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PressClub USA · Article.
BMW RAHAL LETTERMAN RACING TEAM SCORES 2ND-PLACE IN RAIN-SHORTENED PETIT LE MANS
Sun Sep 27 04:56:43 CEST 2009 Press Release
Braselton, Ga. - Sept. 26, 2009... At the mid-point of a very wet Petit Le Mans, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team's No. 92 M3, driven by Tommy Milner, Dirk Mueller, and Joerg Mueller stood 2nd in the GT2 class. Under worsening conditions, the action-packed race was red-flagged after 4 hours, 49 minutes. The running order was frozen and eventually made final, securing the team’s seventh podium of the 2009 season.
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BMW Group
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Author.
Kenn Sparks
BMW Group
Braselton, Ga. - Sept. 26, 2009... At the mid-point of a very wet Petit Le Mans, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team's No. 92 M3, driven by Tommy Milner, Dirk Mueller, and Joerg Mueller stood 2nd in the GT2 class. Under worsening conditions, the action-packed race was red-flagged after 4 hours, 49 minutes. The running order was frozen and eventually made final, securing the team’s seventh podium of the 2009 season.Dirk Müller set the fastest GT2 lap of the race, with a 1:21.366 minute lap of the Road Atlanta circuit.
Earlier in the race, before a punctured radiator slowed its progress, the No. 90 BMW M3 of Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, and Andy Priaulx was among the fastest GT2 cars. When the red flag fell, the trio was deliberately clawing back toward contention, but was forced to settle for twelfth-place.
Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager:
“I’d like to dedicate this podium to the crowd of BMW Car Club members and true race fans that spent their Saturday with us in the pouring rain. This was the first race we’ve started under wet conditions, so we took a very conservative approach. We managed to close the gap to the leaders with good pit calls and fast pit stops. Unfortunately, a mechanical problem dropped the No. 90 M3 out of contention or I think we would have had both M3s on the podium.”
Bobby Rahal, Principal, Rahal Letterman Racing:
“It’s disappointing that the race didn’t go the distance as I think we had the pace to win. At least we were able to end up on the podium again with the No. 92 M3, but it is a shame that Bill, Joey and Andy could not join them. This was a very tough race and I am pleased that both M3s are rolling onto the trailer.”
Video quotations:
Youtube: Dirk Mueller discusses his first stint charge from 7th to 3rd.
Youtube: Andy Priaulx discusses his first racing stint in the BMW M3 GT2.
Youtube: Andy Priaulx discusses his impressions of Road Atlanta at Petit Le Mans.
Youtube: No. 92 M3 makes first-stint pitstop at '09 Petit Le Mans.
Youtube: Joerg Mueller discusses 2nd place finish at Petit Le Mans.
Youtube: Bobby Rahal comments on BMW-RLR's return to ALMS in 2010.
About BMW Rahal Letterman Racing:
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 83 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
BMW’s partner, Rahal Letterman Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman, has been competing for more than a decade compiling 20 victories, 30 poles and one series championship (Bobby Rahal in 1992 in CART) and an Indianapolis 500 championship (Buddy Rice in 2004). In 2008 Rahal Letterman Racing again won Rookie-of-the-Year honors at the Indianapolis 500 and partnered with Andersen Racing to run two entries in the Indy Pro Series. In 2009 the team has joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 as BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team in the American Le Mans Series and will also serve as the organizers of the Formula BMW Americas championship.
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