Round 2: SRO Championship – Virginia International Raceway

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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.

_SM_9739BimmerWorld 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.

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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.

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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.

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It was a much-needed successful week back at the track after a long break.

tSRO America, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA, July 2020. (Photo by Brian Cleary/SRO)

SRO America, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA, July 2020. (Photo by Brian Cleary/SRO)

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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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BimmerWorld Racing Claims Victory in GS Class plus Podium and Championship in ST Class

BimmerWorld-Racing-Claims-Victory-in-GS-Class-plus-Podium-and-Championship-in-ST-Class

BimmerWorld Racing saved the best for last.

After three previous podium finishes in the Grand Sport (GS) class this year, including two second-place finishes in which they came very close to the overall victory, BimmerWorld Racing co-drivers James Clay and Tyler Cooke were victorious in the season finale for the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series on Friday at Road Atlanta. Not only did they win, but their OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 was a whopping 8.999 seconds ahead of the second-place McLaren after two hours of grueling competition in the Fox Factory 120.

The team’s entry in the Street Tuner (ST) class, the BimmerWorld Racing No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis), was in the spotlight too. Nick Galante grabbed the team’s ninth ST class pole, he and co-driver Devin Jones led most of the race, and they ended up on the podium in third place to seal the drivers’ and team championship for that division, which ended with the running of this race. The BimmerWorld pair was the one to beat all season, as Galante, of Greenfield, Mass. and Jones, of Mooresville, N.C. had nine podium finishes in the 10-race series that started with the first of their four victories at Daytona in January.

Two other ST cars led 11 laps total, but the BimmerWorld No. 81 truly dominated, as either Galante or Jones were in front for an incredible 60 laps. Galante was in the lead when he handed the car off to Jones during a pit stop on lap 28. Jones maintained the lead, but with just 6:19 minutes left in the race, the No. 81 was forced to pit for a splash of fuel, which allowed a MINI and a Porsche to sneak ahead. Still, Jones was just 0.686 behind the second-place car at the checkered.

In GS, team owner/driver Clay started sixth. The Blacksburg, Va.-based driver maintained fourth place for most of his stint, trying to conserve both his car and his tires. He turned the car over to Cooke, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., under yellow on lap 26. Cooke took the lead for the first time on lap 40 with about 50 minutes remaining, but he had to make a final pit stop about 10 minutes later for left-side tires and fuel. The Dublin, Va.-based team’s stop was timed to perfection, as Cooke got out of the pits faster than many of his rivals and before some of them even made their final stop. He was fourth after the stop but he regained the lead on lap 55 with 26:33 remaining and then left everyone behind him as he powered around the 2.54-mile, 12-turn road course.

With the hard-earned victory, Clay and Cook advanced one spot to tie for third in the GS drivers’ championship out of 93 drivers who earned points this season. BimmerWorld also finished third in the team standings in GS.

In the next-to-last race of the year in September in Salinas, Calif., the BimmerWorld cars bore the names of hundreds of supporters and people affected by Alzheimer’s disease in a tribute generously provided by donors to the “Racing to End Alzheimer’s Foundation.” That effort continued at Road Atlanta and was notably successful in raising both money and awareness for the fight to end that debilitating disease.

The FOX Factory 120 race will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern time.

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“I’m super excited for our first win! We had a good car all weekend. We qualified sixth, which I believe matches our best qualifying. That typically means we’re going to have a solid race, and race to the front. I was pumped with my drive and thrilled with Tyler’s. I was waiting for the trouble to happen and it never did. What a great team behind us, and what a great finish to the season!

“It’s been really special to take the ST points championship in the final year of the class. That’s the class we entered when we sprouted our roots in IMSA, and to close it out with a championship after so many years of hard work is very special.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“It was an awesome race! The team did a flawless job, and we’ve been there all year. Finally, finally, we get that win! It was quite special and a very emotional win. The last time we got a win, my dad was still alive, and I remember getting that phone call from him right after the race with him just screaming and excited. So it’s been tough for the memories, but I’m glad to get that win for him and for the team, James, and BMW Motorsport. BMW gave us a great car out of the box, and we proved that at Daytona. I’m looking forward to celebrating. I think James and I have a lot to celebrate!

“Hats off to the ST guys; they deserve that championship. I’m happy for them and happy for James and me for winning the last Continental Tire race of the year.”

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“Nick got another pole, which is just incredible how many poles we’ve gotten this year. That was a huge deal. The race started out great and he did a fantastic job maintaining it up front. We were in a great position, just like we’ve been in almost every race this year. He kept it up front and kept it clean.

“I got in the car and cautions fell at bad times like we’ve had in some of the previous races this season, and we struggled a bit. We were about 10 minutes short [for fuel] when I got in the car. I can save fuel, but I can’t quite save 10 minutes. We went from saving, to just go for it and hope some other guys run out, too. We had to go in and do a splash-and-go while leading, so it was definitely a little bit of a disappointment to not end the season with a win, because I know we were capable of doing it. The season as a whole has been incredible. This team has come together really well. It’s been a pleasure to drive with Nick and race this car. It’s been just an incredible season.

“I have to thank the ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s’ campaign. It’s been a big deal, and we had the names on the car again at Road Atlanta with even added more since the Laguna race. Obviously, I have to thank Veristor too. This is their home race, so a lot of their employees came out from Atlanta, and it’s just really great to have the support from two great companies.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“It was a good opening stint. Right at the start, I was getting pressure from Max Faulkner in the Bodymotion car. He put on a great outside pass into Turn 1 and passed me for the lead, but I found a good opportunity a couple laps later on the restart after a caution. We got him going into Turn 10 and repassed him for the lead. We maintained the lead for most of the stint and then the track got rather slick out there, but the Continental tires held up well. It was just really tough spacing for the cautions, and we were just maybe a gallon short on gas and had to stop for a splash which really cost us the win here. But we wrapped up the ST drivers’ championship, which was our main goal. I’m a little disappointed we couldn’t get the manufacturers’ championship for BMW, but it was really close and a really fun weekend.

“I want to thank Phil Frengs from Legistics who created the ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s Foundation,’ the guys at Veristor, who have been with us all season, and everyone at BimmerWorld – James Clay, Tyler Cooke, the whole entire team, Trent Brown, Wayne Yawn, Jason Marks, Dave Simpkins. The entire team is amazing.”

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

BimmerWorld Takes Pole, Victory at Laguna Seca While Supporting Fight Against Alzheimer’s

BimmerWorld Racing to End Alzheimer's at Laguna Seca Victory

The BimmerWorld Racing team fulfilled an important goal this past weekend at the legendary WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race with a pole and win for their special entry to support the fight again Alzheimer’s.

Nick Galante, of Greenfield, Mass., qualified the BimmerWorld Racing No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) and captured the team’s eighth ST class pole in nine races with a time of 1:39.831 at 80.704, his fifth pole this season. He and teammate Devin Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., maneuvered their Bimmer to a near perfect WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 two-hour race and straight to the Winner’s Circle. Additionally, they depart Monterey, Calif. with a large points lead in the ST class 2018 points championship with one race remaining.

The highlight of the race was putting the No. 81 BMW 328i into Winner’s Circle as they lead a strong effort this season to fight Alzheimer’s. Their car has carried a special “Racing to End Alzheimer’s” color scheme on the front fenders all season, but this weekend the team elevated their awareness campaign. In place of corporate sponsors, fans and viewers saw the names of people affected by Alzheimer’s in a tribute generously provided by donors to the ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s’ foundation. With 100 percent of the funds they collected being donated to Alzheimer’s-related organizations and a special bonus from the foundation’s sponsors who generously agreed to match every donation, a victory was the icing on the cake.

The sister car, the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 of team owner/driver James Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., and Tyler Cooke, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., started tenth and finished just one position lower, in 11th place. The unpredictable race saw two competitors run out of fuel on the final lap of the 70-lap race.

The Continental Tire race started under sunny conditions and with a 36-car field on the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course. Clay was the starting driver of the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 from the 10th place in the GS class while Galante had the enviable pole-sitter position in ST in the No. 81 BMW 328i.

