The Dublin, Va.-based BimmerWorld Racing team returns to Road Atlanta for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series race finale with the series championship on their minds.
The Fox Factory 120 race on Friday, Oct. 12 at the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Road Atlanta road course in Braselton, Ga. will be the final race of the hugely competitive 2018 IMSA Continental Tire Challenge season.
BimmerWorld Racing’s Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass. and Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C., drivers of the No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis), lead the ST class points championship by 16 points heading into the tenth race of the 10-race series.
BimmerWorld Racing team owner/driver James Clay of Blacksburg, Va. and Tyler Cooke of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., drivers of the No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4, continue to maintain fourth place in the GS points championship, 44 points out of the GS class lead.
Although Road Atlanta has not always produced the best results for the BimmerWorld Racing team, the drivers still enjoy the popular 48-year-old racing circuit which is just one hour north of Atlanta, Ga., and they are optimistic about producing good results this weekend while ending the season on a high note, especially as the ST class takes its final bow this weekend.
Galante and Jones have captured four victories (Daytona, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Road America, Laguna Seca) and eight podiums in nine races in the ST class, which will be retired by IMSA after this season. They are coming off a huge victory at Laguna Seca where their car was bearing the names of thousands of supporters and people affected by Alzheimer’s in a tribute generously provided by donors to the Racing to End Alzheimer’s foundation.
Teammates Clay and Cooke have collected three podiums in nine races in their impressive inaugural season with the new BMW M4 GT4 as they enter the finale at Road Atlanta.
BimmerWorld, which Clay founded in 1997, has developed many BMW fans at Road Atlanta over the years and hope their support will add to the team’s strength as they go for the gold this weekend.
The three practice sessions start on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 8:55 a.m., 1:05 p.m. and 4:35 p.m. Qualifying for the ST and TCR (touring car) classes will follow at 5:00 p.m., with Grand Sport qualifying at 5:20 p.m.
The FOX Factory 120 features a pre-race grid walk at 12:30 p.m. on race day, Friday, Oct. 12 before the race start at 1:25 p.m. for two hours.
Live video coverage and live timing and scoring of the race, which supports Saturday’s 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans, will be available on imsa.tv and imsa.com. The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season finale will air on FOX Sports 1 from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Oct. 21. All times are Eastern.
James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., team owner and driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
This is the final race of the 2018 season. Share your most memorable moment of the year with us.
“Daytona this year was really special. The ST car won the race, our new M4 GT4 finished second, I had my dad with me celebrating his 75th birthday, and we had a group of German BMW engineers in our pit box watching their M4 come to life. There was a lot to like about that weekend.”
This is the end of the era for the ST cars, with Road Atlanta being the final race for this class. What’s been the best thing about the ST class and the BMW 328i? What’s your favorite memory?
“This will be a bit of a sad farewell to the class, but the challenges it presented as we were on the bleeding edge of developing new technology won’t be something I miss. But looking back, that whole program made us work hard, be fully engaged, and learn a ton, and I appreciate that about it.”
Devin and Nick have had a fantastic season and look poised for the ST championship. How important would it be to close out this chapter on the ST class with a championship this year?
“I’m eager to see how this ends, but superstitious enough to not talk much about it. I hope for the best, and our team is working hard this weekend just like any other, and Nick and Devin will do their thing.”
How has the first year of the new BMW M4 GT4 gone for BimmerWorld? Have you been able to accomplish the goals you set for its first year?
“I’m really happy with our return to the GS class and the gains we’ve made through the season with the GT4 car. We were immediately successful, which I think is a nod to both the product BMW developed and our team’s capability to optimize it—and Tyler and I have become a formidable pair in the driver’s seat. I almost feel like we did too well early and we’ve really struggled with the power reductions handed out through the season, but I think if you’d have asked me before the season started what my expectations were, we have exceeded them and are on an upward path for the future.”
Managing tires is always critical at Road Atlanta. What are some of the most important ways you can manage them at this track?
“We are going to get a little help from the weather this weekend with some reasonable temperatures, I think, although I’m not sure that the higher temps and greasier conditions don’t play to our advantage. Or they have in past events, I think. We have a little more weight to carry this weekend but have regained some power from the regulations, so I like the cooler temps for both. It will just require us to be consistent and save enough of the car to fight at the end, which I feel Tyler and I both do well.”
Tyler Cooke, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., driver, No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4:
This is the final race of the 2018 season. Share your most memorable moment of the year.
“I would have to say the charge at the end of the Daytona race was the most memorable. It was a special moment to share with James, the team, and BMW Motorsport. It was the first podium for the M4 in North America which made it that much better.”
How do you feel the first year of the new BMW M4 GT4 gone for you and the team?
