The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team scored the team's eighth podium in the 6th round of the American Le Mans Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Automobile Grade today. Co-drivers Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner raced the No.92 M3 GT race machine to 3rd, while teammates Joey Manus and Dirk Muller (No. ninety) placed sixth.

The start of the race saw Hand, from fifth, and Milner, from 7th, mired in the middle of the ultra-competitive GT field. Milner was unable to advance as he waited patiently for tire pressures to accumulate. Hand quickly moved to fourth, but his progress leveled off.

Just before race clocked i hour, the complexion of the race changed for the BMWs. Seeing another auto off-course and anticipating the race'south first circumspection period, the No. 92 crew immediately called Milner to the pits. Quick work put Bill Auberlen out with new Dunlops and a full tank of fuel, even before the yellow flag waved. Equally the rest of the field pitted under caution, including BMW teammates in the No. 90 M3 GT, Auberlen appeared at the head of the GT class.

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At the half-way point with 57 laps complete, Auberlen held the lead, with Müller, who had replaced Hand during the No. 90's finish, in fourth. Moving forward, the GT boxing became fifty-fifty more dynamic, but unfortunately not in BMW'south favor. On Lap 66, Muller had an offcourse circuit and was called to pit three laps subsequently for a vehicle inspection and commuter alter. Hand re-entered on Lap 69 near the tail of the GT class boxing and began sawing abroad at the competitors in front. Meanwhile, Auberlen had a brief off-class in the No. 92 and was also called into the pits.

Fortunately, immediately after Auberlen'south precautionary stop the second full-class caution period occurred and both M3 GTs stayed out, putting Auberlen in first and Hand in second for the re-start. Upon the re-start, a competitor muscled through and assumed the atomic number 82. On Lap 88, Hand suffered a collision with a competitor and cruel to sixth, but was able to proceed relatively unscathed. Auberlen fell to 3rd place on Lap 93, and maintained information technology to the finish. Hand briefly advanced to fifth with ten minutes remaining but was unable to hold the spot and finished in sixth place.

What they had to say:

Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsports Manager:

"After our qualifying outcome, this podium finish is a nice comeback. This weekend we didn't accept the footstep to challenge our competitors and we congratulate them. This podium terminate for BMW is exclusively attributable to splendid pit strategy and hard work by the coiffure of the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, and now we just need to find that summit step on the GT podium."

Bobby Rahal, Team Main:

"The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team certainly showed its tenacity on a day where it would accept been easy to pack information technology in and go to the adjacent race. It is results like this one that aid win championships and we are right there with three races to go."

[Source: BMW ]