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Engine: 3.0L Turbo Inline-6, BMW Motorsport electronics, AiM data acquisition
Driveline: ZF8 with Motorsport software, Motorsport differential with separate cooling
Suspension: Motorsport-specifi
Wheels: 18-inch Motorsport race wheels
Brakes: 6-piston, fixed calipers front; 4-piston fixed calipers rear; adjustable brake bias via balance bar
Drivers: Tyler McQuarrie, James Walker, Jr.
BimmerWorld Racing 2023 SRO Season Announcement: March 2, 2023
BimmerWorld Racing is proud to announce its return to SRO Motorsport America bringing two brand new BMW Motorsport G82 M4 GT4s to compete in the Pirelli GT4 America championship and a BMW M4 GT3 returning in Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS for the 2023 season.
Coming off a very successful 2022 season in the GT4 America AM series, winning seven of the 14 races, the driver pairing of James Clay and Charlie Postins will return as teammates looking to repeat their performance and clinch another championship. They will be piloting the brand new No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems USA BMW Motorsport G82 M4 GT4. “After the success of last year it just made sense to do it all over again with Charlie. New car with new challenges, but same teammates and the same goal of a championship in 2023,” Clay continued. “After five successful years racing the F82 M4 platform the team is eager to get the new G82 on track and get to work.”
Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull will be returning to SRO America with BimmerWorld Racing for their second season in the No. 94 TACenergy / OZIUM BMW M4 GT3. Bill and Chandler had a strong showing in 2022 with podiums at all six rounds of racing and capped it off with a win at the Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 hour making that three years in a row for the BimmerWorld team. “Bill and Chandler are fantastic in the GT3 platform, and we are excited to see the true potential of this car in 2023 after an inaugural season where BMW often struggled with the balance of performance,” Clay added.
James Walker, Jr. returns for his fourth season with BimmerWorld Racing sharing the No. 82 Red Line Oil / Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems USA BMW M4 GT4 with a new driver to the BimmerWorld family, Tyler McQuarrie. Tyler has been racing for almost 25 years and has won in multiple different categories ranging from formula cars, stock cars, sprint cars, drifting, off-road, and sports cars. Sports car racing has been his main focus the majority of his career and has multiple poles, wins, and the 2019 IMSA GS Championship to show for it. “I’ve raced against Tyler for multiple years and worked with him extremely effectively in our Lifeline business for the last year and change,” Clay continued. “James Walker is back for his fourth year with BimmerWorld, and I think this should prove to be a strong pairing and a championship contender.”
The BimmerWorld Racing team is supported by the following sponsors:
No. 36:
OPTIMA Batteries – The Ultimate Power Source. Unbeatable starting power, light weight, superior cycling capability, and extreme resistance to the most common causes of battery failure make the OPTIMA Battery our choice for our own BMW. OPTIMA also delivers the innovative OPTIMA Chargers Digital 400 and 1200 Battery Chargers for all automotive and marine batteries.
Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems – Leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment and fire safety systems to the motorsport industry.
No. 82:
Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation – Manufacturers of more than 100 high-end lubricants that have the reputation of performing better than any other product on the market, regardless of price. Using cutting edge technology, Red Line responds to the technical challenges of today’s performance industry utilizing knowledge gained from racing to create high-performance products for track cars and street vehicles alike.
Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems – Leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment and fire safety systems to the motorsport industry.
No. 94:
TACenergy – One of the largest independent wholesale fuel distributors of refined petroleum products in the United States. With an extensive supply network across the U.S., as well as regional sales offices across the country, TACenergy can service almost any customer’s fuel needs.
Core BimmerWorld technical partners include:
PFC Brakes – Leading brake friction and component manufacturer.
Diffsonline – Provider of differentials and driveline expertise to meet the demanding needs of customers, from street machines to professional race teams.
Additional team sponsors include:
Johnstone Supply – The top cooperative wholesale distributor in the country and a recognized national leader in the HVACR industry.
Exhall Automotive -Offers bespoke design realization services to OEM’s and Start ups alike. With over 20 years of experience in many of the top design studios of the world Exhall Automotive excels in offering efficient design services in a turn key fashion to meet the demands of today’s cost conscious manufacturers.
Ozium – Clinically proven air sanitizers that eliminate, not mask, odors.
Pretzilla – The pioneer in fresh, soft pretzel bread.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT3 and M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
After a long but hectic off season, the BimmerWorld haulers made their way into Sonoma last week to kick off the 2022 SRO Motorsports America season. Out rolled three beautiful BMWs ready for battle, including our first entry into the world of GT3 racing, the No. 94 TACenergy / OZIUM BMW Motorsport M4 GT3 piloted by Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull this year in the GT World Challenge America Presented by AWS series. The M4 GT3, which BimmerWorld took delivery of only the week before this race weekend, and two M4 GT4s were prepped, stickered up, and rolled through tech Wednesday afternoon. Drivers made last-minute checks to their seating positions, and the cars were put to bed until the first test session the next day.
With all the anticipation and anxiousness leading up to the beginning of this season, it was slightly anticlimactic to arrive at the track Thursday morning to rain. The forecast said it would rain on and off throughout the whole weekend. Rain tires were mounted up and the crew and drivers dug right in and got to work.
Friday was sunny, clear, and dry and allowed the team to really start finding its groove with the new GT3 while Auberlen and Hull exchanged notes.
James Clay and Charlie Postins, drivers of the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Lifeline USA M4 GT4, were busy getting comfortable with driver changes while James Walker, Jr. and Devin Jones, drivers of the No. 82 Red Line Oil / Veristor M4 GT4, poured over data to find a tenth here and there to make the most of Sonoma, which in the past has never been the best track for the BMW.
With rain sprinkling on and off throughout all qualifying sessions, the goal was equally about surviving as it was about finding speed. With the largest GT4 field on record at 41 cars, there wasn’t a lot of open track and plenty of close calls while everyone scrambled to put down their best lap.
The forecast was finally dry and sunny for both race days. Auberlen and Hull had a solid Saturday running in the top-three the entire race and finishing on the podium in third. Sunday they had a tougher time getting to the front and finished seventh. In a car that was delivered only a handful of days prior, the team was very pleased with the results.
The pair of M4 GT4s took to the track, and the No. 36 of Clay and Postins started on the pole and took the win for Saturday by less than two tenths of a second! Sunday they managed to stay up front once again and grab another podium with a second-place finish. The No. 82 of Walker, Jr. and Jones was in the thick of battles every lap and managed to dodge many offs, crashes, contact, etc. to keep the car clean and intact. After the dust settled, they came home with a top-10 finish in the incredibly competitive field of over 20 Pro/Am entries in GT4 America SprintX both Saturday and Sunday.
Starting off with three podiums out of four races is an excellent kick off to the season, and we’ll be rolling this momentum right into the next race at Ozarks International Raceway on the weekend of May 20-22.
Follow BimmerWorld at: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT3 and GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
BimmerWorld Racing is proud to announce its return to the SRO Motorsports America series. The team will be bringing two new BMW M4 GT3s to compete in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS and a BMW M4 GT4 to compete in Pirelli GT4 America for the 2022 season.
With the highly anticipated arrival of the BMW M4 GT3, team principal James Clay had his sights set on making the jump from the GT4 class to GT3 for 2022. In November of 2021 Clay was selected as one of five drivers to pilot the very first M4 GT3 on American soil which gave him a first look at the amazing machine that BMW Motorsport created and some very valuable seat time. “The M4 GT3 is a very well thought out and designed car,” Clay explained. “It was intuitive to drive and nicely composed. I can’t wait for our team to dig in and really start learning the new machine!”
Clay will be piloting the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT3 alongside Ari Balogh, a familiar face to BimmerWorld Racing. Balogh previously raced with BimmerWorld in 2017 and is no stranger to sports car racing. “Ari was last with us in BimmerWorld-built ST cars, so the GT3 is obviously a different thing,” Clay continued. “Ari has been busy in GT4, GT3, LMP3, LMP2, and a range of other equipment and series, so I know he’s well-prepared for his first GT3 season, and I’m thrilled to have him back with us and as my co-driver for the first time.”
Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull will be returning to SRO America with BimmerWorld Racing for their third and fourth seasons respectively in the No. 94 TACenergy / OZIUM BMW M4 GT3. “Bill obviously has a wealth of experience in BMW cars, including several previous GT3 generations, and was at the American rollout of the M4 last year, which will be super helpful as we develop the new car,” Clay added. “Chandler has also gained tremendous experience already this year in the M4 GT3 in the Creventic Dubai 24H and the four Asian LeMans series races, so I think everyone is really well-prepared to make this inaugural season a great one.” While Clay, Auberlen, and Hull finished off the 2021 season with a GT4 class win at the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8-Hour Endurance Race for the second year in a row, this will be the first year that Auberlen and Hull share the same car throughout an entire season.
Devin Jones and James Walker, Jr. will be behind the wheel of the No. 82 Red Line Oil / Veristor BMW M4 GT4 in GT4 America SprintX. The 2022 season will be Jones’ first in SRO but follows his long history with BimmerWorld Racing in IMSA including a ST class championship in 2018 and co-driving alongside Clay in the No. 82 M4 GT4 for two seasons with multiple wins and podiums. This will be Walker, Jr.’s third season returning to the SRO GT4 America series where he has collected four wins with previous teammate Bill Auberlen. “I love both of these guys and am excited to have them together in a car for the season,” said Clay. “They have both been successful with BimmerWorld and the M4 GT4, and they are both important to the continuity and culture of our team.”
No. 36: OPTIMA Batteries – The Ultimate Power Source. Unbeatable starting power, light weight, superior cycling capability, and extreme resistance to the most common causes of battery failure make the OPTIMA Battery our choice for our own BMW. OPTIMA also delivers the innovative OPTIMA Chargers Digital 400 and 1200 Battery Chargers for all automotive and marine batteries.
No. 94: TACenergy is one of the largest independent wholesale fuel distributors of refined petroleum products in the United States. With an extensive supply network across the U.S., as well as regional sales offices across the country, TACenergy can service almost any customer’s fuel needs.
No. 82: Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation – Manufacturers of more than 100 high-end lubricants that have the reputation of performing better than any other product on the market, regardless of price. Using cutting edge technology, Red Line responds to the technical challenges of today’s performance industry utilizing knowledge gained from racing to create high-performance products for track cars and street vehicles alike.
Core BimmerWorld technical partners include:
PFC Brakes – Leading brake friction and component manufacturer.
Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems – Leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment and fire safety systems to the motorsport industry.
Diffsonline – Provider of differentials to meet the demanding needs of customers, from street machines to professional race teams.
Additional team sponsors include:
Airbnb — An American company that operates an online marketplace for lodging, primarily homestays for vacation rentals and tourism activities.
Johnstone Supply – The top cooperative wholesale distributor in the country and a recognized national leader in the HVACR industry.
OZIUM – Clinically proven air sanitizers that eliminate, not mask, odors.
Pretzilla – The pioneer in fresh, soft pretzel bread.
Veristor – Leading provider of transformative business technology solutions, helping its customers accelerate the time-to-value for the software, infrastructure, and systems they deploy.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT3 and M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
It’s hard to imagine a better, more iconic racing venue than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to finish off a long and arduous season of SRO GT4 America racing. Indy has proven to be very good to the BimmerWorld Racing team over the years, and thankfully that held to be true again this year.
At the beginning of the week, the practice sessions were in mixed weather which is typical for Indy this time of year. Rain would come and go and completely flood the track, washing away any chances of fast laps or finding any sort of pace. When it came time to qualify, that didn’t seem to matter much as all six of the BimmerWorld drivers did their part putting their M4s well up the starting grid for the Thursday and Friday races.
Thursday’s race had a 5:00 p.m. start time with a cloudy but dry track. James Clay started in fifth position in the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Racing to End Alzheimer’s M4, James Walker Jr. was in tenth in the No. 34 Red Line Oil car, and Chandler Hull rolled out in twelfth in the No.94 GO Organic machine. The second the green flag dropped, Clay was on the move and made his way up to second position within half a lap. Meanwhile, Walker Jr. and Hull were in non-stop battles in the top-10.
Walker Jr. was the first to dive into the pits to let Bill Auberlen take over with 34 minutes to go. Hull followed soon after with Jon Miller hopping in while Clay was in a fierce three-way battle to keep his second-place spot in front of two Mercedes AMGs for a few more laps.
After the new drivers got settled in, they all ended up in heated battles all the way to the end of the race, coming across the line in fourth in Silver class and fifth and sixth in Pro-Am.
It was the pro drivers’ turn to take the green flag on Friday with Bill Auberlen in the No. 34 Red Line Oil M4 starting sixth, Jon Miller in the No. 94 in 11th position, and Nick Galante bringing the OPTIMA Batteries / Racing to End Alzheimer’s No.36 to the green in 18th.
Friday’s race was even more frantic at the beginning as it had rained just before the start, and the weather was still looking questionable. With everyone choosing to start on slicks, there was still some dampness on track once they all got off the line. Thankfully, no more rain fell, and the track continued to dry up to allow racing that was just as intense as Thursday, with constant battles throughout the field no matter where the BimmerWorld Racing M4 GT4s were placed. Unfortunately, Auberlen had some slight contact with a competitor while dicing for position that led to retiring the No. 34 before James Walker Jr. could hop in, but not before Auberlen could put down the fastest lap of the race. The No. 94 of Miller/Hull stayed up front the entire race and managed to just barely miss the podium with a fourth-place finishing position in Silver class. Clay and Galante fought to the end and wound up in a fourth-place finish in Pro-Am, but were bumped to third after the second-place finishing Aston Martin failed its post-race inspection. That wrapped up the 2021 GT4 America Sprint X season. What an absolutely wild year of GT4 racing!
That may have been the end of the GT4 America Sprint X series, but just like last year, there was still more racing to do on this weekend. Eight more hours, in fact.
After Friday’s race, the No. 34 Red Line Oil M4 got prepped and renumbered to wear No.36. The BimmerWorld / Red Line Oil M4 GT4—No. 82 last season—took the win in the GT4 class last year in the Indy 8-Hour, and the same three drivers—Clay, Hull, and Auberlen—were back to defend their title. Accompanying the No. 36 this year was a second BimmerWorld Racing entry, the No. 82 Racing to End Alzheimer’s / OPTIMA Batteries M4 GT4 also being piloted by some familiar names—James Walker Jr. and Nick Galante along with Devin Jones for the first time back in competition since his accident last year. The team was so excited to have Devin back in the car and we knew we had two extremely strong cars and driver lineups for this 8-hour endurance race.
Qualifying for the Indy 8-Hour involves a combined lap time of all three drivers. Once everyone had their turn behind the wheel, it was the BimmerWorld No. 36 starting on second with the No. 82 close behind in fourth.
As expected, the event was roughly seven hours and 59 minutes of intense racing, crunching numbers, picking strategies, reacting to situations on track, and keeping the cars in one piece. Oh, and all that while also going as fast as possible. The mix of the much faster GT3 cars along with our GT4 race made it a continuous heads-up affair with plenty of bob-and-weave action throughout our racing battles, trying our best not to get mixed up in any unneeded contact or drama that could end up being a very costly or race-ending mistake.
In the first half, there was some confusion from the wave-around that wasn’t done promptly by the pace car during a full-course yellow that resulted in our BWR cars going a lap down to the rest of the field. This had the team scrambling to make up time and adjust strategies on the fly to make sure we could get back into contention in the second half of the race. Thankfully, the timing-and-scoring issues were taken care of, minimal mistakes were made, and through clean driving and perfect pit stops, we clawed our way back to the lead lap with both cars running in the top-five for several hours.
With the time clicking away and the final pit stops having taken place, it was down to Bill Auberlen to stay in the No. 36 car and take it home. The strategy had worked flawlessly and gave Auberlen a solid lead going into the last 45 minutes, but with the second- and third-place GT4 cars on the same lap, just a couple of turns behind.
After eight long hours, the checkers flew, and the BimmerWorld Racing team got to run out to the pit wall to cheer on their driver while taking first place in the GT4 class for the second year in a row. Just a few seconds later, the No. 82 came onto the straight away to capture fourth place after an equally clean race for all three drivers.
We can’t think of any better way to cap off the season than winning at this prestigious track with our absolutely amazing team, our incredible driver lineup, and a great series. It goes without saying that we’re already looking forward to the 2022 season.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
Coming hot off the heels of Road America with a double-podium finish and strong showing for BimmerWorld Racing all weekend, the team was looking to carry their momentum into Watkins Glen for another weekend of GT4 racing.
Things were looking promising throughout practice, but during the last session, James Walker Jr. in the No. 34 M4 GT4 had a slight mishap involving a tire barrier which resulted in the car not being able to put down a qualifying time. The other two cars, the OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s No. 36 of James Clay and Nick Galante and the No. 94 TAC Energy / GO Organic driven by Chandler Hull and Jon Miller, made the best of their qualifying sessions. The drivers placed their cars well up into the field and knew they had the pace to get to the front.
When the green flag dropped on Saturday, the BimmerWorld cars were quick to move up in positions, with Clay taking his M4 GT4 from eleventh to fifth and James Walker Jr. moving up twelve spots in the first ten minutes of racing. When the pit window opened and driver changes began throughout the field, Clay pushed the No. 36 to the lead while Bill Auberlen jumped in to relieve Walker Jr. in the Red Line Oil No. 34. By the time the rest of the cars cycled through their driver changes, Galante managed his way to fourth place while Auberlen continued charging to the front in a hurry.
At the end of the race, the No. 94 of Auberlen/Walker Jr. made up a total of 20 positions for a ninth-place finish. Clay and Galante were directly behind in tenth, and Hull/Miller were in twenty-sixth after having lost several positions due to issues throughout the race.
Sunday’s race was a little better for the entire team. Auberlen started dead last with no qualifying time due to the crash, but in his typical fashion, that just meant he was determined to move up the field as quickly as possible. And that he did, passing over 20 cars before handing the car off to Walker Jr. who ended up taking it to a fourth-place finish overall and a second-place in class.
