BMW Team RLL Finishes Second and Fifth at Baltimore Grand Prix

Baltimore , Md. – Sept. 3, 2011… The No. 56 BMW Team RLL M3 GT of Joey Hand and Dirk Mϋller finished second at the inaugural American Le Mans Series Baltimore Grand Prix to extend the team’s lead in Manufacturer, Driver and Team GT class championships. Starting from the third position the duo completed 70 laps in the two-hour race at the 2.1-mile, 12-turn temporary circuit running though the streets of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

The race ended in heartbreak for the polesitting No. 55 M3 GT of Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner after an overzealous passing attempt by a competitor spun Auberlen from the lead 22 minutes into the second hour of the contest. Up to that point the car had never been further back than second with Werner leading the first 18 laps of the race. A well-timed pit stop just before the race’s first caution period put Auberlen in the perfect position for their first win of the season, but it was not to be. The BMW ace battled back from eighth, ultimately finishing fifth, to remain third in the driver point standings.

“Obviously we are happy with a second place finish for the No. 56 M3 GT, but the Corvettes certainly did not help our day,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “I am sorry that Dirk and Bill got punted from what would have been a great finish. Overall we have been consistently on the podium and that means good things for the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championships! Onward to Laguna Seca Raceway.”

Round Eight of the American Le Mans Series will be held on September 17 at Laguna Seca Raceway.

Video:

Joey Hand and Dirk Mϋller – second place

About BMW Team RLL:

 BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  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 and X3 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 and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 138 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 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.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

BMW’s partner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman, has been competing for nearly two decades, compiling 22 victories, 31 poles and two series championships (1992, 2010) as well as claiming an Indianapolis 500 victory (Buddy Rice in 2004). In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 in the American Le Mans Series and in 2010 won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category.

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Journalist note:

Information about the BMW and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com.  

Video interviews and on-board clips are available at www.youtube.com/BMWNAMotorsport.

Follow BMW Team RLL on Twitter at @ BMWNA_Racing and on Facebook at BMWUSA.

Information about Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is available via at: www.rahal.com.

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