also proved to be a winner in the USCC. In total, BMW Team RLL scored eight pole positions, five wins – with three of them coming in the 2015 season at Long Beach, Laguna Seca and Austin – and 16 further podiums with this car. In 2016 the BMW Z4 GTLM is planned to be succeeded by the newly developed BMW M6 GTLM.
Next year there will be a total of 11 GTLM races in the series which will now be known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The season will kick off in Daytona on 30th/31st January 2016.
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