The No. 34 of Hull and Miller had a much better race than Saturday, battling non-stop in the top-10 and finally landing in eleventh place at the finish. Clay and Galante had a solid showing as well, with Clay charging hard through his stint, bringing the car from outside the top-20 at the start to a thirteenth-place finish.
The BimmerWorld Racing team heads to Sebring Raceway next October 1-3, 2021.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
After almost three months of a break in the action, the BimmerWorld Racing team was eager to get back in the swing of things at Road America for the fourth event of the 2021 SRO GT4 America season. The drivers and cars were ready to get to work, but the weather had different plans and caused some delays in getting on track for practice Friday.
Saturday’s weather was still damp but drying as the BimmerWorld trio of M4 GT4s rolled out of the pits for their qualifying sessions. Jon Miller in the GO Organic No. 94 qualified his M4 GT4 in sixth, James Clay in the OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s No. 36 in eighth, and James Walker Jr. in the Red Line Oil No. 34 rounded out the team in eleventh. The second round of qualifying on a dry but green track surface had drivers a little more spread out looking for their fast laps. Bill Auberlen found speed right out of the gate and into a second-place qualifying position. Struggling to find clear track in the hectic qualifying session, the No. 36 of Nick Galante ended up in twentieth with Chandler Hull in the No. 94 coming in twenty-second.
A few hours later, the three BimmerWorld M4 GT4s were lining up for the first race of the weekend, and from the second the green flag flew, it was non-stop excitement for all three drivers. Clay in the No. 36 managed to pick up several spots in the very first laps while Miller in the No. 94 ran up to second, battling it out in the top-three positions for several laps. For a while, it seemed the SRO broadcast was only covering BimmerWorld cars while all three were in intense battles for position and moving forward through the field.
The battles intensified while the pits opened up for driver changes, and once Bill Auberlen got behind the wheel of his Red Line Oil No. 34, he was a man on a mission driving straight to the front. Auberlen managed to get by and take the lead from Toby Grahovec in an awesome battle with 15 minutes to go, and never looked back. Galante, now behind the wheel of the No. 36, managed to keep up the same pace as Clay and was in a fierce battle for third place with the AMG of Christian Szymczak and the BMW of John Capestro-Dubets.
When the checkers waved on Saturday, it was a double podium for BimmerWorld with Auberlen and Walker Jr. taking first-place in the No. 34 Red Line Oil machine and Clay and Galante finishing in third in the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s car.
Sunday was another absolutely intense hour of non-stop battles among a very competitive field of GT4 cars. It was Auberlen’s turn to take the green in the No. 34 from P2. Galante and Hull started further back but made up several positions in just a few short minutes of racing, with Galante driving from twentieth to twelfth in the first two laps under green-flag conditions.
With 22 minutes to go, a full-course caution came out for an accident at the kink which was just inside the pit window, allowing the front part of the field enough time to come in for their driver changes. This allowed James Walker Jr. to jump into the No. 34 and remain in the top three while the other two BimmerWorld cars of Clay and Miller weren’t as fortunate and got caught on the wrong side of this caution for driver swaps. The clock kept ticking while SRO tried to get everyone back in the correct order for the restart, and with only seven minutes to go, they went back to green.
Finishing positions for Sunday’s race was Auberlen/Walker Jr. in fourth, Clay/Galante in twenty-third, and Hull/Miller had to retire the car due to a mechanical issue nine laps from the end.
The weekend was a positive one overall and just what the team needed to knock the rust off from being away from SRO for several weeks. The next race is in just a couple of weeks at Watkins Glen on September 17-19, 2021.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
BimmerWorld Racing rolled into Austin, TX for Round Two of the GT4X season looking for solid results at a track with past racing success. The cars and drivers were ready to get down to business on track, but the weather had other plans, and rain was on the forecast throughout practice and qualifying.
With a field of almost 40 GT4 cars scrambling to find speed on the damp track, it was hard to get a clean lap to show the pace of the BimmerWorld cars. By the time the track was starting to dry, it was too late to put down a fast lap, resulting in a starting position of P7 for the TAC Energy/GO Organic No. 94 of Chandler Hull and Jon Miller, P11 for the OPTIMA Batteries/Racing To End Alzheimer’s No. 36 of James Clay and Nick Galante, and P29 for the Red Line Oil No. 34 of Bill Auberlen and James Walker Jr.
When the green flag dropped on Saturday, the track was dry and the sun was shining. The BimmerWorld Racing team was confident in the cars and ready to drive them to the front, knowing they all had far more speed than their qualifying positions implied. In the first two laps of the race, Clay managed to push his No. 36 M4 GT4 forward five positions to P6 while Miller pushed up three positions to P4, and Walker, Jr. went up several, placing that car well into the hunt from a mid-pack start.
After a large impact into a wall by an Aston Martin, the race was under full-course caution for several minutes before the race was red-flagged with 37 minutes left on the clock. When racing restarted, the pit window opened with around 30 minutes to go. James Walker, Jr. was first to duck into pit lane, putting Bill Auberlen behind the wheel. Meanwhile, Miller and Clay continued pushing hard and made their way to second and third respectively before coming in for their driver changes.
With Hull behind the wheel of the No. 94 GT4 and 20 minutes left on the clock, he rejoined the race in P2 overall, right in the thick of an all-BMW M4 GT4 train from first through fourth. While Hull and Galante were battling it out in the top-five, Auberlen was busy picking off multiple positions on every lap, running hard through the field and working the No. 34 up an amazing 24 positions by the end of the race. It was an absolutely amazing drive for the Red Line Oil No. 34. The duo of Chandler Hull and Jon Miller fought incredibly hard for their first win of the season in the GT4 Silver category.
The next race on the schedule is at BimmerWorld’s home track of VIRginia International Raceway on June 4-6. We always look forward to racing at VIR, but this time we’re especially excited because we’ll have fans back finally! We hope to see as many people as possible, as it’s been much too long without seeing all our friends, family, and fans at the track. Be sure to stop in and say hi if you’re around. Information on purchasing tickets to the VIR race can be found below.
Purchase SRO GT World Challenge America VIR Tickets for June 4-6 here: https://virnow.com/events/
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
The BimmerWorld Racing haulers pulled into Sonoma Raceway last week and rolled out a fresh-looking trio of BMW M4 GT4s ready to get to work. New liveries, new driver suits, and a couple of new drivers all looking to get this season started off right.
While Sonoma Raceway provides beautiful rolling hills, sunny skies, and perfect temperatures, it’s not without its own list of challenges. The infamously slippery track surface makes tire management throughout a 60-minute race just as important as overall speed. In the past, the BMW hasn’t produced the best results at Sonoma, so the team knew they had their work cut out for them. Team principal James Clay noted, “While it’s tough to start the season on the track you know is your worst, it allows us to really dig in and work on developing the car which will help us throughout the rest of the year.” With a qualifying position of P4 for the No.36 OPTIMA Batteries / Racing to End Alzheimer’s M4 GT4 driven by Clay and Nick Galante, it showed that the speed was there, they just had to make it last.
During Saturday’s race, each of the three BimmerWorld cars managed to move up from their starting positions with the No.36 running P2 overall and into the TV spotlight while taking the lead just before pitting. As the race went on and the tires started to fall off, it was all about managing the car, and the ability to race hard up front slowly faded. When the checkers flew, Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr., had the best finishing position with P4 in the Red Line Oil No. 34. The No. 94 TAC Energy / GO Organic M4 GT4 of Chandler Hull and Jon Miller managed to carve their way through half of the field finishing up 15 positions, proving these new teammates worked well together and will be fun to watch in the upcoming races. Sunday’s race was a repeat of Saturday with drivers struggling to make the tires last and battling hard in the middle of the field.
While the overall results of the weekend weren’t what they had hoped for, it allowed for gaining an immense amount of data on tire management. The team looks forward to taking the development work gained at Sonoma and having it pay off at some of their stronger tracks in the schedule where the BMW can stretch its legs.
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
BimmerWorld is proud to announce its return to the SRO Motorsport America series, bringing three BMW M4 GT4s to compete in GT4 America Sprint X for the 2021 season.
Despite the challenges endured by competitors throughout the 2020 season, team principal James Clay captured the drivers’ championship in TC America, Chandler Hull finished fourth overall in TC, and the duo of Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr. finished third in the overall season championship in Sprint X Pro-Am. BimmerWorld topped off the SRO season with Clay, Auberlen, and Hull taking home the win in the inaugural SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8-Hour Endurance Race. Building from the success in 2020, BimmerWorld returns with three cars and six drivers for the 2021 season.
Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr. return for their second season together behind the wheel of the Red Line Oil BMW M4 GT4 now wearing No. 34. Throughout their first season together, the duo managed to net three wins, two podiums, and several top-10 finishes placing them third overall in both team and driver standings. Auberlen and Walker were quick to show they could not only work well together and win races but also make their BMW blazingly fast. At the end of the year, Auberlen captured the most CrowdStrike Fastest Lap Awards for the 2020 season.
James Clay and Nick Galante will be driving the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4. Galante previously won the 2018 IMSA ST championship in a BimmerWorld F30 328i and drove the team’s M4 GT4 in the 2020 IMSA season, but this will be his first year in SRO, and 2021 will also be the first year the duo have shared a car as teammates. In addition to OPTIMA Batteries, a core BimmerWorld partner, Racing to End Alzheimer’s will continue their partnership with BimmerWorld Racing which started in 2018. Racing to End Alzheimer’s is focused on raising awareness of the disease and funding the cure. For the 2021 season, names of friends, family, and loved ones affected by this debilitating disease will be featured on the car based on donations to the cause.
Chandler Hull returns to SRO racing action for 2021 and, like Clay, is making the jump from his TC M240iR to a full-time M4 GT4 Sprint X Silver class entry along with Jon Miller, who is a new addition to the BimmerWorld driver line up. Hull and Miller will be piloting the TAC Energy No. 94 M4 GT4 and, like the rest of the 2021 team, brings both talent and BMW racing experience. Hull had an exceptional 2020 season that netted him several podiums, 4th-place overall in the drivers’ championship for TC America, and a win in the Indy 8-Hour as part of the three-driver BimmerWorld team. He also captured several podiums and a win in another M4 GT4 Silver entry. Jon Miller has his own list of accomplishments over the past few years; last year he claimed second place in the drivers’ championship in the GT4 America Silver class division along with six podiums throughout the year and finished second in the Indy 8-Hour in a competing BMW car.
The BimmerWorld Racing team heads to Sonoma Raceway on March 5-7 for the first two races of the season.
No. 34: Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation – Manufacturers of more than 100 high-end lubricants that have the reputation of performing better than any other product on the market, regardless of price. Using cutting-edge technology, Red Line responds to the technical challenges of today’s performance industry, utilizing knowledge gained from racing to create high-performance products for track cars and street vehicles alike.
No. 36: OPTIMA Batteries – The Ultimate Power Source. Unbeatable starting power, light weight, superior cycling capability, and extreme resistance to the most common causes of battery failure make OPTIMA Battery our choice for our own BMWs. OPTIMA also delivers the innovative OPTIMA Digital 400 and 1200 Battery Chargers for all automotive and marine batteries.
No. 36: Racing To End Alzheimer’s – Honoring loved ones who are or have been affected by Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia depends on the generosity and participation of our fans, our racing team, and our corporate sponsors. 100% of all donations go to our beneficiaries with additional corporate-matching funds. All costs and expenses are funded by sponsor Legistics.
No. 94: TAC Energy – One of the largest independent wholesale fuel distributors of refined petroleum products in the United States. With an extensive supply network across the U.S., as well as regional sales offices across the country, TAC can service almost any customer’s fuel needs.
Core BimmerWorld technical partners include:
PFC Brakes – Leading brake friction and component manufacturer.
Lifeline Fire & Safety System – Leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment and fire safety systems to the motorsport industry.
Diffsonline – Provider of differentials to meet the demanding needs of customers, from street machines to professional race teams.
Johnstone Supply – The top cooperative wholesale distributor in the country and a recognized national leader in the HVACR industry.
Additional team sponsors include:
Go Organic – Leader in organic gummy vitamins and lozenges.
OZIUM – Clinically proven air sanitizers that eliminate, not mask, odors.
Pretzilla – The pioneer in fresh, soft pretzel bread.
March 5-7: Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, CA
April 30-May 2: Circuit of the Americas – Austin, TX
May 21-23: Canadian Tire Motorsports Park – Ontario, Canada
June 11-13: Virginia International Raceway – Alton, VA
August 27-29: Road America – Elkhart Lake, WI
Sept 17-19: Watkins Glen International – Watkins Glen, NY
October 15-17: Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, IN
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise, with operations spanning from stock, aftermarket, performance, and racing parts sales and development through racing from club to professional levels. BimmerWorld Racing competes primarily with the BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 in North America in both SRO and IMSA Championships, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a frequent winner and championship contender.
As the 2021 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge season kicked off at Daytona, this year’s strategy was slightly different due to The Roar Before the 24 being just one week prior to the race, leaving teams with only a handful of days to prepare before strapping back into their cars for race week. Thankfully, BimmerWorld’s testing throughout The Roar was successful, drama-free, and full of progress so the team had very little work to do before the car would be back on the high banks on Wednesday, January 27.
BimmerWorld Racing will be campaigning one GS-class entry with IMSA at specific events throughout the year. The full 2021 season plan has not been fully developed at this time but will be announced very soon. For the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona, the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s M4 GT4 was driven by team owner James Clay along with Nick Galante and Mike Skeen who filled in for injured driver Devin Jones in the latter portion of the 2020 season at Laguna Seca and Sebring.
Picking up where they had left off just four days prior during The Roar, the team got all three drivers comfortable in the car and ready to battle for the four-hour endurance race. After qualifying on Thursday, the BimmerWorld No. 82 car was slated to start in P13. With Galante behind the wheel to take the green flag and four hours on the clock, solid strategy would prove to be a much more important key to success in the race than starting position. Throughout Galante’s stint, he managed to dodge problems on track and continued to work the No. 82 up several positions, well into the hunt for the front of the field.
After handing it over to James Clay, the team continued to battle into the top-10 while keeping the car clean and in one-piece. Mike Skeen hopped in for the final stint a little past halfway into the race. With perfectly timed and executed pit stops, the BimmerWorld No. 82 made its way into the top-5 and continued moving up, hungry to take the lead.
During one of the final restarts, Skeen got bumped off track at Turn 2, but he was able to save it by driving through the grass without doing any considerable damage to the car. Filing back in line after rejoining on track just before Turn 3, he had lost a few positions with the clock winding down. Unfortunately, the contact knocked the alignment out slightly, leaving Skeen to fight his way back to the front with a suboptimal front setup.
Even with the issue of the misaligned front end, Skeen managed to fight hard, driving the OPTIMA Batteries / Racing To End Alzheimer’s No. 82 to the best possible finish. After the final restart with just a few minutes to go, Skeen was in second place overall while heading into Turn 1 as the leading M4 GT4 with three others following closely. The leading McLaren had unmatched straightaway speed all week, making it impossible to catch once out front, but the battle was on between four BMW M4 GT4s for the rest of the podium places.
Skeen went toe-to-toe right up to the last turn where it was proven that being out front on a superspeedway isn’t always the most desirable position due to the draft. The trailing M4s got a solid run in the draft which was too much for Skeen to counter without being able to have a car to draft behind himself. A fourth-place finish certainly felt more like a win and was a huge accomplishment and a happy ending to the first event for the 2021 season.
After the previously successful set of races at COTA, James Clay was still leading the TC America Driver’s Championship points while the team rolled into Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a long week full of racing. These final two races would seal the fate for the overall season championship, so the pressure was on for James to finish close to the podium to be awarded enough points to clinch the championship.
Right off the bat, things were looking great as James qualified his PÖRQ/OPTIMA Batteries No. 36 BMW M240iR on the pole for the first race of the weekend. Chandler Hull qualified his TAC Energy No. 94 M240iR close behind in P4— there was less than a second between the top eight cars!
The numbers were being crunched in the pits before the race started to figure out where James needed to finish to clinch the championship, and that magic number was P4. If he could finish in P4 or better, the championship would be his, but James isn’t one to sit back and let everyone else have the fun. Throughout the race, James diced it up with the top four cars nonstop, running in second for most of the race. While dealing with lapped traffic going into T2, a rookie TCR driver made a fairly unpredictable move which forced contact with James, sending him spinning and dropping to the back of the field. With less than half the race left, James fought hard to get back up through the field, but when the checkers flew, it was P8 for him and P10 for Chandler.
Obviously very disappointed with this outcome, James knew that the final race of the season would be the deciding factor for the entire championship. Finishing in P8 didn’t net him enough points to clinch it, so now it would all come down to Race 2. Starting near the middle of the pack, James knew it would be important to not only get close to the front for those crucial points, but he’d also have to stay out of trouble and keep the car in one piece all the way to the finish.
Dicing through the field right from the start, the BimmerWorld Racing team was pulling their hair out behind the pit wall watching every second of the race and reacting with gasps or yells each time they saw Clay driving hard to gain positions. Teammate Chandler Hull stuck right with him, and both drivers managed to navigate through the field of M240iRs cleanly, with James finishing P4 and Chandler in P7.
The final finishing position in the last race of the season gave James enough points to be locked in as the 2020 SRO TC America Driver’s Champion! It came right down to the wire, but when things mattered most, he got the job done.
Switching over to our Red Line Oil BMW M4 GT4 America Sprint X car, Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr. also had their final pair of races to end the season. Race 1 had James Walker, Jr. behind the wheel first starting in P12. Walker, Jr. managed to move the car up through the field a bit before handing it over to Bill who finished out the race strong in P6.
The second race was almost the same, with the BimmerWorld M4 GT4 rolling off in P13 and the dynamic duo working the car up to P8, which was also enough to lock them into a podium finish for the overall season points in their very first year of driving the car together. It was a huge accomplishment and a testament to the consistency of these two drivers behind the wheel of this BMW.
After the dust had settled and the awards were given out, everyone could breathe easy knowing they were done for the year, and the stress of bringing home a championship or a podium position was finally gone for the season…
But wait, there’s more!
