BMW Team PTG on GT Pole in Portland

BMW Team PTG/BMW of North America
Notes and Quotes
ALMS Grand Prix of Portland
Portland International Raceway
August 4, 2001

Saturday Qualifying:
Boris Said drove the No. 6 BMW Team PTG M3 GTR to his first career American Le Mans Series pole today - setting a new GT class qualifying record of one minute 13.291 seconds around the 1.944-mile Portland International Raceway.  The three other BMW M3 GTRs will start tomorrow's two-hour-and-forty-five-minute Grand Prix of Portland in positions two, three and four - the quartet within two-tenths of a second.  JJ Lehto and Jörg Muller will start second in the No. 42 BMW Motorsport M3 GTR (1:13.331), Bill Auberlen and Niclas Jönsson third in the No. 10 Team PTG M3 GTR (1:13.407) and Fredrik Ekblom and Dirk Müller fourth in the No. 43 BMW Motorsport M3 GTR (1:13.454).

Boris Said, driver No. 6 PTG M3 GTR
"Sears Point was really my first time in the M3 GTR so I did not know it that well.  Now I feel it is like a second skin.  I did one warm-up and two timed laps and maybe another lap would have driver No. 6 PTG M3 GTR been a bit quicker, but I did not want to take a chance on flat-spotting the tires for Hans (who will start the race).  The important thing is the result tomorrow, but it is nice to get a pole."

Bill Auberlen, driver No. 10 PTG M3 GTR
"On my first lap I came up on the Viper and on the second I caught the Corvette as it left the pits.  On lap three I was open, but my rhythm was off.  The time was in the car - I just didn't get it out it.  Tomorrow will be fine.  It is time to go racing."

Tom Milner, owner Prototype Technology Group
"A pole was inevitable.  At Sears we could have been there, but we missed it by a little bit.  Bill was quicker in practice than Boris' pole time, so our cars are close and that is a good sign for the race - in fact all the BMWs are close.  At Sears Team PTG qualified second and finished second - here we have qualified first so let's see what tomorrow brings."

Tom Salkowsky, Motorsport Manager, BMW of North America, LLC
"It was a much better day for Team PTG and BMW than yesterday in practice.  The Yokohamas delivered.  Boris had a fantastic lap.  BMW has designed a powerful race car in the GTR and Team PTG and BMW Motorsport have developed it into a winner."

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Contact:
Bill Cobb
215-295-4934
215-295-2202 fax
215-431-7223 cellular
wrcobb@attglobal.net