# Fontana Grand Am / Rolex Series / BMW Club Races - SPOILERS!



## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

Hi All -

Thought I would get a thread started and wait anxiously for Dan's pics. :bigpimp: 

I don't know what to say to the TMS guys. You do pretty much everything right through the whole season all the way up to like 8 laps to go on the final race, only to have it screwed up by another team    The guys were doing their best to shake it off afterwards. It was great hanging out with the team at D&Bs in Ontario (probably the most happening place in town on a Sat. night out in Ontario), just which is was under better circumstances. A great bunch of guys that really did earn the championship, but just caught a really bad break.

Congrats to Billy A. for winning the GT title tie breaker with Boris (amazing that they ended up with the same points) and also to Tom Milner Jr. for his first win! :banana: It was really nip & tuck there for Bill when the car had that fuel pump relay problem. I was actually at the pit stall when Bill got out of the car and you tell he was really upset and worried about the outcome - but it worked out okay for PTG as they had the winning car and their top 2 drivers finished the season with the same points. Bill got the title on number of wins.

Congrats to Ken Dobson and his co-driver Daniel Colembie as they put the TC Kline Z4 on the podium in ST. :thumbup:

I thought Automatic Racing was going to get on the podium as well - they were in 3rd with about 6 laps to go, but got caught by 3 others at the end. But 6th is a good finish and the team actually lead the race at one point.


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

Some pics from the Grand Am site:




























Ken and Daniel are on the right


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

BMW TEAM PTG SWEEPS ALL ROLEX GT CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CALIFORNIA 
11/01/2004

Milner and Collins score 10th M3 Victory of Season; Said and Hand Second 
Fontana, CA - October 31, 2004... Adding an exclamation point to the story of a remarkable 2004 Rolex Sports Car Series season, BMW Team PTG scored their 10th GT class victory, and sixth 1-2 BMW M3 finish, of the season in today's Lexus Grand American 400. The win gave BMW its first Rolex Series Manufacturer Points championship and sixth manufacturer's title for the BMW M3 North American racing program since 1995.

Tom Milner, in only his third professional race, and Kelly Collins scored the first victory of the season for the No. 16 Team PTG M3. The duo won from the pole, completing 84 laps around the 2.8-mile California Speedway road course, and finishing 38 seconds ahead of the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3 of Boris Said and Joey Hand.

The No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 clinched the Team Points title in round 11 at Barber Motorsports Park. The No. 22's second place finish today gave BMW a 1-2 finish in the Team Points.

The No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 of Bill Auberlen and Justin Marks finished sixth after suffering a fuel delivery problem on lap 45 that dropped the duo from a commanding race lead. A sixth place finish was enough for Auberlen to capture the Driver Points Championship. Both Auberlen and Said ended up tied with 373 points, but Auberlen's eight wins to Said's five gave him the title. Marks finished third in the Driver Points with 340 points. Hand finished sixth.

To sum up a dominating season, BMW Team PTG won 10 of 12 races, including six 1-2 M3 finishes. BMW won the Manufacturer Points Championship, BMW Team PTG drivers were 1-2-3 in the Driver Points Championship and 1-2 in the Team Points Championship.

TOM MILNER, DRIVER NO. 16 TEAM PTG M3 (first):
"This is unreal. I really thought that I would join the team and just learn how to drive a racing car in these last three races. The pole at VIR made me think that perhaps there would be more, but to have actually won a race is unbelievable."

KELLY COLLINS, DRIVER NO. 16 TEAM PTG M3 (first):
"It is a dream come true to drive for Team PTG and BMW. I had a smile on my face every time I was behind the wheel of the M3. Congratulations to Tom on his first win and to Bill on the Driver's title."

BORIS SAID, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (second):
"Another 1-2 for BMW. It may have been a 1-2-3, but the No. 21 had a problem. Joey made a great run for the No. 16 M3, but we just did not have the fuel."

JOEY HAND, DRIVER NO. 22 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (second):
"Another great day for BMW Team PTG. It certainly would have been nice to get another win for the No. 22 crew. Boris and I seem to have second place figured out with three runner-up finishes in a row. I think the No. 16 M3 got a little bit better mileage today. If they would have had to make a stop for fuel at the end, I think we may have caught them."

BILL AUBERLEN, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (sixth):
"I think I went through every emotion in this race, from the feeling of first to the pits. In the end, we recovered for a sixth place finish and it was enough to tie the Driver Points with Boris. I got the title on wins, but everything we do is a team effort for BMW."

JUSTIN MARKS, DRIVER NO. 21 BMW TEAM PTG M3 (sixth): 
"Today is another indication of how good PTG really is. You can't expect to have a flawless run every race, but it is when you have a problem and overcome it that shows what you are made of. We were hit with something that could have taken us out, but the guys rallied and we didn't go down too far."

TOM MILNER, OWNER, BMW TEAM PTG:
"I never imagined that we would have won all the championships so decisively after our performance at Daytona. Every member of BMW Team PTG showed what they were made of this season. Tom and Kelly did a magnificent job today and I say that both as a team owner and a father."

HERNANDO CARVAJAL, MOTORSPORT MANAGER, BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC:
"Once again BMW Team PTG has shown that they are the best. What a season! The Manufacturers Championship, 1-2-3 in the Drivers Points and 1-2 in the Team Points."

Coutesy of BMW NA

More pics:


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2004

CONTACT: Beth Wyse, 678.485.1947, [email protected]

Automatic Racing Finishes Season with a 6th at California Speedway

FONTANA, Calif. - Automatic Racing ended the 2004 Grand-Am Cup season with a sixth-place finish in the Grand-Am Cup 250 at California Speedway on Saturday, October 30. Jep Thornton and David Russell were assured of a podium finish before a flat tire with two laps to go dropped the No. 09 BMW M3 back to sixth.

Thornton had the duty of qualifying the Grand Sports class BMW, but he struggled because of an issue with the brakes. He was only able to earn a starting position of 17th. The team made adjustments in the scant amount of time between qualifying and the race, and the car was like new when the green flag fell.

Thornton got to work passing the cars ahead of him, and he ran in third place before moving into the race lead. An hour of racing had been completed, however, and Thornton was forced to make his routine pit stop.

Russell climbed into the car for the remainder of the race, maintaining a solid third place. Automatic Racing seemed almost assured of another podium finish when a flat tire forced Russell to pit. He was able to salvage a sixth place finish.

"We had a decent race. The car was perfect," said Thornton. "In qualifying we were off because of brake issues, but we got those sorted out. It was fun passing people, going from 17th to first. We were able to bring the car to the top of heap, and Dave was solid P3 when he got a flat tire. We got P6 after qualifying 17th so that was quite good for us. All in all it was a decent season. We got the car sorted more and we got a bunch of top ten finishes."

With the off season ahead of them, Automatic Racing is already making plans for their 2005 Grand-Am Cup season. The team will be starting their testing regimen early, and they will be busy preparing the No. 09 BMW for Test Days at Daytona International Speedway, January 7-9.

Fans can keep up with Automatic Racing's off season activities at www.AutomaticRacing.com.

Automatic Racing is sponsored by Automatic Commercial Aircraft, LandAir, Engine Music Studios, Moton Shocks and Fikse Wheels.


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