BMW in the Daytona 24-Hour Race

[woodym3]

BMW-powered cars will have a big presence in the Rolex Grand-Am 24-Hour race at Daytona on January 29-30. In addition 21 BMWs are entered in the 2 1/2 hour Continental Tire Challenge race on Friday, the 28th. Here is a quick rundown:
Of the 17 Daytona Prototypes, 7 are Ford-powered, 4 BMW, 3 Porsche, and 3 Chevrolet. The always-favored Ganassi Racing Riley-BMWs have an all-star line up.
#01 - Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Joey Hand, and Graham Rahal
#02 - Indy car stars Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Juan Pablo Montoya, and NASCAR's Jamie McMurray
Level 5 Motorsports has some established European sports car drivers in their two Riley BMWs, #55 and #95. Engines in these cars are the BMW S62 V8 from the E39 M5 as modifed by Dinan.
The #8 Starworks Riley has switched from BMW to Ford power. Also of interest is the Gainsco Riley Chevrolet with NASCAR Champion Jimmy Johnson added to the normal team of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney.

The Rolex GT class has 32 cars entered including 14 Porsche GT3s, 9 Mazda RX8s, 3 Ferrari 430s, 3 Camaro GT-Rs, 2 BMWs and 1 Mustang. Understand that these GT cars are a long way from their production counterparts. All but the Porsches and Ferraris use tube frames. The #32 blue BMW M6 is the same car raced by PRI Motorsports to an 11th place finish last year. The #94 yellow M3 entered by Turner Motorsports is the same chassis as last year's M6, just new body work. Drivers in the #94 are Bill Auberlen, Boris Said, Matt Plumb, and Paul Dalla Lana. Also of interest is the #56 Ferrari of Annapolis's Skip Bennett Racing. Three of the drivers, Mike Skeen, Michael Davidson, and Jonathan Allen have raced locally in BMW SpecE30s.

If you are interested in seeing the race in person, it is possible to leave EARLY Saturday morning for the 10 hour drive to Daytona and be back in time for work Monday morning. The race will be televised on Speed TV starting at 3pm Saturday until 10 pm and continuing at 7 am Sunday morning until the 3:30 pm finish and awards ceremony.

The Grand Sport (GS) class of the Conti race is dominated by 11 BMWs. Also there are 6 Mustangs, 4 Porsche 997s, 2 Porsche Cayman Ss, 3 Camaros, and 1 each of Audi S4, Dodge Challenger, and Subaru STi. The M3 entries includes 3 by Fall Line Motorports of Chicago (#45, 46 and 48), 2 by Turner Motorsports (#96 and 97) 2 by Bimmerworld of Radford Virginia (#78 and 79), and 1 by RRT's Insight Racing of Dulles (#19). The 2010 winner #13 of Rum Bum Racing is returning.

Forty three cars are entered in the Street Tuner (ST) class with 10 BMWs - 5 E90 328i's, 3 E46 330s, and 2 128i's. Those 128s (#4 and 14) are entered by long-time Daytona Prototype team, Doren Racing. Other makes in the ST class include Mini Cooper, VW GTi, Honda Civic Si, Kia Forte Koup, Porsche Boxster, Mazda MX5, Speed 3, and RX8.

The Continental race starts at 1:30 pm on Friday. Live timing and scoring will be on the Grand-Am website. Delayed TV coverage will be on Speed at 3 pm February 5.

[ronh21]

The Grand Sport (GS) class of the Conti race is dominated by 11 BMWs. Also there are 6 Mustangs, 4 Porsche 997s, 2 Porsche Cayman Ss, 3 Camaros, and 1 each of Audi S4, Dodge Challenger, and Subaru STi. The M3 entries includes 3 by Fall Line Motorports of Chicago (#45, 46 and 48), 2 by Turner Motorsports (#96 and 97) 2 by Bimmerworld of Radford Virginia (#78 and 79), and 1 by RRT's Insight Racing of Dulles (#19). The 2010 winner #13 of Rum Bum Racing is returning.

Forty three cars are entered in the Street Tuner (ST) class with 10 BMWs - 5 E90 328i's, 3 E46 330s, and 2 128i's. Those 128s (#4 and 14) are entered by long-time Daytona Prototype team, Doren Racing. Other makes in the ST class include Mini Cooper, VW GTi, Honda Civic Si, Kia Forte Koup, Porsche Boxster, Mazda MX5, Speed 3, and RX8.

RRT moved from the ST 328 to a GS M3? Are you going down for this?

[jhm5]

Woody, the 10 hour drive from DC area to Daytona? 800 miles in 10-hours? Only One-Lappers can do that.

[woodym3]

RRT moved from the ST 328 to a GS M3? Are you going down for this?

RRT/Insight Racing will be racing the ST class 328 AND a GS class E92 M3. It is planned that Martin Jensen (Denmark) and Paul Gerrard (Colorado) will drive the M3, and Tyler McQuarrie and Nicholas Rondet (both Californians) will drive the 328. McQuarrie and Rondet have lots of experience including formula cars. McQuarrie is also well known as drifter and movie stunt car driver.
Yes, I'll be there. Wouldn't miss it. I know lots of people who will be there spectating, one from as far away as New Hampshire.

[woodym3]

Woody, the 10 hour drive from DC area to Daytona? 800 miles in 10-hours? Only One-Lappers can do that.

Maybe that was with the change in time zone. Oh wait. . . .
The route instructions from Arlington are pretty simple:
1. South on I-95 to Exit 261 in Florida
2. East on US-92 two miles to track on right.

[Car54]

Looking forward to this event! I'll be there Friday only.

[wduvall]

Continental Tire Challenge race, Grand-Am 200, just finished, I don't want to spoil the results for the people that want to watch the TV coverage Feb 5 at 3:00 PM on SPEED so if you didn't watch Turner Motorsports pit lane live feed of the race today and want to view the results the following page will show the results once official.

http://www.grand-am.com/schedule/eve...ies=k&eid=2351

or

http://grandam.racersites-cluster.co...=1483&VN=68525

Live timing and scoring

[woodym3]

I got home from Daytona at 11:30 last night. Both races were fantastic in my opinion. We left at noon but I had recorded the last hour of the 24-Hour and watched it this afternoon. The weather made this year more fun than ever and I got to hang with lots of friends. The pre-race track walks are tons of fun too. Anyone gets to rub shoulders (literally because it was so crowded) with Juan Pablo Montoya, Jimmie Johnson, Dario Franchitti, Boris Said, etc. I got a ride around the track Saturday morning with a BMW Performance Center instructor in an M3 at speed. About 150 mph before braking for the bus stop chicane.

[Biggins]

I was very happy with the results of both races. Joey Hand had an outstanding drive in the 24.

Hopefully next year I can head down.