CHAMPIONSHIP PACE CONTINUES FOR TURNER BMWs AT VIR
Second and Fifth Place Finishes in GS, Third in GT
Amesbury, Mass. - May 17, 2011 --- Turner Motorsport continued its championship pace in the 2011 GRAND-AM Sports Car Series with a third place GT finish in the Bosch Engineering 250 as well as second and fifth place finishes in the Bosch Engineering 200 at Virginia International Raceway on May 14.
The three podiums consolidated the team and drivers Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana at the top of the Rolex Sports Car Series GT and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS point standings.
With four of ten race weekends now complete Turner Motorsport has established a healthy lead in both GT and GS classes, said Will Turner, team principal. Were heading into the part of the season now where there is little breathing room, but with our next two races at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen I am confident our success will continue. Paul continues to impress us all with his growth as a driver and has taken full advantage of his partnership with Bill. Joey and Michael, while not seeing the success they shared last season as yet, had their first top-five finish of the season this weekend.
Rolex Sports Car Series: Bosch Engineering 250
Heavy rain affected the beginning of the Bosch Engineering 250, but Paul Dalla Lana made a strong start in adverse conditions to gain three positions from his 9th starting spot in the opening minutes of the race. The first caution period slowed the race for 53 minutes and ended Dalla Lanas stint early as the team elected to get the driver change and first pit stop done under the yellow flag.
The rain abated during the final hour-and-forty-five-minutes of the race and as the sun was shining Auberlen fought his way towards the front of the 16-car GT field. Ultimately finishing third Auberlen and Dalla Lana extend their lead in driver points to 13.
Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge: Bosch Engineering 200
After battling for the win in the closing minutes of the two-hour-and-thirty-minute race that saw Bill Auberlen set the fastest lap of the race with five laps to go, the No. 96 M3 had to settle for a second place finish in the Bosch Engineering 200. It was the fourth consecutive podium for Auberlen and co-driver Paul Dalla Lana (including a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway) in as many races this season.
Joey Hand and Michael Marsal finished fifth in the No. 97 M3, 8.650 seconds behind the winner, for the pairs best finish of the season.
Auberlen and Dalla Lana now hold a 21 point lead in GS Driver points and Turner Motorsport has a 26 point advantage in Team points. Michael Marsal moves into a tie for sixth in Driver points.
Amesbury, Mass. - May 17, 2011 --- Turner Motorsport continued its championship pace in the 2011 GRAND-AM Sports Car Series with a third place GT finish in the Bosch Engineering 250 as well as second and fifth place finishes in the Bosch Engineering 200 at Virginia International Raceway on May 14.