Both drivers had a strong start with Clay climbing into ninth place on the first lap and Galante holding his lead from a pack of hungry ST competitors. Both drivers turned their fastest laps of the race in the opening round. Galante’s fastest lap came on Lap 3 with a time of 1:40.863, while Clay’s fastest was on Lap 4 with a time of 1:34.835.

On lap 25, Clay pitted for tires and fuel with no driver change while under caution and 51 minutes into the two-hour race. Galante then pitted on Lap 27 for tires, fuel, and driver change to Jones before the track went green one lap later. He went out in fifth position but quickly moved up to third by Lap 33 and second place one lap later, but having pitted before the halfway point, had to diligently work to save fuel for the majority of the race.

Clay had advanced to fifth in the competitive GS class before pitting on Lap 36 with 54 minutes remaining in the competition. The rules stipulate that each driver must drive for a minimum of 45-minutes, so pit stop timing is always critical in IMSA competition. Cooke entered in 16th position and had to go straight to battle.

Jones continued his fight with a MINI in front and a Porsche behind until Lap 60 when he pushed his BMW 328i past the MINI to take back the ST class lead, which he held to the checkered flag and had a 9.221-second margin of victory. Cooke slowly climbed up the leaderboard as he passed the GS field that was spread out due to second pit stops, and eventually crossed the finish line in 11th place. Both cars managed critical fuel strategy of preserving fuel while maintaining race pace.

Galante and Jones continue their ST class points lead with only one race remaining. They have a strong lead with 292 points (unofficially) with the second place point holder, Mat Pombo, with 276 and third-place, Jason Rabe/Max Faulkner, with 269 points. Clay and Cooke are unofficially in fourth place in the GS class with 217 points to the leaders’ 261.

The finale for the 2018 season will be the Fox Factory 120 at Road Atlanta on Friday, October 12.

The WeatherTech Laguna Seca 120 race will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, September 16 from 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“It was a really wild race. It just came down right to the end and trying to save as much fuel as I could to keep pace with the cars around me. Nick did a great job in the opening stint, keeping our position. Once that happened, it was just a matter of saving as much as we could. I started the stint about four minutes down on fuel, so it was nerve-racking right down to the end. I didn’t know if we were going to make it, but I’m just really happy it worked out, especially for ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s’ and all the names on the car. It’s just really special to win here and especially in Nick’s hometown. This is a big deal for us.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“So, it’s my first win here at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It all came down to the strategy. Trent Brown did an awesome job on the strategy call. We would have been lost without him. We would have run out of fuel halfway through the race if we just left it to ourselves. So, he did great, keeping us calm and pacing ourselves. The true winners of the race are the ‘Race to End Alzheimer’s’ family members who are on our car that we’ve raced over the past seven months. Over 100 names have been nominated on, and we raised over a $100,000 with 100% of the proceeds going straight to the charity, so that’s awesome. Points wise for the championship, we’re looking pretty good. We have a nice lead here, and we should be able to pull it off.”

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4: 

“It was a challenging weekend for us. We had an issue that we resolved on test day, but it doesn’t really matter because Laguna is always challenging because of the surface and total lack of grip. We had a very frustrating day yesterday in practice. We threw a lot at the car and we were not able to get it to work. We thought on it overnight and put a whole new set up on the car and made it happen and today was a much better day, but it still wasn’t a great day. I think that we got what we could get out of the car. If you drove a BMW, this just wasn’t your day in GS. 

“For the ST guys, it was an awesome race to watch, and I was glad to be on the stand for the last half of the race to watch it unfold. Devin and Nick just killed it with another pole and another win. These guys are really running like a championship team and have almost locked down the championship, and I’m so proud of them.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4: 

“The frustrating part about this weekend was the end of the race.  We set the car up to be good at the end of the race. We can’t help that we can’t make it on fuel like the rest of the guys. The other GS BMW team pitted at the same time as some of the cars that finished in the top ten, and he had to come in about five laps before the end for more fuel. We just don’t have the needed fuel capacity in the BMW to run the strategy that the winner did, and you can’t save 5 laps of fuel. The teams are doing a great job. It’s a bittersweet thing because we definitely needed the points here if we were to stand a chance for the title. Going into Road Atlanta, hopefully we can end with a win and go off with a high note.”

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

Hometown Team BimmerWorld Racing Leaves VIR with Mixed Feelings

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Thanks to a home track advantage, BimmerWorld Racing entered this past weekend’s Biscuitville Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway with high expectations. Both BimmerWorld BMWs were in the top ten in championship points heading into the weekend’s IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race.

As usual, racing luck, penalties, cautions, and always-surprising VIR weather played a big part in the strategy and outcome to round eight of the 10-race series. After capturing the pole in qualifying, the leading BMW team in the ICTSC series was proud to put their F30 BMW 328i on the ST class podium for the seventh time in eight races. The race was not as bright for the team’s GS class entry with a tough battle to 19th place after an unexpected component failure.

Nick Galante, of Greenfield, Mass. qualified the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) on the ST class pole with a time of 2:04.987, procuring the BimmerWorld team’s seventh pole in eight races and his fourth.

BimmerWorld Racing team owner/driver James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. qualified the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 in sixth place in the GS class with a time of 1:54.528. He had a masterful race start and immediately jumped up to third place on the first lap.

Starting the race under the threat of rain, the skies opened up shortly after the fourth lap of the two-hour, 59-lap race, as rain came down over much of the 17-turn circuit. By the fifth lap, it was raining heavily and many competitors pitted for rain tires; however, a number of drivers elected to stay out a bit longer to see if the rain would subside.

BimmerWorld was one of the teams that elected to leave both BMWs on track and let the drivers manage the slippery track conditions on dry-weather Continental tires. Galante was able to maintain the ST class lead and Clay jockeyed near the front of the field as cars slid off around him. Clay’s best lap time came on lap 3 with a time of 1:55.804, the fastest turned in the No. 82 entry.

By lap 11, the sun was peaking back through the dark clouds and Clay was running a commanding third-place in GS while Galante continued the ST class lead.

On lap 21, 45 minutes into the two-hour race, Clay felt a vibration and had problems while braking and pitted with three rolling wheels, with the forth being dragged as a result of sheared wheel studs. Although they knew their chance for victory had eluded them, points towards the championship were still an important factor, so the BimmerWorld crew went to work making the needed repairs to get the BMW M4 GT4 back on track. On lap 39, 18 laps after they pitted, Tyler Cooke, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., took the car back on track. Even though they weren’t able to run at full race speeds, Cooke nursed the injured car for the balance of the race and eventually crossed the finish line 19th in the GS class.

Meanwhile, Galante stayed on track until lap 30 when he pitted for tires, electing to switch to rains as the skies started to open up again, as well as fuel and a driver change to Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. Galante’s fastest lap came before the rain, on lap 3, with a time of 2:06.482. Jones started his stint in fourth place, one lap down from the ST class leader.

On lap 38 with over 38 minutes remaining, Jones passed the No. 37 MINI of Derek Jones (no relation) for third place in ST. Then on lap 45, with 25 minutes left, as the track dried, Jones’ rain tires started deteriorating and the left front tire eventually went flat and required a pit stop for a tire change under green-flag conditions. Although he lost valuable time with the additional pit stop, being out on fresh tires allowed Jones to click off some good times once back on track. His fastest lap came on lap 52 with a time of 2:05.301.

Jones crossed the finish line in fourth place. However, the first place ST class competitors received a post-race technical infraction, allowing the entire class of ST cars to move up one position. Additionally, the third-place finishers were assessed a drive-time infraction, and so the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) of Jones and Galante was then awarded second-place honors and the points to match, keeping them comfortably in first place in the ST point championship with two races remaining.

The penultimate round for the 2018 season will be held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 8 followed by the finale at Road Atlanta on October 12.