That’s right, the boys at BimmerWorld thought the only way to cap off a brutal season with an insanely compressed schedule — sometimes with three back-to-back race weekends — would be to race even more. We aren’t talking about another Sprint race. Oh, no… James, Chandler, and Bill were going to tackle the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8-Hour Endurance Race. That’s right, as soon as the BimmerWorld Red Line Oil M4 GT4 was done with its regular season, the BWR crew went to work preparing it for its next mission of tackling an 8-hour-long endurance race with competitors from all over the globe.
Prepping the car with fresh PFC brake pads, topping off the OPTIMA Battery, checking the Red Line Oil fluids, along with the normal level of inspection that’s usually done back at the shop post-race over a couple of days was done in a matter of hours at the track. The very next day, the RLO M4 GT4 rolled onto the Brickyard once again to qualify for the 8-hour race.
While Bill Auberlen was busy putting down fast laps, a wheel stud failed. This caused him to come in early, and not being able to fix the car while on pit lane meant no other drivers could get in the car to complete their qualifying sessions. In this series, your starting position is based on an average of the 3 driver’s qualifying times; therefore, we were forced to start at the back of the field since we couldn’t post a qualifying time. This failure — which was a BMW Motorsport part — was quickly remedied back in the garage with a full set of wheel studs that BimmerWorld regularly sells to their customers and installs on their own builds.
On to Sunday morning and Bill Auberlen was suited up and ready to take the green. The weather was on everyone’s mind while the cloud cover started to look threatening, and the radar showed a line of heavy rain quickly approaching. The big decision to stick with slicks or change to rains was something every team was struggling with down to the very last moment. Everyone was watching what their competition was doing to see what call would give them the biggest advantage. Everyone stuck to slicks, and as the green flag waved to start eight hours of racing, the rain started falling.
Taking the green on the very first lap, Auberlen didn’t waste any time rushing to the front, picking up four positions in Turn 1. As the rain got heavier, everyone started getting nervous about their tire choices, and when it eventually got to be too much to handle, the Red Line Oil M4 GT4 came to pit lane for a fresh set of rains. With his confidence restored, Bill continued to push to the front, quickly landing himself in P2 while still battling in extremely rainy conditions.
The second driver to get behind the wheel was James Clay who managed to push the BimmerWorld car to the lead during his stint on a now-drying track. Handing the car off to Chandler mid-race resulted in even more flawless pit stops from the BWR crew, allowing the car to remain in P1 for several hours.
While we approached the final hours of the race, the BimmerWorld Red Line Oil M4 GT4 remained out front due to the perfect strategy of Dave Wagener and Wayne Yawn. Decisions made on the fly at the perfect time always landed the BimmerWorld M4 GT4 back in P1 after pit cycles and driver changes. In endurance racing, the strategy behind pit wall is just as important as the talent behind the wheel. If those two don’t work perfectly in concert, you stand no chance of winning.
In BimmerWorld’s case, everything did work perfectly together, and eight hours after taking the green flag in last place, the team was taking the checkered flag in first.
James, Bill, and Chandler got some well-deserved champagne on the top step of the podium, putting the best possible cap on an already extremely successful 2020 SRO season.
HUGE thanks to our technical sponsors:
OPTIMA Batteries – Red Line Oil – PFC Brakes – Diffsonline – Lifeline Fire Systems – BMW Motorsport
This season would not have been possible without the amazing work from the entire BimmerWorld racing team.
Bill Auberlen – Driver – No. 82 Red Line Oil M4 GT4 – Sprint X Pro/Am
James Walker Jr. – Driver – No. 82 Red Line Oil M4 GT4 – SprintX Pro/AM
James Clay – Driver – No. 36 PORQ / OPTIMA Batteries – TC America
Chandler Hull – Driver – No. 94 TAC Energy M240iR – TC America
David Wagener – Team Manager/Engineer
Wayne Yawn – Engineer
Dave Simpkins – Crew Chief
Jordan Allen – Car Chief No. 82
Bryce Allen – Lead Tech No. 82
Tommy Gallant – Tire Engineer
Zach Lovingood – Lead Tech No. 36
Matt Berg – Car Chief No. 94
Theo Bialk – Car Chief No. 36
Rod Owens – Hauler Driver
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The last event at VIRginia International Raceway had the BimmerWorld crew scrambling to repair and reassemble the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries M4 GT4 after its big off in T1. The turnaround time needed to be less than two weeks, but the BimmerWorld shop guys pulled off the impossible and had the fresh-looking No. 82 loaded into the hauler along with the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s M4 GT4 on schedule for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Stay Frosty Performance 250 at Road Atlanta.
While Devin Jones remains out of the driver’s seat while recovering from his big incident, James needed a co-driver to fill the seat. He turned to past BimmerWorld Racing alumnus Greg Liefooghe to get the job done. Liefooghe is no stranger to the M4 GT4 and got acquainted and up to speed instantly, proving the duo would be a solid combination to take on the four-hour race on Sunday with their teammates Nick Galante and Dillon Machavern in the sister car.
While always an important factor, qualifying is a little less important in these longer races. With the current BoP (balance of power) placed on the M4 GT4s, the overall pace wasn’t going to place them at the front of the grid, but a longer endurance-style race such as this is won by strategy. With a starting position of 12th for the No. 80 and 14th for the No. 82, the team knew their strategy needed to get them to the front. And it did.
Throughout the four-hour race, both the No. 80 and No. 82 managed to make it to the front running in first and second and leading a considerable number of laps each. While the field was cycling through pit stops nearing the closing laps, it became obvious the race was going to be won in the pits. As James said in his video update from the pits with an hour to go, “The first guy to make the last stop is the winner.” With both cars running as long as they possibly could before needing fuel, the big gamble was waiting for a caution flag so that both cars could have the chance to make it to the end without a final stop while running in first and second together. Unfortunately, that caution never came and both cars had to come in to refuel, shuffling them back several spots from their leading positions.
In the end, the pair of BimmerWorld Racing M4 GT4s were the top finishing BMWs, both scoring top-10 finishes. An accomplishment to be proud of since the BoP was never in their favor. Additionally, to see how much work went into getting these cars back to the track — let alone leading a considerable amount of the race — is a testament to the dedication of the BimmerWorld Racing team when it comes to getting the job done.
The team now heads back to the shop to reset for the next round of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge at Mid-Ohio on September 24-27.
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The BimmerWorld Racing team already knew before even turning a wheel on track that this was going to be a challenging weekend. Taking on six total races total with three different cars across two different race series means a LOT of time on track against some of the best competition in the business. Before heading to Elkhart Lake for this round of races, James Clay and his OPTIMA Batteries M240iR had gained some valuable points towards the overall championship after Sonoma, but he was still just shy of first. Trailing by only seven points, every race becomes more important than the last as the season continues.
Thankfully for James, the weekend went extremely well, winning on Friday, winning on Saturday, and finishing in second on Sunday after a non-stop back-and-forth battle with Toby Grahovec. His Pörq Snacks No. 36 M240iR was blazingly fast and dominant all weekend long, giving him the ability to pick and choose where to pass while using up every inch of track thanks to his PFC Brakes package. James collected some serious hardware this weekend and heads to the next round in first place overall with a little points cushion from his back-to-back wins.
Chandler Hull and his TAC Energy M240iR were full of surprises all weekend. He worked hard all through Friday’s race to claw his way to the front from his starting position of P9. Towards the end, he made a late charge which brought him just shy of a podium spot to P4, making it an amazing drive to watch! Chandler took Friday’s momentum and turned it up a notch for Saturday. Sitting back in P3 for the last bit of the race, a very calculated move in the final turn towards the white flag allowed him to jump up to P2 right behind fellow teammate James Clay’s bumper. It was a BimmerWorld 1-2 podium for Saturday!
The Red Line Oil M4 GT4 of Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr. came out of the gate strong, setting fastest time in practice, but a slight brush with the wall at the kink set the BWR team scrambling to fix it before Friday’s race — and fix it, they did! The duo came from a starting position of P18 to take the overall win. In the post-race interviews, Bill Auberlen mentioned that the car was fantastic before the brush with the wall, but it was even better after! They made up just as much ground on throughout Saturday’s race, but they took the checkered in second place. Sunday was a little more of a struggle, but they still ended up with a solid top-10 finish.
The six-race weekend format was brutal, but BimmerWorld Racing heads home after grabbing some important championship points and will carry this momentum to the next event at Circuit of The Americas on September 17-20.
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Coming off a strong showing at VIR, the BimmerWorld Racing team had a lot of momentum heading into the beautiful hills of Sonoma. This week in California would be two races for the TC America class and three for the GT4 Sprint X series.
Right off the bat, James Clay in his No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Pörq M240i Racing was showing the speed he would have all weekend long. In qualifying, Clay missed the pole by a mere .055 seconds – that’s how close this series is. In fact, for several laps prior, he was tied with the exact same time for the pole, down to the thousandth of a second – they ran the exact same lap time. That’s insane competition!
Chandler Hull and his No. 94 TAC Energy M240i Racing had a rough start to his weekend, but the team rallied and gave him a car that he could keep at the front of the field and deep into battle in both races, finishing in fifth each day.
James got the top spot on the podium with a win in Friday’s race, and he fought hard down to the very last corner for the lead, finishing with a solid second-place in the next race, well ahead of the rest of the field. These two finishes add extremely valuable points for the overall championship, moving him to second in the overall driver’s standings.
The Red Line Oil M4 GT4 piloted by Bill Auberlen and James Walker, Jr. had a great start, again posting the fastest time in practice. When it came time to qualify, many in the field found speed that the Red Line Oil M4 GT4 struggled to match. In this extremely competitive series, qualifying well is crucial, and starting mid-field means luck has to go your way on top of being fast in order to move up several positions. Auberlen and Walker did a great job running a very clean race and nailing pitstops, but the results weren’t what they had hoped for.
The BimmerWorld Racing team heads back across the U.S. to their home base in Dublin, VA to do a quick refresh on the cars before loading them back up to head to Road America on August 27-30 for Round 4.
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The last time the BimmerWorld Racing team strapped into their pair of IMSA M4 GT4s was back in January for the season opener at Daytona. Since then, a lot has changed in the world, but the desire to go racing only got more intense as time passed. Finally, the date was set and the freshly wrapped BimmerWorld hauler was headed south for Round 2 of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge at Sebring International Raceway.
Florida in July means HEAT – and lots of it. That heat started causing some issues in the No. 80 Racing 2 End Alzheimer’s M4 during its first outing, and the very uncharacteristic overheating problem plagued the car throughout the entire day, causing its pace to be slightly off what it was capable of. Drivers Nick Galante and Dillion Machavern tried to make the most of their sessions while working on the car’s chassis, attempting to optimize the car they had under them. With a drastically shortened schedule, qualifying was the morning of the race. The BimmerWorld team worked feverishly to get the overheating under control, and that effort resulted in Nick Galante thankfully having a cool and happy M4 GT4 to drive during qualifying.
The No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries M4 GT4 of James Clay and Devin Jones had an equally frustrating time at Sebring. A fuel supply problem created an extremely unhappy BMW to drive. The No. 82 also had to deal with limited testing time due to the abridged schedule, and that meant very little time to test fixes. James qualified the No. 82 in the tenth spot, with his teammates in the No. 80 behind him in eleventh.
The race was later in the day and would be determined more by weather than on-track racing. Just fifteen minutes after the green flag, the first round of bad weather hit and brought the entire field into the pits due to lightning strikes close to the racetrack. Even still, in those short fifteen minutes, both BimmerWorld Racing M4 GT4s gained 3-4 positions and were looking for more. After almost an hour and a half of downtime, the race finally restarted with everyone scrambling to pick their pit strategy. With the No. 82 still experiencing fuel issues, it appeared the No. 80 would be charging to the front.
Sadly, the No. 80 never got the chance to battle it out at the end of the race, as a second round of storms rolled in with more lightning and the race ending under full-course caution. Final finishing positions were P7 for the No. 80 and P10 for the No. 82 car.
Round 3 of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge takes BimmerWorld to Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI on Saturday, August 1, 2020.
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After a four-month break from racing, the BimmerWorld Racing team was eager to get back to work. Thankfully for them, they got back into the swing of things at their home track of VIRginia International Raceway for the SRO Championship.
BimmerWorld rolled out their two TC America M240i Racing cars and their SRO M4 GT4 on a very hot weekend for six total races across two series. SRO has decided to run three races per weekend on select rounds to act as “makeup” races for the events that were canceled over the past several months. For this round, both series added a third race, making it vital to take care of the cars and drivers so they all survive an already hectic weekend.
For the TC America series, James Clay in the No. 36 OPTIMA Batteries / Pörq M240iR and Chandler Hull in his No. 94 TAC Energy M240iR had solid showings all weekend. James with a second-place finish on Friday and a pair of third-place finishes on Saturday and Sunday after some absolutely epic battles among the top-3. Chandler Hull had the speed to beat all weekend as he set the fastest lap throughout the first two races, placing him on pole for the start of Saturday’s and Sunday’s races, but he had an unlucky tangle with a tire wall while in a fierce battle for a podium spot at the end of Race 2. The BimmerWorld crew jumped into action and repaired the car to get Chandler back to take the green flag on pole for the last race of the weekend. Hull finished the three-race weekend with a fourth-, fifth-, and tenth-place finish.
In the GT4 America Sprint X series, Bill Auberlen and James Walker Jr. took the Red Line Oil M4 GT4 to the top of the leader board right off the bat in practice and showed that they came with a purpose – to win. And win they did. Coming home with some serious hardware, Auberlen and Walker racked up two wins and a second-place finish, showing that the couple months off had no effect on their speed.
It was a much-needed successful week back at the track after a long break.
SRO America, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA, July 2020. (Photo by Brian Cleary/SRO)
Next up for the SRO Championship: Sonoma Raceway August 7-9 where the TC America cars will have only two races, but the GT4 Sprint X series will have another triple-header!
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This month, BimmerWorld Racing will return to the track in a big way with a pair of events on two of North America’s premier road courses: VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) and Sebring International Raceway. The races are slated for SRO America and the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Series, respectively, and represent the first events for each since the COVID-19 pandemic brought the racing world to a halt in mid-March.
“When we suddenly stopped racing, all of my focus went to crisis management with our BimmerWorld parts business,” said company and team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Virginia. “We are running a total of six pro cars in two teams this year on the racing side, which is no small undertaking. However, the parts side is an even larger business, with 30-plus people whom we are committed to keeping employed, and a customer base to which we are committed to providing parts and service. The business has certainly had its challenges, but we have an incredible team of people on all sides. That’s the core factor to overcoming and creating success, whether on the race team or our office team.”
First up is for the race team is the SRO America event at VIR on July 10-12. The 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course in Alton, Virginia, is just a short drive east from BimmerWorld’s Dublin base in the state and serves as a fitting facility for the team to make its return.
At VIR, BimmerWorld will continue to field a pair of BMW M240i Racing cars in the TC class of the TC America championship. Clay will pilot the No. 36 PÖRQ Snacks BMW M240iR entry (a car he won in during the 2020 opening round at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas), while the No. 94 TAC Energy car will be driven by Chandler Hull of Dallas. Meanwhile, the No. 82 Red Line Synthetic Oil BMW M4 GT4 will return in the Pirelli GT4 America SprintX Series. It will be piloted by Bill Auberlen, hailing from Lake Havasu, Arizona, and James Walker Jr. of The Woodlands, Texas. Each class will compete in one race on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, making up Rounds 3-5 of the SRO America season.
“The M4 GT4 is really great at that track,” Clay said. “We don’t complain about the Balance of Performance, but I am aware that we are BoP racing and there are some strong cars this year. We ran the fastest times at this race last year, so I hope for good things. The M240i Racing in TC is slightly different in that the field is 80-percent comprised of the same car. Versus the couple of other manufacturers though, the M240iR has a great cooling package and at VIR in July we will need every bit of it. We have rubbed on and tested our cars a bit there, and I think we are totally dialed in with the best cars in the field.”
The two BimmerWorld SRO BMW M240i Racing cars at CoTA
The following week at Sebring, two BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 race cars will hit the track with IMSA for the first time since the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Series’ opening round at Daytona in late January. The two-hour race is slated for Friday, July 17, with BimmerWorld resuming competition in the GS class.
The team has found plenty of success at the famed 3.74-mile, 17-turn road course in Florida, with Clay and teammate Devin Jones of Mooresville, North Carolina, taking a second-place finish during the most recent Sebring event in the spring of 2019. They will return to pilot the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor entry for the balance of the season. The duo will be joined by Nick Galante, originally from Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Dillon Machavern of Charlotte, Vermont, who will get back behind the wheel of the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4 at Sebring.
The team feels its F82-based sedans are well-suited all around for the track’s notoriously bumpy and abrasive track surface.
“Unlike some of the true sportscars and exotics in the field, BMW has always raced their performance sedans,” Clay said. “The M4 is an incredible road car, and while our GT4 version is a bit lighter and pretty racy, it’s made to be a solid car that gets pounded on for a lot of miles. I think the robust platform is something that serves us well, especially at a track like Sebring that can be brutal on cars and components.”
Pit stop of the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 at Daytona
Although schedules have been greatly adjusted due to the pandemic, BimmerWorld will race the balance of each series with all teams, drivers, and sponsor lineups planned for 2020 intact.
“I love our team,” Clay said. “We are back at 100 percent, or maybe even 110 percent from where we left off. We’ve made it through a lot of lingering development and worklist items, and our full driver lineup remains ready and focused on winning races and championships. Our staff is still complete, plus a few additions to help in the tighter schedules. We’re ready to rock.”
The SRO America races can be seen live throughout the weekend of July 10-12 on YouTube at youtube.com/GTWorld, while the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge event goes green at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 17, with live coverage provided by TrackPass.
