BMW TEAM PTG M3s FINISH 4th AND 5th AND MID-OHIO
Lexington, Ohio - May 21, 2006... Both BMW Team PTG M3s delivered top-five GT2
finishes in today's American Le Mans at Mid-Ohio as the team bounced back from
two disappointing results in the two opening races of the series. Bill Auberlen
and Joey Hand, driving the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 finished fourth, completing
109 laps of the 2.2.5-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the
two-hour-and-forty-five minute Round 3 race. Justin Marks and Bryan Sellers
finished fifth, two laps behind their teammates, in the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3.
Deciding to change tire compounds after yesterday's qualifying session, the two
BMW Team PTG M3s started at the rear of the nine car GT2 field. After the green
flag waved, Bill Auberlen, in the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3, and Justin Marks, in
the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3, moved to the fourth and fifth positions
respectively in the opening laps of the race. As the first hour was completed
Auberlen held on to fourth with Marks dropping back to sixth. The first caution
period of the race gave Auberlen a gain in track position after the pace car
picked up the leaders and he received a wave by. After a quick pit stop on lap
52, Hand took over the No. 21 M3. Seconds later Marks pitted the No. 22 M3 and
Bryan Sellers took the wheel.
Taking advantage of a second yellow just before the two-hour mark, Hand pitted
for new Yokohama tires on lap 81 while Sellers stayed on track. Hand and
Sellers consolidated their positions as the race continued. In the closing
minutes of the race the third place Ferrari ran off the track bringing out the
third caution period of the race, moving the two PTG M3s to their first
top-five finishes of the year.
BILL AUBERLEN, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (4th): "This is what we needed to
do - cross the finish line under the checkered flag. It appears that we are
starting to push this monkey off our back and, I think, we can begin to start
to focus on doing what PTG does best - race."
JOEY HAND, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (4th): "Obviously this is the best
result of the season. Our goal was to finish, but I was pleased that the No. 21
M3 became very racy at the end. I tried an outside pass for third, but it just
wouldn't stick."
JUSTIN MARKS, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (5th): "Hopefully, with this finish
we have eliminated some of the problems that have plagued us this season and we
can begin to make our M3s faster and move toward the front."
BRYAN SELLERS, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (5th): "While we may not yet have
the speed of some of our competitors, I believe we learned a great deal this
weekend. We made enough laps to learn a lot about how the tires perform during
an entire stint and how to tune the car accordingly. We made improvements and
that means we are heading in the right direction."
TOM MILNER, OWNER BMW TEAM PTG: "This finish is proof of how hard everyone
associated with BMW Team PTG works - crew, drivers and our partners like
Performance Friction and Yokohama. After two disappointing races this year I
know everyone feels good to have the podium back in our sights."
Background:
2006 marks the 11th season of competition for the BMW Team PTG M3s and the
first full season of ALMS competition since 2001. In 10 years, BMW Team PTG has
won a total of 53 races in both sprint and endurance racing series and 14
sports car racing championships. In 2005, BMW Team PTG won 7 of 13 Rolex Sports
Car Series races entered.