BMW has signed a multi-year partnership with Daytona International Speedway to serve as the title sponsor for the season-opening IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on Friday, Jan. 23, part of the Rolex 24 At Daytona Weekend at the “World Center of Racing.” The official race name will be the BMW Performance 200.
This will be the fourth straight year that BMW has served as the title sponsor for the 2 ½-hour season-opening event. The partnership includes the race entitlement, on-site signage, display space and hospitality throughout the event weekend. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“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.”
As with previous years, BMW will feature a unique pace car for the BMW Performance 200; 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.”
Racers Edge Motorsports and Mantella Autosport will have an expanded presence in 2015 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Grand Sport (GS) competition, bringing multi-car teams to this weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing. Joining the No. 78 Xborder Foods & Wine Ford Mustang Boss 302R of Bob Michaelian and Chris Beaufait will be the No. 10 Legistics Mustang of Ricardo Flores and Nick Galante, and the No. 57 Lira Racing/Gary Yeomans Ford Mustang of 17-year-old Michael Lira and Timmy Rivers.
“We’ve got good cars and strong drivers, and I can’t wait to get back into action,” team owner Jon Mirachi said. “The No. 10 and No. 78 cars are set for the full season, with the No. 57 running six (of 10) races, depending on Michael’s ARCA and NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule.”
Mantella Autosport debuted in 2014 GS competition with an Aston Martin Vantage. For 2015, the team will run a pair of Chevrolet Camaros, the No. 80 Camaro Z/28.R for returning drivers Antony Mantella and Mark Wilkins, and the No. 8 Camaro Z/28.R for team newcomers Martin Barkey and Kyle Marcelli.
A pair of new GS teams will debut at the Roar. Puerto Ricans Bryan Ortiz and Roly Filgueras will share the No. 00 Zero Zero Motorsport Ford Mustang Boss 302R, while TLSS Motorsports debuts with New Yorkers Ken D’Arcy and Sam Schultz in the No. 89 The Little Speed Shop BMW M3.
A number of GS contenders are hedging their bets for the Roar, with two-time team champion Rum Bum Racing, Multimatic Motorsport and Rebel Rock Racing listing their drivers as “TBA” for the session. Returning contenders include two-time 2014 winner Kris Wilson with Max Riddle in the No. 07 TRG-ARM Aston Martin Vantage, and Rob Ecklin and Steve Phillips in the No. 99 Automatic Racing Invisible Glass Aston Martin Vantage.
The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Street Tuner (ST) paddock will be joined by four new teams at this weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing.
Next Level European will debut as a satellite team of BimmerWorld Racing. Next Level will field a pair of BGB Motorsports-built Porsches, the No. 38 Cayman for Dan Rogers and Seth Thomas, and the No. 83 Cayman for Greg Liefooghe and Eric Zimmermann. BimmerWorld will run a pair of BMW 328i (F30) models, the No. 81 for Tyler Cooke and Andrie Hartanto, and the No. 84 for James Clay and Jason Briedis.
Alara Racing, Goldcrest Motorsports and Crucial Motorsports also will race in the class.
No drivers are listed for the No. 34 Alara Racing Mazda MX-5. Goldcrest will field the No. 36 Strategic Wealth Racing Porsche Cayman for Matthew Dicken and John Lewis. Driving the No. 86 Crucial Motorsports BMW 128i are Sam Scheckter and Aaron Nash.
The two most recent ST championships will participate in the test. Defending champ Eric Foss returns in the No. 56 Murillo Racing/Mosing Motorcars Porsche Cayman, joined by 2014 Daytona pole winner and co-race winner Jeff Mosing, along with Justin Piscitell. Terry Borcheller and Mike LaMarra, the 2013 champs, return in the No. 23 Burton Racing/Automotive Chemicals BMW 128i.
Continental Tire Challenge will have a pair of one-hour practice sessions on Friday beginning at 9 a.m., in addition to a pair of sessions on Friday and Saturday. The season begins at 1:45 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, during the Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend. 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.
Fans can follow sports cars at www.imsa.com and go on Twitter at TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (@UnitedSportsCar). Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter,Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
- NHRA announces eight-race schedule for 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series - January 17, 2024
- Forgeline and Pratt Miller Motorsports Announce New Multi-Year Partnership - January 17, 2024
- TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein converts narrow pole to commanding win in the Season 10 opener of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix - January 16, 2024