BMW Motorsport News – Issue 27/13.
Whether in the DTM, the American Le Mans Series, or countless other championships: week after week BMW teams and drivers around the world do battle for points, victories and titles. Away from the track too, members of the large BMW Motorsport family around the world are also creating headlines. The “BMW Motorsport News” allows us to regularly summarise all the action for you in a compact and informative manner. This way, you are always up to speed.
24h Spa-Francorchamps: Disappointment in the Ardennes.
The 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps (BE) turned out to be a disappointing affair for the BMW Sports Trophy teams. None of the seven BMW Z4 GT3 cars managed to take the chequered flag. For some periods of the marathon, five BMW Z4 GT3s were in the top ten, and both the number 3 and number 4 Marc VDS Racing cars led the race. By the halfway mark, six of the seven BMW cars had retired, with the Vita4One Racing vehicle being the only BMW left in the race. A good hour before the end, however, the number 26 car was also forced to retire due to a technical failure.
GRAND-AM: Successful weekend at the “Brickyard”.
At the “Indianapolis Motor Speedway” the BMW teams were able to improve their list of successes in the GRAND-AM championship. In the Daytona Prototypes category, the Starworks divers Ryan Dalziel (GB) and Alex Popow (VE) triumphed with their first entry with the new BMW 4.5-litre engine, and consolidated their championship lead. Scott Pruett (US) and Memo Rojas (MX) from Chip Ganassi Racing made it a BMW one-two by finishing second and, with this result, won the title in the North American Endurance Championship. The second Starworks BMW Riley, driven by Pierre Kaffer (DE), Brandan Hartley (US) and Scott Mayer (US), claimed fourth. On the other hand, Turner Motorsport was unlucky in the GT-class: the team had to settle for 12th and 13th.
Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge: Triumph for Fall-Line.
The Indianapolis “Brickyard” also turned out to be successful venue for the BMW drivers in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge: Mark Boden (US) and Bryan Sellers (US) crossed the finish line as winners after 74 laps, driving a Fall-Line Motorsport BMW M3. Turner Motorsport’s Paul Dalla Lana (CA) and Bill Auberlen (US) were able to celebrate on the podium as well by finishing third, closely followed by Charles Espenlaub (US) and Trent Hindman (US) in the second Fall-Line car in fourth. In the ST-class, the fans even saw a one-two-three for BMW: Terry Borcheller (US) and Mike LaMarra (US) won in Burton Racing’s BMW 128i. Jesse Combs (US)/Jeff Mosing (US) and Daniel Rogers (US)/Seth Thomas (US) followed in second and third driving in their BMW 328is.
DTM: Joey Hand on duty for Chip Ganassi Racing in Indianapolis.
BMW works driver Joey Hand (US) also entered the GRAND-AM race this weekend. Together with 2013 Indy500 winner Tony Kanaan (BR), he started in Chip Ganassi Racing’s number 02 BMW Riley. After 106 laps, the duo came ninth and set the second-fastest lap of the race in 1:22.280 minutes. “It was great catching up with the Chip Ganassi boys again after the Daytona 24 Hours,” said Hand. “Teaming up with Tony Kanaan was special, he’s the current Indy 500 winner, an ultra-fast driver and a really cool guy.”
DTM: Andy Priaulx thrills the fans at the “Silverstone Classic”.
Andy Priaulx (GB) has travelled back through time this weekend. At the “Silverstone Classic”, the second biggest vintage festival in England after the “Goodwood Revival”, the DTM driver was behind the wheel of a BMW 1800 Tisa. He competed in the “Sir John Whitmore Trophy”. After claiming second in qualifying, Priaulx finished fifth in the race. However, the result of this event was not his top priority. “This was the first time I have ever driven at the Silverstone Classic, and it was great being on the track in the BMW 1800”, said Priaulx. “I think we were able to put on an amazing show for the fans.”
Dutch GT: Ricardo van der Ende and Bernhard van Oranje win in Spa.
The Dutch GT Championship was a support event for the 24-hour race at the “Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps” this weekend. In the AM race on Friday, Bernhard van Oranje (NL) managed to make it onto the podium driving an Ekris Motorsport BMW M3 GT4. With a gap of 20.559 seconds behind eventual race winner Max Braams (NL, Camaro), he finished third. In the main race, van Oranje and Ricardo van der Ende (NL) teamed up. Together, the duo secured victory in the BMW M3 GT4 after 22 laps. On Saturday, it was Ekris driver Jan-Joris Verheul (NL), who was on the podium in second, next to winner Duncan Huisman (NL, Camaro). Van der Ende finished seventh.