BimmerWorld Racing
BimmerWorld is the preeminent BMW racing/performance specialist in North America, racing professionally in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge (BMW M4 GT4), World Challenge GT4 America (BMW M4 GT4), and World Challenge TC America series (BMW M240i Racing). The team also made its second entry in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2019 with an M4 GT4. This year, it is scheduled to do so in a V8-powered BMW E36 M3. BimmerWorld also builds cars and supports racers in various BMW CCA, AER, NASA, and SCCA club series. Off the track, the business is the last, and only, independently-owned major BMW parts specialist in North America. The catalog at www.bimmerworld.com has everything from accessories and OEM replacement parts to highly specialized racing parts with knowledgeable staff, competitive pricing, and quick service.
The No. 82 Redline SRO BMW M4 GT4 on track at COTA
No. 82 Red Line Synthetic Oil BMW M4 GT4
BILL AUBERLEN:
How did you spend your time during the unexpected break from racing?
“During my time off at first, I was hard at training, but thy gyms were closed so I did all my training outside in the hot, 100-degree temperature of Arizona. I did long runs and hikes of over 10 miles in duration. It was a new way of training, but super fun. Then as we got closer to the actual races, we were lucky to get the opportunity to get back in the race car and get back after it and make sure I was up to the task. At the same time, we were able to make some gains in the car so that was great.”
JAMES WALKER JR.:
As an automotive engineer, you have extensive knowledge of these cars. How are you able to apply that knowledge to get the most out of the BMW M4 GT4 at a technical track like VIR?
“Thinking like an engineer behind the wheel can sometimes get in the way of flow and rhythm, but I’d be lying if I told you that I don’t from time to time envision little friction circles in my head as I am sorting out a new track or evaluating a setup change. At the end of the day we all have a job to do, and mine is simply to effectively use all that the car has to offer.”
No. 94 TAC Energy BMW M240i
CHANDLER HULL:
What are you most looking forward to in getting back to the track after the extended hiatus?
“Luckily, I was able to get into a race car a few times during our hiatus so I wasn’t completely deprived. However, actual racing is a completely different experience than testing, so I am very much looking forward to battling it out with the other guys.”
No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4
DEVIN JONES:
How did you keep yourself occupied during quarantine what do you see as the biggest challenge to overcome after not racing for six months?
“I’ve spent a lot of time on iRacing like a lot of drivers. I’ve also been spending time with family and my girlfriend, just trying to keep busy and stay safe. It’s going to be great to get back on track and go racing again. I’ve missed everything about racing that I’ve taken for granted in the past. I think the biggest challenge will be jumping back in and getting up to speed quickly while dialing the car in. However, I have all the confidence in the world in our team.”
No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4
NICK GALANTE:
You have won at Sebring in the past, what do you feel is the key to achieving a good result at the facility?
“Keeping your nose clean in traffic is a big key to winning here. The cars move around here more than other places, due to the bumps, sometimes unexpectedly, so running close with someone runs a lot of risk.”
DILLON MACHAVERN:
How does racing at Sebring differ from all the other tracks you visit?
“Sebring is a very unique track because in almost every corner you encounter a different surface which creates very different track conditions corner to corner. Not only is the surface changing constantly, but there are some sections, especially Turns 1 and 17, that are extremely bumpy. That makes line choice even more important than most of the tracks we visit.”
Three days of racing action in the SRO America series this weekend
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BimmerWorld has announced its return to the 2020 SRO America season in both GT4 America and TC America. The team will include some of the top sports car drivers in an assault to claim two class championships for BMW.
The 2020 four-person driving squad consists of Bill Auberlen, James Clay, Chandler Hull, and James Walker, Jr., all from the United States. Auberlen and Walker will share the No. 82 BMW M4 in the GT4 series, while Clay (No. 36) and Hull (No. 94) will compete in the TC America series in a pair of BMW M240i Racing cars.
Auberlen comes to the BimmerWorld team with a long history with the BMW brand. He has driven BMW cars in more races than any other driver in the world to become the all-time winningest American driver in a leading series. Having claimed six professional championships (four with BMW power) and competed in over 500 professional races to date, Auberlen is the most decorated and prolific BMW driver in the world. His results include over 90 race victories, 190 podium finishes, 55 pole positions, 80 fastest race laps, and 110 lap records.
Clay returns full-time to the TC America series for the first time since 2009. In 2019, he competed in GT4 America as well as the TC America weekend at Road America, taking home a victory and podium. In 2019 alone, he competed in over 20 races on American soil with three wins, 10 podium finishes, one pole position, and three fastest race laps, all in BMWs. He also races in Germany at the ADAC 6-hour and 24-hour Nürburgring races and competes at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Hull, in his inaugural professional season, surprised the touring car class by finishing third in the driver’s championship and was named Rookie of the Year for his season’s success. His rookie season in TC captured four podiums, seven top-5 finishes, and one pole position. In 2020, he will also be teaming up with Tyler Cooke in the SRO GT4 European series and with Cameron Evans in the VLN series at the Nürburgring in Germany, as well as running the ADAC 6-hour and 24-hour Nürburgring races.
Walker ran the TCR series in TC America in 2019, finishing with three podiums and two fastest laps. Over the past three years, he has entered 32 professional races, finishing with three victories, thirteen podiums, two pole positions, and ten fastest race laps. His day-job expertise in vehicle dynamics will bring further expertise to the veteran team.
Clay, President of BimmerWorld and team manager commented, “We’re very excited about this season of racing! We have a mix of very seasoned and accomplished drivers partnered with the most up-and-coming drivers in North America. Our stable of BMW racing machines will be a perfect complement for the aggregated driving talent.”
TC Team Owner, Jeff Hull, added, “With driver talent like this backed by BMW power, along with our outstanding line-up of sponsors, we expect great results in 2020.”
The BimmerWorld Racing team is supported by the following sponsors:
Other team sponsors include:
Core BimmerWorld technical partners include:
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a pair of BMW Motorsport M4 GT4s, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. BimmerWorld Racing also continues to race in the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars, as well as competing in the GT4 series in a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4.
“We have been successful in GS at Daytona, and really I think on average we’ve been quite good at any track since the start of our M4 GT4 program because the base BMW car is quite good,” Clay said. “Plus, we have years of engineering experience with the cars we have built and developed in-house, which also apply to rubbing on this car and making it even better. We have a solid team and driver squad that have been core to the success as well.”
(L-R) Devin Jones and James Clay, drivers of the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor
BMW M4 GT4 celebrating a podium finish last year at Sebring, team up again in 2020.
“We’ll definitely change the plan of attack for a four-hour race,” he said. “Not to give anything away, but we tone down things a bit with our driving so we have some car and rubber remaining in the final moments allowing us to fight with some all-around strength.”
Dillon Machavern, driver of the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4.
The BMW M4 GT4
GT4 is a global racing class for mid-sized sports and GT cars. The unified set of rules allows manufacturers to offer a single racing car for multiple series around the world. BimmerWorld is one of the premier customers for BMW GT4 racing in North America, having competed continuously with the M4 in multiple series since the car was introduced. The race car is based on the F82 M4 street car, using the same S55 twin-turbo inline-6, 7-speed DCT transmission, and suspension layout. Only minor changes are made to make the M4 into a highly competitive race car. The M4 competes with more purpose-built sports cars like the McLaren 570S, Audi R8, and AMG Mercedes GT, along with other GT cars like the Ford Mustang.
BimmerWorld Racing
BimmerWorld is the preeminent BMW racing/performance specialist in North America, racing professionally in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (BMW M4 GT4), World Challenge GT4 America (BMW M4 GT4), and World Challenge TC America series (BMW M240i Racing). The team also made its third entry in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2019 with a V8-powered BMW E36 M3. BimmerWorld also builds cars and supports racers in various BMW CCA, AER, NASA, and SCCA club series. Off the track, the business is the last, and only, independently-owned major BMW parts specialist in North America. The catalog at www.bimmerworld.com has everything from accessories and OEM replacement parts to highly specialized racing parts with a knowledgeable staff, competitive pricing, and quick service.
NO. 82 OPTIMA BATTERIES/VERISTOR BMW M4 GT4
JAMES CLAY:
What is the best part of racing at Daytona?
“Daytona was new for me when we moved into GRAND-AM (now IMSA) racing in 2010, and it is as amazing as any NASCAR diehard can imagine-and more amazing than our ‘it’s just a roval’ road racing friends would ever believe. The moment that trumps all is the first time, or actually every time, you are the tail of a three-car draft and the front two cars fan out-it’s like a video game boost button and you suddenly go from 165 mph to 175 almost like you got shoved there. The draft and the aero is certainly the essence of this track.”
How do you feel the Roar testing helped get the drivers and team dialed in for this week’s start to the 2020 race season?
“More than anything, the Roar is our dress rehearsal before the season goes live. We took the opportunity to train some of our new team members and work out the kinks in our processes, and we come to Daytona for the race week ready to execute.”
You’ve finished in the top four in the past two races at Daytona in the GS class, do you have any thoughts regarding the reason for that recent success? Is there any place the BMW M4 GT4 excels at the track?
“We have been successful in GS at Daytona, and really I think on average we’ve been quite good at any track since the start of our M4 GT4 program because the base BMW car is quite good. Plus, we have years of engineering experience with the cars we have built and developed in-house, which also apply to rubbing on this car and making it even better. We have a solid team and driver squad that have been core to the success as well.”
With this being a BMW-sponsored race, does it add any additional pressure or change your perspective in any way?
“We certainly want to win the BMW race for BMW, and having some of the core Motorsport guys over from Germany for the week makes us want to shine even brighter. But of course, we always want to win, so this just makes success feel that much better when we can share it with the BMW brand as a whole.”
DEVIN JONES:
You first raced here when you were a young boy (as a 10-year-old in a go-kart). Do you still get chills when you come to Daytona to compete?
“Any kid who grows up in racing wants to someday have a chance to race at Daytona. I first went there in 2004 for a karting event and that’s when I really started to fall in love with the sport and everything it entails. Daytona will always be a special place for that reason, driving through the tunnel and coming into the track for the start of a new season never gets old and I still get just as excited as I did when I was a kid.”
What stands out about racing at Daytona?
“Daytona is a unique track for our series. It’s a marquee event and with it being the opening race of the season everyone from the teams to the drivers digs a little deeper and really pushes to perform well here to start the season off on a high note.”
Do you approach or prepare for a four-hour race differently than others?
“I prepare for the longer races just like I normally would. Obviously more can happen in a four-hour race so that’s something we all think about especially from a strategy aspect.”
This is your third consecutive year with BimmerWorld, how does that familiarity help your confidence heading into Daytona and another season?
“It’s a huge confidence booster to be back with the BimmerWorld team again this year. These guys are the best in the paddock and I’m really lucky to be driving for this team. We have big goals for 2020.”
(L-R) BimmerWorld drivers Devin Jones and Nick Galante celebrating their 2018 ST Championship in 2018 at the Road Atlanta series finale. Galante is back for 2020 in the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4
NO. 80 RACING TO END ALZHEIMER’S BMW M4 GT4
NICK GALANTE:
What is your favorite aspect of racing at Daytona?
“You can’t beat the atmosphere and the historic feeling of racing at Daytona. I also love the aero battle that is unlike another track. The drafting and planning you have to do way in advance is a fun challenge.”
You won Daytona with Devin Jones in the ST class in 2018. Is there a knowledge from that win you can transfer to this race?
“There is. I think we learned a lot from that race about thinking long term and thinking ahead about our plan to be there at the end of this four-hour race.”
This is a long race for the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge, how do you approach a four-hour race differently from a shorter sprint race?
“We definitely change the plan of attack for a four-hour race. Not to give anything away, but we tone things down a bit with our driving so we have some car and rubber remaining in the final moments so we can fight with some all-around strength.”
How has the chemistry developed between you and Dillon in advance of your first race together for BimmerWorld?
“We had a pretty good relationship before this pairing ever came about. We’ve learned a lot about each other while being teammates in the past. Dillon is a tremendous driver. I think we’ll be a force that’ll be hard not to notice. I’m excited to run this season with a fellow New Englander as well.”
DILLON MACHAVERN:
How did coming here for testing during the Roar help you get acclimated to the team, the car and the track?
“The Roar was really valuable for me to get familiar with the team and the way they operate and communicate, as well as to get accustomed to the driving dynamics of the M4 GT4. Having some laps in the car and understanding its unique driving characteristics will pay dividends this weekend because we already have a solid baseline setup established. That means we can spend the sessions more effectively fine-tuning the setup for the race.”
What are your goals and expectations for your first race with BimmerWorld?
“It’s never too early to start thinking championship so I want to focus on maximizing points. If we have a car to win, I definitely want to go after it, but most importantly I want to focus on clean results.”
What do you think you can bring to the team based on your experience and success in a variety of cars across diverse series?
“GT4 is a class that I really enjoy competing in so I’m really excited to be back. I had two very successful seasons and learned a lot about the discipline and strategy it takes to win a championship. My experience in many different cars and classes over the past few years will definitely help me adapt to the M4 chassis quickly. We have a really talented group this season who have all celebrated success before, so I’m looking forward to combining everyone’s knowledge as we fight for a championship.”
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The beginning of a new year means it’s time to head to the beach and hit the track.
With the season-opening BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway just three weeks away, the two-car BimmerWorld Racing team visited the World Center of Racing for a weekend of testing in preparation for the 2020 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series. During the “Roar Before the 24” on January 3-5, both BMW M4 GT4 race cars from the Dublin, Va.-based operation participated in six test sessions on the 3.56-mile, 11-turn road course.
Both the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s-liveried machine and No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor-sponsored car are set to compete in the Grand Sport (GS) class during the 10-race schedule in 2020.The veteran BMW team will feature Nick Galante from Greenfield, Mass. and Dillon Machavern of Charlotte, Vt. behind the wheel of the No. 80, while the No. 82 car will be driven by Blacksburg, Va.’s James Clay and Devin Jones from Mooresville, N.C.
Machavern is the only new driver for the team this year; however, he has partnered with Galante in the past.
For team owner Clay, working on chemistry is one of the highlights of the yearly Daytona test.
“I’m mostly thrilled to be functioning as a full team unit,” he said. “That’s always my focus as the team owner, to put together a group of people who work well together, and with personalities that blend. It wasn’t really going out on a limb this year with having Nick (Galante) back and adding Dillon Machavern. We’re solidly working as a unit, and I think that’s going to be the biggest dividend we see all year.”
On-track at Daytona, the cars in the GS class saw a dry surface throughout each of the six sessions, but both warm and cool conditions.
Jones turned in BimmerWorld’s quickest lap of 1:54.322 at 112.099 mph during the sixth and final practice session on Sunday afternoon. It was good enough for third in the session and put him 12th among 61 drivers to turn laps in the GS class during the three days of testing. It also placed the No. 82 car 10th out of 27 GS machines on hand.
“Being with the same team again now for the third year is helpful, so you go into the weekend knowing everybody and knowing how we work towards goals and just the whole team plan is familiar, so that’s helpful,” Jones said. “We’re looking forward to that this year.”
Machavern, who turned in the best lap in the No. 80 car with a time of 1:55.164 at 111.279 mph in session four, also believes the format of the Roar helps BimmerWorld massage a little extra on its cars.
“Since there are so many long sessions, we’re able to do some experimenting with different ideas which helps build a baseline set up to fine-tune for the rest of the season,” he said.
Throughout the practice sessions, the team worked on assessing how the car will handle on Daytona’s high banks and corners, or in a pack in the draft. It also collaborated to share data between the two cars—a major benefit of a multi-car team.
Galante believes that not only does the annual test session aid with learning each individual’s driving styles and tendencies but that it can also offer useful data throughout the year, whether it be straight-line speed or how the kink in turn four at Daytona can provide data for turns at Road America and Lime Rock.
“This track, even though it seems like a wide-open, flat-out track, in reality, has a good variety of corners even though there are only a few,” he said.
Overall, the No. 80 car made 132 laps, with the No. 82 turning in 92 circuits.
The sedan-based M4 GT4 is based on the production F82 chassis, with 2020 marking the third year for BimmerWorld utilizing the platform. It shares the same S55 twin-turbo inline-6 cylinder engine, 7-speed DCT transmission, and suspension layout as the street car. Daytona and the GS class as a whole provide ample opportunity to showcase its benefits.
In assessing the GS class, Clay believes that some teams have cars with great straight-line speed, others get out of the corner efficiently, and still others brake well. However, as is the case with BMW cars in general, the M4 GT4 is strong all around.
“I think this car will always be there,” Clay said. “It’s a good overall package, and I think it’s maybe not the strongest at any one specific thing, but it’s very good at everything, which is what ultimately should pay off in races and definitely in championships.”
Clay, who is also the proprietor of BimmerWorld, largest independent BMW parts and tuning specialist in North America, utilizes lessons learned in racing to apply to customer cars as well.
“That’s why we race—to interface with technology and integrate it with the street car and the line of performance parts we sell,” he said.
The three days in Daytona found BimmerWorld competitive in a stout field featuring everything from muscle to factory supercars. The test ultimately armed the BMW specialists with significant amounts of data at the ready for when the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge commences and the real racing begins.
The season opener is slated to take the green flag at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 24. Live coverage can be seen via TrackPass. Television coverage of the race will appear on NBCSN from 1 – 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 6.
GT4 is a global racing class for mid-sized sports and GT cars. The unified set of rules allows manufacturers to offer a single racing car for multiple series around the world. BimmerWorld is one of the premier customers for BMW GT4 racing in North America, having competed continuously with the M4 in multiple series since the car was introduced. The race car is based on the F82 M4 street car, using the same S55 twin-turbo inline-6, 7-speed DCT transmission, and suspension layout. Only minor changes are made to make the M4 into a highly competitive race car. The M4 competes with more purpose-built sports cars like the McLaren 570S, Audi R8, and AMG Mercedes GT, along with other GT cars like the Ford Mustang.
