[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW Performance 200 kicks off 2015 racing season at Daytona

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BMW Performance 200 kicks off 2015 racing season at classic Daytona International Speedway

Victor Leleu to take the wheel of BMW NA Motorsport Marketing.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 9, 2015… BMW of North America today announced a multi-year partnership with Daytona International Speedway to serve as the title sponsor for the season-opening IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race. In 2015, the two-and-one-half-hour race, which is officially titled the BMW Performance 200, will run on Friday, Jan. 23, as part of the Rolex 24 At Daytona Weekend. This will be the fourth-straight year BMW has served as the title sponsor for the CTSCC season-opener. As with previous years, BMW will feature a unique pace car for the event; this year the BMW M4 Coupe equipped with M Performance Parts. Last year, BMW teams started off the season in the strongest way with a 1-2-3-4 BMW M3 finish in the Grand Sport class and a 1-2 BMW 328i finish in the Street Tuner class.

“I’m delighted to tell enthusiasts about BMW M Performance Accessories by emphasizing the success BMW has earned over four decades at North American race tracks,” said Craig Westbrook, Vice President of Aftersales for BMW of North America. “The BMW Performance 200 is the best way to start the season, and it’s a race we are exceptionally proud of because so many privately-campaigned BMW cars are entered each year.”

“We’re excited to continue our relationship with BMW during the upcoming Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend as the title sponsor of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season opener,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “BMW has a long history of success at the ‘World Center of Racing’ and we’re looking forward to kicking off the IMSA season with the BMW Performance 200.”

Victor Leleu, currently Product Planning Specialist at BMW of North America, has been appointed to the position of manager of BMW NA Motorsport programs, effective January 26th, 2015. Having recently completed the nationwide launch of the all-new BMW M3 and M4, Leleu is a life-long racing enthusiast who will lead a renewed motorsport marketing effort as BMW of North America celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2015.

After numerous privateer-owned BMW cars complete the BMW Performance 200, the BMW of North America-supported BMW Team RLL will race its two new BMW Z4 GTLM chassis in the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. BMW of North America is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015 and this year's Rolex 24 At Daytona also marks the 40th anniversary of BMW Motorsport's first race in the United States. BMW Team RLL will run numbers 24 and 25 in honor of the iconic BMW 3.0 CSL IMSA Group 4 race cars that won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1975 and the Rolex 24 in 1976.

Tickets for the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Roar Before The Rolex 24, the three-day test session scheduled for January 9-11, can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

[mkoesel]

Sweet.

Will there be any F22 or F82 competing at this event? And if so, will they be powered by turbocharged engines?

[Diver]

I would love to go there.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Sweet.

Will there be any F22 or F82 competing at this event? And if so, will they be powered by turbocharged engines?

No. Bimmerworld has two F30 328i is ST class, only FI BMW's in the field. Bimmerworld also has a new team running two Caymans.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

No. Bimmerworld has two F30 328i is ST class, only FI BMW's in the field. Bimmerworld also has a new team running two Caymans.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate the reply.

It's funny you mention the 328i - I saw the part about them taking first and second last year but had assumed those were E90s and they were still running the N52. Or maybe that is indeed the case and you are saying the F30s will be brand new this year?

I wonder if we'll see the F82/S55 or M235i/N55 any time soon in this series. It seems to me that, as a sponsor, BMW would be doing whatever they can to get the rules changed to allow them (if indeed that is what has kept them out for now) and to incentivize the private teams to move in that direction.

[954Stealth]

They had a mixed program last year that included F-chassis cars towards the end. This is the 1st year of a full program

@mkoesel we might see those in a couple years when the GT rules change but for now they have specific requirement that the 1s, M235i Racing and 6'ers don't comply with. Until then they'll continue to use the Z4, 328i and M3.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Thanks for the info, I appreciate the reply.

It's funny you mention the 328i - I saw the part about them taking first and second last year but had assumed those were E90s and they were still running the N52. Or maybe that is indeed the case and you are saying the F30s will be brand new this year?

I wonder if we'll see the F82/S55 or M235i/N55 any time soon in this series. It seems to me that, as a sponsor, BMW would be doing whatever they can to get the rules changed to allow them (if indeed that is what has kept them out for now) and to incentivize the private teams to move in that direction.

Bimmerworld ran a partial schedule last year with their F30's, along side their e90's. E90's are being retired.

F82 are allowed in Continental Series. Fall Line will introduce M4 later this year, we will see how the S55 does over a full race distance.

[boramkiv]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

Bimmerworld ran a partial schedule last year with their F30's, along side their e90's. E90's are being retired.

F82 are allowed in Continental Series. Fall Line will introduce M4 later this year, we will see how the S55 does over a full race distance.

Yep, I remember that Bimmerworld F30 that came out the pits, lost brakes trying to get back around to the grid and hit the wall pretty hard.
I forget which track it was.

[954Stealth]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

Bimmerworld ran a partial schedule last year with their F30's, along side their e90's. E90's are being retired.

F82 are allowed in Continental Series. Fall Line will introduce M4 later this year, we will see how the S55 does over a full race distance.

M4 with Trim-Tex livery should be good

[954Stealth]

Here is the full provisional schedule packet:

[MiamiE93Vert]

I will be RV camping with some buddies of mine in the Geico Yellow RV area; can't wait!