The Biscuitville Grand Prix race will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, August 26 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“When I got in the car, we put on rains [tires], kind of gambling that the rain was going to keep steady. It was working for the first few laps, but then it started to taper off, and the track dried. Then the rain tires started coming apart and started getting really hot, and then one of them went flat. We had a left front flat, so we had to come in and put dries on. We lost a bunch of time there, but we were able to knock off some good laps. We were running everyone down and just kind of ran out of time, honestly. We were probably the fastest time at the end there, but everybody rallied really well. It’s just one of these races where it can fall either way. Rain races are tricky, especially when it’s off and on like that. I just have to thank Trent, James, and all the guys that worked on the car this weekend. We’re kind of disappointed. We thought we had the car to win, but at least we were able to salvage some points and maintain the points lead going into the last two races. With the leader and another car being disqualified, we finished higher than originally scored at the checkered so, overall, we can’t complain.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“We knew the rain was coming and the track was actually wet when we started the race. It was a mayhem of a start with the TCR cars and some of the GS cars dropping back. So, we were actually battling two different classes and a championship at the same time within our own class, which was quite interesting. Jason Rabe drove really well, and we had a great battle back and forth. Collin Mullin had a great start and passed me at the start. We had contact at the exit of turn three, unfortunately. It was unintentional on both sides and it was just good, hard racing. We actually broke our window and had some glass in the car that was affecting our throttle pedal. The car’s pretty good on rain tires in the wet, but on slicks it was a handful. Devin did a great job keeping the car on track and closing in the end to keep us on the podium. The bonus of the extra steps up on the podium after the technical inspection rulings post-race helped with the points.”

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“It was a great start. A great first turn, then the weather started coming and we navigated through that, fell back, and it just got slick as ice out there. Five miles per hour and you were just pirouetting off track. We survived, I’d say there’s a good bit of luck in there, but we made it through all that running strong. The track was drying up. Everything was starting to go our way. We played our strategy. We kept the slick Continentals on the car and all of a sudden, I got a little bit of a vibration. Then, braking into turn ten I said, ‘Oh man, we’ve got a real problem. I need to come in’ and we sheared some wheel studs so I brought it in on three wheels/tires. That wasn’t an easy repair, so we were stuck in the pits a while, watching the cars go by and watching our championship go with it. We got back out, but it cost us dearly. Fingers crossed for a win at Laguna Seca.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“Unfortunately, James had a good stint going in, but we broke some wheel studs and the wheel just started flopping its way off. The guys worked for thirty-eight minutes on pit row and got it back. It was tough because we had a car that could have run up front. If this was our bad race of the year, we’ll take it and salvage something out of it, which we did. We noticed that there was something wrong with the car throughout the race. I ran slow laps and wanted to bring the car home. And at least we got points out of today, and that’s the main thing we want to take away. James drove a great stint. I thought we were going to have an amazing race with how he was driving, and it just didn’t play into our favor. The BMW was pretty solid throughout the rain. James stayed on dry tires the whole time, and he was probably the second fastest car on track besides the McLaren, but overall his stint was amazing. I can’t say much about mine because I was just on cruise control trying to get the car back home, but it should have been a great weekend.”

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

BimmerWorld Racing Captures Third Victory of 2018 in Their Street Tuner Class BMW 328i

BimmerWorld Racing Captures Third Victory of 2018 in Their Street Tuner Class BMW 328i

The only goal on the minds of BimmerWorld Racing drivers Devin Jones and Nick Galante was to add a third victory to their 2018 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season total during the action-filled Road America 120 last Saturday at Road America. Not only did they win, but their victory allowed them to extend their points lead in the Street Tuner (ST) class championship with just three races remaining in the 10-race season.

BimmerWorld Racing also competes in the Grand Sport (GS) class, where team owner/driver James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. qualified the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 in sixth place with a time of 2:30.311 and an average speed of 103.860 miles per hour. His longtime teammate, Tyler Cooke of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., drove the second half of the race and took the checkered flag in ninth place in the GS class on lap 44 in the two-hour race in what ended up being a wild game of fuel conservation and pit strategy.

Galante won the pole in the ST class with the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) with a qualifying time of 2:31.968 at an average 95.393 mph, and he was the starting driver of that car. His co-driver, Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C., took the BMW to the finish and victory circle. Together they dominated the class, leading 47 laps to their closest rival’s 11.

There were two full-course yellows during the race, including one on lap 15 when a GS-class car went off track, flipped, and caught fire. The lengthy caution period enticed many cars to the pits and a number of different strategies developed regarding fuel mileage. Exactly when each car pitted for fuel, tires, and its driver change during the nearly 30-minute caution precipitated who would need to pit for fuel before race end.

Galante, in the No. 81 BMW 328i, had a good early battle but maintained the lead before pitting during the caution, and bounced down to fifth in the ST class after the pit stop and driver change to Jones. He was quickly back to second after some very competitive racing with the three MINIs. He finally passed the leading No. 73 MINI of Mat Pombo with just over 30 minutes remaining in the race. Jones took it to the checkered flag and won over Pombo by 6.724 seconds.

As cars pitted and shuffled the order, the No. 82 BMW M4 of Clay pitted immediately during the caution and was able to move up as high as second place but pitted once more to top off with fuel and change drivers, putting them in 18th place in class for the restart before Cooke started moving up the leaderboard. A number of the leaders had to pit for a splash of fuel or had unexpected off-track excursions, which played to BimmerWorld’s strategy with the late-caution stop and moved the No. 82 up as high as 6th. But even without the heavy fuel conservation pace and the extra fuel from the late stop, the top GS car ran all the way to the finish without fuel issues, leaving Cooke and Clay with a top-10 finish.

Jones and Galante extended their lead in the ST class championship. They now lead by 11 points with 225 to their nearest rivals’ 214. Clay and Cooke are fourth in the GS point standings, just eight points out of the lead, with 183 points to the leaders’ 191.

The Road America 120 race will air on FOX Sports 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, August 12.

The next race for BimmerWorld Racing is the Biscuitville Grand Prix for the IMSA Continental SportsCar Challenge, a two-hour race, scheduled for August 18 at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. The BimmerWorld Racing team is eager to get to its home track and try to double up on the race victories.

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“It’s great to win here at Road America. It’s my first win here ever. Nick did an excellent job in the beginning of the opening stint, holding off the Cayman, so that was awesome to see. Then, we had that long caution and we were able to come out second and stayed right there with the MINI. I knew as the run went on his tires would fade a little bit, so I just kept the pressure on him. He was stronger in some areas of the track but I was stronger in other places, so I was able to set him up and finally made it stick after a couple of times trying. From there, I played the traffic a little better with the GS cars and we got a little bit more of a gap. But then we knew we were going to be close on fuel. Even from the beginning of the stint, I really had to save a lot, so I couldn’t enjoy those last few laps. I had to really baby it around to save on fuel. I really want to thank Trent, Nick, and everyone who helps this program, and hopefully we finish this year the way we’ve been doing leading up to it because it’s been fun.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“I think this was definitely a pivotal point in the season; extending that lead just a little more like we needed to. The Pombo brothers have been really tough, and they’ve been really great. They’re making this season truly fun because they’re making us work really hard for it. It’s not just Devin and I working hard, it’s Trent Brown on the engineering side of it, and James Clay and the whole BimmerWorld team doing a phenomenal job. It’s nice to be out there contending for championships and winning races, but while we’re doing that, we’re doing it for a good cause. Raising awareness and collecting names for our ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s’ charity, which you can Google and find out more about, but it’s nice to be out there and what a great team in BimmerWorld.”

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“It was a good race for us. We made a change after qualifying. We had this ‘a-ha moment,’ and I think we had our car back. We’ve been struggling the last couple of rounds, so it was a really great car today. It turned into a fuel race. Once we started catching the yellows, we made strategy calls that I’m comfortable with. We got fuel early. We were the latest out of the pit lane, and we ran out of fuel on the cool-down lap. I say we did pretty well, but we really had to back off the pace to stay out that long and some of the other cars didn’t. It’s frustrating because it all comes back to the BoP [Balance of Performance], and it’s a really frustrating way to race and, of course, it’s when you play a fuel game and you don’t win the fuel game. At least we finished the race [in the] top 10, and that’s good for points. I think we had a great car and a great race; the strategy was there. It was all good except for the finish.” 

