05-06-2017, 09:10 PM | #1 |
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Double M6 GTLM Podium Finish for BMW Team RLL at COTA
BIMMERPOST NEWS Double M6 GTLM Podium Finish for BMW Team RLL at COTA Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – May 6, 2017… A double-podium finish for BMW Team RLL in today’s IMSA Advance Auto Parts SportsCar Showdown at the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas, was a well-deserved reward for every team member who had worked so hard to regain the competitiveness of the BMW M6 GTLM this season. Bill Auberlen and Alexander Sims drove the No. 25 M6 to second place in the two-hour-and-forty-minute contest, completing 71 laps of the 3.4-mile, 20-turn track and finishing 2.498 behind the winning No. 3 Corvette. John Edwards and Martin Tomczyk, driving the No. 24 M6, finished in third place, after a strong run from the pole position. With the benefit of the pole position, Edwards led the field from the green flag into the first turn and Sims, from the third starting spot, moved up one position to follow his teammate at the front of the field. A scrum developed at the back of the GTLM field and multiple contacts among five competitors effectively reduced the race to a four-car event. Sims relinquished the second position 34 minutes into the race to the No. 911 Porsche after a 14-lap battle. Edwards continued to lead, opening up a 3.2 second gap. Passed for the lead on lap 22 by the Porsche, the second yellow flag of the race waved to close up the field with Edwards P2 and Sims P3. Pit stops began on lap 26 as the field circulated behind the safety car with the Porsche and both BMWs coming in. Quick service by the No. 24 M6 crew got Tomczyk out ahead of the Porsche with Auberlen, now in the No. 25 M6, right behind. Unfortunately, a pair of rare miscues saw Auberlen leave the pits before the fuel man had finished and the Californian was forced back to the pits for a drive-through penalty. Tomczyk and two other competitors, missed the illuminated pit exit lights and had to return to serve a stop plus 60-second penalty. The No. 3 Corvette had pitted earlier and inherited the GTLM lead with Auberlen now P2 and Tomczyk now P4 to begin their stint. The second set of stops was completed under the green flag on laps 44 and 45 with Sims back in the No. 25 M6 and Edwards back in the No. 24 M6 to finish the final hour of the race. The third and final caution flag of the race flew with less than ten minutes remaining for a burning prototype car. The track was quickly cleared and the race restarted with some four minutes to go. Sims gave chase, but there was not enough to catch the Corvette. Ultimately, the result was Sims second and Edwards third and the first two BMW Team RLL podium finishes of the season. “We knew it was going to be a hard race this afternoon with the high track temperatures, but the BMW M6 performed well with low degradation of the tires,” said Neil Fife, BMW Team RLL Race Engineer. “We are happy we got a podium finish with P2 and P3 but some mistakes costs us the victory. We have to keep on pushing because BMW Team RLL is working really hard to get that deserved win. We were in the fight for the win last race, we were in the fight for the win this race and we’ll be in the fight for the win the next race as well.” Bill Auberlen, driver No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM (P2): “It is a long time coming for this game and this car. We have to be very happy for that but the weird thing is that BMW Team RLL is so geared to win, that is the most important goal. When you get second you still want to be on top. However, we have to smile and hold our heads high. We covered two-thirds of the podium just not the top step this weekend.” Alexander Sims, driver No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM (P2): “I was happy we were able to come out of turn one P1 and P2, but I had quite a bit of a lock-up and that compromised my first stint quite a bit with a lot of vibration in the front tire but the car continued to work well. Then there was a little bit of a misunderstanding with the pit release and we got a drive through penalty. We were catching the Corvette at the end, but needed a little bit more of time. In the end, we are happy to have gotten second place and it was great to be standing on the podium for the first time in the U.S.” John Edwards, driver No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM (P3): “We’ve been competitive every lap this weekend. It was just a mistake - for each car - that cost us in the race. I am excited for the rest of the season, to race at tracks such as Watkins Glen and Mosport. These two circuits are great for the M6 and two of my favorite tracks in North America.” Martin Tomczyk, driver No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM (P3): “The result could’ve been better, but I made a mistake. I left the pit lane when the exit light was red. I was fighting with the Porsche and he also did not see the red light. But that shouldn’t be an excuse. It’s was my fault. In the end I think we did the best we could by finishing third, with the sister car in second.” Following the traditional hiatus to allow teams to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, IMSA will return to series action in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen on Sunday, July 2 at Watkins Glen International, in Watkins Glen, NY.
