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Aiming for 50th Victory of M3 Racing Program
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - June 8, 2005... BMW Team PTG will enter three BMW M3s in the June 12th Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen aiming for the team's fourth Rolex Sports Car Series GT win in a row and the 50th victory for BMW of North America's M3 racing program. 
Celebrating the 10th year of competition with the BMW M3, BMW Team PTG is performing the way it did in 2004 when it swept the Rolex Series GT Manufacturer, Team and Driver Points Championships with 10 wins in 12 races. After three straight 2005 Rolex Series GT wins is now on the verge of its 50th win for the BMW Team PTG M3 program.
This season, BMW Team PTG followed its GT class victory at the April 3rd Grand American 400 at California Speedway with a 1-2-3 M3 class sweep of the Road and Track 250 at Laguna Seca on May1. The third win came at the Six Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant on May 22.
"Every team will tell you that each win is important," said Tom Milner, BMW Team PTG owner. "But, to score the 50th of our program is something that every one of us wants to achieve."
In preparation for the Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen and a 50th program victory, five PTG drivers were on hand at Summit Point Raceway, in Summit Point, W. Va. on May 31. Tom Milner, Justin Marks, Joey Hand, RJ Valentine and Chris Gleason all drove the two-mile, 10-turn circuit that is only 12 miles from PTG's Winchester, Va. shops and has seen thousands of M3 test miles in the past ten years.
"The test went very well," said Milner. "If we were racing at Summit, I think we would be guaranteed that 50th win. Summit Point is a wonderful test track, that is not only convenient for us, but it has a mixture of corners representative of many circuits. Turn 10, for example, is very similar to the high-speed corners at the Glen."
Last season, Boris Said and Bill Auberlen claimed their fourth Rolex Sports Car Series GT win in a row at The Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen. The victory also marked the first win at the storied Watkins Glen International road course for BMW Team PTG. Beginning with the Six Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant last season, BMW Team PTG has won three Rolex Series 6-Hour races in a row.
"I am back feeling one-hundred percent and ready for Watkins Glen," said Bill Auberlen, BMW Team PTG's most successful driver. "Last year, Boris and I got the first-ever win for PTG at the Glen, so it would be great, in this 10th anniversary year, to get win number two at the Glen and, most importantly, be a part of the M3 racing program's 50th victory."
"Although, it might not seem the case, the M3 is well-suited to Watkins Glen," he continued. "The M3's inherent high-speed stability means all the long sweeping turns can be taken without much speed loss. We have the smallest engine in the GT class, so not having to slow as much as our competitors can keep us in front."
BMW Team PTG's three race win streak has gained valuable points in the Manufacturer Points chase and, although BMW is firmly in second place, it remains 32 points from first.
Official practice begins on Friday, June 10, and continues Saturday morning. Qualifying is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday. The Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on Sunday and will be televised in two parts on Speed Channel, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Background:
2005 marks the tenth season of competition for BMW M3s of BMW Team PTG and 30th anniversary of BMW of North America's motorsport programs. BMW Team PTG has won a total of 49 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. Only registered users can write comments.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
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