Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “Every test is very important for us, particularly in the current phase, as we are fast approaching the homologation deadline. After this point, much of the development work on the car is subject to a freeze. Furthermore, improving the car’s performance is another central issue. We were once again able to find a lot of important things in this area. All in all, we enjoyed another three positive days of testing in Estoril.”

Bruno Spengler (BMW Team Schnitzer): “I think we made another step forward with this test. We managed to try out many things and learned a lot. That’s exactly what you want during a test at this stage of the season’s preparations.”

Dirk Werner (BMW Team Schnitzer): “It was important for me to get a lot of kilometres here under my belt in the BMW M3 DTM. We managed that, and I am constantly getting a better feel for the car. Every lap counts as we edge closer to the limit. That was my first test in Estoril. The circuit is fantastic.”

Andy Priaulx (BMW Team RBM): “The conditions were not stable, and a strong wind was blowing on the first day. At least it stayed dry, which allowed us to make some progress with the set-up. The last time I drove in Estoril was in 2008. It was great fun to return with the BMW M3 DTM. The circuit is excellent, with a lot of challenging corners.”

Augusto Farfus (BMW Team RBM): “It was great to finally be back driving in Estoril. The circuit is excellent, and as a driver you enjoy every single lap here. We have worked hard, and now have three successful days behind us during which we were able to work through our programme step by step. The other DTM manufacturers were also in action here. That was interesting – and there was always a lot going on out on the track.”

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Team RMG): “The wind was strong at times and is bound to have distorted the test results a little, as it was constantly changing direction during the course of the day. Despite that, we completed our programme well. It is always special when all three manufacturers are testing together. Every so often you glance over at the opposition and take a look at the other cars. Then you quickly focus back on your own job again and get back to work.”

Marco Wittmann: “This has been a positive day for me. Obviously it just feels great being part of the BMW family and gaining experience at a DTM test. Many things were new to me, such as the pit stops. But I managed to raise my game over the course of the day. It was good fun to be back at the wheel of the BMW M3 DTM.“

[Source: BMW Motorsport ]

When it came to the tombola, which is held every year at the event, the lucky winner could be delighted with a very special prize: Marquardt presented her with the keys to a BMW 328i from the “Sport” line. The BMW Group had donated the saloon, worth 57,000 Euros, to the Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe foundation.

“Not nearly all top athletes are able to reap the rewards of their many years of hard work over the course of their career,” said Marquardt. “Their excellent sporting performances deserve even greater respect and make them role models for the young generation. For this reason, BMW was more than happy to support the tombola and therefore the valuable work of the Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe. That is how it should be among sportsmen and sportswomen – we know full well from our intensive preparation for the return to the DTM what it means to be competitive at the highest level. This iconic event also provided us with the perfect stage for the debut of our BMW M3 DTM Safety Cars. It is not every day I get to drive from the hotel to the Rhein-Main-Hallen in a car like that.”

The BMW 328i up for grabs in the tombola impresses with its sportiness. The new BMW 3 Series Saloon marks the first occasion that three lines have been available in addition to the basic version. The “Sport”, “Luxury” and “Modern” lines allow the customer to individually configure the appearance of his car to meet his requirements. When it comes to quality, coherent design and individuality, the new BMW lines far exceed previous ranges in the premium class.

The Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe has been supporting non-commercial, Olympic sports with its socio-political approach since 1967. It assists athletes whose performances and behaviour make them national and international role models and promote the mass sports movement. For over 40 years, the ball has raised six-figure sums for Deutsche Sporthilfe, with the money benefitting talented young German athletes.

The BMW M3 DTM Safety Car.

Bodywork:

Bodywork: BMW M3 GTS with 6-point safety harness/roll cage

Antiroll bar: from B column, bolted

Engine/transmission:

Type: V8
Capacity: 4,361cc

Output: 331/450 kW/bhp at 8,300 rpm

Technology: High-revving concept with individual throttle valves, Bi-Vanos, dynamically optimised oil supply and ionic-current knock control

Transmission: 7-speed M dual-clutch transmission with Drivelogic

Chassis/wheels/tyres:

Chassis: HAT rigidly bolted, thread chassis, adjustable traction/pressure

Braking system: Fixed-calliper system with Stahlflex brake hoses

Wheels/tyres: 19’’ competition wheels and studs, tyres 255/35 and 285/30

Interior:

Seat: Recaro bucket seat

Steering wheel: BMW M Performance Accessories

Harness: 3-point and 6-point harness

Exterior:

Gurney: BMW M Performance Accessories

Flaps: BMW M Performance Accessories

Engine bonnet: CFRP with vents

Exterior mirrors: BMW M Performance Accessories

Exterior colour: Alpine white

Special modifications:

Roof light unit, BMW M3 DTM Safety Car liver

[Source: BMW Motorsport]

DP 1st: Ozz Negri, John Pew, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Wilson, No. 60 LiveOn.com Ford/Riley
DP 2nd: Ryan Dalziel, Enzo Potolicchio, Alex Popow, Lucas Luhr, Allan McNish, No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley
DP 3rd: Felipe Nasr, Mike McDowell, Jorge Goncalvez, Gustavo Yacaman, No. 6 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford/Riley
GT 1st: Andy Lally, John Potter, Rene Rast, Richard Lietz, No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3
GT 2nd: Spencer Pumpelly, Steven Bertheau, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Wolf Henzler, Marc Goossens, No. 67 Sargent & Lundy Porsche GT3
GT 3rd: Leh Keen, Andrew Davis, Hurley Haywood, Marc Lieb, No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche GT3

Margin of Victory: 5.198 seconds (overall); 9.412 seconds (GT)
Average Speed: 126.300 mph (overall); 118.031 mph (GT)
Cautions: 13 for 64 laps

The Numbers:

10 – Number of cars that led in both the DP and GT classes

66 – Lead changes among 24 drivers in the GT class

146 – Race-leading 146 laps led by Ryan Dalziel of the 295 laps led by the No. 8 Ford/Riley

281 – GT-leading laps led by the No. 59 Brumos Porsche

761 – Number of laps completed by the winners – one lap shy of the Rolex 24 all-time record set in 1962

Full Results and Timing www.grand-am.com

Photo Credit: Halston Pitman/Trevor Andrusko
MotorSportMedia – www.racemsm.com

8 drivers, 32 people crew
Fuel stops needed every 50 minutes
20 Gallon fuel tank capacity
600 gallons for the weekend per car
20 sets of tires per car for the weekend
400 lug nuts per car
25 bottles of nitrogen for tires and air guns
2-3 sets of brake pads for the 24-hour race (1-2 more for practice and qualifying per car)
2 Water Bottles per driver per stint
Multiple windshield tear-offs per car
250 bottled waters

150 cans of soda
50 bottles of Gatorade
100 granola bars
100 cups of coffee
150 Red Bulls
60 scrambled eggs
125 ham sandwiches
60 candy bars
30 Advil packs
4 dozen donuts
2 RVs for Drivers to rest and eat
1 Private masseuse/chiropractor for drivers and crew

Stay tuned for more Daytona 24 coverage!

“For many years we have put our faith in high-performance Castrol lubricants, and have celebrated countless successes together on the racetrack,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “For that reason, everyone here at BMW Motorsport is delighted that we are able to build on this established partnership in the DTM. Castrol EDGE and Aral Ultimate are high-performance brands, which suit our DTM project perfectly.”

Michael Hansen, CEO Deutsche Castrol Vertriebsgesellschaft, said: “The DTM is one of the most spectacular racing series worldwide and pushes the drivers, teams and cars to the very limit. It is because of these high-performance demands that we research and develop our products through the extremes of motorsport. Together with our long-term partner BMW Motorsport, we are looking forward to the challenges ahead and will do everything in our power to ensure that BMW is able to triumph in the DTM as they did in the past.”

“The DTM cars have been using our Aral Ultimate high-performance fuel since 2005,” added Jürgen Blömers, Marketing Director Rhine at Aral. “It will obviously be very exciting to see how the BMW M3 DTM performs in its first season. Whatever happens we are convinced that the return of BMW to the DTM will make the series even more exciting and attractive for the fans. It is a logical step for Aral to be involved as a partner of BMW Motorsport.”

[Source: BMW]

Eventually taking P1. Gregory Liefooghe hopped in to close and as late as 1:40 remaining held P1. At Daytona you can live and die by drafting and unfortunately very late the drafting was used against him. Bimmerworld had a strong performance in the Roar Before Test and followed up with a strong 3rd place finish. Fall-Line fielded three M3s and a strong driver line up lead to a P2 and P3 finsih from the boys from Illinois!