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“I can’t complain. We really thought we had a shot to win this one. Wayne [the race engineer] made the perfect call, except the leader crossed the start/finish line five seconds before and we had to do one more lap than expected. For the last 20 minutes, I was in big-time fuel-saving mode, but I had some good battles there at the beginning. We were struggling a little bit, so it made me make some hairy passes to make the most out of it that I could. I think it was a good points day for us. I think the No. 46 took the points lead now though, so that’s a bummer. Going into VIR, I feel pretty good about it. I really want to get on the podium’s top step soon. I think the BMW deserves it. I’m looking forward to VIR.”

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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

BimmerWorld Racing Celebrates Fifth Podium in Six Races at Lime Rock Park Race; Continues to Lead ST Points Championship

BimmerWorld No. 81 328i 2nd place at Lime Rock

After six of 10 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series races, the BimmerWorld cars continue to rank high in the season-long championship points battle. The No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) of Devin Jones and Nick Galante leads the ST class championships, while the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 of James Clay and Tyler Cooke is tied for second and is just four points out of the lead in the GS class, with 161 points to the leader’s 165 (unofficially).

Competition in any Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race is tough, but add the drama that happens on the short, tight “bullring” 1.478-mile, seven-turn Lime Rock Park circuit in Lakeville, Conn., and it could be anyone’s race. Two full-course cautions were part of this year’s Lime Rock Park 120 race that ultimately saw Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., and Galante, of Greenfield, Mass.,finish second in the ST class and Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., and Cooke, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., finish seventh in the GS class.

While a number of race teams had to take home mangled cars that got caught up in contact and off-track excursions over the two-hour race, the two BimmerWorld Racing BMWs expertly avoided damage, and the team loaded up their transporter to head back to their shop in Dublin, Va. with unscathed BMW race cars.

The No. 81 BimmerWorld ST class BMW 328i was a fast car all weekend. Galante, originally from Greenfield, Mass., just across the state line, was the qualifying driver for this round and got the pole with a time of 0:59.543. His teammate, Jones, set a new track record on Friday with a time of 0:59.262 in practice. Saturday’s second-place finish was their fifth podium in six races, including two hard-fought victories.

Galante led the first 48 laps of the 113-lap race before pitting during the first full-course caution. He turned the car over to his teammate, Jones, who exited the pits in second and battled with the Pombo brothers in a pair of MINIs through his entire stint. Finally, on Lap 86 with 31 minutes left to go, Jones got past Mark Pombo and was just 2.505 seconds behind the leader, Mat Pombo.

The second caution was thrown on lap 91 with just 25 minutes remaining. The track went green on lap 98 with 14 minutes to go, and Jones crossed the finish line in second place, just .650 behind class winner Mat Pombo and was 2.175 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher, Mark Pombo. Galante had the fastest lap in the No. 81 BMW with a time of 1:00.008 on lap 2.

BimmerWorld Racing’s team owner/driver Clay started the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 from an untraditional 16th position after struggling with some setup issues heading into qualifying on Friday afternoon. By race day, those issues had been erased and he quickly climbed through the field to fifth place by the time he pitted under the first of two cautions at the 50-minute mark on Lap 50.

Cooke had some big battles under green-flag conditions and often ran between fifth, sixth, and seventh position before finishing in seventh on Lap 113, 13.554 seconds behind the overall winner. Cooke’s fastest lap came on lap 57 with a time of 0:56.375, one of a number of sub 57-second laps by Continental Tire Challenge competitors.

This race will air on FOX Sports 1 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, July 29. The season continues with Round 7 for the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on August 3-5.

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis): 

“First off, we were really strong right when we unloaded here. Right off in practice, we were fast, which is a good place to be. We made a few adjustments to the car through practice and Nick was able to go out in qualifying and put in a great lap. It was close, and he did a really great job putting in a lap there. Then, in the race, he got a great start. It’s just kind of how we’ve been all year—maintaining a good gap during the first stint. We had a caution that we didn’t really want because it erased our gap a little bit. From there, we came off pit road in second, fell back to third for a little bit, but I just kept putting the pressure on the MINI guys and was able to get around the No. 52, which was good because he’s behind us in points. So, we were able to open our gap in the championship, which is awesome. Overall, it was a good day. You always want to win, but we’re happy with second, too. I just have to thank BimmerWorld, Veristor, Race to End Alzheimer’s, and everyone who came out to support us.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., starting driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis): 

“It’s so nice to finally get on the podium here at Lime Rock. You know, I grew up in New England, went to Greenville High School, and grew up in Greenville, Massachusetts, just an hour and forty-five minutes north of here. I’m finally on the podium here and couldn’t have done it without the great work of James Clay and the entire BimmerWorld team giving us a great car. They did the development on the car over the past couple of years, and now we’re reaping the benefits of that. We fought the MINIs really hard there in the end, and Devin did a great job staying on their butt and keeping them honest. This is such a fun season, being right there, fighting back and forth with them. It’s fun to have some good competition, you know… We’re not just walking away with it. We’re barely in the points lead, and Devin is doing a great job helping keep that fight alive.

“It’s nice to be out here fighting for a good cause, raising money for Alzheimer’s. We’re doing the ‘Racing to End Alzheimer’s’ charity. If you Google it, you will find good information on what we’re doing (https://www.r2endalz.org/). We’re collecting names to be on the car at the Laguna Seca race of family members who are fighting or have fought Alzheimer’s.”

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and starting driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4: 

“It was a little bit of a challenging weekend for us. With the compressed schedule, it makes it tough. We had a car issue that we were fighting in our 82 car, and it was a struggle in qualifying. We ended up sixteenth and that’s not really where I want to start—it’s a lot of cars to work your way through to the front. There were a number of quick cars, but we knew we had a quicker car. We fixed a problem that had been nagging us, so today was a brand-new day. There were lots of battles in my stint since I had a poor qualifying because of the problem. I had a much better car today, and it was easy to work my way through. Tyler did an awesome job. The car was what it was, and I think we ultimately didn’t have quite the grip that some of the other cars out there did, and I could see one of the Mercedes drive right around me on the outside of a turn. Man, we just didn’t have that kind of grip today, but that’s alright we still had a solid finish and made the best of it.

“Devin and Nick continue to be impressive out there. They’re both very capable drivers, clearly, which makes them a consistent pair. We’ve gotten all the little bugs worked out, so those two are cruisin’. Today, they were second, which is their fourth podium in a row, and they’ve stood on the top step a couple times and are currently leading the championship. Fingers crossed, but those guys are on it and producing results, and it’s great.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“We didn’t have the pace we’d have liked this weekend, but we had good pace in the race. James did the best he could in his stint, and I was happy to get as far as I did in mine. We were just struggling with front end grip, where the Mercedes seemed like it had a lot of grip in the corner…the Mustang, same thing. We were just one of the cars that didn’t have the grip they did. We really saw that toward the end of the race. We’re walking away with seventh, but we really need to get that win. We’ve come so close a couple of times. We know we have the pace, so we’re looking forward to Road America. It should be a good track for 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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

 

BimmerWorld’s Street Tuner BMW 328i Victorious at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

BimmerWorld Devon Jones and Nick Galante Win at Mosport

BimmerWorld Racing’s Devin Jones and Nick Galante catapulted to the top of the Street Tuner (ST) point standings of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series with their second victory of the season on Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Their No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) also leads the class’s VP Fuels Front Runner Award standings at the season’s halfway point.

James Clay, owner of the Dublin, Va.-based team, and his co-driver, Tyler Cooke, finished eighth in the Grand Sport (GS) class Saturday. They are second in that division’s point standings, just six points out of the lead, with their No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4.

