BMW Sebring Practice

PTG BMW M3 NOTES AND QUOTES Exxon Supreme GT Series - GTS-3 NAPA Auto Parts Sebring Octoberfest Sebring International Raceway Practice- Wednesday, October 15, 1997

PTG TEAM OWNER TOM MILNER COMMENTS ON THE CHANGES TO THE SEBRING RACE TRACK - "With the curves heading into the backstretch and the tighter turn coming off the backstretch, it slows the cars by about seven seconds a lap from the old track layout. The track is definitely more challenging, but it will be a good track to race on for the M3s." ON REV LIMITOR BEING SET AT 8,500 RPMs. - "I hope it doesn't affect us too much; it's marginal, but it's certainly better than what we had at Pikes Peak. We will live with it, but I expect to be competitive." (The rev limitor was set at 8,000 rpm's at Pikes Peak.)

BILL AUBERLEN (No. 10 YOKOHAMA BMW M3 FOUR-DOOR) - "We're running really well. We have the tire combination we wanted and are very pleased. We don't want to run the car too much once we are comfortable with our set up. Being comfortable with the way I am today, gives me confidence for the weekend. It is crucial to keep the (driver's) points lead going into Laguna next week." Auberlen was fastest in practice today at 2:14.534d - D99.008 mph.

BUTCH LEITZINGER will drive the No. 10 YOKOHAMA BMW M3 FOUR-DOOR and the No. 6 YOKOHAMA BMW M3 COUPE. Leitzinger is the current points leader in SportsCar's World Sports Car class. He has won four races this year for Dyson racing. HOW DOES HE LIKE THE BMW M3? - "It's fun. It's just a great

car; you really feel what it's doing. It doesn't have the out-and-out grip that a WSC car has, but you can charge into the turn and really lay into it and you feel that the car is underneath you the whole time. It not going to do anything unexpected. I haven't driven a GT-3 class car for awhile, but part of the trick of driving one of these cars is keeping the momentum up. In WSC you can sort of stop in the middle of the turn, and launch off it again, but in a GT-3 car you can't do that. So, I have to remember that again from the old days. The speed is coming and I think my qualifying speed will be good."

EDUARDO PELLERANO No. 5 CONOCO BMW M3 FOUR-DOOR is driving his second race or PTG and his first career race at Sebring. "The track is very slippery, and I am trying to learn as much as I can today. With more practice and knowledge of the right braking and turning areas, I will get the grasp of the track. I have heard about Sebring for many years and it is great to get the opportunity to drive here. I'm looking forward to the race."