Munich. The annual trip to Road America (USA) is always a
highlight for BMW Team RLL. The classic Wisconsin circuit hosts the
eighth GTLM round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and
was the site of BMW Team RLL’s very first pole position and victory
in 2009 behind the efforts of Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand (both USA)
in their BMW M3 GT. Over the past eight seasons the team has scored
an additional two poles and seven podium finishes at the historic
motor circuit, including two more wins in 2010 and 2012.
Sunday’s 2:40-hour race will see the team looking to add to the
positive results for the all-new BMW M8 GTE. To date, in the first
seven rounds of the year the BMW M8 GTE has scored two pole positions
and two second place finishes at Sebring (USA) and Mid-Ohio (USA).
Turner Motorsport has entered Auberlen and Robby Foley (USA) in the
no. 96 TMS BMW M6 GT3. Turner has won the GTD class twice before at
Road America. First, with the BMW Z4 GT3 in 2014 during their
championship winning season and in 2017, before joining BMW Team RLL
this year, Jesse Krohn (FIN) co-drove the Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3
with Jens Klingmann (GER) to the GTD class victory.
Statements on the race at Road America.
Bobby Rahal (BMW Team RLL, Team Principal): “I always
look forward to Road America. We have been competitive with every BMW
model we have raced there over the years – BMW M3 GT, BMW Z4 GTLM and
BMW M6 GTLM. I have every reason to believe that the BMW M8 GTE will
be no different.”
Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “Road America
is one of my top-three circuits on the calendar and a place where my
expectations are high for our BMW M8 GTE. High speed and flowing with
a few low speed technical bits is exactly what our car is built for!
We’ve regrouped, made improvements and are ready to get back on the
podium where we know we’re capable of performing.”
Alexander Sims (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “Since Lime Rock I
have been to Spa in Belgium for the 24-hour GT3 race where we finished
second to another BMW, so that was a fun and successful weekend!
Looking ahead to Road America though, it’s yet another amazing circuit
that the IMSA championship goes to and I am looking forward to
hustling our BMW M8 GTE around the track. I’m hopeful that we can get
our car dialed in to the circuit and get some momentum going for the
last third of the season.”
John Edwards (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “Road America is a
classic. The track has great flow with a big variety of slow, medium,
and high speed corners, including the fastest corner on our schedule,
the kink. It takes commitment, but it’s possible to take the kink
flat-out at around 150mph, even in a big GT car! After a very
challenging season thus far, Jesse and I will be looking to bounce
back on Sunday in Elkhart Lake.”
Jesse Krohn (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “Road America is my
favourite track in the U.S. so I am looking forward to driving there
with the BMW M8 GTE. Last year was good with the BMW M6 GT3 as we
scored a win and I hope we can be as competitive this year with the
new car.”