BimmerWorld is the preeminent BMW racing/performance specialist in North America, racing professionally in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (BMW M4 GT4), World Challenge GT4 America (BMW M4 GT4), and World Challenge TC America series (BMW M240i Racing). The team also made its third entry in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2019 with a V8-powered BMW E36 M3. BimmerWorld also builds cars and supports racers in various BMW CCA, AER, NASA, and SCCA club series. Off the track, the business is the last, and only, independently-owned major BMW parts specialist in North America. The catalog at www.bimmerworld.com has everything from accessories and OEM replacement parts to highly specialized racing parts with a knowledgeable staff, competitive pricing, and quick service.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a pair of BMW Motorsport M4 GT4s, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. BimmerWorld Racing also continues to race in the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
BimmerWorld has confirmed its 2020 plans for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge season with a pair of BMW M4 GT4 race cars and fast and familiar faces at the controls. The BMW specialists return for their third season with the F82 M4 platform in GT4 trim and 11th straight IMSA endurance season. The team has committed to the full 10-race MICHELIN Pilot Challenge schedule with the traditional opening round at Daytona taking place January 23-26, 2020.
Behind the controls of the No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4 will be Nick Galante and Dillon Machavern. Galante and Machavern are past teammates with strong chemistry. Galante, a two-time Champion in the IMSA Street Tuner class (2016 and 2018), claimed his last title behind the wheel of a BimmerWorld BMW F30 328i. In 2019, he finished in the top ten of the intensely competitive TCR series. Machavern has won races in just about every form of GT motorsport and earned the 2017 IMSA GS Championship and multiple SCCA club championships. He finished the 2019 season with the GTD victory at the Petit LeMans in a BMW M6 GT3 and was runner-up in the TransAm championship.
In a second M4 GT4, team owner James Clay, of Blacksburg, Va. will again pair up with Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. in the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4. The pair earned third place in the GS standings in 2019 with three podiums and eight top-ten finishes which also landed the duo top-finishing BMW team honors in the GS class. This will be Clay’s 11th straight season of IMSA endurance racing. Jones is the 2018 ST-class driver champion with a BimmerWorld F30 328i. The No. 82 BMW will carry the OPTIMA and Veristor livery.
The No. 80 BMW will carry the livery for Racing to End Alzheimer’s with a focus on raising both awareness of the disease and money to fund the cure. Throughout the season, donors will add names to the living livery to honor friends, family, and loved ones affected by this debilitating disease.
The 2020 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge will be a 10-round series at race tracks across the U.S. The season kicks off with the BMW Endurance Challenge 4-hour race at Daytona International Speedway in Florida on January 23-26. Other rounds will take place at Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Mosport, Lime Rock, Road America, VIR, Laguna Seca, and Road Atlanta.
Additional 2020 racing plans will be announced in the coming weeks.
The BMW M4 GT4
GT4 is a global racing class for mid-sized sports and GT cars. The unified set of rules allows manufacturers to offer a single racing car for multiple series around the world. BimmerWorld is one of the premier customers for BMW GT4 racing in North America, having competed continuously with the M4 in multiple series since the car was introduced. The race car is based on the F82 M4 street car, using the same S55 twin-turbo inline-6, 7-speed DCT transmission, and suspension layout. Only minor changes are made to make the M4 into a highly competitive race car. The M4 competes with more purpose-built sports cars like the McLaren 570S, Audi R8, and AMG Mercedes GT, along with other GT cars like the Ford Mustang.
BimmerWorld Racing
BimmerWorld is the preeminent BMW racing/performance specialist in North America, racing professionally in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (BMW M4 GT4), World Challenge GT4 America (BMW M4 GT4), and World Challenge TC America series (BMW M240i Racing). The team will be making its third entry in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a V8-powered BMW E36 M3. BimmerWorld also builds cars and supports racers in various BMW CCA, AER, NASA, and SCCA club series. Off the track, the business is the last, and only, independently-owned major BMW parts specialist in North America. The catalog at www.bimmerworld.com has everything from accessories and OEM replacement parts to highly specialized racing parts with a knowledgeable staff, competitive pricing, and quick service.
No. 80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s BMW M4 GT4
Nick Galante: “A return to team BimmerWorld racing is an amazing opportunity I can’t wait to capitalize on. The memories of our 2018 championship season are still vivid. The top-level team that James Clay has built has proven itself over and over. To be paired up with Dillon Machavern this season is as good as it gets. I know we’ll be looking ahead and working hard all year. I’m excited with not only the strategic planning, but also the familiar friendship dynamic that’s here. Honored to run alongside James Clay, Devin Jones, and Dillon Machavern again. The opportunity couldn’t exist without the epic heart of Phil Frengs and his Racing To End Alzheimer’s initiative. I know this will be a great platform to make huge strides in the fight against Alzheimer’s and the R2EndAlz.org cause.”
Dillon Machavern: “I’m excited to return to the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge for a full championship effort in GS. The opportunity to co-drive with my former teammate Nick Galante with a top-level team like BimmerWorld is a recipe for success. I’m also very proud to be part of the Racing To End Alzheimer’s initiative, a program I’ve been following from its inception when I first met Phil Frengs years ago. Nick and I both know what it takes to win a championship and we already have great chemistry which will pay dividends in what’s shaping up to be a very competitive GS field. I’ve had great success with BMW in GTD and I’m looking forward to carrying that momentum into GS with BimmerWorld in the M4 GT4.”
Phil Frengs, Founder at Racing to End Alzheimer’s: “Racing to End Alzheimer’s Foundation goes racing for its fourth season. Our premise of honoring loved ones who are or have been affected by Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia depends on the generosity and participation of our fans, our racing team, and our cosponsors. 100% of all donations go to our beneficiaries along with corporate matching. All costs and expenses are funded by sponsor Legistics.
“By putting the names and hometowns of our loved ones on our race car over the past three seasons, funds raised have exceeded $250,000 and have benefited the work done at the Nantz National Alzheimer’s Center at Houston Methodist Hospital, The Alzheimer’s Care Program at UCLA, and Baycrest Foundation in Toronto.
“As founder of our foundation and CEO of Legistics, we are delighted to return to the BimmerWorld family for the upcoming season. We have high expectations for competitive success and record fundraising.”
No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4
James Clay: “I think we have one of the strongest driver line-ups in recent memory. Devin and I will team up again, and he’s just a terrific co-driver. We work extremely well together, and we have a proven track record which we aim to improve on those last couple of spots. We welcome Nick back to the team, and not only is he fast, but he’s experienced as well. His driving will be complemented by Dillon Machavern who is also super quick and crafty. I expect these guys will be our own best competition, which will be fun. We have a couple of seasons now with the M4 with a tremendous amount of data at our disposal, and I expect us to win.”
Devin Jones: “I’m extremely excited to be returning to BimmerWorld Racing for the 2020 IMSA season and co-driving once again with James. It’s a great feeling to have continued support from OPTIMA Batteries and Veristor. With their backing, we can’t wait to make another run for the championship in our BMW M4 GT4 next year after coming up just a bit short in 2019. James and I had solid chemistry last year and enjoyed some success throughout the year, I’m looking forward to building on that. I can’t wait to get down to Daytona and start working towards the goal of a championship in 2020.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a pair of BMW Motorsport M4 GT4s, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. BimmerWorld Racing also continues to race in the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
BimmerWorld drivers James Clay and Devin Jones capped off the 2019 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season this past weekend, securing third place in the Drivers and Teams Championship, the highest-finishing BMW team in the overall standings. While this weekend’s FOX Factory 120 did not go to plan, Jones recorded the race’s fastest lap and enough points for another solid Championship run.
Road Atlanta has been especially good for BMW teams in recent years. The combination of fast corners and challenging braking zones plays to the strengths of the BMW M4 GT4. While unable to match the top speeds of the supercar-based cars in the class, the sedan-based M4 GT4 showed exceptional balance everywhere else. In proven BMW fashion, the M4 had the right package to keep the speed of the McLarens, Audi R8, and Aston Martin in check. The BimmerWorld M4 GT4 recorded the race’s fastest lap at 1:26:770. Were it not for bad racing luck, the team might have realized their fifth top-five finish of the season.
That bad luck came about on lap 26 during an overtaking maneuver on the back straight between the BimmerWorld M4 and the Winward Racing Mercedes. James Clay in the M4 feinted a pass to the right, the Mercedes defended, and Clay took to the left to complete his pass. However, the Mercedes moved left as well with an illegal block, and the two cars made contact. Both cars were assessed a drive-through penalty, and that dragged the BimmerWorld car far out of the top ten.
Clay’s teammate Devin Jones fought back and advanced five positions in the closing stages of the race to finish on the lead lap and record a twelfth-place result as the top-finishing BMW.
The FOX Factory 120 race at Road Atlanta will be broadcast on NBCSN on Friday, October 18 from 7-9 p.m.
BimmerWorld is not putting its racing arsenal away just yet—the Pirelli World Challenge season has one more round for the Copart/BimmerWorld BMW M240i Racing car this coming weekend in Las Vegas.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4GT4:
“We had a decent qualifying spot and had a little more pace with the car. That allowed me to work my way through the field, which I was methodically doing. We had a great team strategy; I stayed in the car at the first yellow in a fast pit stop and we were on the leading edge of our chosen sequence. The second yellow was due to an unfortunate exchange with another competitor and our car. I fainted right on the No. 33 Mercedes coming down the back straight. As soon as he moved right to defend, I jived left, then he did his second move, which was blocking. Unfortunately, I was already committed at that point, so he took himself out on my front bumper. Unfortunately, they (Race Control) gave a drive-through for both cars.
“Devin had to serve that penalty, otherwise I think we would have been standing on the podium. I’m not very happy that our race ended that way, thanks to another competitor. I’m sure they’re less happy about it based on the damage to their car. We still ended up third in the GS championship this year, so it’s been a great year.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“This weekend we had a little more speed in the car than we’ve had in the past few races, which was really encouraging. I was really looking forward to today. This is a really big race—the last race of the season, so we have a lot of people who come out to watch. James did a great job in the opening stint and kept it near the Top 5. Unfortunately, that issue with the 33 caused us to get a drive-through. We didn’t necessarily agree with that, but we had the penalty which kind of ruined my stint in the car, or at least I wasn’t able to make up any ground because of it. We did end up third in the championship, which was our main goal coming into this weekend. We know the car had a lot of speed in it, which is encouraging going into next season.
“I just want to thank everyone on this team as they’ve been really great all year, and the same for all of our supporters. I’m really happy to reward them with third place in the championship, so it’s a big deal overall for us.”
BimmerWorld Racing team plans have not yet been announced for 2020. Stay tuned in the coming months.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
As the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Series finale comes to Road Atlanta this weekend, the BimmerWorld Racing Team is ready to end the season on a high note.
Drivers of the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4, James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C., seek to battle to a victory and finish the season strong. Although they enter the final round of the 10-race series tied in third place in the GS points championship, they are still in contention for the runner-up spot as they look to add an additional triumph to their history at Road Atlanta.
The Dublin, Va.-based team, has had much success at the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Road Atlanta road course. One of their most sensational finishes took place ten years ago when BimmerWorld came to Road Atlanta with three entries and took an entire sweep of the podium, plus the pole position. Last year, they bookended that masterful success by capturing the Sport Touring (ST) championship at the season finale in the final year of the class, while the sister GS-class car won the race. With numerous successes throughout the years, BimmerWorld Racing considers Road Atlanta one of their favorites.
The FOX Factory 120 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race is a two-day event with three practice sessions on Thursday, at 8:45 a.m. for one hour, from 12:35-1:20 p.m. and 4:10-4:25 p.m. GS qualifying follows TCR at 4:55 p.m. for 15 minutes. On Friday the Open Grid/Fan Walk commences at 12:30 p.m. and the field will warm up its Michelin tires at 1:15 p.m. The two-hour race is scheduled to start at 1:25 p.m.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 18. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
As you end the second season with the BMW M4 GT4, what would you say are the biggest accomplishments or advances you’ve made?
“In our sophomore year of the effort, I feel like we’ve had some solid competition from the field and the other BMW teams as well, and it’s satisfying to have come out at or near the top again. We continue to develop this GT4 platform and even with a less favorable BoP (Balance of Performance), we’re still collecting podium finishes. That has been a real challenge and a meaningful reward.”
You and Devin had some good races and some tough ones this year. Please give us an overview or assessment of the season up to this point.
“Devin has been awesome to drive with and we absolutely killed it this year together. We were consistently on the podium in the first half of the year with a good BoP, and even when that changed, we’ve had good strategy and teamwork and still kept putting solid points on the board. This season seems to have been a lot about the weather with some consistent rain disruption, and I feel good about how we’ve dealt with that and the results.”
Where does Road Atlanta stand on your favorite track list and why?
“I like Road Atlanta a lot—I’ve been going there since the early days of my racing. The blind Turn 12 is a ton of fun, and there are multiple larger sections of curb to skip over, which provides some amazing images from the racing.”
Road Atlanta is a fast track with a variety of corners of different types and keeps the driver busy in order to lay down a fast lap. How do you master a good lap here?
“It helps to have a car that’s good on the very long back straight, but downforce matters a lot, all the way from the entry of Turn 1 through 5, or really onto the back straight. If we can get the car hooked up in the turns and spend more time on throttle, we’ll be fast.”
You’ve raced at Road Atlanta many, many times. Do you have any favorite or special memories that stand out?
“My favorite memory at Road Atlanta is easy to recall. In 2009, we ran a team of three touring cars and qualified on the pole, swept the podium, and won every award for speed and performance given. That was a dominant weekend, and in pro racing at this level, one that is hard to replicate. It felt like a 300 score bowling game or a round of hole-in-one golf.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
Road Atlanta must have a special memory for you from last year when you and BimmerWorld teammate Nick Galante won the ST class championship following your third-place finish at Atlanta. Share your memories.
“Last year was a special one. Knowing that we only had to start the race to win the championship was a nice way to spend the week. We started from the pole and finished third and were really able to enjoy our time with the team and have fun after the great year we had.”
You and James had some good races and some tough ones this year. Please give us an overview or assessment of the season up to this point from your point of view.
“The team has been spot on all year, even during the races where we have struggled and not finished where we deserved. The balance of performance has hurt us during the second half of the season, but we want to end this year on a high note.”
How have you found the switch from the BMW 328i you raced last year to the BMW M4 GT4 this year?
“The switch has been seamless. The GT4 is a great platform to race with and a lot of fun.”
How important is using the curbing when racing at Road Atlanta and where can you go all wrong?
“You use a lot of curbing at Road Atlanta. Turns 3, 5, and 10 all require a decent amount of curb use to be fast. You do have to be mindful of this, though, and not overuse the curbing because it can affect the alignment of the car.”
In the past, you’ve said that Road Atlanta has one of the most fun sections of any race track in North America going from Turn 1 to Turn 7. How important is racing at Road Atlanta to you each year?
“Road Atlanta is really like another home track to me. I’ve spent a lot of time here over the years and enjoy the chance to race here. We have a lot of friends and sponsor partners that come and join in on a great race weekend. I’m really looking forward to it.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
While the BimmerWorld team struggled with an uncharacteristic lack of pace for their car during Saturday’s two-hour IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race at Laguna Seca, there were bright spots in team performance in the pit lane. However, it was ultimately Racing to End Alzheimer’s that was the big winner at Laguna, with more than $20,000 raised in this single event for the team’s charity effort.
The No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 of James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. was as high as tenth but finished 14th in the Grand Sport class.
The driving duo went into the event tied for third in the driver point standings, and despite a less than ideal finish in Saturday’s race, bringing the BimmerWorld drivers remain tied for third in the championship. The drivers who were leading the point standings going into the race placed second on Saturday and now have a big enough advantage to win the championship simply by showing up at the season finale next month.
Clay qualified 15th with a time of 1:33.380 but spent most of his stint in 13th place, successfully staying out of conflicts in order to give Jones a good car for the finish. Clay set his fastest lap of the race on lap 4 with a time of 1:34.684.
An accident brought out the first full-course caution on lap 24, and the pits opened just as the driver’s minimum drive time was surpassed. Clay took advantage of the opportunity and pitted under that yellow with 45 minutes gone. The BimmerWorld team responded with excellent service on that first of two pit stops, gaining three positions as Jones began his stint in tenth place before dropping to 14th shortly thereafter. Like Clay, he ran in 13th or 14th during most of his stint.
The championship-leading car pitted for right-side Michelins and fuel on lap 46 with about 38 minutes remaining. BimmerWorld countered that move with right-side tires and fuel for Jones under green on lap 47 with 36 minutes remaining in the high-speed chess match. Once again, the BimmerWorld crew was up to the challenge and got the car in and out of the pits at lightning pace.
Jones set the car’s fastest lap of the race on lap 50 with 31 minutes to go with a time of 1:33.280. He was 11th one lap later as other drivers began to make their final pit stops.
The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 will be broadcast on NBCSN on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 1-3 p.m.
The Fox Factory 120, the final round of the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series, will take place on Friday, Oct. 11 from 1:25-3:25 p.m. at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4GT4:
“This was just a frustrating weekend, all weekend. We fought through some mechanical issues and did work to improve the car, but we never had pace. I’m aware that we’re still playing a little injured with the current BoP [Balance of Performance], but it feels like we missed on more fronts than carrying a little more weight and with less power this weekend. A big thanks to everyone on the team who pushed hard to the end. Weekends like this with no reward for the result are the most challenging for everyone, and every person on the team worked with the same drive and effort as they would have for a podium finish.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“This weekend was a struggle, but I’m still proud of everyone for fighting right until the end. We didn’t have the pace in the car, but we really tried to make as many changes as possible in practice to find something that worked. James did well in the starting stint, keeping us in the hunt, and we had amazing pit stops so I was able to hold that track position. I’m hopeful we can turn it around and end the season strong at Road Atlanta. I have to thank everyone who supports us.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The next and penultimate stop of the 2019 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series is at one of the most scenic race tracks in North America, world-famous Laguna Seca, outside of Monterey, Calif.
James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. will once again be using their No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 as a national billboard to raise awareness for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. They partnered again this year with Legistics and have been raising funds for Racing to End Alzheimer’s charity campaign via donations over the past few weeks. Along with matching contributions, they’ve also been giving fans the opportunity to add the names of loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s on the car for the two-hour WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120.