Full Timing and Scoring - www.Grand-Am.com

BMW Performance 200: The Stats

GS 1st: Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr., No. 61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302 R

GS 2nd: Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub, No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3

GS 3rd: Bryan Sellers and Mark Boden, No. 46 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3

ST 1st: Pierre Kleinubing and Jayson Clunie, No. 31 iMoto/Cybernation.net Mazda Speed 3

ST 2nd: Nic Jonsson and Andy Lally, No. 10 Kia Motors American Kia Forte Koup

ST 3rd: Gregory Liefooghe and David A. Levine, No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i

Margin of Victory:  1.061 seconds (overall); .021 seconds (ST)

Average Speed:   109.365 mph (overall); 101.926 mph (ST)

Cautions: Six for 25 laps

Photographer Halston Pitman
MotorSportMedia

Full Timing and Scoring - www.grand-am.com

Qualifying Times:

Daytona Prototype Top 3:

Ryan Dalziel – No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley – 1:41.119 (126.741)
Max Angelelli – No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP – 1:41.240 (126.590 mph)
Scott Dixon – No. 02 Target/TELMEX BMW 1:41.463 (126.312 mph)

GT Top 3:

Andrew Davis – No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche GT3 – 1:49.342 (117.210 mph)
Jeff Segal – No. 69 AIM Autosport/Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am – 1:49.357 (117.194 mph)
Andy Lally – No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 – 1:49.388 (117.160 mph)

Grand Sport Top 3:

Shelby Blackstock – No. 51 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302 R – 1:57.523 (109.050 mph)
Jack Roush Jr. – No. 51 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302 R – 1:57.661 (108.923 mph)
Joe Foster – No. 55 Multimatic Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage – 1:58.152 (108.470mph)

Street Tuner Top 3:

Andy Lally – No. 10 Kinetic/Kia Racing – 2:06.613 (101.221 mph)
Mark Pombo – No. 12 Kinetic/Kia Racing – 2:07.718 (101.137 mph)
David Levine – No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i – 2:06.872 (101.015 mph)

Photographer Halston Pitman
MotorSportMedia

This year promises to be just as exciting with a multitude of teams competing with the help of  BMW Power across a number of different classes. Turner Motorsport will be on-hand once again with M3′s to contend the GT class against the likes of Porsche GT3′s, Mazda RX8′s and Camaros.

Turner brings with them an impressive driver line-up with Jorg Muller, Dirk Muller and Bill Auberlen – all well-established drivers behind the wheel of a BMW. Interestingly, APR Motorsport will bring an Audi R8 into Grand AM for the first time to battle it out with the likes of the BMW M3′s with former Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro – someone well-versed at delivering victories behind the wheel of an Audi. No doubt, Turner Motorsport will be pushing to beat out the incumbent Daytona winners TRG Motorsports and their Porsches and the overall GT champs from 2011: Brumos Porsche and their red, white and blue GT3′s!

In the DP class – the Ganassi team will have their work cut out for them with new competition from Chevy Corvette entries and renewed efforts by the Action Express team. To combat the challenge - TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley has enlisted a driver roster of the who’s who of motorsports with Graham Rahal, Joey Hand, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Juan Pablo Montoya making up the bulk of the team. Expect to see some great DP class battles with the notable drivers such as Alan McNish, Lucas Luhr and Jan Magnussen in other Daytona Prototypes as the race plays out over this Saturday and Sunday.

To celebrate what could very well be a repeat of last year – a BMW-powered car landing the top podium spot – the Jacksonville-based BMW CCA chapter, First Coast BMW CCA, will host an infield corral for BMW CCA members and enthusiasts throughout the course of the race. Parking will be available outside of the track with trams providing regular transportation to and from the infield. The First Coast chapter’s corral will be located in motor home spots #46 and #47 near the Horseshoe near turns 1 and 2. Be sure to look for the BMW flags waving high and proud to locate the corral! For those interested, we recommend heading over to the First Coast chapter’s homepage here to reserve special passes to the corral and BMW parking!

See full PDF with details

Thus far, the 50th running of the 24 Hours of Daytona is shaping up to be an incredible event both for its history and the sheer amount of competition from international teams converging on the beach side track to take victory over the grueling race. If the competition isn’t enough – the Performance Center Driving team will be on hand with their M3′s and expect a special appearance by the F10 M5 courtesy of our friends over at Axis of Oversteer!

The BMW Performance 200 will see the 16 BMWs entered in the Grand Sport and Street Tuner classes led to the green flag by a very special new BMW. The 2013 BMW M5 will serve as the race pace car and be displayed at the track throughout the weekend. Additionally, the all-new 2012 BMW 3 Series will make its second public appearance at the Rolex 24 only weeks after making its worldwide debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The opening round of the CTSCC season has been won by a BMW M3 for the last three seasons and the car has gone on to sweep the GS class titles in the last two years.

“BMW Performance Parts is thrilled to sponsor the opening round of this year’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge,” said Craig Westbrook, Vice President Aftersales, BMW of North America. “As leaders in the performance parts and accessories market, there is no better place to showcase our passion than on the racetrack.”