“Very well. The class change is a tough transition, and I think James, myself, and the team handled it very well with three podiums and seven top-10s. I think it’ll get better with all the extra knowledge we have now.”
What’s your favorite part about Road Atlanta? Where does the track stand in your list of favorites?
“Road Atlanta is in my top ten. The racing is typically very close, and it’s the last race. A lot of guys take more chances because most of the field has nothing to lose. It ends up always being very action-packed.”
You’ve had extensive heat and sometimes rain at this race in past years, how do you plan for just about anything?
“As a driver, you have to know how to drive in many different types of conditions. You always have to plan with the team and co-driver on how the car will be set up and how the pace of the race should go, but you learn to adapt to anything.”
The 2018 points championship is coming down to the wire this weekend. Do you expect much craziness on track when the championship is so close?
“There will be some dicey moves and people taking chances, but more moves would come from the guys not in the hunt and trying to leave the year on a high note.”
Nick Galante, Greenfield, Mass., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
This is the final race of the 2018 season. Share your most memorable moment of the year.
“I instantly thought of our race at Sebring. It was very early in the season. Even though it was our worst finishing of the year, we battled many elements that were out of our control and came together as a team and never quit pushing. I knew from there that we would not stop fighting for this championship, no matter what was thrown at us.”
You and Devin have had a fantastic season and look poised for the ST championship. How important would it be to close out this chapter on the ST class with a championship this year?
“It’s very important, not only for Devin and I, but the whole team. We’ve all been trying to master this unique class in racing, and to top off the final year with a Championship title would be even sweeter.”
The 2018 points championship is coming down to the wire this weekend. Do you expect much craziness on track when the championship is so close?
“I think we have to expect some shenanigans. I’ve been trying to imagine every possible scenario in my head, and it’s kind of funny where my thoughts go. It’s a fun problem to have. This is part of what makes racing great, these unique scenarios. The weather and the MINIs have been the main subject on my mind.”
Managing tires is always critical at Road Atlanta. What are some of the most important ways you can manage them at this track?
“I think turn one is a spot that can help or hurt tires. It’s possible to get in there hot and drift all the way up the hill. But with the tires in mind, I’ve seen tight shorter routes up that hill that are just as fast. I agree that it will be something to keep in mind on this demanding track.”
With all three classes fighting for their respective championships. What are the concerns for lap traffic as these classes try to coexist?
“It’ll be very important to pay attention to when and where you come near any other class battles on the track. As a driver, you don’t want to interrupt any other class outcomes in the championship. It’ll be a tough challenge as we’re focused on our own task at hand.”
Devin Jones, Mooresville, N.C., driver, No. 81 Veristor/Legistics BMW 328i (F30 chassis):
This is the final race of the 2018 season. Share your most memorable moment of the year.
“This has been a memorable year for a lot of reasons. The win at Daytona was very special and it really set the tone for the season; everyone on the team has really meshed well and it shows with our results. Our most recent race at Laguna Seca was really meaningful, too, with all the names of people that have been affected by Alzheimer’s disease on the car. It was a great feeling to win with that car.”
This is the end of the era for the ST cars, with Road Atlanta being the final race for this class. What’s been the best thing about the ST class and the BMW 328i? What’s your favorite memory?
“The ST class has produced some of the best races in the series for years. The history of the drivers, cars and amazing battles through the years are something I’ve been thankful to be a part of. I made my first start in ST during the 2015 season, and since then, I’ve had the chance to race with the best of the best in MX-5s, Caymans, and the BMW 328i. All the cars in this class require a real skill set to push them to the limit. I’m going to miss the raw and unfiltered nature of racing an ST car and the competition that was unmatched for years.”
You and Nick have had a fantastic season and look poised for the ST championship. How important would it be to close out this chapter on the ST class with a championship this year?
“We’re thankful for the position we’re in, but we still want to finish the year with a win. It would be an amazing honor to win the final championship in ST class history, but I’m trying not to think about it too much until the checkered flag waves at Atlanta.”
What’s your favorite part about Road Atlanta? Where does the track stand in your list of favorites?
“I’ve spent a lot of time at Road Atlanta and it’s a special track for me. It’s very high speed and requires a high level of commitment to turn fast lap times. From Turn 1 all the way to Turn 7 is one of the most fun sections of any track in North America. With the elevation change and unique sets of corners, it’s a one-of-a-kind track.”
Many drivers use the curbs at Road Atlanta to gain a better lap time. How do you manage using the curbs to your benefit without creating drivetrain issues?
“Usually in practice or early weekend test session we try to limit how much curbing we use to save the car. At Road Atlanta, you have to use as much of the track as possible to run a good lap during the race.”
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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.
The team now heads back to the shop to reset for the next round of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge at Mid-Ohio on September 24-27.