Seeing so many names on the BimmerWorld BMW in 2018 was inspiring, especially as Devin Jones and his former BimmerWorld co-driver, Nick Galante, put their ST car on pole and then won the race. They went on to capture the ST class Team and Driver’s Championship at the season finale.
This year, Jones and Clay hope for the same positive energy and outcome as they bring their GS class BMW M4 GT4 to the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course in Salinas, Calif. A victory would certainly be welcome to get them back to the top of the points charts as the end of the season draws near. They currently sit third in GS points heading into this weekend, just 29 points from the lead.
The Laguna Seca race weekend starts on Friday, September 12, at 9:35 a.m. with a one-hour practice, followed by Practice 2 from 2:10-2:55 p.m. Practice 3 will take place Saturday morning from 10:05-10:20 a.m. Qualifying for the GS class follows TCR qualifying immediately after the third practice from 10:50-11:05 a.m.
The open-grid fan walk begins at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The field will warm up its Michelin tires at 2:55 p.m. for formation laps, and the race will start at 3:05 p.m. for two hours of wheel-to-wheel action and excitement.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN on Wednesday, September 18 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
You and Devin are still very much in the hunt going into the penultimate race of the season. What’s your game plan for the final two races?
“As always, our goal is to do our best. Win races. Get points. Nothing changes—we’re focused on winning.”
Do you think you will finally have a rain-free race this weekend after so many rain races in a row this season?
“I’ve turned into quite the weather enthusiast this year and have been watching it like a hawk. It seems like we may avoid the rain in California, and also the brutally hot temperatures of last year’s race. I’m personally fine with whatever we get at this point, but as we look back at this year, the weather has certainly been a major disruptor at multiple events.”
What do you find as the most challenging aspect of the Laguna Seca circuit?
“The biggest challenge at Laguna is the constantly changing grip. We always start the weekend with no rubber on the track and chase the grip, and then the sand and fine dirt just off the track make the surface continuously variable and the setup work a little difficult.”
Your No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 will have a lot of signatures from donations for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s cause again this weekend. Has this been another successful charitable campaign to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s this year?
“Every time we can have a positive effect like this with both awareness and donations to a charity that we believe in is a win, and this year is no exception. We’re proud to partner with Phil Frengs and his Racing to End Alzheimer’s group again, and our contribution to the fund thanks to our customers is once again noteworthy—I’d really like to thank all those who supported us in the cause.”
This area is known for the beautiful Monterey Bay, among other things. Have you taken part over the years in any activities in the area like kayaking, whale watching, or just touring the Aquarium?
“I love the Bay, and the whales are cool if you can catch them. But it will come as no surprise that on a trip to California, I turn my focus to the outstanding Mexican eateries. And while it’s rare but not unheard of to bring a pup home, the SPCA for Monterey County is right across the road from the main track entrance, and hanging out with shelter dogs is fun and rewarding—and they love it!”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
Your No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 will have a lot of signatures from donations for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s cause again this weekend. Has this been another successful charitable campaign to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s this year?
“It’s amazing to have Racing to End Alzheimer’s on our BMW again this year at Laguna Seca. Hopefully, we can pull off the same result as last season and make all the names of loved ones on the car who’ve been affected by Alzheimer’s proud.”
You and James are still very much in the hunt going into the penultimate race of the season. What’s your game plan for the final two races?
“VIR was a big hit to our championship hopes. The only thing we can do now is really push hard for a good result this weekend. We need a strong finish to have a chance going into the final weekend at Road Atlanta.”
Last year, you and your teammate won the ST race at this circuit and departed with an excellent points lead and ultimately won the ST championship. How pivotal will this race be for you and James this year in your GS point hunt?
“This race is huge for the championship. However it shakes out here is where we’ll sit going into the final race of the year. We need a super-strong run here, and I know our guys are the ones to make it happen.”
This area is known for the beautiful Monterey Bay, among other things. Have you taken part over the years in any activities in the area like kayaking, whale watching, or just touring the Aquarium?
“I love Monterey and the whole surrounding area. I spent my childhood in San Luis Obispo, Calif., which is down the coast a bit. I always loved going on bike rides on the coast when I had a chance.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The SRO TC America series returns to Watkins Glen International August 30 through September 1. The two-car Copart/BimmerWorld Racing Team is looking for their fourth consecutive weekend on the podium in TC America, and they’re highly prepared for the 15-car field in the Touring Car class. Drivers Chandler Hull and Cameron Evans will contest two 40-minute events in BMW M240iR Cup racecars at the renowned 11-turn, 3.4-mile road course. With three podium finishes and three fourth-place finishes, this is clearly an up-and-coming team.
Coming off his second podium finish of the season at Portland International Raceway in July and a debut in the VLN series at Germany’s famed Nürburgring, Chandler Hull, in the No. 94 car, found the confidence that a young rookie needs to be successful in a field full of veterans. Hull sits sixth in the TC America championship points, while the Copart/BimmerWorld team is 3rd in the overall team championship standings. More impressive is how Hull continues to accelerate his racing career with two podiums and two fourth-place finishes this season. Very few drivers have only one year of club racing under their belt and come out with highly experienced drivers to compete at this level.
Evans had a disappointing sixth-place finish at Portland, losing a podium position on the last lap of Sunday’s race due to a fuel problem. He was the Sunday winner at the third stop in Sonoma, after gaining pole position and leading flag-to-flag in a hard-fought battle. It was Evans’ first pro-series victory after a long career of competitive club racing, and he also had a fourth-place finish in the Sunday race at VIR and sits 4th in the TC championship points. He had a busy few weeks of racing since, with a competitive run at the VLN 6-hour race at Germany’s Nurburgring, as well as a third-place overall finish at the ChampCar 24-Hour at VIRginia International Raceway.
Hull, Evans, and the whole team are in the hunt for overall top-three point finishes with three race weekends remaining. BimmerWorld president James Clay will be on site with the team, as well as racing in a BMW M4 GT4 in the Sprint X competition.
The Saturday race at 1 p.m. and Sunday race at 8:30 a.m. will be streamed at the tcamerica.us website, where live timing and scoring results can also be found. All times are Eastern.
Chandler Hull, Dallas, TX, driver, No. 94 Copart/BimmerWorld BMW M240iR:
“The Portland weekend ended on a high note for me. It was a challenge all weekend, but I’m ready to carry that momentum into the Glen. Having a lengthy break in between SRO weekends allowed me to try my hand at the famed ‘Ring in Germany and prepare for this race. I’m really looking forward to this weekend as I love this circuit—it’s fast and flows well, which should allow my driving style to shine through. Our Copart/BimmerWorld cars should be dialed in this weekend, and we’re ready to fight for podium spots.”
Cameron Evans, Ketchum, ID, driver, No. 82 Copart/BimmerWorld BMW M240iR:
“It was disappointing to be in a position for a podium and lose the points, but we overtook tough cars on a track that doesn’t offer much passing. We showed the field that we’re quickly gaining the pace to run up front.
“We tested at Watkins Glen a few weeks back and found insights on both car setups, and I got some time off the clock as well. I’ve raced here in years past with BMWCCA Club Racing and really appreciate the challenge.”
James Clay, Blacksburg, VA, Team Principal
“Chandler and Cameron have put in a lot of work this year, and we get better every race and every weekend. For us to assemble this team so quickly and repeatedly finish on the podium is no small feat. With just three weeks before the first race, we received the cars, and in a very short period, we had them race-ready and prepared to kick off the season. In fact, in the first stop of the season, on Sunday at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, they lead one-two for almost half the race in a rainy track situation. We’re still getting fully on top of the cars and setup through our first season with them, and I think we have most of the pieces together to be at the pointy end of the field after our recent test here. I’m excited to see the boys take another step forward this weekend!”
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two Copart-sponsored BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars. Additional sponsorship comes from Lund International, OZIUM Air Sanitizer, Cyclo Industries, Red Line Synthetic Oil, Lifeline Fire and Safety Systems, AMP Research, and Performance Friction Brakes.
The Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge two-hour race at VIRginia International Raceway was filled with mayhem. Four full-course cautions brought about unpredictable lead changes due to numerous accidents between leading cars, and the on-and-off rain around the 3.27-mile circuit only intensified the bedlam.
With solid driving and a bit of luck on their side, the No. 80 BimmerWorld Racing/Airbnb BMW M4 GT4 of Ari Balogh and Mike Sheen was able to take advantage of the dynamic situations. Their third-place result in the Grand Sports (GS) class gave them their first podium finish of the season in their first co-driving effort.
Unfortunately for BimmerWorld’s team owner/driver James Clay and co-driver Devin Jones, the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 was caught up in the madness. Just three laps before the race finish, a Mercedes-AMG driver hit the BimmerWorld car, causing them to spin and resulting in a broken rear suspension which ended their race and greatly reduced the team’s overall points standing.
Again this season, rain conditions were a major factor in the outcome of today’s race as many drivers befell to the changing conditions.
Qualifying was canceled due to weather, so the starting grid was set based on points. That resulted with Clay starting on the front row, second in class, and Balogh starting in 24th.
The first caution came out on Lap 4 when rain caused the first off-track excursions as a McLaren and Mercedes-AMG collided hard. By that point, Balogh had already charged his way up 10 spots into 14th overall while Clay maintained his runner-up spot.
IMSA officials were able to open Pit Lane while the safety car stayed out, allowing teams to change to rain tires if they so desired. The green flag was displayed nearly 40 minutes in with the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 in fourth place and the No. 80 in eighth after both entries had taken advantage of tire-change pit stops.
With just 45 minutes remaining, both BimmerWorld cars pitted for driver changes and new tires. Jones replaced Clay in the cockpit, while Skeen replaced Balogh. Skeen soon found himself wedged between the TCR class leaders as he fought for position before a second full-course caution came out. The top 16 GS cars were all on the same lap with just 10 laps remaining, and approximately 20 minutes left in the race.
On the restart, the two leaders collided and went off track, causing the third full-course caution which lasted only two laps. On the restart from that caution, Jones, running sixth in the scrum, was jostling for position when a Mercedes hit him at Turn 5 and spun the No. 82 BMW M4 off-track, breaking the rear suspension and bringing out the fourth and final caution of the race with just three minutes to go.
The final restart was run in tandem with the white flag, setting up a one-lap shootout. The leading Porsche went a bit too deep into Turn 1 and made contact with the second-place McLaren, causing him to spin. This brought Skeen up into fourth for the checkered flag.
Although the Porsche crossed the finish line in first, a post-race penalty was assessed for the last-lap incident, and the win was awarded to the second-place Ford. This elevated the Skeen/Balogh BMW M4 GT4 entry to third place, giving Skeen his best MICHELIN Pilot Challenge finish while Balogh matched his previous best finish. The 19th-place finish for Clay and Jones moved them down to third in the GS points championship, 29 points out of first with two races remaining.
The VIR MICHELIN Pilot race, the Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix, will be televised tape-delayed on the NBC Sports Network on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
The next and penultimate round of the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series will be the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Laguna Seca, Calif. on September 13-14.
Mike Skeen, Charlotte, N.C., driver, No. 80 BimmerWorld/Airbnb BMW M4 GT4:
“The whole weekend has been awesome, but surely the last few minutes of the race were hectic. I didn’t know if we were going to be able to finish under green with the conditions and the timing, but I’m really happy we could move up a few more positions and put the car on the podium. Ari did a killer job to drive it from the back and get the BMW up into the hunt. Then I just tried to finish it off from there.”
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4GT4:
“We knew it was going to be a crazy day. It seems weather has affected every race this year. We weren’t as good as I’d hoped in the wet. Unfortunately, that shuffled us down a little bit. Devin was making up a couple of spots before he got drilled early on, and then we had a little bit of a handling problem after that. Then it started raining again, and everyone wanted to be on the top step with the final lap restart. Ultimately, we got taken out by one of our competitors.
“Certainly, I’m not thrilled with the results of our race, but as a team owner, I’m thrilled for our No. 80 car. They drove a great race, ended up on the good side of the luck out there today, and capitalized to bring home a very solid result for the team!”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“Starting from the beginning of the weekend, it was great to be here at VIR, a home race for us. We have a lot of friends and family that come out for this one, so we always want to try to do well. We didn’t have quite the pace we wanted in practice, but we were pretty optimistic about it going into the race. The first part of the race, our pace seemed pretty good; we were on par with everybody. James did a great job at the beginning in another race with mixed conditions of dry, rain, then dry again.
“I got in the car and it seemed like we were in a pretty good spot, able to work our way up to sixth. I knew those last restarts were going to start to get crazy. A lot of guys started driving a little bit over their head, trying to make something happen. I probably got hit four times in this race, which I think is more than I’ve gotten hit all year, so that was frustrating. Then the No. 35 car finally finished us off and really drilled us pretty hard, which was unfortunate to have happened. Overall, a big bummer because it set us back in the points, but we have to keep marching forward and try to make the best of the next two races for everybody who supports us. We’ll try to finish the year out strong.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The BimmerWorld Racing team continues with a two-car effort this week at their home circuit, VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race, August 24.
The Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge two-hour race is the eighth of 10 rounds in the 2019 season. Team owner/driver James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. will co-drive the BimmerWorld Racing No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4. Ari Balogh, of Menlo Park., Ca. and Mike Skeen of Charlotte, N.C., will pilot the No. 80 BimmerWorld Racing/Airbnb BMW M4 GT4. Both cars will compete in the Grand Sports (GS) class at the 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course.
Clay and Jones continue their championship quest as they head to VIR in second place in the tight GS class standings with three races remaining.
The Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix weekend starts on Friday, August 23, at 9:40 a.m., with a one-hour practice, followed by Practice 2 at 3:25 p.m. and Practice 3 at 6:50 p.m. Qualifying for the GS class immediately follows TCR qualifying Friday evening at 7:35 p.m.
The open-grid fan walk begins at 1:20 p.m. on Saturday. The field will warm up its Michelin tires at 2:05 p.m. for formation laps, and the race is scheduled to start at 2:15 p.m. for two hours of wheel-to-wheel action and excitement.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN on Friday, August 30 from 10:00 p.m. for two hours. All times are Eastern.
BimmerWorld Racing is once again partnering with Legistics to raise awareness for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s charity campaign. The No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 will serve as a national billboard for the penultimate race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Donors can get the name and hometown of a loved one affected by Alzheimer’s emblazoned on the BMW race car, and donations will be tripled for a limited time. Visit www.r2endalz.org/bimmer for more information.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
VIR is your home track and always a favorite for you. You’ve said the Uphill Esses are the most challenging and rewarding. What is your favorite memory at your favorite track?
“It’s really hard for me to narrow that down because this really is an amazing track and facility, and I enjoy it every time I’m here. But a win here this weekend in the middle of a tight championship battle would land pretty close to the top of the heap I think.”
There have been some pretty epic wet weather races at VIR. What’s your view on racing in the rain at VIR?
“It’s wild—I suppose it’s the time of year we race here, but this VIR weekend so often ends up being a mixed-weather challenge on race day. And in a year which has already had so many mixed conditions, it seems like the stage is set for VIR to do something really big. But I love driving here, rain or shine, and I think we’re ready for whatever the track throws at us. I may even prefer the challenge of a wet or mixed track.”
You are using your No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 as a national billboard to raise awareness again for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s cause. Tell us about that.
“This is a great cause and an organization we started working with last year. It was very well supported by our customers, and we wanted to keep going with it, and this year we’re adding in a donation batch from our team. OPTIMA and Veristor have generously donated their space on the car for us to add names for this year’s Laguna race honoring family members and friends of our donors.”
You have Mike Skeen joining Ari Balogh this weekend. Tell us about that pairing and how it came about.
“We’re happy to have Ari back with us for a couple of races this year, and given the VIR venue, longtime BMW driver and VIR resident expert Mike Skeen came to mind as a solid driver pairing. I’m looking forward to adding both to the team for this year’s race.”
The state slogan is Virginia is for Lovers. What do you love about Virginia?
“I travel across the country and the world for racing, and I think VIR really encompasses one of my favorite aspects of Virginia—a rolling road with lots of elevation, rolling through a classic and picturesque setting with lush green trees and grass.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
You are using your No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 as a national billboard to raise awareness again for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s cause. Tell us about that.
“It’s very exciting to have Racing to End Alzheimer’s back on our BMW. It was an absolute honor to sport the names of individuals and families that were affected last season, and I’m looking forward to having more names on the car for upcoming events this year. If anyone wants to donate and have your donation tripled in value, you can go to http://www.r2endalz.org/bimmer to learn more!”
VIR is your home track and also a favorite for you. Share your favorite VIR racing story.
“VIR is my home track, and I have had lots of great memories here. My favorite would have to be in 2016 where it rained so hard the pits flooded and made for an absolutely crazy race. It’s something about this time of year at VIR; the weather is unpredictable.”
There has been some great racing this year in the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series. What makes this such an outstanding racing series?
“The mix of manufacturers, drivers, and teams are what makes this series so much fun for everyone involved. People always come up to me and say our series is their favorite to watch and I think that says a lot about IMSA and the fans that support us.”
The state slogan is Virginia is for Lovers. What do you love about Virginia?
“I am a North Carolina boy at heart, but since Virginia is the neighboring state, I can’t say there is much to not love about Virginia either.”
Mike Skeen, Charlotte, N.C., driver, No. 80 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4:
Welcome to the BimmerWorld Team. Tell us your thoughts about joining the team and co-driving with Ari Balogh this weekend.
“Ari has experience with the team as well as VIR and this car, so I’m sure we’ll all hit the ground running. We all know the series is very competitive, but I expect that we’ll be right in the thick of the fight, and hopefully we can bring home a solid finish.”
You and James Clay have known each other for a number of years and even both raced up Pikes Peak a couple of times. Tell us a little about your history together.
“I’m very excited to race with BimmerWorld at VIR. I’ve known James and followed his race team for many years having grown up in the BMW enthusiast community and in the same region. We’ve attended many of the same track events over the years and have even tried to work together in the past, but the pieces just fell into place this time.”