Every “Ultimate Driver” of the 12 BMW and BMW powered teams racing at the venerable Daytona International Speedway road course in both the CTSCC BMW Performance 200 and the classic twice-around-the-clock Rolex 24 will be looking to continue their successes from 2011 Grand-Am competition.

In both 2010 and 2011, BMW teams won championships in two of the three Grand-Am series. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates began 2011 with a BMW Powered victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and continued their winning ways to capture a second consecutive sweep of Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Engine Manufacturer, Driver and Team titles. Turner Motorsport added the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport Driver and Team titles, contributing to a second consecutive GS Manufacturer’s championship for the BMW M3.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates returns with its 2011 race-winning driver lineup in the No. 01 Telmex-liveried car of Joey Hand, Scott Pruett, Graham Rahal and Memo Rojas. Turner Motorsport holds up BMW honors in the GT class with two BMW powered M3s for drivers Bill Auberlen, Paul Dalla Lana – the winner of the 2011 GS driver’s championship and BMW Sports Trophy – , Billy Johnson and Boris Said in the No. 94 M3. Michael Marsal, Dirk Müller, Jörg Müller and Dirk Werner will pilot the No. 93 Turner machine.

An additional BMW powered Daytona Prototype is entered by 50+ Predator/Alegra for drivers Bryon Defoor, Brian Johnson, Jim Pace, Elliot Forbes-Robinson and Carlos de Quesada.

Practice and qualifying for both the BMW Performance 200 and the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona will be held on Thursday, January 26th. The BMW Performance 200 starts at 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 27th and the 50th Annual Rolex 24 at Daytona takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, January 28th. All 24 hours of the Rolex 24 will be broadcast live or via internet streaming on SPEED television and speedtv.com. The BMW Performance 200 will be televised on SPEED television on Saturday, February 4 at 4:00 p.m. ET.

[Photo Credit: MotorSportMedia | www.racemsm.com | Facebook Fanpage ]

[Source: BMW ]

The DTM championship begins on April 29th at the famous Hockenheim race track. Recently, Dirk Werner was announced as the sixth and final driver for the team. Werner joins Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus (BR), Bruno Spengler (CA), reigning DTM champion Martin Tomczyk (DE), and Joey Hand (US) at BMW.

he new BMW M3 DTM is equipped with 4.0 liter V8 engine which includes an air restrictor that keeps the power to approximately 480 bhp, per DTM regulations. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in about three seconds and boasts a top speed of 300 km/h.

The car measures 4,775 mm in length (without rear wing) and 1,950 in width. The height is set to approximately 1,200 mm.

The DTM regulations for the 2012 season stipulate all cars must use a certain number of standard components. This is to guarantee that development costs remain reasonable and are considerably lower than in other top motorsport categories.

Last season, Werner successfully raced in the colours of BMW Team RLL in the American Le Mans Series, finishing third in the GT Drivers’ Championship. Werner joins Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus (BR), Bruno Spengler (CA), reigning DTM champion Martin Tomczyk (DE), and Joey Hand (US) at BMW.

“As the sixth driver, Dirk Werner is the ideal way to complete our driving line-up,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.

“Dirk convinced us he was the right man during the tests. The result of our efforts over the past few months is a line-up that we believe will achieve great things in the DTM. It boasts speed, experience and a host of international titles. I am pleased that our line-up has such an international feel to it. Two drivers from North America, a South American, a Brit, and two German drivers: our team also offers fans a lot of variety. Over the coming weeks we will be deciding exactly how the six drivers will be divided between our three teams.”

Werner, who won the GT class in the American GRAND-AM series in 2007 and 2009, said: “I really enjoyed the last two seasons as a BMW works driver and have continued to develop as a racing driver. To take the step into DTM with BMW is fantastic. The immense strength in depth makes this series a big challenge for any driver, but it is precisely this kind of competition that I love. I instantly felt at home in the BMW M3 DTM at the first test, and obviously can’t wait for the first race with this car. We have a lot of work ahead of us before then, however, and I am highly motivated to get started.”

[Source: BMW ]

In addition to his driving duties in the DTM in Europe, Hand will contest his fourth season with BMW Team RLL in North America. In the case of any clashes, his focus will be on the DTM programme. Alzen will bolster boss Bobby Rahal’s (US) team at the curtain-raiser to the season in Sebring (US), as well as the season ender at Road Atlanta (US).

