BMW Rahal Letterman's M3s take 1st and 2nd place at ALMS GT2 @ Road America

Jason · 08-17-2009, 01:23 PM

Massive amount of photos: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292920

BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team scored its first victory in its first year of a partnership that saw Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen lead a 1-2 GT2 finish for the new BMW M3. Auberlen and Hand gained nearly a full lap on the rest of the field on an early-race wave-by when John Baker in one of ORBIT Racing’s Challenge class Porsches went off at Turn 12.

That was all they needed for BMW’s first victory in the American Le Mans Series since Petit Le Mans in 2001.

“I can hardly remember that far back,” said Auberlen, who was part of that lineup with Hans Stuck and Boris Said. “We have a new group of people that are so skilled. You give them enough time to develop the car and they’ll make it happen. Dunlop, our tire partner, has been working so hard. We were fast at Mid-Ohio and it didn’t go our way.

“There are three gigantic straightaways and the BMWs are known not to have such great straightline speed. But on the long radius corners and with 50-50 weight distribution, the car is so balanced and really dances through. The Porsches and Corvettes seemed to be struggling through some of those corners.”

Dirk Mueller and Tommy Milner placed second in their BMW M3, and the Corvette Racing’s Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen placed third in their Corvette C6.R. The E85-powered car also won the GT portion of the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge for the second straight event.

But the weekend belonged to BMW. The M3s were quickest in all four testing and practice sessions, qualified on pole and posted the fastest GT2 race lap.

“Bill and I called this one to ourselves,” said Hand, a first-time winner who also earned his first pole position Saturday. “We’ve been talking it up pretty well here. We felt like we had a good chance to win at Mid-Ohio but got hit by a prototype and we were really good at Lime Rock. It all starts when the car gets off the truck. I can’t say enough about the guys at BMW Rahal Letterman Racing. It came exactly as we thought it would. Once I got in the car, we basically had a lap in hand, and my job was not to get hit and not fall too far behind.” --- http://www.americanlemans.com/index_news.php?n=13600

3XTR3M3 · 08-17-2009, 02:34 PM

1ST WIN!!!!!! BMW is back, baby!

itz16v · 08-17-2009, 02:37 PM

Great win for BMW!

positiveions · 08-17-2009, 02:50 PM

WHOOORAAA. we are back in business boys. Roll out the red carpet. Bill you are the man!!! well, on that note, even Hans and Boris are exceptional drivers, and I wish they can be signed on.

datbimmerdoe · 08-17-2009, 02:51 PM

M2381 · 08-17-2009, 02:51 PM

HELL YEA!

3s-a-charm · 08-17-2009, 02:55 PM

Congratulations, BMW! What happened at the end of the race? I was watching through the middle when #90 had a stop/hold penalty and the Ferrari was in front with Porsche in 2nd (?)...? Was there a yellow flag or other issue that caused the win or did BMW just muscle to the front?

3XTR3M3 · 08-17-2009, 04:53 PM

*Thanks

audiprotein · 08-17-2009, 05:56 PM

Formel1 · 08-17-2009, 06:33 PM

Say, say, say...hoooooo....now about the F1 team.. :O

JC919 · 08-17-2009, 07:03 PM

That first caution definitely helped them substantially. However, the RL M3s have been showing substantial progress in the last few races and this proves it!!

em5 · 08-17-2009, 10:36 PM

I can believe i missed the Mid-Ohio race, I live 10 minutes from the track. That makes me sad that I could have seen the M3 in action

MrToad · 08-17-2009, 11:06 PM

Awesome news!

Dave · 08-18-2009, 12:21 AM

u see all of our ads for it?
muahahahaha

Dave · 08-18-2009, 12:23 AM

look out for in cam ads and sponsership and heli cams
and also digital ads on auto week and speed tv

i love my job!

Excitmnt94 · 08-18-2009, 09:45 AM

got to watch some of the race in HD...i can say it was very impressive!

TSM330i · 08-18-2009, 02:02 PM

YAHOO!!!

m092034 · 08-18-2009, 09:17 PM

anybody know if its possible to watch a replay of the race online?

KonigsTiger · 08-18-2009, 10:34 PM

Wow, simply wow!! Nice everything!

