Munich.
After reaching the top of the podium at Watkins Glen (USA)
last Sunday, Bill Auberlen (USA) and Alexander Sims (GBR) raced the
number 25 BMW Team RLL BMW M6 GTLM to a second consecutive IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) GTLM class victory this
Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville (CAN).
Teammates John Edwards (USA) and Martin Tomczyk (GER) finished
second in the number 24 BMW M6 GTLM for the first BMW Team RLL
one-two finish since Long Beach (USA) 2013. The win was the
15th in team history since 2009.
Auberlen, starting the number 25 BMW M6 GTLM from second, and
Tomczyk, starting the number 24 from fourth, wasted no time in racing
to the front of the GTLM field as the green flag waved to start the
two-hour-and-forty-minute race. The two crews in the BMW Team RLL cars
withstood all challenges of the race, including three full-course
yellow periods and partly heavy rain. At the chequered flag it was
Sims P1 in the number 25 BMW M6 GTLM for a second consecutive win and
Edwards P2 for a season’s-best finish in the number 24 BMW M6 GTLM.
In the GTD class, Jens Klingmann (GER) and Justin Marks (USA)
finished fourth with the number 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3.
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM): “Today is as good
as it gets. Alex did a great job today no matter what the weather. I
am proud to share my 57th win with him.”
Alexander Sims (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM): “That was an
awesome race! There was quite a bit of ducking and diving, but even
when the rain fell and we were still on slicks I believe we were the
strongest car. Honestly, my first five or six laps were spent still
getting comfortable with this track, but once I found the groove I
really started to love this place.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “That was a
stressful, but enjoyable race. I had a great battle with Pilet in the
Porsche. The rain made for a lot of close calls, but we came away with
a one-two for the BMW M6 GTLM.”
Martin Tomczyk (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “What an
exciting race! We have all worked very hard to get to this point and a
one-two is a fabulous result for BMW.”