Last year, BMW won the GT drivers’ championship, the GT Team and the GT Manufacturer titles at this hard-fought season. The 2012 American Le Mans Series gets underway on 17th March at the 60th running of the iconic 12-hour race at Sebring International Raceway. Nine races later, the season ends with the Petit Le Mans in Road Atlanta (US), which will be held for the 15th time on the 20th October.

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“After winning all three titles in the GT class, BMW Team RLL will now start as the defending champion in the American Le Mans Series in 2012. We line up with the BMW M3 GT against the strong competition in this thrilling championship for the fourth time. Our goal is obviously to successfully defend the titles. The driver line-up certainly gives us every chance to achieve that goal. The reigning champions, Dirk Müller and Joey Hand, have been regular members of the team since 2009, as has Bill Auberlen. They are joined by two experienced GT drivers in Jörg Müller and Uwe Alzen. I am certain that ALMS fans can look forward to more thrilling races in 2012.”

Ludwig Willisch (President BMW of North America LLC):
“For more than 25 years North America has loved the BMW M3 and cheered every one of its many racing victories, most recently our sweep of all American Le Mans Series GT championship titles in 2011. That kind of competition proven success inspires us to return to the ALMS grid in 2012 – on the 40th anniversary of BMW M with an even stronger programme and continue to prove that BMW is indeed the ultimate driving machine.”

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
“We are proud to start our mission to defend the titles in the American Le Mans Series together with BMW. It is our fourth season with the BMW M3 GT and, with the 2011 titles behind us, everyone in the team is more motivated than ever. As always, we worked hard to improve even further during the winter months. The opposition will certainly not make it easy for us. However, we are well prepared. The co-operation with Dirk Müller, Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen has been very successful in recent years, and I am delighted that they will also be racing with us in 2012. Jörg Müller has already won the ALMS Driver’s championship and he and Uwe Alzen will strengthen our team. We are now preparing intensively for the official test in February, before the season really kicks off at the 12 Hours of Sebring.”

Dirk Müller:
“It’s that time again. Following our great success last season, all the other teams will obviously have their sights set on us. They will be going all out to take our titles off us. However, we have not been resting on our laurels this winter. BMW Team RLL has become something of a second family to me. In 2011, the team’s hard work really paid off. Long may it continue.”

Joey Hand:
“I am really looking forward to the ALMS. After all, it is something very special when you line up as the defending champion in a series. To win a title is one thing, but to defend it is perhaps even more difficult. BMW Team RLL has what it takes to maintain the immensely high standards it set last year. Everyone on the team is doing all they can to ensure we are successful. The fact that I will also be racing in the DTM gives me additional motivation. As a racing driver, you simply cannot spend enough time out on the track – especially at the wheel of a BMW M3.”

Bill Auberlen:
“I am pleased to return to BMW Team RLL for a fourth season and defend our GT class championships. Jörg and Uwe will be excellent additions to the line-up as they both have proven experience in the BMW M3 GT. Our test at Sebring in December showed that Bobby’s team has worked hard since Petit Le Mans and I’m confident we will be able to take on all challengers.”

Jörg Müller:
“I have nothing but good memories of the American Le Mans Series. In 2001 we also achieved a hat-trick of titles with the BMW M3 GTR, just as BMW Team RLL did last year. It is great to return to this fantastic championship after all the successful years with BMW. I am sure I will soon feel at home again on the circuits of North America.”

Uwe Alzen:
“I know the BMW M3 GT and my team-mates very well from the last two years and also gained experience in the American Le Mans Series in 2008, so I feel well primed for my starts with BMW Team RLL. The competition in the GT class is extremely fierce – and that is precisely what I am really looking forward to.”

The weather this weekend was ideal and not like anyone would have imagined as it is January. Florida or not the high 60s and mid 70s were welcomed by the teams. Will this continue to the actual race? One can be hopeful! Final sessions were spent practicing driver changes, tire changes and refueling in the pits. Teams set out to figure out what exactly they need to do in the short 18 day break between this event and the actual racing weekend.

From trackside it would appear many teams seemed to have all they needed as each session saw less and less cars on track. By mid afternoon the paddock was nearing 50% full as haulers began heading to the highway and back to their homes. The Corvette DP still was the car to beat in DP while Ferrari, a newcomer, was fastest on Sunday in their 458 Italia Grand-Am. A Mustang driver by Billy Johnson was able to end the reign of the BMW M3 holding the top time with a quick lap around the track. A familiar BMW 328i from RACE Epic/Murillo Racing held the top spot on the ST class.

We look forward to seeing you back during the racing weekend. Again live updates, timing and photos will be up!