Jones, of Mooresville, N.C., won the ST class pole Saturday with a time of 1:31.378, setting a new track record. He immediately broke away from the pack, building up as much as a 40-second lead during the first half of the two-hour race. Jones also set the class’s fastest race lap on lap seven with a time of 1:32.944.

But the victory was not certain for the BMW team until the very end of the race, as a full-course caution on lap 46 obliterated its huge lead. Galante was second until he took the lead for the final time just six laps from the end when the leading MINI stopped off course due to mechanical issues after contact. The race stayed green as the MINI was removed, and that sealed the victory for the BMW squad. Galante took the checkered flag with a 5.205-seconds margin of victory over the runner-up.

Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., qualified 13th in the GS category with a time of 1:25.228 on the flowing, 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course. He broke into the top 10 just 44 minutes into the race by passing Dillon Machavern in the point-leading Porsche and was still in that position when he pitted under green flag to hand the car over to Cooke about 10 minutes later. A limping ST car stopped at the exit of Turn 5 with about 51 minutes remaining, bringing out the only caution of the race, and regrouping the field. The pits roared to life as multiple GS drivers pitted under that yellow to top off with fuel, including Cooke. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. driver dropped to 12th as other GS cars gambled with fuel strategy but had raced back in the top 10 with 39 minutes remaining.

Cooke battled with Eric Foss for ninth place as the pair swapped that position several times. Cooke’s hard driving finally awarded him the spot with 24 minutes remaining in the race, about the same time that one of the entry’s main title contenders made an unscheduled pit stop for brake issues. In a multi-lap chess match, including a lapped car and fellow BMW driver Greg Liefooghe, Cooke snuck past Paul Holton to snare eighth place with 15 minutes remaining in the race, where he ultimately finished.

This race will air on FOX Sports 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, July 15. The season continues with Round 6 on July 20-21 at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“First, I have to thank BimmerWorld and all the guys who got the cars turned over in time to race here at Mosport. It’s always a quick turn-around, so I have to thank those guys. We had speed all weekend and were really fast right off the trailer. It made my job pretty easy. I was able to just go out there and get a pretty big gap. We were hoping it would stay green, but a caution came out there at the end and still we were able to pull it off. It’s just a huge win and really good points day for us, and we’re really looking forward to Lime Rock.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“It was a perfect weekend. Devin did most of the hard work there with the pole position and new track record and the gap in the field that he managed. I think it was a 40-second gap when he handed me the car, which was awesome. I got in the car and thought I had a comfortable lead, but Mark Pombo came and started breathing down the back of my car. I had nothing for him in the first quarter of my stint, and then I started reeling him back in. I think he had some trouble after some contact, which is unfortunate, and I hope those guys recover and can fight us the rest of the season. The BimmerWorld team did an awesome job. We were sorting out some gremlins after the second practice session. We had a loose motor mount, and the guys spotted that perfectly. Trent Brown did an awesome job on the box in the pits with the fuel and the strategy. My wife and I are going to go home now and relax for a week before Lime Rock.”

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“It was a fair day for us on the track. I feel very comfortable saying we gave it everything we had out there. I was happy with my stint. Tyler drove great again. The BMW stayed under us. It wasn’t a Mustang today, and it seemed like that’s what you needed. I’m super proud of my teammates in the No. 81 ST for their second win of the year. We’ll be back at Lime Rock and maybe things will be a little different there.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“It wasn’t a bad race for us. There was a lot of hard battling and some battling that was harder than it should have been. We really have nothing for the Mustangs right now. We don’t know what can happen for us [as far as Balance of Performance changes] going into Lime Rock, but hopefully we’re able to be more competitive. Wayne [the team’s engineer] made a great call changing the car overnight, and he gave us a rocket ship. We had a car that would have been in pretty good contention, but it definitely wasn’t a podium contender here. I’m looking forward to Lime Rock. I love Lime Rock. It’s one of my favorite tracks.”

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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

Both BimmerWorld BMWs Finish on the Podium at the Glen with the GS Car Now Tied for First in Championship

Both BimmerWorld BMWs Finish Second in Class at the Glen with the GS Car Now Tied for First in Championship

Both of BimmerWorld Racing’s BMWs finished on the second step of the podium in the four-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race Saturday at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y. The double runner-up finishes vaulted the Dublin, Va.-based team’s Grand Sport (GS) entry into a two-way tie for first in its overall championship, while its Street Tuner (ST) car rose from third to second in that division’s point standings heading into the next event this Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.

Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va., did his best to keep the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4 in contention in the GS division while protecting it so his co-driver, Tyler Cooke of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., could mount a charge at the end. Their strategy worked well. There were 18 GS cars on the lead lap after the four-hour slugfest, and Cooke took the checkered only 7.938 seconds behind the winning Ford Mustang.

The strategy was different but the results were the same for the team’s ST entry, the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis). Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. captured the class pole and then dominated the race lead for most of the first half and built up a healthy lead before turning the car over to his co-driver, Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass.

Clay qualified eighth, avoided a multi-car wreck in the esses on the first lap, and stayed in the top 10 during his double stint. He had several good battles, particularly with Kyle Marcelli and Dillon Machavern, and on lap 19 he was hit by Andy Lally, who struggled with handling problems all weekend with his Mustang. Clay survived it all. He was seventh at the halfway point and third due to pit stops by others when he pitted too and turned the car over to Cooke with about 1:47 remaining in the race.

Cooke started his stint in tenth. He broke into the top five with 1:15 remaining on lap 73, passed Al Carter for fourth six minutes later and rose to third with 56 minutes remaining when a lot of his rivals pitted. He pitted himself on the following lap with 55 minutes remaining under a full-course caution, and he was fifth for the restart with 45 minutes remaining. While the BMW M4 has air-conditioning, it was primarily turned off fo conserve every last horsepower, making the sealed cockpit even hotter as the track temperatures registered 128 degrees.

After another yellow, Cooke passed Eric Foss for fourth on a restart with 31:20 left. After another battle with Marcelli that saw them side by side for almost a full lap, Cooke wrestled third away from him on lap 90, only to have Marcelli regain the spot with 26 minutes left. Cooke passed Marcelli back on the following lap, however, and with 23 minutes remaining he was 4.5 seconds behind the second-place driver, Owen Trinkler, who ended up fifth at the end. Cooke was able to methodically cut that distance down and he passed Trinkler for second with 16:47 remaining. He set the entry’s fastest lap of the race on lap 99 while trying to catch the eventual winner, Chad McCumbee. That proved impossible, but he was able to hold off Marcelli’s Mustang by 0.912 to finish second with 106 laps completed in the time span.

In ST, the BimmerWorld entry led the most laps by far, heading the field for 65 of the 101 laps the class’s three podium finishers completed in the four-hour time span. Jones led the first 28 laps, gave the lead up when he pitted, and then led again from laps 34 through 56 before pitting to let Galante take over. The latter started his stint in fourth but led laps 65 through 78 before he had to make another pit stop.

While pitting for tires and a final fuel fill, disaster struck as a hose broke on the team’s fuel rig, leaving Galante sitting in the pits waiting for fuel that wasn’t flowing.  Through some quick calls and crisis management from the BimmerWorld team, the car was sent out to stay on the lead lap, the fuel rig repaired, and the fuel cell filled the next time by which enabled the 81 to start at the tail end of the lead lap, which gave a fighting chance for a podium finish with 55 minutes left.  With 23 minutes left he was third, only 0.430 behind the second-place driver, Mat Pombo. He set the car’s fastest race lap on lap 89 while in third and moved into second place with 9:57 left on lap 100 to seal the runner-up finish.

The race will air in the U.S. on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, July 8 at 7:30 a.m.

This coming Saturday’s Continental Tire Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (aka Mosport) will be half as long as the Watkins Glen race. Three practice sessions will precede it at 1:45 p.m. and 5:25 p.m. Friday and 9:50 a.m. Saturday. Qualifying is at 10:15 a.m. Saturday for the ST class and 10:35 a.m. for GS. The race is slated to get the green flag at 3:05 p.m. that afternoon.

