BMW News & Notes 98-04-10

23 YEARS LATER, ANOTHER SEBRING HAT TRICK FOR BMW

The No. 10 Yokohama/Fina PTG BMW M3 four-door that Bill Auberlen and Boris Said drove to a GT3 class victory and 11th place overall in last month's 12 Hours of Sebring sits in the company of another milestone BMW victory in Sebring history. Auberlen scored the fastest GT3 qualifying (2 minutes, 13.926 seconds, 99.458 mph) and race (2:14.771, 98.830 mph, on Lap 116) laps en route to the 2-lap win over teammates Peter Cunningham, Ross Bentley and Mark Simo in the #6 Yokohama/Fina BMW M3 coupe and 10-lap final margin over the third-place Porsche. In their 1975 Sebring 12-Hour victory, Brian Redman, Hans Stuck and Allan Moffatt also scored the hat trick for BMW, claiming the pole, recording the fastest race lap, and winning the race by three laps.

RECORD 'ENDURANCE CLASSIC' DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR PTG

Victories by the PTG BMW M3s at the Daytona 24-Hour and Sebring 12-Hour events each of the last two years represent a record four consecutive Daytona/Sebring "endurance classic" wins in the GT3 class for Tom Milner's PTG team. No other GT3 team has accomplished this feat.

MORE SEBRING MILESTONES FOR BMW DRIVER AUBERLEN

Auberlen now has three consecutive race wins at Sebring, capturing the last two 12-Hour events, as well as the 1997 Sebring Octoberfest GT3 honors. He also set fastest qualifying and race laps last fall. In eight Sebring 12-Hour starts (the first in 1987), Bill has now won GT3 three times (1995, 1997 and 1998) and has four top-three and seven top-10 class finishes. Auberlen has 14 Professional Sports Car Racing wins; co-driver Boris Said has five after his first Sebring 12-Hour win.

DONIGER NAMED M BRAND MANAGER FOR BMW OF NORTH AMERICA

Scott Doniger has assumed the role of M Brand Manager, replacing Erik Wensberg, who has left to join his family business. Doniger's responsibilities include M Brand management and product planning, Motorsport operations and marketing, and BMW Car Club of America activity. An avid M product and lifelong motorsports fan, Doniger has been with the company since 1990.

BMW CAR CLUB OF AMERICA MEMBERS ATTEND GATEWAY TECH

Some 300 BMW Car Club of America members turned out for this year's annual Gateway Tech event in St. Louis the last weekend in March. Almost 20 years in existence, the event features a series of technical seminars and discussion groups about BMW products. BMW M3 driver Bill Auberlen, as well as PTG engineer builder Brian Krem and crew chief Greg Forde, were among the guests on hand. BMW CCA is the largest single-brand automotive enthusiast organization in the country with 45,000 members.