Full weekend results – http://www.grand-am.com/schedule/

[Credit: MotorSportMedia | www.racemsm.com | Facebook Fanpage ]

Bimmerworld went on to finish P1, P2 and P4 in the morning session. Not to be outdone by their larger M3 brothers in the GS class Fall-Line powered their BMW M3s to P1 and P2 in the afternoon session with Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana in P3 with their Turner Motorsports Entry.

Night time brought out the big guns of the Rolex DP and GT fields. As darkness fell the quiet Daytona Beach night was alive was the roar of the Rolex Series finest turning fast laps around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn speedway road course. Outside of the normal there were few cautions however a dual into a braking zone took out an ESM Ferrari 458 and the 01 Dinan powered Ginassi entry had an early exit with contact. Highlights of the evening topped off with those BMW rotors glowing red hot in the crisp night air!

Full Results and Day Three Schedule – http://www.grand-am.com/schedule/

[Credit: MotorSportMedia | www.racemsm.com | Facebook Fanpage ]

BMW was well represented in all the categories from the big Daytona Prototypes to the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire Series. After a successful season in all classes, including a championship season from the Dinan S62 V8 powered 01 Telmex/Ginassi/Rilex, the teams were at it again as they explored infield grip and just how high you can run on the banked corners of the historic speedway.

Full Timing/Results available via Grand-Am Directly - http://www.grand-am.com

Enjoy the photos from Friday and don’t forget to check back for Saturday and Sunday’s coverage as well as a wrap up of the weekend! Hope to see lots of Blue/White and the ///M Stripes in Daytona from BMW race fans at the 24 Hour event!

[Credit: MotorSportMedia | www.racemsm.com | Facebook Fanpage ]

The story of BMW Motorsport’s assault on the 24 hours of Nürburgring 2011

The documentary tells the story of BMW’s preparation and race in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. The Hahne brothers; Tim & Nick had unprecedented access during the filming and started recording team & car preparation early as February 2011. “There were no limitations, we were right up close,” says Nick Hahne. During the race we recorded around 200 hours of material with six cameras.

Prior to the race there many unique opportunities to interact with the team. They spent time filming with Augusto Farfus and Jorg Muller during their preparations in their adopted country of Monaco, and Schnitzer team manager Charly Lamm provided plenty of entertaining anecdotes during the filming.

The results are spectacular and this may be the only time you’ll be able to watch this movie in a theater.

Click here to watch a preview of 24 Hours. One Team. One Target.

When

The North America Premier will take place on January 14th 2012 at 7:30pm. Prior to the screening there will be a reception with cash bar starting at 6:30pm.

Seating is limited to 210 people, so don’t be disappointed and register now for this one-time event.

Where

BMW Zentrum, next to the BMW Factory in Greer, South Carolina.

Registration

For additional details and to register click this link to “24 Hours. One Team. One Target.” or use the QR code below.

There is no charge for the event and you may register three additional guests.

BMW took a hiatus from their Hollywood product placement efforts, but they’re now back in the game with the i8 scoring a lead role in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – playing in theaters now. When potential buyers are paying to see your advertisement, you know you’re on to something. Previous Hollywood product placement certainly did no harm for the brand, and the young audience that Hollywood captures represents a key target market to focus on, since these youngsters will be buying the cars and motorcycles of tomorrow.

BMW has recently formed a relationship with MotoGP, where BMW M has provided all pace cars (well, “Pace Sports Activity Vehicles?”) and BMW has been coined “The Official Car of MotoGP.” Sort of an ironic title… just saying. We’ve caught wind of a rumor that BMW intends to enter MotoGP as a competitor, stepping up from the World Superbike Championship in which they currently compete, but for now they are sponsoring a sport in which they do not compete as a factory or with private entry teams.

After a moment of pause, BMWBLOG had a lightbulb moment. BMW should sponsor Formula Drift. Not only has Formula Drift captured the hearts of spectators around world, it has now grown into an internationally acclaimed world championship. Formula Drift now has the reputability, professionalism and marketing power of more mainstream motorsports; the difference is that while other forms of motorsport are struggling to maintain audiences, professional drifting is exploding in popularity around the world.

The Japanese ultimately got the drifting scene sliding with an underground movement that started with street racers who favored aggressive slip angles. Their stylized form of driving became as much an art form as a sport, and melding creative displays of driving talent with racing while using cars as a ‘paintbrush’ has spun viewer’s imaginations into overdrive. As in any form of motorsport, crashes are part of the spectacle as drivers occasionally push beyond their own limits.

So why should BMW throw their name and sponsorship dollars behind professional drifting? BMW has long embraced tail-out driving techniques, as is regularly highlighted in their own marketing material. A certain commercial demonstrating the 1M’s drifting prowess (seen here) is enough evidence to prove my case. BMW’s ideal 50:50 weight distribution and traditional rear-wheel-drive layout have always played well to the physics of drifting, with straight forward weight transfer and plenty of front end grip.