You were born in Virginia and now live in Charlotte so VIR must be your home track as well. Share your thoughts about how you like the VIR circuit, your history driving at the track, and your plans this weekend.
“VIR is my home track and I have many laps and race wins, including one just last year in GT3. There will be many friends coming to enjoy the event with us, and I hope we can put on a good show. I’ll also be racing in the IMSA Michelin Prototype Challenge race at the end of the day on Saturday, so it’ll be a busy weekend!
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
Rain delayed, shortened, and complicated Saturday’s MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race at Road America, but BimmerWorld Racing’s James Clay and Devin Jones still recorded a top-10 finish despite the treacherous conditions and uncompetitive package under the current rules. They remain second in the point standings with just three races remaining.
After the race was delayed more than an hour due to rain and lightning, IMSA officials shortened the original two-hour contest by 45 minutes. Rain continued to play a starring role in the racing drama; at times the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course was drying and at other times the drivers could barely see due to the deluge of water their cars kicked up. The team’s race strategies came down to simply guessing as to what the weather would be and whether to run on slick or rain tires.
Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., had an opening lap for the ages in the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4. Choosing wet tires for the first stint, he started 17th but advanced nine positions immediately and was up to sixth by lap three. Setting his best lap on lap nine, he pitted under green for the driver change, fuel, and much-needed dry tires with 48 minutes to go.
Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., began his stint in 11th place, but it only took him three laps to vault to eighth, setting the car’s fastest lap of the race on lap 16 with a time of 2:21.221.
Unfortunately, it was pouring two laps later in Canada Corner and raining steadily in the pits, so Jones was forced to hang on for the final half-hour of the race. He dropped to 15th at one point, but then the BimmerWorld crew brought him in for rain tires. Some rivals had to pit too, and despite an electrical problem, he was able to rise to ninth before a yellow caused a one-lap dash to the checkered flag. He finished in that position, holding off the McLaren that finished tenth by a mere 0.422 seconds behind at the finish line.
BimmerWorld fielded a second BMW M4 GT4 in this weekend’s race, making two of the three BMWs in the Grand Sport field BimmerWorld cars. All three qualified together, with Ari Balogh of Menlo Park, Calif. recording the best time of the three in the BimmerWorld Racing No. 80 Airbnb BMW M4 GT4 that he shared with Seth Thomas of Cumming, Ga.
Like Clay, Balogh had an excellent start, advancing five spots on the opening lap to rise to tenth. With one hour to go, Clay was seventh and Balogh was eighth.
The BimmerWorld team brought the No. 80 in for its first pit stop at the same time the No. 82 pitted, and Balogh was 11th when he pitted for Thomas to take over. Thomas dropped to 15th with the stop, but he set that car’s fastest race lap on lap 15 with a time of 2:20.725.
With 33 minutes to go and Thomas holding the 13th position on dry tires, the rain picked up. With 24 minutes to go, he spun, making a couple revolutions before nosing into a wall to bring out the first full-course caution of the race. The car had to be towed back, and the entry ended up 20th in class.
The Road America MICHELIN Pilot race will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on the NBC Sports Network on Monday, Aug. 12 from 3-5 p.m. Eastern time.
The next MICHELIN Pilot Challenge event, round eight of 10, will be the Michelin GT Challenge at BimmerWorld’s home track, VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va., Aug. 23-35. That track is about 100 miles from BimmerWorld’s headquarters in Dublin, Va. On July 26, BimmerWorld announced it would invest $1 million to expand its operations, bringing 15 full-time jobs to Pulaski County. The expansion will primarily help with warehouse space and the company’s customer care center.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4GT4:
“This was a tough weekend and unfortunately, unless something changes heading to our home track [VIR], it’s going to be a tough weekend too. We know this track well; we love it, and we’ve won here multiple times, but we didn’t have anything we could put on track this weekend that was competitive. It’s super frustrating.
“Thank goodness we had some curve balls thrown at us so we could advance and kind of sneak our way up there a little bit further. We’ll see how the next round shakes out—certainly, we have our work cut out for us with the current weight and power regulations for the BMW.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“This weekend was a real struggle for us. Right from practice, we didn’t have much pace at all. The BMWs seemed pretty far off, which was a little bit surprising.
“James did a really great job in the opening stint trying to manage all the tough conditions. We were hoping for rain because we knew we had just about zero chance of anything in the dry since we had no pace. We got the rain we wanted, and James did a great job getting the car up well into the top 10. We went out initially on slicks, but it started raining again so we went to rain tires.
“We felt like we had decent pace in the rain, but then we had a little electrical problem and lost some track position but then gained some back with the one lap we had green again. Overall, ninth is not what you want at all, but it still keeps us in the hunt for the championship.
“We always want better than that, but I guess we’ll take it. VIR is the next race, and it’s our home track, so we’re really looking forward to it. We plan to come in there really strong and hopefully get our pace back and be fast.”
Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., driver, No. 80 Airbnb BMW M4 GT4:
“Coming back to the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge paddock was awesome. Getting back into the BMW M4 was like a duck to water. It was easy to adapt to and get up to speed again.
“The race was probably one of most testing races I’ve been in for a while. With the mixed conditions, [I had to] adapt to the car [in response to] what it does in the wet. Everything was going pretty well, and then we had an unfortunate spin. We were coming in for tires, and I needed about two more turns and we would have been good. I had a good time, and I’m glad the BimmerWorld guys had me back out for a race.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
Round 7 of the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series moves to Elkhart Lake, Wisc. this week for the Road America 120 two-hour race on Saturday, August 3. The BimmerWorld Racing No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 of team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. will be on a mission to climb back to the top of the Grand Sports (GS) points.
Even with their strong fourth-place finish at the recent Lime Rock Park round, Clay and Jones were bumped into second place, just three points down in the GS championship chase. If fans know anything about the BimmerWorld team, they know that winning races and leading the championship are always on their mind, so there’s plenty of exciting racing ahead.
For the Road America weekend, BimmerWorld Racing will be fielding a second BMW M4 GT4, the No. 80 BimmerWorld Racing/Airbnb BMW entry for Georgia’s Seth Thomas and California’s Ari Balogh. Both veteran IMSA drivers have previously competed under the BimmerWorld Racing banner and are thrilled to get behind the wheel of the BMW M4 GT4.
The 4.048-mile 14-turn historic Road America race track is a driver and fan favorite on the 10-race IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge schedule. With just four races remaining, the always stout competition is expected to be as furious as ever, and the BimmerWorld boys are ready to battle to the finish.
The Road America 120 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge sessions commence with a one-hour practice on Friday, August 2, at 9:55 a.m. and a second Friday practice from 3:20-4:05 p.m. Saturday’s Practice 3 runs from 10:15-10:30 a.m. This leads into qualifying, with the GS class following TCR at 11:00 a.m. The open-grid fan walk begins at 3:10 a.m. on Saturday, and the field will warm up its Michelin tires at 3:55 p.m. for formation laps. The race is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN on Monday, August 12 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
Road America is always a favorite track of drivers who enjoy the long straights and the challenging Kink. What’s a perfect lap at Road America look like for you?
“Road America is certainly one of my favorite tracks, and where I got my first professional win. To me, the perfect lap is all about maximizing those long straights, getting on the gas early, and running as flat as possible through the Kink. To me, some of the high-speed turns like T1 and T7 and, of course, the Kink really define the lap.”
Getting on the brakes is part of a lap around this track. Talk about your Performance Friction Brakes package on your BMW M4 and why it is better than other brake packages in the field.
“I won my first pro race at Road America with an outside braking-zone pass into Turn 5 on Performance Friction brakes—something I will never forget. Whether it’s a crazy deep braking zone like Turns 5 and 8, or something that requires finesse like 6 and 14, I think we have developed a brake package with PFC that’s certainly one of the tools in our toolbox for success.”
Although you are not currently leading the GS points, you are definitely in the hunt with four races remaining. Competition at the front of the GS field seems as strong as ever. Address the challenges you feel you’ve got to overcome in these remaining four races.
“I’m not big on constantly discussing the series-issued Balance of Performance, but I’m aware with the mid-season power reduction and weight addition that we’re struggling to land on the podium. We have an awesome team and our BMW is a solid, reliable platform, and combined with Devin and me, we’re able to scrap together some pretty solid points finishes. I’d really like to see the podium a few more times this year, and we’ll keep digging for it, and our best chance is to put together a solid overall performance that lands us there. Consistency will definitely be our best tool as we grind out the last handful of races this year.”
You’ve added a second BMW M4 for Seth Thomas and Ari Balogh, who have both raced with BimmerWorld in the past. How did that come about, and share thoughts about them as drivers?
“It’s great to have both of them back with us! Seth was part of the early history of our race team and was with us for over 10 full pro seasons, so it’s great to have my good friend and veteran team driver back for this weekend. Ari was with us for a couple of years as well, and while his schedule didn’t allow for a full season this year, I had previously told him we’d always have a seat for him, and I’m glad he had enough of a break to give me the call. These guys are a known quantity, and as we work to wrap up a strong season, they’ll be an asset to our team. And I just enjoy working with good friends!”
At the last race, you said that after the Road America race you were going to get a break. What do you plan to do on your summer vacation?
“I have a break in the racing action, but I don’t think it will turn into much of a summer vacation for me. I hope to get a little time on a jet ski this year, but I’m working on both a house renovation and a new warehouse expansion for our BimmerWorld business, so I’ll be mostly focused on juggling all the other balls I have in the air currently.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
Road America is always a favorite track of drivers who enjoy the long straights and the challenging Kink. What do you enjoy best about the circuit?
“Road America is a pretty epic track with a little bit of everything. The kink is one of the highest risk corners in racing, so it’s always a challenge. There really isn’t a dull corner around the track. Add them all together and it’s a huge and special track to race.”
Although you are not currently leading the GS points, you are definitely in the hunt with four races remaining. Competition at the front of the GS field seems as strong as ever. Address the challenges you feel you’ve got to overcome in these remaining four races.
“It’s a very tight battle for the championship, but I’m confident going into this weekend. Everyone has a different agenda this time of year, with some teams going for wins and some trying to score points. We’re going to focus on our team and run our own race just like we’ve done all year.”
When you have race after race every week or couple of weeks as we’ve had since late June, do you get in a rhythm or is it wearing on you?
“I enjoy this time of year, and I think you really get into a rhythm and start to perfect things with your own driving and car setup. I love being at the racetrack.”
Heat has been a big factor in the past few races. Talk about your fitness program and how you hydrate before and after a race with extreme temperatures and prepare for them.
“I’ve been a bike racer for years and ride 10 hours a week for most of the year. I love to do it, and it really helps me in the car. The heat has been rough this season, but I always hydrate days before the race to prepare. Lime Rock was the hottest race in a long time, but I feel my fitness training helped me stay focused at the end of the race.”
Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., driver, No. 80 BimmerWorld Racing/Airbnb BMW M4 GT4:
You are back with the BimmerWorld Racing team in the No. 80 BMW M4 GT4 for Road America. Share your thoughts about being reunited with your team that you’ve raced with off and on for the past 15 years.
“I feel like a kid at Christmas and can’t wait to be back with my friends and family at BimmerWorld. They’ve been such a big part of my development as a driver that it’ll be good to be reunited with them since my last racing effort with them was in 2016. It’ll be like coming back home. I’ve been doing a few races in Europe since that time, but being back home running a BMW on Michelin tires for the first time with my favorite team in the paddock and with Ari will be great, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Share your thoughts about how you like the Road America circuit, your history driving at the track, and your favorite part and why.
“Road America is one of the tracks that I’ve enjoyed going to, but I feel slightly snake-bitten by it. I’ve run in the top-5 on multiple occasions only to fall short in the results category due to many circumstances outside my control. But it is a track that every time I drive it, I feel like I want more. The best part of the track to me is the Canada Corner to Turn 13 complex section. The big braking zone and the elevation changes remind me a lot of my home track of Road Atlanta. Plus, there’s nothing better than feeling a BMW M4 sliding through this section of the track as the elevation gains and then falls out from under you. It’s like a roller coaster ride that I’m in control of.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The BimmerWorld Racing duo of team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. took their No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 to a fourth-place finish in the challenging Lime Rock Park 120 race. The MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series’ two-hour race featured 33 cars vying for victory in two classes, Grand Sport (GS) and Touring Car (TCR), around the tight 1.478-mile, 7-turn road course in the northwest corner of Connecticut near the Berkshire Mountains.
Qualifying driver Clay started from the 10th position on the grid in the GS class in the nail-biting race that was run under sunny skies. The record-setting heat and humidity forced the team to deal with a heat index of 99 degrees F, and the track’s surface temperature registered at a whopping 109 degrees, making the short and technical track that much more challenging under race conditions.
Clay quickly moved up one spot before confronting a familiar Mercedes that brought about unneeded contact in the previous race. Joined by former teammate Tyler Cooke in an Audi R8, the duo finally shoved their way past the very wide car. Clay then focused on turning clean laps and passing lapped traffic for a long, hot driving stint, eventually pitting his BMW M4 from third position in class before the first stop on Lap 55 at approximately 53 minutes into the two-hour race.
The BimmerWorld Racing executed another great pit stop with the driver change, a full load of fuel, and four tires in a green-flag stop late in the pit cycle. This had co-driver Jones rejoining the field in the 14th position and one lap down, but with the pit cycle completed, the No. 82 settled out on the lead lap and inside the top 10 again. After ten more laps of foot-down driving, Jones elevated himself into seventh before setting his first fastest lap of the race on Lap 66 with a time of 54.8.
Several competitors had come in for their second stop with a short fuel fill, but the BimmerWorld team, along with several others, were on a daring strategy to wait for a yellow flag that might have prevented the need for the additional fuel. But as the minutes ticked down and time was running out, it was clear that the team was being boxed into a losing strategy. Just as the team made the call to pit, they were gifted the yellow flag they were hoping for, which was the only full-course caution of the race, came out on lap 87 with just 35 minutes remaining for debris on the track.
Jones stayed out in the initial pit cycle while the majority of top cars came in, putting the No. 82 BMW M4 on the lead lap in the pass-around process as the pace car caught the new leader positioned behind him. The BimmerWorld team then made the daring call to pit off-sequence on the very short track for two left-side tires and a splash of fuel, sending Jones out of the pits mere seconds before the leader as the track went green. This put Jones in the podium-fighting position of fourth after jumping multiple cars in the pits.
Jones put his head down from the lap-94 restart in a valiant effort to finish on the podium, even besting his earlier fastest time on lap 98 with a time of 54.777 around the small and tight Lime Rock circuit. As close as he got in the final minutes of the edge-of-your-seat race, he couldn’t quite break into the top three and had to settle for fourth position on the final lap.
Although it was a strong finish for the BimmerWorld team, they fell from first to second position in the GS championship points battle and three points down, having had a one-point advantage coming into the Lime Rock race weekend.
The Lime Rock Park 120 race will be televised taped delay on the NBC Sports Network on Friday, July 26 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
The next MICHELIN Pilot Challenge event, Round 7 of 10, will be the Road America 120 race held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. on August 3rd.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4GT4:
“After our BoP (Balance of Performance) change before the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park race, I think we’re really scrapping hard for anything we’ve got. I think these next races are going to be a challenge and, unfortunately, I believe we’re in a prevent type situation. But we’re still bold with strategy and still trying to win races. I think Road America is going to suit our car better than this track did, so I like our chances going in there. But with the Audi in the points lead right now, that’s going to be a really tough car because they’re also really solid right now. So we’ll see.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“Going into this race, we knew it was going to be tough. Practice was up and down, and we weren’t sure where we were speed-wise, but we were pretty confident in our long-run pace. I think that showed today, along with a great job by James in keeping his nose clean and keeping us on the lead lap in the beginning because that was a concern. We went a lap down under the caution but had good strategy and were able to get it back. We came in and put on left-side tires and started running good lap times and salvaged a fourth-place finish. We can’t really be too disappointed with that. Every weekend you want to win or be on the podium, but you’ve got to take what you can get, especially because it’s a long season. It was a solid points day, even though we lost the lead. We’re still right in contention and we’ve still got some good tracks coming up for us. I’ve got to thank all the guys for the hard work this weekend. It was really hot. I’m exhausted!”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The BimmerWorld Racing team and their No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 of team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. heads to Lime Rock Park inspired to maintain their point lead. The driving duo sits atop the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Grand Sports (GS) championship points by a mere single point over the second-place duo and two points over third place.
The competition in the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge is expected to be as challenging as ever at the two-hour Lime Rock Park 120 race on Saturday, July 20 at the 1.478-mile, 7-turn road course. Clay and Jones do not plan to give up their points lead and are resolute to continue their GS championship quest this season as they enter Round 6 of the 10-race calendar.
The Lime Rock Park MICHELIN Pilot Challenge abbreviated two-day event starts with one practice session on Friday, July 19, at 11:05 a.m. A second Friday practice will be from 1:15-2:00 p.m., followed by Practice 3 at 3:40-3:55 p.m. This leads into qualifying with the GS class following TCR at 4:25 p.m. for 15 minutes. The open-grid fan walk begins at 10:20 a.m. on Saturday. The field will warm up its Michelin tires at 11:00 a.m. for formation laps and the race is scheduled to start at 11:10 a.m. for two hours.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN on Friday, July 26 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
It’s now the middle of the season, and you and Devin are leading the GS points. What is your plan to stay on top of the points when you have a bullseye on your backs with everyone aiming to dethrone you?
“The points battle is very tight at the front this year, and quite honestly, I expect there to be some position swaps in the next few rounds. We got hit with weight and a power reduction recently, and that hurts. We still have a solid car, but the next rounds won’t be easy, and, as always, our strategy is to prepare the best we can, race hard, and let the result come.”
Lime Rock is a very different circuit with no long straights and short, tight corners. How well does this circuit play for your turbo BMW M4 and Performance Friction Brakes?
“I’m not totally sure we’ll be strong at Lime Rock—we certainly weren’t last year. I’m aware that it’s easy to put other cars a lap down if we get a lot of green flag running, and I hope that plays in our favor.”
