Formula BMW USA - Miller Motorsports Park - Round 1&2 - Qualifying

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Roy Oliemuller
BMW Motorsports Communications Manager
201-307-4082 / roy.oliemuller@bmwna.com / www.formulabmwusa.com

Bill Cobb
Press Officer
215-295-3115 / 215-431-7223 cell / billcobbcommunications@yahoo.com

MILLER MOTORSPORTS PARK - ROUND 1 & 2 - QUALIFYING
Rookie Gutierrez Starts Season with Double-Pole Effort

Tooele, Utah - May 18, 2007... It was a carbon-copy performance for the top-three
drivers in the two qualifying sessions for opening Rounds of the 2007 Formula
BMW USA Championship, at Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah, as two
Rookies sandwiched last season's Rookie champion at the front of the 20-car
field. Although the margin from first to second lessened to only .023 seconds
in the Round 2 session this morning, it was still Rookie Esteban Gutierrez
(Autotecnica) scoring the double-pole over second-place qualifier and 2006
FBUSA Rookie champion Daniel Morad (Eurointernational). Gutierrez, 15, of
Monterrey, Mexico, backed up his 1:29.585 minute time in yesterday's Round 1
session with a 1:29.773 minute lap around the 2.242-mile East circuit. 18-year
old BMW Junior driver Canadian Jeffrey Petriello (Team KMA) rounded out the
top-three.

While Gutierrez, Morad and Petriello paced the field it was Alexander Rossi
(Hearn Motorsports) fourth fastest for Round 1. Sophomore Formula BMW USA
driver Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA) took the spot for Round 2 and
Yannick Hofman (Eurointernational), also returning for a second season, was the
fifth-fastest qualifier for both races.

The 20-car field mixes eight strong returning drivers with 12 new hopefuls.
Gutierrez, Petriello, Ricardo Favoretto (HBR Motorsports Team USA), Eric Morrow
(Hearn Motorsports), Keenan Schmitke (Gelles Racing) and Timothy Hollowell
(TADD Motorsports) are all classified as Rookies based on their limited
experience. Excepting Gutierrez and Schmitke all are members of BMW Junior team
with Morad.

"We decided to go out in the middle of the session as the track conditions were
different than yesterday," Gutierrez said. "I don't have any long experience
with open-wheel cars, but I know my years of karting will help me. I will try
to race clean and not make any mistakes."

Morad, the only driver in the top-three with experience in the series and at
Miller, noted, "I thought I would have the pole with the time I set, but we
just missed it. I am confident as I know this track, I know how the start
works, how the race pace goes and how to conserve my tires."

Petriello added, "We had a different setup then yesterday and went faster, but
so did everyone else. I had a lot of understeer and oversteer at the end of the
session, but we will go back, make our adjustments and I am confident we will
be ready to race."

Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level championship in Formula racing.
In 2007 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA. More than
80 up-and-coming drivers, some as young as 15-years old, will compete
worldwide. Racing four times in support of the Formula One World Championship,
Formula BMW offers a worldwide stage, training through a multifaceted Education
and Coaching Program and BMW's longstanding Junior scholarship for deserving
drivers.

The FB02 race car is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine, reaching speeds up to
140 mph. The design exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class, with the
BMW Motorsport developed FORS (Formula Rescue Race Seat), and the mandatory
HANS (Head and Neck Support) safety system.

From November 24 to 26, 2006 the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo
Tormo hosted the second Formula BMW World Final. 37 young racing drivers from
the four regional Formula BMW series competed against each other with the
winner Christian Vietoris receiving a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.