BMW is at a cross-roads with their motor racing involvement. After leaving Formula 1, they have invested heavily in the American LeMans Series (ALMS), DTM racing (German Touring Car Championship) and the World Rally Championship (WRC), but none of these series really engage the youth of North America – BMW’s most important market. ALMS comes closest, but I seldom hear of much excitement from local race fans. I am personally interested in the sport, and I thoroughly enjoy watching BMW trounce their competition from Italy, America, Britain and Germany, but at an organic, grass-roots level, there is not much enthusiasm growing around ALMS, particularly with the younger crowd.

Some insight into viewer demographics will help to establish the relevance of professional drifting. Whereas ALMS captures an older, more mature audience with a medium income over $100,000 dollars (more than double that of NASCAR fans), Formula Drift captures a much younger audience a little lighter in the wallet: approximately 20% of fans earn over $100,000, while roughly 70% of fans earn $70,000 or less, the bottom 30% are either low income students or not yet employed. At first, these stats may not seem flattering to the sport – but when you consider that 65% of fans are between the age of 18 and 29, the numbers become more appealing to marketing gurus. Not many under the age of 30 earn over $100,000, but these professionals will go on to earn more in the future – and when they do, premium car companies will be vying for their attention. Why not capture their attention, and loyalty now?

True, Formula drift is still a relatively small sport with approximately 10,000 fans showing up at each of the 7 annual events across America (Formula Drift has expanded to open parallel series around the world, of particular importance is their Pan-Asian series), but last year attendance grew by 11% in the U.S. – a very impressive figure compared to other forms of motorsport. Formula Drift has managed over 1.5 million page hits on their website, and these numbers validate manufacturer involvement.

Most importantly, professional drifting is consistent with the ethos of the brand: driver involvement and excitement, motorsport, and dare I say it… “joy.” The passion of drift fans is palpable, and the atmosphere at events is one of genuine excitement. Several BMW’s already compete in the series, entered by private racers. Supporting Formula Drift would be a great way to reconnect BMW enthusiasts with the marque which, of late, seems a little oblivious to their fun, sporting heritage.

Why not up the ante and enter a factory BMW drift team? Use the M3 or 1M as the team race car, and put one of the best drifters-for-hire behind the wheel. The marketing exposure would be epic, and since Formula Drift is a relatively cheap form of motorsports to engage in, the return on investment would likely be high.

[Photos credit: Circuitprodigital.com | Modifiedcars.com | Pittootsiepromomodels.com]

In the past, ex-BMW Motorsport boss, Mario Theissen, said that BMW is “not returning to Formula 1” now or in the near future . We believe that a future comeback to the exciting Formula 1 Racing would be beneficial for the road technology and here are some of our motives.

For 2014, the Formula 1 Technical Regulations call for the use of a 1.6 liter turbocharged engine limited to 12,000 RPM. We believe that by 2014 over 50 percent of BMW cars sold will have turbocharged engines. The primary focus for Formula 1 is to demonstrate improved efficiencies and to allow a closer link to constructor’s production vehicles. While BMW is dedicated to the GT and DTM racing programs (with immense success), clearly the marketing value of success in the preeminent motor sports league should be the draw.

New and existing engine constructors are gearing up for what could be a very competitive turbocharged season. VW and Honda have indicated interest in the new formula for F1 racing. Both future engine builders have the financial and the technological capability to meet the challenges of the 2014 season. Another company preparing to meet the upcoming technical regulations is Mercedes. Even though the F1 racing program is without a doubt the most expensive program in the motorsport world, BMW has the potential to lead in engine development  and greatly benefit from the outcome by moving some of the technology to road legal vehicles. With its advancement in turbocharged technology, BMW has the capability to build not only exceptionally powerful units, but also highly efficient.

Furthermore, there are other technologies that are in synergy with BMW’s long-term green philosophy. The turbocharged engine specification will come to improve fuel efficiency along with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems). KERS could account for an additional 120KW up from the current 60KW allowable. This falls in line with BMW’s environmentally oriented programs for hybrids and electric vehicles. These improved energy recovery systems used for the 2014 F1 could find their way into BMW’s passenger cars.

