BMW M3s 3, 5, 6, 7 on Sebring Grid; New M3 GTR Shines
BMW of North America/BMW Team PTG News
BMW Team PTG Notes and Quotes
Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring
Thursday March 15, 2001
Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring
Thursday March 15, 2001
Final Qualifying
BMW M3 GTR Third on Sebring GT Grid
PTG M3s Will Start Fifth and Sixth
PTG M3s Will Start Fifth and Sixth
Standing on yesterday's times BMW Team PTG
chose to pass on the final qualifying session for the 49th annual 12 Hours
at Sebring and use the afternoon preparing the two Yokohama M3s for
Saturday's race. Fifth and seventh fastest in this morning's
practice session the PTG crew replaced all of the M3's critical components
and will run them in during tonight's one-hour practice session.
Bill Auberlen will start No. 10 PTG M3 fifth on the grid with a time of
2.08:392. Boris Said, in the No. 6 PTG M3, recorded a 2.08:422
around the 3.7-mile circuit and will start sixth.
Jorg Müller, driving the No. 42 BMW
Motorsport M3 GTR, began to show the new car's strength and moved up to
the third starting position with a time of 2.07:420. The No. 43 BMW
Motorsport M3 did not improve its time from yesterday after experiencing
an engine problem two laps into the session and will start seventh.
Tom Milner, owner BMW Team PTG
"We chose to prepare our M3s for a 12 hour race rather than look for a few more tenths in qualifying. The GTR moved up to third starting position - just off the first two Porsches. BMW has come to race and clearly the new GTR is faster than our current cars. Sebring is a long race and many things can happen, but Sebring always gives you many chances to win."
Tom Salkowsky, motorsports manager, BMW of North America, LLC
"It is very rewarding to see how well the new M3 GTR ran in today's qualifying session. We are beginning to see results from all the efforts of Albert Biermann and BMW Motorsport. We still have the challenge of 12 hours ahead of us and that is why Team PTG chose to prepare their M3s rather than look for a little better time. The fact that the GTR is in the top three and the other BMW Motorsport and Team PTG M3s will start fifth, sixth, and seventh means we are competitive and ready for this 12-hour challenge."
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contact Bill Cobb, cellular 215-431-7223 or wrcobb@attglobal.net