BimmerWorld Racing sits third in the Grand Sport (GS) point standings and second in Street Tuner (ST) as the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series prepares to compete at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this Saturday, May 5, for the first time since 2013.

Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and his co-driver, Tyler Cooke of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., say it’s too early to think about points, but they’re both optimistic about their chances with their new No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 at the very technical track in Lexington, Ohio.

Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass. has run at Mid-Ohio in the past, but his co-driver, Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C., will be making his first start there. They’re confident BimmerWorld’s past accomplishments at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course will help them come up with a good set-up for the team’s ST entry, the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis).

In quizzing the BimmerWorld drivers as they prepare for this race, we learned some of them sing in the cockpit at times, and Clay might have to explain the meaning of the word “buckeye” to his teammates before the first of two practice sessions on Friday. A third practice session will occur on Saturday morning before ST qualifying at 11:10 a.m. and GS qualifying at 11:30 a.m. Fans can enjoy the open-grid fan walk before the two-hour race gets the green flag at 2:20 p.m.

The race will be covered live on imsa.tv, with live timing and scoring at imsa.com. The race will also air on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday, May 12 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. All times are Eastern.

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
When was the last time you raced at Mid-Ohio, and how did it go?
“I raced at Mid-Ohio at least once a year since around 2004 in a variety of BMW machines, and I have a fair amount of history at the track. It’s a solid track for me personally, and I’m looking forward to returning this year for another go at it!”

How do you think your new BMW M4 GT4 will like Mid-Ohio?
“It was always a fairly good place for our BMW cars because it requires a bit of everything — power, braking, and tidy handling. I think we’re progressing on our M4 GT4 work with some recent testing, and I think we’ve improved the soft spots in the last couple of rounds, which weren’t even all that soft.  I like the M4 package and I am hopeful for a solid result.”

Does being third in the point standings give you added confidence, or is it too early to be counting points?
“It’s way too early to be looking at the points; if nothing else, that’s just bad luck! I do think we have a great car and team, and Tyler and I click along extremely well together as a driving duo. I’m confident in any track we will hit this year, but I’m certainly aware that there are a lot of other good cars and teams out there. It will be a battle every weekend, but one we hope to win.”

Please tell us a little about the third-place finish you got recently at the Nürburgring and about your plans to run in the 24-hour race there later this month.
“The Nürburgring is a special place. Honestly, it was a trip I likely wouldn’t have made on my own, but OPTIMA Batteries has such a passion for the automotive and enthusiast culture and encouraged us to take it on as part of its new European DIN fitment battery launch and testing program last year. We have one year under our belts, and we’re continuing to learn and progress to the point Tyler and I stood on the podium for our first time in Germany at the six-hour Qualifikationsrennen event leading up to the 24-hour race. It’s a really difficult track and a fierce BMW M235i racing field, and I’m really proud of that one.”

Mid-Ohio is known as a technical road course. Do you think it’s the most technical one you’ll face this year, or are there others right up there as far as the technical driving it will require?
“Mid-Ohio is technical due to some blind turns and linked sections, and less reward is placed on just letting it all hang out. But we’re just coming off of Sebring, which is technical and difficult due to track surface challenges and similarly linked turns. Every track is challenging in some way.  I don’t think we’ll be baffled by anything in the layout this weekend.”

Without looking it up, what is a buckeye? If you don’t know, guess!
“Most importantly, a buckeye is a chocolate-covered peanut butter piece found in Graeter’s Buckeye Blitz, which is frustratingly only found in Ohio. So yeah, we’ll be having some of that!”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
Have you raced at Mid-Ohio since that event in 2013?
“I’ve participated in some BMW events at Mid-Ohio with a couple guys I coach. It’s a great track to make laps and a tough track to race. The race will be close and intense.” 

How do you think your new BMW M4 GT4 will like Mid-Ohio?
“I think we’ll do well. We found some things when we tested that should help us on tracks like Mid-Ohio.” 

Where does Mid-Ohio stand on your list of favorite tracks, and why?
“It’s in the top 10 because you never know what you’ll get. When it’s wet, it’s one of the slickest tracks on the circuit. It’s a great track to learn at and race at.” 

Does being third in points give you added confidence going into Mid-Ohio, or is it too early to be counting points?
“It’s too early to be confident. A lot can happen in a year, or even a race. James and I witnessed that at Road Atlanta last year. You always keep points in mind and how you can keep gaining.”