Xiaofeng · 08-19-2009, 01:05 AM

Friggin' awesome win, especially taking 1 and 2! Looking forward to seeing what the BMW Rahal Letterman team will be able to accomplish this season with the E92s!

Way to go, guys!

08-17-2009, 01:23 PM	#1
Jason Administrator 43614 Rep 21,325 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	BMW Rahal Letterman's M3s take 1st and 2nd place at ALMS GT2 @ Road America Massive amount of photos: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292920 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team scored its first victory in its first year of a partnership that saw Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen lead a 1-2 GT2 finish for the new BMW M3. Auberlen and Hand gained nearly a full lap on the rest of the field on an early-race wave-by when John Baker in one of ORBIT Racing’s Challenge class Porsches went off at Turn 12. That was all they needed for BMW’s first victory in the American Le Mans Series since Petit Le Mans in 2001. “I can hardly remember that far back,” said Auberlen, who was part of that lineup with Hans Stuck and Boris Said. “We have a new group of people that are so skilled. You give them enough time to develop the car and they’ll make it happen. Dunlop, our tire partner, has been working so hard. We were fast at Mid-Ohio and it didn’t go our way. “There are three gigantic straightaways and the BMWs are known not to have such great straightline speed. But on the long radius corners and with 50-50 weight distribution, the car is so balanced and really dances through. The Porsches and Corvettes seemed to be struggling through some of those corners.” Dirk Mueller and Tommy Milner placed second in their BMW M3, and the Corvette Racing’s Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen placed third in their Corvette C6.R. The E85-powered car also won the GT portion of the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge for the second straight event. But the weekend belonged to BMW. The M3s were quickest in all four testing and practice sessions, qualified on pole and posted the fastest GT2 race lap. “Bill and I called this one to ourselves,” said Hand, a first-time winner who also earned his first pole position Saturday. “We’ve been talking it up pretty well here. We felt like we had a good chance to win at Mid-Ohio but got hit by a prototype and we were really good at Lime Rock. It all starts when the car gets off the truck. I can’t say enough about the guys at BMW Rahal Letterman Racing. It came exactly as we thought it would. Once I got in the car, we basically had a lap in hand, and my job was not to get hit and not fall too far behind.” --- http://www.americanlemans.com/index_news.php?n=13600
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08-17-2009, 02:34 PM	#2
3XTR3M3 Lieutenant Colonel 104 Rep 1,573 Posts Drives: E92 AW M3 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: LA iTrader: (1)	1ST WIN!!!!!! BMW is back, baby! __________________
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08-17-2009, 02:37 PM	#3
itz16v Lieutenant 19 Rep 477 Posts Drives: 997 Turbo///E63 AMG Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Socal/Ko'Olina iTrader: (1)	Great win for BMW! __________________
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08-17-2009, 02:50 PM	#4
positiveions Lieutenant General 976 Rep 11,725 Posts Drives: 19 Tacoma, 16 Golf wagon Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upland, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2019 Toyota Tacoma [0.00] 2016 VW Golf Sports ... [0.00] 1998 BMW M3 [0.00] 1990 BMW 325is [0.00]	WHOOORAAA. we are back in business boys. Roll out the red carpet. Bill you are the man!!! well, on that note, even Hans and Boris are exceptional drivers, and I wish they can be signed on.
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08-17-2009, 02:51 PM	#5
datbimmerdoe Lieutenant General 1290 Rep 17,493 Posts Drives: like I'M BOUT THAT LIFE Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: PARADISE aka CANES COUNTRY iTrader: (0)	__________________ #datbimmerdoe #thatbimmertho FOLLOW @datbimmerdoe on INSTAGRAM
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08-17-2009, 02:51 PM	#6
M2381 Major 33 Rep 1,284 Posts Drives: E92 M3, GTI Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	HELL YEA! __________________
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08-17-2009, 02:55 PM	#7
3s-a-charm Major 138 Rep 1,328 Posts Drives: 2017 Tesla Model X Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Calgary, Canada iTrader: (2) Garage List 2007 BMW X5 [0.00]	Congratulations, BMW! What happened at the end of the race? I was watching through the middle when #90 had a stop/hold penalty and the Ferrari was in front with Porsche in 2nd (?)...? Was there a yellow flag or other issue that caused the win or did BMW just muscle to the front? __________________ 17 Tesla Model X 90D (I've been converted!) PAST: 14 Tesla Model S P85D, 16 X1, 13 X5 M-sport, 04 M3 Cab, 08 E92 M3, 08 535xiT, 07 X5 4.8i, 06 E90 325i, 87 E30 325i, 85 E30 318i
