BMW Team PTG M3s Qualify 8th and 9th for Lone Star Grand Prix

BMW Team PTG M3s Qualify 8th and 9th for Lone Star Grand Prix

Posted: May 12th, 2006 in American Le Mans
Author: BMW Team PTG
Photo By: Joe Martin

Today’s two 50-minute practice sessions did not prove to be enough time for BMW Team PTG to come to grips with the temporary Houston circuit today as the team qualified its two M3s eighth and ninth in the GT2 field for tomorrow’s American Le Mans Series Lone Star Grand Prix.

Only Justin Marks, driving the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3, took to the track for the 20-minute qualifying session. His time of 1:13.186 minutes around the 1.7-mile track was his quickest of the day, but was only fast enough for the eighth starting position.

“I am disappointed that we are not faster, but I know we used our time wisely today and definitely made progress,” said Marks, who will co-drive with Martin Jensen. “I believe we will continue to improve and am cautiously optimistic that we will see a good finish in the race tomorrow. Anything can happen in a street race like this.”

The No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 of Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand experienced a mechanical problem during the last practice session and did not qualify.

PTG owner Tom Milner commented on the decision not to qualify the No. 21 M3, “We had some sort of problem with either the suspension or the brakes. We are not sure exactly what it is yet and these walls here can quickly turn a small problem into a much bigger one. It is better to be safe than sorry.”

The two-hour-and-forty-five-minute Lone Star Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m. local time tomorrow. The race will be broadcast on CBS television at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 13th.

Background:

2006 marks the 11th season of competition for the BMW Team PTG M3s and the first full season of ALMS competition since 2001. In 10 years, BMW Team PTG has won a total of 53 races in both sprint and endurance racing series and 14 sports car racing championships. In 2005, BMW Team PTG won 7 of 13 Rolex Sports Car Series races entered.