BMW
Team PTG
Notes and Quotes
Crown Royal 250 at The Glen
Watkins Glen International
Qualifying
Friday, Sept. 23, 2005
Contact:
Bill Cobb, cell - 215-431-7223
Auberlen
Scores Sixth BMW Team PTG M3 GT Class Pole of Season;
BMW Team PTG M3s Will Start 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th in the Crown Royal 250 at
The Glen
2004 Rolex Sports Car Series GT class champion Bill Auberlen, driving the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3, scored his second Rolex Sports Car Series GT pole of the season as the BMW Team PTG M3s took four of the top-seven GT class starting spots for tomorrow's Crown Royal 250 at The Glen. His time of 1:55.498 minutes around the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Watkins Glen International long course was the fastest of the 18-car class and the sixth pole of the season for BMW Team PTG.
Auberlen will co-drive with Tom Milner. The duo has partnered four times previously this season and have one win, at Laguna Seca, together.
Ian James, driving the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3, was fifth (1:56.478). James will co-drive with Chris Gleason. Justin Marks, driving the No. 16 BMW Team PTG F1 Air M3, was sixth (1:56.506). Marks will co-drive with Joey Hand. Kelly Collins, driving the No. 17 BMW Team PTG F1 Air M3, was seventh (1:56.825). He will co-drive with RJ Valentine.
BMW Team PTG has scored six victories in first 11 races of the season and has three drivers in the top-10 in Driver Points. With four wins to-date, Joey Hand stands second. Justin Marks is sixth and Tom Milner seventh.
The Crown Royal 250 at The Glen is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET tomorrow and will be televised live on Speed Channel.
Background:
2005 marks the tenth season of competition for BMW M3s of BMW Team PTG and 30 th anniversary of BMW of North America's motorsport programs. In ten seasons, BMW Team PTG has won a total of 52 races in both sprint and endurance racing series and 14 sports car racing championships. In 2004, BMW Team PTG swept the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class Manufacturer, Driver and Team Points championships, winning 10 of 12 races.
BILL AUBERLEN, DRIVER NO. 21 MW TEAM PTG M3 (first): "We made a number of changes from yesterday to today and the No. 21 M3 was as good as it gets today. If the car continues to respond as well as it has, we will have an even better day tomorrow."
IAN JAMES, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (fifth): "We have not had a lot of track time so far this weekend so Chris and I have shared time in the car at every opportunity. The track is much faster today as the wind has changed direction and pushes you down the back straight. For the amount of time that we have had to prepare, I am pleased to be fifth on the grid."
JUSTIN MARKS, DRIVER NO. 16 BMW TEAM PTG F1 AIR M3 (sixth): "We should have been faster today. I think we made a number of changes that seem to have taken some speed from No. 16 M3. A review the data will show where we went a bit wrong and we'll have it better for the race."
KELLY COLLINS, DRIVER NO. 17 BMW TEAM PTG F1 AIR M3 (seventh): "We had some electrical problems yesterday and earlier today that cost us almost all of our set-up time. For not having had but a few laps at speed I think we should be happy with our time, but we will make a few changes tonight that should make us quicker."
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