Daytona, Florida, USA - February 2, 2005 - Turner Motorsport opens the 2005 season in Florida this week with a 3-car lineup for the Grand Am Cup series race at Daytona Speedway. While the New England Patriots vie for their second championship in a row in Jacksonville, Turner Motorsport will be starting their title hunt in Daytona. The race will be the debut of the Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs/CROCS BMW M3 in the GS class and the return of the 330i sedans to the ST class.



Last year, Turner Motorsport finished in second and fourth place at the Daytona season-opener with drivers Tim Pappas and Steve Pfeffer in car #97 and Will Turner and Don Salama in car #95. All four drivers are back driving Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs BMW 330i racecars in the ST class. World Challenge Touring Car champ Bill Auberlen and ace co-driver Justin Marks will join them in a Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs/CROCS BMW M3 for the GS class. Auberlen is a past winner and lap record holder in the Daytona 24 Hour race in a BMW M3.



Will Turner, #95 Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs BMW 330i, team owner:

“The whole crew is excited to be back in Florida in February. We’ve been hard at work on the 330s and the new M3 and I think the work we have done will pay off. Our driver lineup is second-to-none with 3 of our drivers winning titles in multiple series over the last few years. Last year was our coming-out year in Grand Am Cup endurance races but this is the year that we take the championship.”



Bill Auberlen, #96 Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs BMW M3:

“The M3 is a proven winner and in the hands of Turner Motorsport’s crew Justin Marks and I are going to add to its awesome resume. Turner Motorsport has built a serious contender with H&R Springs, StopTech Brakes, Sunoco, Red Line, B&M, and Piloti all on board. The M3 won ten times last year in the Grand Am GT class and not only will I be returning to defend that championship I get to start a new one with Turner Motorsport in the GS class. The Turner organization is top notch at building BMWs to win – their customers know that and the GS field is going to find that out soon enough.”



Justin Marks, #96 Turner Motorsport/H&R Springs/CROCS BMW M3:

“I’ve got a good feeling about this race and this car. I’ve been looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a Turner BMW since last year. Racing with Turner Motorsport in the GS class with the H&R Springs/CROCS BMW M3 is going to be a blast.”



This is the first round of the 2005 Grand Am Cup season. Practice sessions begin on Thursday morning with qualifying slated for Thursday afternoon at 4:45pm and 5:15pm for ST and GS classes, respectively. The 3-hour/200 mile race starts at 2:15pm on Friday afternoon. The ST and GS classes will race together on the 3.56 mile Daytona road course.

Click here to see this session's official results

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