(Read: Gerhard Berger – “BMW gave up on F1 too soon”)

At a first glance there seem to be two ways for the company to get back into the F1 game. One, as an engine manufacturer, proving that their turbocharging technology is here to stay and provides more advanced capabilities than the competitors. Or second, as a fully independent team that could capitalize on the environmental orientation that Formula 1 is taking. One could stay that a wise decision would be to first begin as an engine maker and then in time move into a full constructor position. We believe that the approach with Sauber team was a failure partly because BMW took on so many responsibilities from the beginning rather than iterating and taking a more cautious approach.

Have they learned the right lesson from the previous experience? Time will tell, and in the mean time, rumor has it that a certain constructor named from the UK is running in the red. Could there be a better time to make that decision? We are not holding our breath for now, especially after the newly announced commitment to DTM, but down the road, the F1 topic might end up on the table of the new BMW Motorsport boss, Jean Marquardt.

“Joey has been a member of the BMW family for many years, and we are extremely pleased that he will now form part of our DTM project,” says BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “His past successes have impressively underscored his skills set, and during the test in Monteblanco with the BMW M3 DTM he immediately proved to be very fast. We are convinced the addition of Joey to our line-up will substantially strengthen our project. In addition, his character fits into our team perfectly.”

“I am really looking forward to my new challenge in the DTM, and thank BMW sincerely for the company’s confidence in me,” explains Hand. “I immediately enjoyed the BMW M3 DTM. Its downforce and carbon brakes are extremely impressive. I know some of the team members from the past, and was able to acquaint myself with the others in Monteblanco. Now I am looking forward to our close teamwork in future!”

Hand is 32 years old, and has contested various North American championships with BMW race cars since 2004. 2011 marked a year of many successes for Hand: In partnership with BMW Works Driver Dirk Müller (DE) he won the ALMS GTE class, and helped BMW Motorsport and BMW Team RLL to the teams’ and manufacturers’ titles. During the past season he won the Daytona 24 Hours with a Riley BMW, and made his debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours (FR). There, Hand rotated driving duties at the wheel of a BMW M3 GT with Müller and Priaulx, resulting in the trio scoring a podium place with third in the GTE-Pro class. Hand initially tested the BMW M3 DTM at the “Circuito Monteblanco” in southern Spain from 15th to 18th November.

Hand was born on 10th February 1979 in Sacramento, California, and started his motorsport career in 1991 in karting. From 1996 he contested various North American and European single-seater series before switching to Formula BMW USA in 2004, simultaneously competing with GT sports cars. Hand has since successfully raced BMW race cars in the ALMS, in which he and BMW celebrated their hat trick, in the Rolex Sports Cars Series and in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

[Source: BMW ]

But the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Jeff Koons doesn’t just dazzle on the racetrack, it also exudes dynamism at a scale of 1:18 in its limited-edition miniature version. The metal model is a full-detail reproduction of the original vehicle, for which the artist intentionally selected a contrasting silver interior.

The removable hood allows you to see the engine inside, the trunk can also be opened, and the air ducts are easily visible. The cockpit and the lettering on the wheels look just like those of its big brother, and the steerable front axle and plastic sports seatbelts will delight fans of exclusive automobiles. A clear varnish protects the special, brilliantly colored transfers and will keep this designer piece shining for years to come. The edition is limited to 5,000 miniatures, each of which is supplied in its own display case, appealing to automotive enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

High-Speed Automotive Art.

Jeff Koons, who became famous with his stainless-steel balloon animals and massive flower sculptures, corresponded closely with BMW Motorsport and BMW Group Chief Designer Adrian van Hooydonk during 2010, and together with the company’s design and development team he transposed his art onto a real racing vehicle which competed in Le Mans the same year. For the car-loving American artist, the project was a dream come true. “I always thought it would be an honor to design a BMW Art Car,” says Jeff Koons. “I am very happy to join the tradition which was founded by such greats as Calder, Lichtenstein, Stella, and Warhol.” His prolific work with three-dimensional structures predestined Koons to design an Art Car, and by doing so he has continued a decades-long tradition at BMW.

Alexander Calder painted the first BMW in the Art Car Collection in 1975. He was followed by well-known artists such as Frank Stella with his distinctive grid pattern, and pop art icons Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Robert Rauschenberg. The latest predecessors of the Jeff Koons Art Car were designed by David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, and most recently Olafur Eliasson. The latter, a Danish artist, entitled his work “Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R project”, for which he removed the outer shell of a hydrogen-driven prototype and replaced it with a complex skin of steel mesh, shining metal plates, and diverse layers of ice.

The BMW Art Cars, of which there are now no fewer than 17, reflect the cultural and historical development of art, design, and technology.

The BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Jeff Koons at a scale of 1:18 has been available since the beginning of December 2011 from selected BMW dealerships and on the Internet at www.bmw-shop.com.