Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – April 16, 2016... BMW Team RLL had a disappointing debut of the BMW M6 GTLM at Long Beach today, finishing fifth and tenth in the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix, the third round of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The 100-minute race started with great promise as the No. 25 of Bill Auberlen, starting from the class pole, led the opening 13 laps of the race. A drive-through penalty Auberlen served on lap 28 after contact with a Prototype Challenge car on lap 24 dropped the No. 25 car down to sixth. Dirk Werner entered the car on lap 31 and rejoined the race in the seventh spot. He raced hard, but was unable to regain any considerable ground. A restart on lap 55, for a caution period that began on lap 51, was the final insult to injury. In the hairpin, Werner was hit in the right rear by a Prototype Challenge car and was forced to the pits to change the cut Michelin. Late race attrition helped move him up to the fifth position by the checkered flag.
John Edwards and Lucas Luhr, unable to shake the bad luck that has clung to the pair this season, were unable to see the race’s finish line. Luhr started the race from the sixth position, but was quickly into the pits on lap four with an electrical issue. He rejoined the race in ninth, but was unable to improve through the first hour of the race. Edwards took over on lap 49 and moved up to eighth. On the lap 55 restart contact with a competitor caused damage that was quickly realized by both Edwards and the crew. Before the team could call him to the pits Edwards was into the wall on lap 64 and out of the race.

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