ALMS: Debut for BMW Art Car at "Petit Le Mans"
Ninth race in the American Le Mans Series on 30 September, Road Atlanta,
Georgia (USA)
Munich. After a gap of 21 years a BMW Art Car will once again take to the
racing track - the BMW V12 LMR designed by Jenny Holzer will make its race
debut at "Petit Le Mans" in Road Atlanta in the US State of Georgia. Holzer,
one of the most famous contemporary artists in America, designed the open-top
sports car in 1999 with her word art. The 15th and latest model in the BMW Art
Car Collection took part in pre-qualifying for the 24-hour Le Mans race at Le
Mans in May 1999 and completed a lap of honour before the race proper got
underway.
Provocative text work is the trademark of this concept artist - illuminated
form walls or chiselled in stone, her ideas generally have a strong technical
bias. Probably her best-known phrase "PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT" is one of
the statements on the BMW V12 LMR and part of her relationship with the world
of motorsport.
Jörg Müller (D) and JJ Lehto (FIN), who this season have enjoyed two victories
to date and head the rankings in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), will drive
the BMW Art Car bearing Holzer's logos. The artist will be at the track to see
the debut of her work on one of the most beautiful circuits in America. Other
BMW Art Car artists include Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.
Le Mans in miniature - 1000-mile race at Road Atlanta
"Petit Le Mans" on the 4.09 kilometre circuit to the North East of the former
Olympic city of Atlanta is the ninth race and the season's high point of the
ALMS. The race distance on this miniature replica of the French 24-hour classic
course is 1000 miles or a maximum of ten hours. "If the weather is dry and
there are no long full course yellows," says BMW Motor Team Manager Charly
Lamm, "the distance can be covered in even less than nine hours."
The BMW team is looking forward to its second-longest race of the season. BMW
Motorsport Director Dr Mario Theissen explains, "In these long distance races
strategic skill and, above all the reliability of the equipment, drivers and
team play a major role. Those are our strengths. Our team has already shone
this year through its brilliant tactics and drawn benefits from race
situations. That is how we have managed to defend our lead in the drivers'
rankings up to now."
Müller leads the table with 182 points, followed by Lehto (179) and the four
Audi drivers, McNish (177), Capello (171), Biela (167) and Pirro (164). The
drivers in the second BMW V12 LMR, the American Bill Auberlen and Jean-Marc
Gounon from France, are currently in ninth (125 points) and eleventh (117)
position.
"Defending this lead is an extremely difficult challenge for us," says BMW
Motorsport Director Gerhard Berger. "Even if the drivers and team give their
very best and the cars take all the punishment, that can still not make up for
the fact that the new cars driven by our competitors are faster than our 1999
BMW V12 LMR's."
Together with the other top teams, the BMW crew will be testing at the weekend
before the race at Road Atlanta. "I like the circuit a lot," says Jörg Müller
enthusiastically. "The uphill-downhill section is fantastic and the straight
offers good opportunities for overtaking. I have fond memories of Petit Le
Mans", continues Müller. "In 1998 I finished second and third place in 1999 was
also a success although JJ and I should really have won. I was leading until I
spun shortly before the end."
Stuck back on the starting grid in the BMW M3
Hans-Joachim Stuck has recovered from his back problem and will once again be
driving the BMW M3 of the BMW PTG team at Road Atlanta. Stuck, who missed the
last race and is now in 14th place in the rankings, will alternate behind the
wheel of the M3 during the 1000-mile race with Johannes van Overbeek and Boris
Said.
The race at Petit Le Mans will start on Saturday, 30 September 2000 at 12.30 pm
local time (6.30 pm Central European Summer Time).
Eurosport will broadcast a report on the race on Thursday, 5 October from 9 pm
to 10 pm.