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08-17-2009, 04:53 PM	#8
3XTR3M3 Lieutenant Colonel 104 Rep 1,573 Posts Drives: E92 AW M3 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: LA iTrader: (1)	Thanks __________________ Last edited by 3XTR3M3; 08-17-2009 at 05:34 PM..*
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08-17-2009, 05:56 PM	#9
audiprotein Lieutenant 18 Rep 439 Posts Drives: Audi a4 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chicago Burbsss iTrader: (0)	__________________ L.E.T.S. G.O. H.A.W.K.S.
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08-17-2009, 06:33 PM	#10
Formel1 Second Lieutenant 49 Rep 257 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Winter Park, FL iTrader: (1)	Say, say, say...hoooooo....now about the F1 team.. :O
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08-17-2009, 07:03 PM	#11
JC919 Lieutenant Colonel 76 Rep 1,802 Posts Drives: CSL Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland iTrader: (0)	That first caution definitely helped them substantially. However, the RL M3s have been showing substantial progress in the last few races and this proves it!!
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08-17-2009, 10:36 PM	#12
em5 Enlisted Member 3 Rep 37 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mansfield, Ohio iTrader: (0)	I can believe i missed the Mid-Ohio race, I live 10 minutes from the track. That makes me sad that I could have seen the M3 in action __________________ Drives: 2009 BMW 135i - ///M-Sport - M 261 - 6MT - Black Saphir - Black Boston Leather - Alum Trim- Premium Package - Heated Seats - Comfort access - iPod - BMW Performance Exhaust - Performance Pedals - Shadowline Kidney Grills
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08-17-2009, 11:06 PM	#13
MrToad I rike bee em dub u 64 Rep 747 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: City of Angels/Sunny SoCal iTrader: (4)	Awesome news!
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08-18-2009, 12:21 AM	#14
Dave formerly izzo/comeback 349 Rep 3,382 Posts Drives: 2016 RC 350 F Sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 135i [6.80]	u see all of our ads for it? muahahahaha __________________ BMW CCA # 418268
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08-18-2009, 12:23 AM	#15
Dave formerly izzo/comeback 349 Rep 3,382 Posts Drives: 2016 RC 350 F Sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 135i [6.80]	look out for in cam ads and sponsership and heli cams and also digital ads on auto week and speed tv i love my job! __________________ BMW CCA # 418268
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08-18-2009, 09:45 AM	#16
Excitmnt94 Detailer & Fitness Freak 23 Rep 514 Posts Drives: '09 135i ///M Sport Coupe Join Date: May 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (0)	got to watch some of the race in HD...i can say it was very impressive! __________________ 135i coupe...Alpine White // Glacier Silver Aluminum Trim // Heated Coral Red Leather Seats // M-Sport Package // I-pod // PDC // 6-Speed Manual
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08-18-2009, 02:02 PM	#17
TSM330i 2006 330i, TSM, Black, manual, sport 891 Rep 3,698 Posts Drives: '17 C2, GTI, Z4 3.0si Racecar Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chester Springs, PA iTrader: (2)	YAHOO!!! __________________ 2017 Porsche C2 - manual of course 2015 GTI S 2008 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe - because racecar
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08-18-2009, 09:17 PM	#18
m092034 New Member 0 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	anybody know if its possible to watch a replay of the race online?
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08-18-2009, 10:34 PM	#19
KonigsTiger Racying Dynamics 118 Rep 4,369 Posts Drives: E92M3 RS46 Club Sport, others Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dweller iTrader: (0)	Wow, simply wow!! Nice everything! __________________ ==================================================
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08-19-2009, 01:05 AM	#20
Xiaofeng Captain 39 Rep 712 Posts Drives: 2007.5 E90 335xi Montego/Lemon Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Colorado iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 E90 335xi [0.00] 1991 325iX [0.00]	Friggin' awesome win, especially taking 1 and 2! Looking forward to seeing what the BMW Rahal Letterman team will be able to accomplish this season with the E92s! Way to go, guys! __________________
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