Live video coverage of the race will be available on imsa.tv from 2:55 p.m. to 5:05 p.m., with live timing and scoring on imsa.com. That race will air on FOX Sports 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 15. All times are Eastern.

Post-Watkins Glen quotes:

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“Awesome race! We were watching the weather and it was going to be a hot one, and we knew that. The biggest question was ‘Is the car going to stay under us?’ We got dinged a little bit with Balance of Performance [BoP], but we had a BMW and that counts for a lot.

“The heat was brutal. The track temperature was 120 degrees, but our Red Line fluids were up to the challenge. With a turbo engine and all the required coolers for both cars, heat management is critical to keep components from failing, or a car with factory electronics from going into a reduced output mode. Red Line has clearly dropped our temperatures and put us in a safer operational zone.

“I was pretty happy with my drive. Tyler just drove a stellar race. I’m thrilled about this result. To have two of our BimmerWorld BMWs on the podium as a team owner and to have cars that are all together, ready to go to the next round next week is fantastic. We’re one step short, but I’m thrilled!”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“We had a good race at The Glen. If you had asked me at the beginning of the race if we were going to stand on the podium, I probably wouldn’t have had that answer. The team worked really hard. Our race engineer, Wayne, made some great calls; James drove a great stint, and it was a great points weekend for us. I think we may have tied for the points lead. That was our main focus of the whole weekend, so we’re leaving Watkins Glen happy as we move on to Mosport.

“James and I tend to be pretty good at Mosport. We think we have a good base set up for that, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do. It should be quite a bit cooler than we experienced at Watkins Glen, which will be great. I’m ready to go.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“Every time I get in the heat I notice that I’ll start overdriving, and then I see the other drivers start overdriving. So you have to remind yourself that everybody is going through the same thing. You have to just take a deep breath, under drive just a hair, and let the pack come to you. It started to happen there at the end, but we got a couple of things wrong. It was so greasy out there [on track] that the Continental tires were hanging on as long as they could, but it was just so hot we couldn’t do anything. Our tire pressures may have been too high for that middle stop. But I tell you, the BimmerWorld guys nailed this one. The pole position Devin ‘Too Fast’ Jones put in, his opening stint, gapping that field…it was all phenomenal. He did his part better than I could in the race. I was just hanging on; he was comfortable. The kid is fast.

“I know these BimmerWorld guys are going to polish these cars up and get them ready for Canada. They’ll probably be ready the morning after the race, knowing the way these guys work. I think at Mosport we’re going to have some speed. I think we can still hang on and fight for this championship, no problem. We’re still in it and we’re not even halfway through the season.”

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“The BimmerWorld Racing guys did a great job preparing this car. It was fast all weekend. The heat played a little bit of a role today from the standpoint of track conditions. The track was a little greasier and there wasn’t as much grip today for the race, so that caught everybody off a bit. We were chasing the rear end of the car a little bit during the first stint. We made a little tire pressure adjustment for the next stint and it seemed to help the car a lot. I really thought we had the car to win. We had an unfortunate little issue with fueling the car on our final pit stop which kind of set us back a little bit, but everybody rallied well. And we still came away with second, which is good for points and something to build on when we go to Canada this week. I just have to thank Veristor; Nick did an awesome job, and we’re really looking forward to the rest of the season.

“I think we have some good momentum going into the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park race. We are hungry for a win and came pretty close at The Glen, but that just makes us want it even more this coming weekend in Canada.”

Pre-race Q&A for Saturday’s upcoming race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park:

James, you and Tyler qualified just 0.154 off the pole and led the most laps in this race in ST last year, got hit twice, and still finished fifth. What do you think will happen this year, now that you’re in GS and with a new car?
James Clay: “The best thing about IMSA racing and this insanely competitive class is that I have absolutely no idea how it will go — but it will be spectacular! The BMW M4 GT4 is a well-balanced car and BMWs are historically very good in the long, flowing turns there, and I know I love the track and level of commitment it requires. I feel good about it, but I wouldn’t even stick my neck out very far at the green flag as to how we will fare.”

Mosport has predominantly high-speed corners but is very easy on brakes. How will that benefit you and your BMWs?
James Clay: “It has very few significant hard-braking zones because it has primarily fast, flowing corners, but I think the braking performance of the car is more critical here than almost any track! The ability to slow the car down into Turn 8, but with a smooth release so the car will float through the corner at about 150 kilometers per hour is something our Performance Friction Brakes excel at. And braking into the steep hill into Turn 5 is the most pedal pressure we will throw at the car all year, and a critical area for speed. We hope we will have good straight-line speed, but with the fast flow of this track, the few braking areas are where we are going to have to make or defend our position.”

How do you like back-to-back races? Are they exhausting, or do they really get your momentum going?
Tyler Cooke: “I love it; racing is my passion and I love to be in the seat racing wheel to wheel.”

The Mosport track is treacherous in the rain. How do you prepare for a rain race/driving in the rain? Do you like it?
Tyler Cooke: “Rain racing is great. It’s where you see some awesome racing and brings everyone to a level playing field. You prepare for it from years of doing it. If it’s a rainy race, it will keep people on the edge of their seat.”

James and Tyler have proved your car can be a real contender at CTMP. What are your thoughts going into this event?
Nick Galante: “I’ve been watching some videos of our car at that track and am really looking forward to it. This will be my third race there, and I’m finally comfortable at this beast of a track.”

How do you like back-to-back races? Are they exhausting, or do they really get your momentum going? 
Nick Galante: “I love being in the car as much as possible. I think I’m like a goldfish and forget a lot if there is too much down time in between races. I get excited for this busy part of the season. Also, my wife gets to come to most of these upcoming races, and she’s a proven good luck charm.”

Mosport has predominantly high-speed corners but is very easy on brakes. How will that benefit you and your BMW? 
Nick Galante: “I’ll be a little bummed not to be able to use those great brakes, but will have a lot of fun in the corners. Our car has been very predictable and stable thanks to our great engineers.”

Historically, if you go off track at Mosport, the car is usually damaged. That usually leads to a number of cautions. How can you take advantage of that?
Devin Jones: “We just have to stay out of trouble and keep our nose clean through TCR and GS traffic. Hopefully the added cautions will help our current fuel situation with the car.”

What does Canada have that is better than its counterpart in the United States?
Nick Galante: “I love the United States, but sadly this would be a long list. I’ll keep it short and sweet. The top three: kindness, health care, and poutine.”
Devin Jones: “Milk sold in a bag?!”

Do you have a memorable “Mosport Moment” that you can share?
James Clay: “One of my favorite memories involves a much younger BimmerWorld team from over 10 years ago and a series of events in a pair of rental vans that ended with us driving to the track and through the paddock with one side door open and a very questionable windshield — and parental supervision for the rest of the weekend. I blame the whole incident on Seth Thomas.”
Tyler Cooke: “Mosport was my race first out of the U.S. and is where I met my girlfriend, so it’s definitely memorable to me.”
Nick Galante: “I guess I can share my not-so-great moment. My first time here was back in 2015 and I found out the hard way that this is one of the only road courses in the world where a downshift into Turn 1 will make things very interesting. I had a momentary lapse of judgment in the first practice and spun the car on my third lap around.” 
Devin Jones: “The best moment for me was 2015 when I got my first pole and the track record. It was unexpected and a fond memory from Mosport.”

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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

BimmerWorld Racing Celebrates Double Podium Finishes at Mid-Ohio

BimmerWorld Racing Podium at Mid-Ohio 2018

BimmerWorld Racing of Dublin, Va. finished third in both the Grand Sport (GS) and the Street Tuner (ST) classes on Saturday as the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Series staged a race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio for the first time since June 2013.

Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and his co-driver, Tyler Cooke of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were in the hunt throughout the race with their GS entry, the new No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4. Clay qualified seventh with a time of 1:28.397 and was second by lap 12. Their first pit stop for fuel under a full-course caution on lap 16 dropped the BimmerWorld M4 back to seventh, but Clay was able to advance into fourth place by lap 20. Due to pit stops, he was in second place again when he made his second pit stop on lap 38, handing the car over to Cooke with fresh tires and more fuel.

