Tommy Milner gets Rahal M3 ride in ALMS

BMW NA has announced that Tommy Milner of Leesburg will co-drive the second Rahal-Letterman Racing Team BMW M3 in the 2009 American Le Mans Series along with German Dirk Mueller. Last month RLR had chosen Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand for the other M3.

Congratulations Tommy!

And thanks to Steve Tenney for the heads up on this.

http://germancarscene.com/2008/12/16...g-team-roster/

Has he always gone by Tommy, not Tom Milner Jr.?

He never was a Junior, althought many called him that. To avoid confusion with this dad (PTG team owner), he has decided to use "Tommy".

Yea, We can always say we knew him when...... he was autocrossing his Mini with us at Manassas.

Chuck

I joked with him that I should get his autograph when he accompanied the PTG transporter filled with Said's M3 GTR (and a more pedestrian version) at the first Purcellville Cruise-in back in 2003.

What a driver line up all around. Good for Tommy, Dirk, Bill, and Joey. Their ride looks sweet and should help them earn lots of silverware.

I think the ALMS GT2 class is going to be very competitive and the Rahal M3s will have their work cut out for them. There are the Ferrari 430GTs that won last year, numerous factory-backed Porsche 911 teams, PTG is returning with "a stronger" Panoz Esperante, and the factory Corvettes will be leaving GT1 mid-season for the GT2 class with slightly less awesome cars.
Too bad the TV cameras won't give more coverage.

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Originally Posted by woodym3

Too bad the TV cameras won't give more coverage.

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Agree on GT2's toughness (gonna be a great year), but I think the cameras may have no choice but to cover them, what with Audi and Porsche out of the prototype classes. I can't imagine the Mazda/Acura battle in P2 is going to get the viewership riled up.

Apologies if this has been posted already, but here's a nifty vid from the test session at Sebring. There was a better one with Muller at the end, but I could listen to that engine all day.

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Originally Posted by woodym3

ALMS GT2 class is going to be very competitive ... Rahal M3s ... Ferrari 430GTs ... Porsche 911 teams, PTG ... Panoz Esperante, and the factory Corvettes.

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If the teams have enough loot to make all the events and field strong cars, this could end up being one of the best classes of varied cars in decades. Too bad Audi is out of the show. Is Aston Martin playing this year?

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Originally Posted by tenfifteen

Apologies if this has been posted already, but here's a nifty vid from the test session at Sebring. There was a better one with Muller at the end, but I could listen to that engine all day.

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Great sound! Gave me goosebumps. Have to try and see this car live in 09.

Sorry for sidetracking the thread, and lack of knowledge, but is he really downshifting with heel and toe that fast, at 2:38? Sounds like he's going down two gears in a split second. Professional drivers, so I'm sure they are able to, but that's quick! :eek:

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Originally Posted by Scany

Great sound! Gave me goosebumps. Have to try and see this car live in 09.

Sorry for sidetracking the thread, and lack of knowledge, but is he really downshifting with heel and toe that fast, at 2:38? Sounds like he's going down two gears in a split second. Professional drivers, so I'm sure they are able to, but that's quick! :eek:

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I don't know, but I suspect the M3 has a sequential gearbox and knowing that turn, I doubt if it has to go down more than one gear.
Maybe it's the camera, or maybe it's exhaust pipes exiting both sides of the car, but it sounds quieter to me than the old 6-cylinder PTG cars. One passed me on the track at Motorsports Ranch in Texas during O'fest 2007 and even with a helmet on, I thought my ear drum was ruptured.

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Originally Posted by woodym3

I don't know, but I suspect the M3 has a sequential gearbox and knowing that turn, I doubt if it has to go down more than one gear.
Maybe it's the camera, or maybe it's exhaust pipes exiting both sides of the car, but it sounds quieter to me than the old 6-cylinder PTG cars. One passed me on the track at Motorsports Ranch in Texas during O'fest 2007 and even with a helmet on, I thought my ear drum was ruptured.

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Was that what Danny drove? He passed me at VIR and it was deafening!

Danny Alvis's car was built by PTG for Bell Motorsports and had an M5 V8. It was raced by Bell in the Grand-Am series around 2001-2002.

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Originally Posted by woodym3

I don't know, but I suspect the M3 has a sequential gearbox and knowing that turn, I doubt if it has to go down more than one gear.
Maybe it's the camera, or maybe it's exhaust pipes exiting both sides of the car, but it sounds quieter to me than the old 6-cylinder PTG cars. One passed me on the track at Motorsports Ranch in Texas during O'fest 2007 and even with a helmet on, I thought my ear drum was ruptured.

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That makes sense :)

Seems like seeing this car in real live action at Road Atlanta in the ALMS race is a good opportunity. Ohio in August is also "close" but the date won't work.

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Originally Posted by Jenson Button

Is Aston Martin playing this year?

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Good question, tough to say. Drayson Barwell didn't fare so well last year in GT2 (7th at Laguna Seca was their best finish in '08), and I haven't read anything about them coming back. They look (and sound) like a million bucks, but that's one crowded field next year...

If Bell enters GT1, they're not going to be facing any real competition and it didn't go so well for them in the few races they entered, certainly not at Lime Rock... my favorite picture from last year here. I was still irritated about 24h Le Mans (I'm a big Corvette Racing fan). ;)

Here is an in-car video of Tommy testing in St. Pete last month:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjDne5YSQDY

Edit: Oops. This is testing a Panoz for his father's PTG team. He will be competing against this car in March.