Arguably the best American track is hosting arguably the best American racing series this weekend and we’ve been roaming the pits all day. While qualifying didn’t go as planned for RLL (remember this is the first time for the Z4s at RA) we expect good things tomorrow given the team’s record at the track.
Grand Am was a difference story today with the Starworks Motorsport BMW / Riley finishing first in DP and the Turner Motorsports M3 taking the GT win with Auberlen, Dalla Lana and Johnson behind the wheel.
We’ll have more from Road American throughout the day via twitter and after the race right here.
Official Release: BMW Team RLL will start Sunday’s American Le Mans Series Orion Energy Systems 245 from the seventh and ninth positions in the GT class.
Bill Auberlen qualified the No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE seventh with a 2:04.609 minute lap around the 4.448-mile, 14-turn Road America circuit. He will co-drive with Maxime Martin in tomorrow’s 2.45-hour contest. John Edwards qualified the No. 56 BMW Z4 GTE ninth with a 2:04.630 minute lap. He will co-drive with Dirk Müller, the GT class point leader.
Bill Auberlen, driver No. 55 Z4 GTE – (7th) – “Our team has overachieved in the short races this season, but as evidenced in Mosport and now Road America we just don’t have the top speed to compete on the long straights. You can see the competition come from 30 car lengths back and just roll on by.”
John Edwards, driver No. 56 Z4 GTE – (9th) – “We went a bit quicker than yesterday’s practice session, but we did not have another 1.2 seconds it would have taken to compete for the pole with the Viper. The championship battle is still with Corvette so that will still be our focus tomorrow.”
Qualifying and live streaming of the race can be found on ESPN3.com. Follow BMW Team RLL on Twitter at @BMWUSARacing for “from-the-pit-box” updates all weekend. The Orion Energy Systems 245 is scheduled to be broadcast on ABC television at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 11th. ALMS.com will stream in-car footage throughout the race and the full live feed for international views. More information on the program can be found at www.bmwusa.com and www.alms.com.