There were an unusual number of penalties in this race, and unfortunately, the No. 82 M4 received a drive-through penalty for excessive wheel rotation (wheel spin) during the second pit stop. Even after serving it, Cooke ran a strong fifth and advanced to fourth on lap 48 with about 41 minutes remaining. He slipped to fifth on lap 50 but regained fourth with 36 minutes left. He was the fastest of any driver in the top five on lap 54 and passed Hugh Plumb for third on lap 58 with 27:57 left in the race. Cooke set the car’s fastest lap of the 77-lap race on lap 65 with a 1:28.663 and finished third even though he had to conserve fuel at the end.

The team’s ST entry had an equally impressive run. Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass., set a new ST track qualifying record with the BimmerWorld No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis) with a time of 1:34.309 to earn the class pole. He led the first 15 laps before pitting for fuel on lap 17 under the same early caution that Clay used to make his first pit stop. Galante dropped to fifth in class after the stop but battled back to third by lap 30. He set the car’s fastest lap of the race with a 1:35.631 on lap 34, two laps before he charged into the lead again on lap 36. Galante led for five laps before pitting again to allow his co-driver, Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C., to take over.

Despite never having seen Mid-Ohio before, Jones started his stint in fourth place and was able to advance to third when the second-place MINI of Derek Jones (no relation) pulled off into the infield with mechanical difficulties with about a half-hour remaining. Devin Jones was then able to keep his BMW in the final podium position until the end for another strong finish for BimmerWorld.

The race will air on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday, May 12 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern. The next event is June 28-July 1 at Watkins Glen, N.Y. More info is available on imsa.com.

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“We had the best car we’ve had in this GT4. The setup was just perfect and we knew it in qualifying. Unfortunately red flags kept us from putting more qualifying laps down. We knew we had pace out there and a little help from the other competitors who got together, and we were able to stay clean. I had a great drive, one of the most fun in recent memory. Our early stop for fuel was a great call by the guys, and I handed the car off to Tyler with a short pit stop coming. Then we had a little bit of bad luck obviously with the ding in the pit stop, but Tyler drove great, and now we’re here on the podium. We’ve had good pace for the last three rounds, and I think we’re really starting to figure this car out, so I feel really good about what we have going on. We needed to do well here; it’s a strong BMW track so the points are hugely valuable with less BMW-friendly tracks coming up. I love driving with Tyler. He’s an excellent co-driver, and I think we have a great team, so I’m absolutely looking forward to the next one.”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“The team gave us an awesome car. James gave us a hell of a stint to the front and ended up getting second, which gave us a really good boost. The fuel call was perfect on (Race Engineer) Wayne’s part, and it really put us ahead. Our pit stop allowed us to jump the leader, but unfortunately, a little miscommunication in the pits resulted in us having to do a drive-through, which is kind of heartbreaking because we knew we had a car to go win it. But it was an amazing job by the team and by the guys on pit row. Without a team, you can’t win, so hats off to them and hats off to everyone in the pits. I’m looking forward to Watkins Glen in about two months.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“We ran well. We had a good opening stint, and we had good pace for the opening drivers. The car setup was great. We had a good strategy, but some of the cars on track didn’t follow the correct yellow flag procedures and instead of starting with our ST pack on the restart, we were in the middle of a jumbled field and weren’t able to build the gap we wanted, and that’s ultimately what kind of got us. If we had a couple yellows, we could have battled for the lead since we had the same pace as the two cars in front of us, but we just couldn’t gain on them. I think we have the car that can win; it just didn’t go the way it’s supposed to, and we can’t control the other cars that aren’t following the procedures in the rules. Sometimes it’s a crapshoot and unpredictable, but we have some of the top guys working for us at BimmerWorld.”

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“First off, Nick had a great first stint and great qualifying run. He had a lot of speed all weekend, which was awesome. Our car was great all weekend, too; just a few little minor adjustments were all we had to make. Nick opened up a pretty good gap, which we gave away to come in and get fuel. That kind of shuffled us back during the first stint. He was able to make up some ground, but we came in for the driver change under green in third, and we weren’t able to make up the deficit. The MINI guys got on me a little bit when we had cold tires, but once we got some heat in the tires, we were able to keep pace with them. By then, the gap was already opened up. I want to thank Veristor, Legistics and everybody 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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

BimmerWorld Takes Victory and a Podium in First Round of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series at Daytona

BimmerWorld-Takes-Victory-and-a-Podium-in-First-Round-of-IMSA-Continental-Tire-SportsCar-Challenge-Series-at-Daytona

What a race for BMW at Daytona International Speedway! The BimmerWorld Racing team from Dublin, Va., had a near perfect weekend, collecting the pole and victory in the Street Tuner (ST) class of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (ICTSC) series on Friday, as well as second place in the Grand Sport (GS) class.

The BMW Endurance Challenge race, a part of the 56th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona race, was a four-hour enduro with its fair share of cautions.

Polesitter Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. and teammate Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass. dominated the race in the ST class in their No. 81 BMW 328i (F30 chassis), never putting a wheel wrong, and it paid off in a proud victory for the duo. It was also the first victory for the F30 328i in the ST class, after multiple podiums. Devin, who collected his first IMSA Continental Tire victory today, drove the first 85 laps before changing to teammate Galante.

BimmerWorld team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Tyler Cooke of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. started from the 18th position in the GS class in their international GT4-spec No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4. Qualifying and starting driver Clay charged into the Top 10 and even led one lap (lap 17) in a convincing run to the podium in the inaugural Continental Tire race. Clay drove for the first 67 of 106 laps before Cooke came in fresh and continued the gallant charge for their first podium of the season.

Driver Quotes:

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“My stint was awesome! I knew I had some traffic to work through and I’m just happy we got through Turn One together safely, and then it was just a matter of picking it off. I knew we had a car with pace. The key today was avoiding incidents and somehow we did. There were some really close calls. I worked my way up to lead at one point. A win in ST and the debut of the GT4 car with a P2 finish feels great. We knew we had an awesome car under us, despite a bad qualifying, and sure enough, we did. What a fantastic machine and teamwork from the guys, and what a fantastic weekend overall!”

Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
“Gosh, it was quite a race. The BMW guys never gave up on us. They really put a lot of effort in and it showed today. We were running on a liter and it was a good battle at the end with the Mustang, and the Mercedes was there. Hat’s off to the BMW 2-4 finish (second and fourth place). It’s setting the tone for the year and I’m really proud to be in the BMW, and I’m proud to have them joining us. The BimmerWorld guys work their tails off and I’m just happy we can take home a piece of hardware for them and they can enjoy it. Now I’m looking forward to Sebring.”

Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“Devin drove the first three hours and 58 minutes, I think. I’m kidding, of course, but I only felt like I was in the car for a minute. Devin did a great job of putting the BMW on pole and setting the car up. The BimmerWorld team did most of the hard work getting this car where it needed to be. Hats off to the team and the strategy. Unbelievable job on the strategy by Trent, our engineer. He nailed it perfectly, and Devin drove a great first stint and got the pole, which is awesome. My job was easy, he did all the hard work.”

Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“It was definitely a great start to the year. It can’t get much better than a pole and a win at Daytona; it’s huge. It’s been a massive day for us and the whole BimmerWorld team with a second place for their GS car, too. I just have to thank Veristor and everyone that supports this car. It’s really a dream to win here, and I’m just going to absorb it all.

“I grew up watching races here and always being a fan. My dad and I came here in 2004 to race a go-kart, and to see where we’ve come since then is amazing. To win at Daytona is really a dream and it’s all because of these BimmerWorld guys. It’s going to be a great season and what a way to start it.”