In the past, you’ve said the uphill is your favorite turn because it either is a passing zone or sets up for a pass into West Bend. How easy will that be this year with this challenging GS field?
“I love the Uphill and it has been a strength on this track in the past for us. West Bend is a really tight place to pass, but so is this whole track. I think at this point in the season, it’s all just challenging at the front of the field. Nothing is a given or expected, which will lead to some really good hard racing.”
Most every race this season has had multiple in-race cautions because of accidents and offs. You and Devin seem to be able to stay on track very well. Is there an art to knowing when to take a chance as well as how to avoid someone else who makes a risky move?
“I think this is racing experience combined with tempered goals. We aren’t points racing—we’re racing to win. But I think we’re also acutely aware that you don’t win by taking excessive chances, and in the moment in situations where things have gone wrong around us, we’ve just left a little change on the table for avoidance. As I look back through the season so far, I’m aware that we could’ve taken more chances and maybe moved slightly forward in doing so, but you can’t argue with the results of our approach.”
Do you and the team ever get to do something fun when you’re up in the Berkshires like boating, hiking, or something during this classic mid-July race week?
“Lime Rock is a very fast in and out event for us. In years past, we’ve raced on the Monday of a holiday weekend and had some time to enjoy the area, but this weekend we’ll be intensely race-focused for 28 hours, then looking forward to a small break in the action before Road America.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
It’s now the middle of the season, and you and James are leading the GS points. What is your plan to stay on top of the points when you have a bullseye on your back with everyone aiming to dethrone you?
“We’ve had a really solid first half of the season, but it’s still way too early to be worrying about points standings. We know it’s going to be a fight right down to the end of the year, so our focus is to execute one race weekend at a time. I have full faith in our team to continue performing well during the second half of the season.”
You have said that the short, tight Lime Rock circuit reminds you of the quarter and half-mile short track ovals on which you started your racing career. How does your racing history of the short tracks help you sling your BMW M4 around this circuit?
“Lime Rock is the shortest track we go to, and I love it. The first time I came here, I was still fresh off oval and stock car racing, and the track immediately meshed well with me. A lot of the same driving techniques apply to ovals and being fast around Lime Rock. The biggest difference is you’re going right most of the time instead of left!”
Cautions and avoiding accidents are part of the game in the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series, especially on a small track like this. How do you best avoid getting caught up in another driver’s bad choice?
“It really just comes down to racing instinct and knowing when to push the issue and when not to. These races are long and a lot can happen—sometimes a little patience pays off with a good finish.”
You and James both seem to be good at gaining positions, particularly after a pit stop or restart after a caution. Not to give away any of your racing tricks, but what do you look for?
“James is the start/restart master! I think he’s gained at least two to three spots each race this year on the start. My main key would be quick decision making and trying to be as efficient as possible when battling for position with other cars. It’s the best way to make up positions, aside from beating others out of the pits, which our guys do an amazing job of as well!”
The first automobile law was passed by the state of Connecticut in 1901 to set the speed limit at 12 miles per hour. Do you think you could go 12 mph if you even tried?
“Only if I was on the bike going up a hill… or it probably would’ve been a safe speed for a period of time this year at Watkins Glen when the heavy rain hit and we were on slicks!”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
Two days after celebrating Independence Day in the U.S., Canadian Tire Motorsports Park offered plenty of fireworks north of the border for BimmerWorld Racing at the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race. The Dublin, Va.-based team finished sixth with the only BMW competing in the Grand Sport (GS) class, and the team unofficially holds on to its lead in the points championship by a single point in the extremely competitive series.
Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and co-driver Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. nearly finished fifth in their No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4. A total of 24 Grand Sport and 14 Touring Cars were entered for this contact-heavy race on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course, formerly known as Mosport.
Clay started 16th but was determined to get into the top 10 quickly while preserving the car’s PFC brakes as much possible. He passed two cars on the first lap and spent most of his stint in a fierce battle with a Mercedes which ultimately led to contact between the pair. Stewards reviewed video footage of the incident, but no action was taken.
Clay passed his former co-driver, Tyler Cooke, for 11th place on lap 21 and was only 0.472 of a second behind the 10th place car when the first full-course caution flew on lap 24, just 36 minutes into the race. That yellow was important to the team’s strategies, as it occurred right before the 40-minute minimum drive time.
All but four cars pitted during the first caution. With tidy and fast pit work, the BimmerWorld crew gained two positions in the stop (from 11th to ninth) as Clay pitted to turn the car over to Jones.
Thanks to the BimmerWorld crew’s quick pit stop, Jones came out of it with good track position and moved quickly into seventh when the green waved again. As the remaining cars pitted, there was some post-caution shuffling as Jones settled into the sixth-place position where he set his fastest race lap on lap 33 with a time of 1:24.313.
Jones juggled positions throughout the race and through the team’s final pit stop, eventually elevating his BMW M4 GT4 into fourth place until a McLaren passed him on lap 56 with 33 minutes remaining. He held on to fifth until a Mustang got by with less than one minute remaining on the penultimate lap of the 78-lap race. Jones finished 0.986 behind the fifth-place finisher and 0.748 ahead of the seventh-place finisher at the checkered flag.
Although the BimmerWorld team did not repeat their podium appearance at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120, they do continue to hold the GS points lead at the halfway point of the season.
Saturday’s race will be shown on the NBC Sports Network on Tuesday, July 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT. Prior to that program the June 29 race from Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y. will air on the same network on Thursday, July 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT. BimmerWorld Racing finished second in class in that race.
The next event is at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. July 19-20. It will air on NBCSN on Friday, July 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. All the races are also streamed live on imsa.tv.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“I clearly wasn’t happy with qualifying; I didn’t put down a good lap anyway, but I had my top two laps removed with some contact there, unfortunately. I just wasn’t happy with that effort at all.
“Of course, during the race, I paid for that and had to work my way forward in some challenging traffic. I don’t think we were trying to be a hero here today; we just needed to get some solid spots, and we needed to have a solid finish. I wasn’t going to take excessive chances, and after getting banged around by the No. 57 Mercedes a couple of times, I was pretty content to let them keep the spot and deal with it later. I don’t think that ultimately affected our outcome or my race, but it certainly added to some frustration we had to get through today.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“First, the guys in the pits did a great job of getting us out and gaining us a few spots in the pits. James did a really good job racing smart with some of the other cars he was around.
“We wanted to play this race a little bit conservatively. We knew we didn’t quite have a winning car today, but we definitely had a top-five car. With the strategy and a good pit stop, we were in a solid position to get a top-five finish. We came up a little short of that, which was a little frustrating, but overall, we can’t complain about finishing sixth and still maintaining the points lead.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The BimmerWorld Racing team from Dublin, Va. charges into the next round of the 10-race IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sports (GS) points lead.
Round five of the 10-race series will be the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120 for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge two-hour race on Saturday, July 6 at the 2.459-mile, 10-turn Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada road course.
Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and teammate Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. drive the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 for BimmerWorld Racing. The duo is tied for the lead in driver’s points and leading in points for the GS class after finishing second at Watkins Glen International in an exciting fight to the finish last weekend. Clay departed from the track immediately after his stint to compete in the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where he finished an impressive sixth in the Time Attack 1 class in the No. 36 BimmerWorld Racing 2018 BMW M4 GT4.
In previous IMSA races this season, Clay and Jones finished ninth at Mid-Ohio, second at Sebring International Raceway, and fourth at Daytona International Raceway in January. Holding onto the points lead is their goal this weekend and for the remaining six races.
Last year, Jones took the pole with a new track record in the former Street Touring (ST) class in the No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing 328i and followed up with a class victory with former BimmerWorld teammate Nick Galante. Along with the team’s second-place finish last weekend, Jones also set a new track record for fastest lap at Watkins Glen International during that thrilling four-hour race.
Practice for the CTMP 120 on Friday, July 5, at 10:00 a.m. for a one-hour session and from 3:05-3:50 p.m. Saturday has a practice session at 9:15 a.m. for 15 minutes then leads immediately into qualifying with the GS class following TCR at 10:00 a.m. for 15 minutes. The open-grid fan walk begins at 1:00 p.m. The field will warm up its Michelin tires at 1:45 p.m. and the race is scheduled to start at 1:55 p.m.
The event will be streamed live on imsa.tv, and there will be live timing and scoring on imsa.com. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
You just came out of a whirlwind week of going back and forth between Pikes Peak and Watkins Glen. Now you are jumping right into another IMSA race in Canada. Have you caught your breath yet, or are you running on pure adrenaline?
“The pace has actually been quite fun. I touched down at home for about 20 hours, and if anything, it’s a little tough for me to dial it back right now—which seems like the right mindset to be in.”
You and Devin had a strong drive at The Glen and catapulted yourself back into the GS championship lead with your second-place finish. This class is very competitive, so how do you plan to stay on top for the remaining six races?
“I don’t think anyone could plan for that, and while I know we’re happy to be in the position we’re in, there’s a lot of racing ahead. As always, we’ll do our best and the team is super on it. No secrets—just hard work and focus.”
Mosport is a very fast flowing circuit. Do you think your BMW M4 will have the speed, coupled with the Performance Friction Brakes package to master the circuit this year?
“Fingers crossed, but this is one of my absolute favorite tracks in the world, and I think we punch a little above our weight class here typically. With where the car sits currently, I think we should be in a decent spot. We may lose some power due to BoP after our recent performances, but we have the handling dialed in, and the PFC brakes at this track play a critical role.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
You captured the pole at Mosport last year in the ST class. What will it take to repeat that in the GS class this year?
“Mosport is probably my favorite track. It seems to really suit my driving style, and I just enjoy racing there. We had a great run last year in the ST car, but the GS class is always super competitive. However, I think we can carry our momentum from Watkins and hopefully put together another strong performance this weekend.”
How do you like the fast flowing Mosport circuit? What’s your favorite part?
“I love the fast, old-school nature of the track. Every corner flows right into the next, and the elevation change makes this track truly amazing. I can’t pick a certain corner—I just love the whole place.”
You and James are now back on top in the GS championship points battle after a strong run at The Glen. With six more races to go, how do you plan to stay on top?
“There’s still a long way to go this season, and the next batch of races are going to be really important to set the tone for the finishing stretch. We’ll just have to stay focused on agenda and taking the schedule race by race.”
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
STAY UP TO DATE WITH BIMMERWORLD NEWS AT: http://www.bimmerworldracing.com
ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240 at The Glen race for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y. on Saturday was one of the most thrilling races the series has seen in recent years. Thirty-seven cars in two classes competed during changing weather and numerous cautions from spins galore while teams were chasing victory.
BimmerWorld Racing’s James Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., and Devin Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., drove their No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 to a second-place finish in the Grand Sport (GS) class in the four-hour enduro, just 1.946 seconds down from the winning No. 35 Mercedes Benz-AMG.
Qualifying driver Clay started from the fifth position on the grid and immediately passed two cars on the first lap, elevating the BMW M4 to third place. A total of five cautions over the 103 laps as well as some intermittent rain led to an exciting race that had fans on their feet cheering.
The first full-course caution was displayed on Lap 8, and Clay pitted for a fuel top-off two laps later. On Lap 17, another caution was thrown as Clay continued to take advantage of any inch of track space he could to advance his No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor-liveried BMW. By Lap 28, he drove the race car into the lead and turned his fastest lap of the race on Lap 37 with a time of 1:55.971. He held the number one position until his next pit on Lap 43, nearly one hour and 40 minutes into the race. The team’s choice to pit at that time turned out to be brilliant, as Clay narrowly entered the pits just before the third full-course caution of the day was displayed, approximately one hour and forty-five minutes into the race.
Jones started his stint and quickly maneuvered the No. 82 BMW back into the lead as he kept bettering his fastest lap, ultimately collecting his fastest on Lap 74 with a time of 1:54.077 and earning fastest lap of the race honors, as well as setting the new track record.
Rain began to fall on parts of the circuit just before the final pit stops. The BimmerWorld crew took a chance by staying on Michelin slick racing tires, while many of their competitors opted for rain tires. After the restart following the final caution with just 15 minutes remaining, the cars with rain tires held the front positions, but as the rain stopped and the track quickly dried, the gamble paid off as Jones climbed back into second place. He ran out of time to capture the victory as the checkered flag was displayed at 6:56 p.m. Eastern time. Jones lead the most laps of the day with 49 of the 103 total laps.
With their second-place finish, Clay and Jones moved back into the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge points lead after four of 10 rounds this season.
Jones had to handle the Victory Lane honors solo as team owner and teammate Clay was well on his way to his flight to Denver for competition at the 2019 running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), also known as The Race to the Clouds. The invitational automobile and motorcycle event is a 12-mile, 156-turn hill climb to the summit of Pikes Peak held every year at the end of June.
Clay competed in the Time Attack 1 class on Sunday at Pikes Peak and finished in sixth place in class in a BimmerWorld Racing 2018 BMW M4 GT4 with a time of 10:39.786 and an average speed of 67.523 mph.
The Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240 at The Glen race will broadcast on NBCSN on Thursday, July 11 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“We have a great car today, clearly. And we have pace, but most of the positions were gained when a competitor had a wiggle or an error. It bunched up at the start of the race. I didn’t have to check the throttle. I was able to have a clean run and get up near the front. We don’t have the pace for the Mercedes and found no reason to burn the car down trying to keep up. We found ourselves in the right place at the right time and gained a number of positions.
“The team strategized for short fills, avoided incidents, and drove clear which nearly gifted me the lead. We managed a smart and clean drive, and Devin drove the same.
“We watched it (the race) while we headed to the airport to head to Pikes. It was one of the craziest race finishes I’ve ever seen. So much happened, and it was such incredible racing with the rain. We had a great car today, and Devin did a fantastic job. We were headed for a win, but it didn’t quite come through. I’m so proud of Devin and the team and the great job they did today, and I’m happy we’ve regained the championship lead.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“It was a really interesting race. We’ve been working really hard on getting the car set up for the longer run, and it was starting to pay off today. James did an incredible job in the first stint and was out in the front, battling for the lead, and doing a great job, especially after he didn’t get much practice coming in from Pikes Peak. It put a lot of pressure on me to get in the car and do well. I thought we did a pretty good job. We were out front for most of the race. Towards the end, the No. 35 was fast, and he was running about the same pace as me.
“When the rain came, it kind of changed everything up and threw a curveball. I didn’t really want to see it because I knew how fast we were in the dry. We were able to hold onto it, and the track was starting to dry up towards the end. We were running them down and just ran out of time. It was still a really good run for us. We want to get a win, but we’re knocking on the door, so hopefully soon. I just want to thank everybody on this team. They do such an incredible job with this car, and it’s really a privilege to drive it. I have to thank Veristor and OPTIMA Batteries too. It’s weird not having James here since he’s probably already on a plane going to Pikes Peak. So, good luck to him on Sunday and hopefully we can carry some momentum going into Mosport.”
The next event, Round 5 of 10, of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge will be the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, next weekend, July 5-7.
FOLLOW BIMMERWORLD AT: https://www.facebook.com/bimmerworld
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
The Mid-Ohio 120 race for the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio brought about unpredictable weather conditions that challenged the teams, drivers and engineers. Leading the Grand Sports (GS) points coming into the race, the duo of James Clay, of Blacksburg, Va. and Devin Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., drove their No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4 to a ninth-place finish in the Lexington, Ohio two-hour race with mixed weather.
James Clay qualified in sixth position on race morning on a wet track with a constant drizzle. After the previous two days of on-and-off rain, the BimmerWorld team prepared for the afternoon race ready for any possible condition.
Although Round 3 of the MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race started with fairly dry conditions, radar showed rain coming mid-race. Clay lost a couple of positions on the race start when his row stalled before the start line, but he methodically worked his way forward into the second spot by the one-hour mark when the third caution of the race flew.
Windshield wipers were waving throughout the field and rain was falling around the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course, leading the BimmerWorld team to make the defining call for their race. In the scheduled pit stop under yellow, the field pitted with several cars opting for rain tires, including the BimmerWorld No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 Grand Sport (GS) entry. At that time the team executed their driver change from Clay to Jones.
Jones pushed hard, but when the heavy rains didn’t materialize for their rain tire strategy, speed was elusive. In the end, the team had to settle for a ninth-place GS class finish and 12th overall in the 37-car field.
The Mid-Ohio 120 race will be shown on NBCSN from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, May 11.
The next event will be the Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240, a 4-hour endurance race, at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y on Saturday, June 29.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“Things went great all weekend. We had a good practice on Thursday. We never really got to exercise the car on Friday, so I started race day so amped up. I love the track, and we had everything together this weekend. I just wanted to race all weekend. We finally got to race, and the car was fantastic. We definitely had a car to win the race this weekend. We made a pretty bold call in the pits with the (rain) tires. It wasn’t the right one in retrospect, but at that moment, it wasn’t the wrong one either. It played out, and we’ve seen the weather go all over the place this weekend. We had no idea, and Devin hung on to what we had and did a great job out there. It’s not the finish we wanted, but it was a good race.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries/Veristor BMW M4 GT4:
“When I got in the car, we were banking on it raining harder than it was. Looking at the radar, we were hoping it was going to pick up and it never quite did. I was stuck out on rain tires with a few other guys. It was definitely interesting. It was like driving a street car out on the track for 40 minutes.
“James did incredibly well and had a great first stint. He was running up towards the front. I think if we would have put on dries (tires), or if the race would have been dry the whole way, we could’ve definitely had a shot at a podium. But that’s how it is, especially at this track. They were really unpredictable conditions. We saw that all weekend with mixed track conditions and the weather was just super weird all weekend. We’ll take ninth and move forward. I just want to thank everybody that supports us, and we’ll look forward to Watkins Glen.”
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ABOUT: BimmerWorld is renowned as a leader in BMW aftermarket and tuning expertise. It competes in the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a BMW Motorsport M4 GT4, where the Virginia-based outfit has become a winner and championship contender. It was also the Street Tuner champion of that series in 2018. 2019 also marks BimmerWorld Racing’s return to the SRO TC America Championship in the Touring Car (TC) class with two BMW Motorsport M240i Racing cars.
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