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05-06-2017, 09:54 PM | #2 | |
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clean Apexes
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05-06-2017, 09:57 PM | #3 |
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Congrats to team BMW! and finally the M6's doing what it's meant to do
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05-06-2017, 10:01 PM | #4 |
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05-06-2017, 10:30 PM | #5 |
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Wooo
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05-06-2017, 11:11 PM | #6 |
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I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but they (of course) omitted something important from the press release. There was a massive pile-up at T1 at the start of the race, which eliminated all but four of the GTLM field from contention. You could maybe count the #66 Ford GT as still in it, but that's a stretch.
While the M6 GTLM finally showed some pace, the accomplishment is tainted by the fact that they basically finished P2 & P3 out of a four car running.
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05-06-2017, 11:17 PM | #7 | |
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05-07-2017, 06:13 AM | #8 |
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Lucky Punch, not more. Other cars are even better.
BMW switched to always by the models but no car is a really racecar. The e46 gt3 it wasn't, the e92 m3 gt3 it wasn't, the z4gt3 it wasn't and the m6 it wasn't too... I think the best Setup from the BMW Portfolio is a i8 combinated with the legendary v10 engine and an hybrid System like KERS. That would be revolutionary. Why can not BMW finally construct a real racecar like a Audi r8 lms? |
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05-07-2017, 09:20 AM | #9 |
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Killer photos! Congrats to the BMW team on a great podium finish.
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05-07-2017, 11:07 AM | #10 |
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///M POWER
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05-07-2017, 12:08 PM | #11 | |
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I'm tired of repeating this, but this is homologation racing. All the cars are developed to a specification and a target performance envelope, and then given incremental BoP adjustments to keep things competitive. BMW could have started with the i3 for all it matters. The M6 GTLM can be competitive, if BMW play their cards right. There's a lot more to racing than building the car.
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05-07-2017, 12:18 PM | #12 | |
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05-07-2017, 04:24 PM | #13 |
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Uh, you didn't watch the race did you? A Ford GT took out a Ferrari and a Corvette and a Porsche 911. And I think another Ford GT. The M6s were lucky that they weren't running with the pack. This was a matter of attrition not a matter of doing what it's supposed to do.
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05-07-2017, 04:35 PM | #14 |
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05-07-2017, 04:50 PM | #15 | |
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Let's see how it goes in the future races
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05-07-2017, 04:56 PM | #16 | ||
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05-07-2017, 04:59 PM | #17 | |
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The M6 isn't a real sports car, we know that, but this is homologation racing and all cars are made to be competitive with one another. We know the M6 can be competitive as we saw last year across the globe, and I think the recent BoP adjustments here in America are at a point where all the cars are very close. At this point, it's a little bit about luck, a little bit about strategy, a little about the driver, the track, and a little about the car. BMW had a bit more luck, but screwed up in the pits. So yes, there is a lot more to racing than just the car you are bringing in the back of your Hauler. |
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05-08-2017, 10:08 AM | #18 | |
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We got lucky this weekend. The 911 hunted both cars down and pissed them on track. Points are points, but we still have some ways to go.
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05-08-2017, 11:48 AM | #19 | |
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At least BOTH cars finished the race -->> progress!
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05-08-2017, 12:03 PM | #20 | |
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Overall it was a great race. The Konica Minolta Cadillac was in a world of its' own, finishing the race way ahead of the second place Whelen Engineering Cadillac. The Konica Minolta was turning consistent laps at 1:58. I also had the opportunity to meet Bill Auberlen during the grid walk prior to the race. He's a great guy, and appreciates the support of his fans. -rb |
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05-08-2017, 04:23 PM | #21 | ||
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I'm hoping to make it out to Road America in early August as that's the closest one to me. |
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05-08-2017, 07:29 PM | #22 |
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I also don't want to be a Debbie downer, but........ BOP.
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