[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Edwards and Tomczyk finish third for BMW at Lime Rock Park

15
COMMENTS

Tweet

July 23, 2017... Munich. John Edwards (USA) and Martin Tomczyk (GER) raced the number 24 BMW M6 GTLM to a third place finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) race at Lime Rock Park (USA). The result is the third podium finish in the last four races for the duo and the 66th in BMW Team RLL history. Team-mates Bill Auberlen (USA) and Alexander Sims (GBR) finished sixth in the number 25 car after a tough race. The race was won by the number 911 Porsche.

Tomczyk moved into third when the last GTLM car made its second stop on lap 173, but he hardly had time to think about it as he was in the middle of a heated battle with the number 3 Corvette for the last step of the podium. A stellar effort and his years of DTM experience kept the number 24 BMW M6 GTLM in third to secure BMW Team RLL’s fourth consecutive race with at least one BMW on the podium.

John Edwards (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM, third place): “That was stressful watching Martin’s race. He withstood some real pressure by the Corvette to defend and get us the to the podium – now two races in a row and three in the last four. Lime Rock does not play to the BMW M6 GTLMs strengths so a third feels like a win.”

Martin Tomczyk (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM, third place): “Today was great fun because we finished third. A fourth place finish would not have been so exciting after such a tough battle. The end of the race with the Corvette was pure racing, even if it was a bit hard a few times. I had some really big moments, but I was able to defend whatever he tried.”

Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM, sixth place): “We’ve had quite a few good race weekends of late, but they can’t all go our way. We did not have the car to win today, but we did not put a wheel wrong so minimised the points damage. Road America will suit us better.”

Alexander Sims (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM, sixth place): “Frankly after two wins we are disappointed not to have been able to fight for a podium finish today. Unfortunately, sixth was the best we could do. Our sister car had a much better day, but everyone puts in the same effort win or lose.”

[Crashnbrn5]

They may be 3rd, but I'm 1st

[yogajitsu]

To get that big car around that little track against those Porsches was tough. Really nice job of holding off the rest of the cars, especially the vette. That start really did it coming from 3rd row to 3rd place

[drjoe66]

Wrong track for the walrus.

[Anderw]

Originally Posted by Crashnbrn5

They may be 3rd, but I'm 1st

Touché

[Law]

People can joke about the size all they want, but unless BMW drops an eight-cylinder into a smaller car, they have no choice but to race in the GT category with the M6 (and future M8).

FWIW the M6 GTLM has done a fairly good job carrying its own weight in the IMSA (BoP helps).

[bradleyland]

Tomczyk's defense against Garcia (#3 Corvette) in the last 5 minutes of the race was positively heroic. I'm seriously amazed that he didn't spin. Garcia drove up his ass at least three separate times. It's disappointing that the stewards let that fly. I get it that Garcia felt he had the faster car, but you can't drive through your competitors. You have to find an opportunity to pass cleanly, not bump the other guy in the hopes that he loses time.

In related news, the BoP at Lime Rock was on point. Looking at the average of the fastest 20 laps for each driver in GTLM, all drivers were within 1 second of each other

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by Law

People can joke about the size all they want, but unless BMW drops an eight-cylinder into a smaller car, they have no choice but to race in the GT category with the M6 (and future M8).

FWIW the M6 GTLM has done a fairly good job carrying its own weight in the IMSA (BoP helps).

Fairly good job? It took, what, eighteen months to deliver a win in GTLM? I don't agree with laying the blame solely on the car, but it's a stretch to say the M6 GTLM has done a "fairly good job" at much of anything in IMSA.

Now Europe is another story. Which is why I don't blame the car entirely.

[Law]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

Fairly good job? It took, what, eighteen months to deliver a win in GTLM? I don't agree with laying the blame solely on the car, but it's a stretch to say the M6 GTLM has done a "fairly good job" at much of anything in IMSA.

Now Europe is another story. Which is why I don't blame the car entirely.

I stand by my statement.
Yes it took a while but in the end it's still holding its ground, even if it is post-BoP adjustments.

The M6, really, is just a placeholder/transitional period between the retired Z4 and the upcoming M8.
As the M8 will be similar to the M6 as far as engine and dimensions, I'm sure the period of growing pains is over.

[orangeglim]

I was at Lime Rock this weekend and saw the race in person. This was my first time at a track to see a race. It was very, very cool to see all the cars in person. The last few laps looked pretty tight, the Corvette was absolutely glued to ass end of the BMW heading down no name straight.

The BMWs sounded fantastic, you could hear them coming and you knew it was a BMW without even having to see it. That said, those Corvettes sounded absolutely mean. Very deep, mean sounding even. Vroom.

[bradleyland]

The C7.R is the best sounding car in IMSA right now. The Cadillac DPi cars sound pretty good, but they're not as loud. The 911 RSR sounds mean since the Le Mans exhaust update, and the Aston Martins always sound incredible.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Law

I stand by my statement.
Yes it took a while but in the end it's still holding its ground, even if it is post-BoP adjustments.

The M6, really, is just a placeholder/transitional period between the retired Z4 and the upcoming M8.
As the M8 will be similar to the M6 as far as engine and dimensions, I'm sure the period of growing pains is over.

I agree. bradleyland knows as well. Winning at All Is doing fairly well when you are clearly driving a vehicle adapted for the class and not built for it.

The M6 in DTM is much closer to the M4 .. BMW has been racing cars like the Z4 and the M6 as heavily adapted cars that don't even fit in the series. Heck it's been that way since the PTG days and the E46 with a V8 that BMW ran for a year and a half without making a street version.

The M8 GTE represents a chassis that should be much closer to being on par with the big , low vehicles in series like the blancpainGT and IMSA GT.

Amazing that BMW has had any success racing a 6 series coupe against a 911 or Corvette sportscar chassis

[Brasko]

That second pic (Pit Lane) is so perfect!

[raysspl]

Great news! Congrats!

[mookie45]

Finally! BMW has shown up these last few races! Plus some luck

[orangeglim]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

The C7.R is the best sounding car in IMSA right now. The Cadillac DPi cars sound pretty good, but they're not as loud. The 911 RSR sounds mean since the Le Mans exhaust update, and the Aston Martins always sound incredible.

+1. The Vettes sounded amazing. You could actually feel it in your chest when they accelerated out of the south chicane. Ridiculous. The 911s sounded like Indy cars. I wasn't dazzled by the Aston's. They were loud, but I didn't think there was anything remarkable or unique about how they sounded.