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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in both the Grand Sport (GS) class with a brand-new BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 and in the Street Tuner (ST) class with a turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

BimmerWorld Racing Finishes Second and Fifth At Its Home Track, VIR

BimmerWorld Racing Finishes Second and Fifth At Its Home Track, VIR

The BimmerWorld Racing team recorded its best results so far this year in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge series when it won the pole and placed second and fifth with its two turbocharged BMW 328i (F30 chassis) Street Tuner cars Saturday at its home track, VIRginia International Raceway.

Team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and his co-driver Tyler Cooke of Matthews, N.C. finished second in the Biscuitville Grand Prix with their OPTIMA Batteries No. 84, with a gap of just 1.352 seconds after two hours of competition.

Clay won the pole on Friday with a time of 2:03.584 and an average speed of 95.255 miles per hour. The car that eventually won qualified second and got the jump on the initial start, but Clay powered back into the lead before the first lap was completed and then led every lap of his stint. He stretched that lead to over three seconds at times before turning the car over to Cooke under a full-course caution with 56 minutes remaining in the race.

Cooke started his stint as the class leader after a strong pit stop, but the car that eventually won got the upper hand on a restart on lap 32 with 48 minutes to go. Cooke set the car’s fastest lap of the race on lap 43 with a 2:05.026. He stayed in second place through his entire stint, and the strong finish moved the pair up to fourth in the point standings.

The No. 84 led the most laps for the second race in a row, topping the charts for 30 circuits to the winner’s 21.

Clay was also able to come through for the governor of Virginia who had a friendly bet with the governor of North Carolina over whose state’s driver would finish higher. Clay was second, while the N.C. governor’s choice finished 12th.

The Dublin, Va.-based team’s Powerflex BMW No. 81 also recorded its best finish of the season when Ari Balogh of Menlo Park, Calif. and Greg Liefooghe of San Francisco came in fifth. Balogh qualified seventh and then had a spectacular save after an off-course excursion at the start. He was in 13th place when he pitted for Liefooghe to take over, but Liefooghe was back in seventh by lap 33 when the second yellow came out after speedy pit work, some attrition, and good restarts. He moved into sixth on lap 42 with 16 minutes remaining by passing Andrew Carbonell, and fifth on lap 49 with just 2:50 to go by passing James Vance. Liefooghe set the entry’s fastest race lap on lap 44 with a 2:05.285.

The race will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Sept. 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern.

Only two more events remain in the 2017 season: Sept. 22-24 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif., and Oct. 4-7 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. For more information, see imsa.com.

James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“This is our home track, so we know the track and had the car set up well for it. Things have leveled out a little bit, so we have a good car in the field, and that’s super important. We were certainly hoping for a win at Road America, but the weather interfered. We were obviously hoping for the win today, and we just didn’t have the speed for the Nissan at the restart. We got jumped and couldn’t catch back up and couldn’t get around them — they drove a great race. I’m super proud of our team. Two cars in the top five; it was a pretty solid weekend. We have two more before the end of the year, so let’s see if we can win one of those.”

Tyler Cooke, Matthews, N.C., driver, No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
“We had an awesome car throughout the whole weekend, and the track took a big change in my stint, so the car fell off a little different than we wanted it. It got really loose, and the track was ripping up with bits of the track surface digging into the tires. There was a lot of stuff going on, but it was a really fun battle with Owen [Trinkler]. He just had more straight line [speed] than me. I was trying my best through the corners, but he would just get down the straightaway a little better. Second place, home track — I’m pumped for that. It helped us in the points and helped us going into Laguna. We’re pretty good at Laguna, so here’s hoping for the best there.”

Greg Liefooghe, San Francisco, driver, No. 81 Powerflex BMW 328i (F30 chassis), which he shares with Ari Balogh of Menlo Park, Calif.:
“I think it was a good race. It was definitely a battle from start to finish. You know, it’s funny, here the cars are all equal in terms of pace, but they all make their speed very differently, so it makes the race seem very interesting but very challenging at the same time. It was definitely a battle to come up through the pack. Ari was running really well. Unfortunately, there was something that happened at the end of the back straight, and we lost a bunch of positions there, but he ran a really good stint. The guys did great on the pit stop, and we gained a few positions there and then we moved up to P5, so it was a good day.”

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 and competes in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge series with a pair of BMW 328is (F30), where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and championship contender.

BimmerWorld Makes History With BMW F30 Pole And Podium At Sebring IMSA Race

2016sebring2

Three seasons of intense development with BMW’s turbocharged F30 (328i) platform by Virginia-based BMW tuning and aftermarket experts BimmerWorld paid off with a thrilling drive to third place in Sebring last weekend.

The accomplishment by BimmerWorld team owner/driver James Clay and his teammate Tyler Cooke, who earned pole position at the legendary Florida road course, marked the first pole and podium for the four-cylinder turbo BMW F30 in worldwide pro racing competition. Those firsts were only made possible by BimmerWorld’s incredible staff of technicians who overcame adversity on two occasions to help make history.

A broken fuel injector triggered a fire during testing on Tuesday with Clay behind the wheel of the No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i, which necessitated a significant amount of repair work before Cooke was able to earn the F30’s maiden pole position.

“I was pulling into pit lane after doing an installation lap and as I lifted off the gas, a lick of flame came out from the hood and I deployed our Lifeline fire system as I pulled it into our pit box to get things under control, and our crew made sure we ended the fire. While I was fine and safe, the car was damaged,” Clay said. “It took a lot of hours to get back to the place where Tyler could go out and show the BimmerWorld F30’s capabilities.”

More drama would emerge after qualifying when it was determined the No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW would require an engine change. Per the rules in IMSA’s Continental Tire Series, the change meant BimmerWorld would surrender its first-place starting position. Cooke faced the incredible challenge of starting last in a field of 36 cars—26 belonging to the Street Tuner class where the 328is compete.

Rewarding the BimmerWorld crew’s tireless efforts was a clear motivation for Cooke who charged from the back of the field to a high of second place in ST before handing the car over to Clay, who fought among the leaders and secured an amazing third to thrust the OPTIMA Batteries BMW onto the podium.

“BimmerWorld has been committed to developing the F30 from the beginning and it was fantastic to have that work rewarded with Tyler’s pole and finishing the race on the podium,” Clay added. “I’m even more proud of our team and everything they did to make this possible. And there’s more to come. We know winning is on the horizon.”

The Sebring event ranks among Cooke’s finest overall performances as a young professional racecar driver on the rise.

“The fire put us behind, but I can’t say enough how proud I am of the team for putting in a lot of hours and a late night to get the car rebuilt,” said Cooke. “Qualifying came on Thursday and it was great to see the team so happy after receiving the pole. It was very unfortunate to have the engine changed, but James and I knew we had a pace to get through the field.

“On the start I looked for any and every gap to make passes, but without putting the car in danger. James got in and had an excellent stint to bring the car home third. The best part about the weekend was the history we made. This platform has never sat on the pole nor gotten a podium in the world and I’m happy James and I could do it. I’m proud of the team for all the hard hours over the years to get us there.”

The sister No. 81 BimmerWorld BMW driven by impressive rookie Jerry Kaufman and Kyle Tilley was also gripped by misfortune in the days leading up to the race. For Kaufman, a rookie in the series, the pre-race problems were mitigated by a strong qualifying performance and a combined effort in the race that saw the car finish 13th.

“I did surprisingly well in qualifying, but it was a very hot race,” Kaufman said. “The heat took some power out of the turbocharged engine and I worked the rear tires too hard early in the race.  Once they got hot there was no way to get the tire temps back down, and it became a fight to keep the car on track.  Congrats to the 84 car; those guys did an excellent job managing their car, and they got a great result because of it.  The BimmerWorld team did an amazing job despite problems thrown at them.  This team continues to impress me.”

Added Tilley: “It was a tough week for us in the 81, and Jerry’s effort in qualifying was fantastic giving the challenging circumstances. I was able to drive the car from 23rd to 13th, the crew did a great job of turning our weekend around, and we were able to get some solid points in the bag. Onwards and upwards!”

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, and competes in the Continental Tire Series with a pair of BMW 328is (F30) where the Virginia-based outfit has become a routine winner and Championship contender.