Please tell us a little about the third-place finish you got recently at the Nürburgring and about your plans to run in the 24-hour race there later this month.
“It was a dream come true. It’s such a tough track and tough race. The class we’re in is one of the toughest in the field and accomplishing that with James was a great feeling. We all feel really good about the 24, and we think we can improve compared to last year.” 

Mid-Ohio is known as a technical road course. Do you think it’s the most technical one you’ll face this year, or are there others right up there as far as the technical driving it will require?
“They all have their uniqueness. This track has a lot of blind uphill corners, but Lime Rock has a lot of elevation changes, and we run the most laps there. It’s hard to say because each track has its challenges.”

Ohio is the only state to have an official rock song. It’s “Hang on Sloopy,” which could be very appropriate for a race car driver at times. Do you ever sing during a race, and if so, what?
“I’ll sometimes sing some AC/DC or one of the latest hit songs to come out. But only under a long caution, because it keeps your mind busy so you’re not sleeping at the restart.” 

Without looking it up, what is a buckeye? If you don’t know, guess!
“I think it’s a type of plant.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
When was the last time you raced at Mid-Ohio? What were you in, and how did it go?
“The last time I was at Mid-Ohio was in 2013. It was one of my first races in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series. I was in a GS Mustang Boss 302R. We ended up finishing mid pack, but I learned a lot. I fell in love with this fun track the first time out. It has some really challenging corners mixed with some really fun places!”

How do you think your BMW 328i (F30 chassis) will fare there?
“The F30 should fit very well at Mid-Ohio. I’ve been trying to estimate how she’ll behave there. I’m excited to find out, and I’m sure we’ll be near the front.” 

Where does Mid-Ohio stand on your list of favorite tracks, and why?
“Mid-Ohio is tied for second on my list with Road America, with Watkins Glen being first. All three of these great tracks have a similar natural-topography flow to them. I love it.” 

We’re entering race three of a 10-race series and you and Devin are second in ST. Does this give you added confidence going into Mid-Ohio, or is it too early to be counting points?
“We’re all looking good at this point in the early season. I know we’re putting everything we have into staying up front, and I’m looking forward to challenging for the championship.”

Mid-Ohio is known as a technical road course. Do you think Mid-Ohio is the most technical road course you’ll face this year, or are there others right up there as far as the technical driving it will require?
“Mosport is up there with Mid-Ohio in the importance of technique and theory. They’re really fun on the brain.”

Ohio is the only state to have an official rock song. It’s “Hang on Sloopy,” which could be very appropriate for a race car driver at times. Do you ever sing during a race, and if so, what?
“I do sometimes sing in the car during some challenging moments. If I do sing at Mid-Ohio, it’s definitely going to be ‘My City Was Gone’ by The Pretenders.”

Without looking it up, what is a buckeye? If you don’t know, guess!
“I’m not completely sure, but it may be a flower or tree. Are they edible? Could one have a bowl of buckeyes?”

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
When was the last time you raced at Mid-Ohio?
“I’ve actually never been to Mid-Ohio, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge of learning a new track. I’ve seen a lot of racing at this track and it seems like one that will fit my driving style well.”

How do you think your BMW 328i (F30 chassis) will fare there?
“Our car should be strong at Mid-Ohio. The BimmerWorld guys have some past experience at this track with the current package, so this should be an advantage for us, and we’re hoping for a great result.”

We’re entering race three of a 10-race series and you and Nick are second in ST. Does this give you added confidence going into Mid-Ohio, or is it too early to be counting points?
“We had the car to beat at Sebring until we ran into issues in the pits and a motor issue during my stint; this hurt us a bit in points. We’re still sitting second in the standings, but for now, we’re just focusing on winning races and getting results.”

Do you think Mid-Ohio is the most technical road course you’ll face this year, or are there others right up there as far as the technical driving it will require?
“From what I’ve seen in video and on iRacing, it seems very technical. That suits me well, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how this track compares to others of the same nature.”

Ohio is the only state to have an official rock song. It’s “Hang on Sloopy,” which could be very appropriate for a race car driver at times.
“That song might be a little before my time! Ha-ha!”

Without looking it up, what is a buckeye? If you don’t know, guess!
“I thought about this for a while, and honestly had no clue. I gave in and looked it up, and my guesses would’ve been nowhere close to what a buckeye actually is!”

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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.