BMW TEAM PTG M3s FINISH THIRD AND FOURTH IN GT2 AT LIME ROCK PARK
Lakeville, Conn. - July 1, 2006... Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen, driving the No.
21 BMW Team PTG M3 finished third in today's New England Grand Prix at Lime
Rock Park. The duo completed 160 laps around the 1.54-mile circuit in the
two-hour-and-forty-five-minute contest. Continuing the momentum of a fourth and
fifth place team finish in Round 3 at Mid-Ohio, BMW Team PTG teammates Justin
Marks and Bryan Sellers, driving the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3 finished fourth,
completing 158 laps, to again deliver a season's best performance for BMW's M3
racing program.
Joey Hand drove the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 from his second starting position
into the GT2 class lead at the green flag. Farther back in the field, Justin
Marks, driving the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3 held the ninth position.
Thirty minutes into the race Hand fell back to third just before the race's
first caution period. The restart was short-lived as a second yellow flag waved
within minutes. The team elected to pit Marks for fuel during the caution to
shorten the one scheduled pit stop of the race. With the race back underway on
lap 46, Hand regained second while Marks moved up to seventh. At the one hour
mark Hand and Marks were holding second and fifth in the GT2 class, moving to
eighth and 13th overall in the race. On lap 100 Hand pitted the No. 21 M3 and
Bill Auberlen rejoined the race with a full tank of fuel and new Yokohamas.
Marks pitted the No. 22 M3 one lap later and Bryan Sellers took the wheel. With
45 minutes remaining in the race Auberlen held third with Sellers fifth.
Sellers moved to fourth on lap 147 to finish a season's best fourth. Clutch
problems began to slow Auberlen's charge on second place, but the BMW ace was
able to deliver BMW Team PTG's first podium finish of the year.
Round 5 of the American Le Mans Series will be held on July 14 - 15 at the new
Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
BILL AUBERLEN, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (3rd): "Hard work by both BMW Team
PTG and new Yokohama tires made our return to the podium possible.
Unfortunately, the vibration I felt in the beginning of my stint turned out to
be a clutch problem and that did not allow me to race for second."
JOEY HAND, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (3rd): "We were racy today and it felt
great to lead for the first time this year. Everyone - PTG and Yokohama - has
really stepped up. This podium finish is a great moral booster for everyone."
JUSTIN MARKS, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (4th): "I certainly did not expect
to have to go as long as we did in my stint, but the M3 was quite consistent
throughout. We obviously planned to have only one stop, but added that quick
stop for fuel early. Bryan did a great job at the end to move up another
position."
BRYAN SELLERS, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (4th): "I had a clean track and
got by the Panoz under braking for fourth. Considering our starting position
(ninth) I am pleased to finish fourth although I know Justin and I would have
liked to place higher."
TOM MILNER, OWNER BMW TEAM PTG: "We have kept our record of excellent finishes
at Lime Rock intact. We are making progress and have demonstrated it in the
last two races. We will continue to work hard with our partners Yokohama and
Performance Friction and keep moving up."
LARRY KOCH, M BRAND AND MOTORSPORT MANAGER, BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC: "The
weekend started with our best starting position (second) of the season and
ended with our first podium finish (third) of the season. A fourth as well with
the second M3 means we are heading in the right direction after a difficult
start to the year."
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.