# Daytona Rolex 24 hour (spoiler)



## SteveT (Dec 22, 2001)

DannO said:


> Is my memory gone or... hmmm. I think PTG pulled out of the same race last year because they were having the same problem - keeping wheels on the car. Centerlock wheels then.
> 
> Damn unfortunate, but, hey - that's racing.
> 
> ...


DannO - It was electrical problems last year when it rained and a suspension failure. I just checked. Racing is racing that's for sure, you never know. Tom said they will be taking delivery of a V10 engine in the next few weeks to begin development of a candidate DP engine. He told me they'd love to do a DP program (PTG that is). BMW wants to race the product right now, but that V10 will make such a neat sound.


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## DannO (Apr 25, 2002)

Thanks for checking.

Seems strange to me that Dinan is making the motors for dp now. Just not much racing heritage. Maybe I'm ignorant?

But I want PTG in TC/GT racing. Maybe they'll run the 6 in SWC GT class next year? Or maybe we have to wait for the 400hp v8 e90 m3. I was at Daytona on Sunday morning and it just doesn't do it for me so much any more. Granted, a bad day at the race track is better than a good day just about anywhere else but...


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## SteveT (Dec 22, 2001)

DannO said:


> Thanks for checking.
> 
> Seems strange to me that Dinan is making the motors for dp now. Just not much racing heritage. Maybe I'm ignorant?
> 
> But I want PTG in TC/GT racing. Maybe they'll run the 6 in SWC GT class next year? Or maybe we have to wait for the 400hp v8 e90 m3. I was at Daytona on Sunday morning and it just doesn't do it for me so much any more. Granted, a bad day at the race track is better than a good day just about anywhere else but...


I'm not sure what the deal is with Dinan. I know a couple of years ago Tom complained that the G&W team went almost the entire season on one engine. I suppose that's an accomplishment, but only if your are competitive, which they weren't. Tom's point was, they weren't asking enough from the engine to expect to be competitive with other teams.


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## Seneca (Feb 13, 2003)

Dinan is making the DP engines for the Ten Motorsports and Synergy Motorsport team, and have been making them for the past two seasons for G & W Motorsport (which has changed their name to Synergy for this season). PTG is making the DP motor for the Southard Motorsport DP. Dinan actually has been making racing motors for a long time, with experience in World Challenge, Club Racing and Grand Am.

In regard to the V10, I had a talk with Steve Dinan a couple of weeks ago about that very issue. Here are his comments, pulled from the transcript for an upcoming Roundel article:

I’m pretty certain you won’t see it (V10) in 2005 – I’m not sure about 2006. It really depends on whether its important to BMW. That may not be a great motor for Grand Am. Since we’re only allowed to turn 7,000rpm, the V8 motor has more stroke than the V10 and more low-end torque. With the way the V10 is designed, it would have no horsepower advantage in Grand Am since the rev limit would have to be lowered, and would make less torque.


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## SteveT (Dec 22, 2001)

I realize it might be an apples and oranges situation, but what's the rpm that the Porsche is turning in the Brumos cars? Isn't that engine going to 9k? I know it's a smaller engine, but if GA wants the diversity they might make adjustments for the V10. Tom indicated that the engine might be available late in 2005 but should be for 2006. They are starting development in any case. Whether it's for an M6 or a DP, doesn't make much difference now.


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## Seneca (Feb 13, 2003)

SteveT said:


> Tom indicated that the engine might be available late in 2005 but should be for 2006. They are starting development in any case. Whether it's for an M6 or a DP, doesn't make much difference now.


I think it probably will make a huge difference in the development process for Grand Am as opposed to developing the same engine for an M6 to race at Le Mans or in ALMS. The ACO allows much more freedom in building a race engine than Grand Am allows. A BMW V10 made for ALMS would undoubtedly have a much higher compression ratio and rpm limit than it would in Grand Am, and would probably use more exotic engine components.

Dinan also mentioned that they will start doing some preliminary development on the V10 engine this year, in case anyone does want to race with it.


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## tim330i (Dec 18, 2001)

Offical BMW press release

*BMW TEAM PTG M3s WITHDRAWN FROM ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA IN EIGHTH HOUR*
02/07/2005

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - February 7, 2005... Both BMW Team PTG M3s were withdrawn in the eighth hour of the Rolex 24 at Daytona after the two cars suffered right rear wheel stud failures. The No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 of Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, Chris Gleason and Ian James completed 199 laps and was credited with a 30th place finish. The No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3 of Justin Marks, Tom Milner, RJ Valentine and Kelly Collins finished 31st, completing 168 laps. 
Bill Auberlen started the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 from the sixth starting position. He pitted under the race's first caution period for fuel on lap 15. He continued to race just outside the top-five until pitting on lap 48. Joey Hand took over the No. 21 M3 with new tires and fuel. He pitted for fuel on lap 59 and three hours into the race the No. 21 M3 was back to seventh position. Hand pitted for fuel again on lap 84, taking advantage of another caution period. Ian James replaced Hand on lap 119. James pitted for fuel on lap 141 and at the six-hour race mark stood in the ninth position. Chris Gleason entered the car on lap 180, but only 18 laps later lost the right rear wheel after the wheel studs failed and could not continue.

The No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3, with Justin Marks behind the wheel, started from the 10th position and also took advantage of the race's early caution period. He pitted for fuel and at the one hour mark was in the 11th position. He pitted for fuel and tires on lap 46 and handed the M3 off to Tom Milner. Two hours into the race he stood in the eighth position. A spinning Daytona Prototype just before the three hour mark brought out the yellow flag and a quick pit stop gained Milner several positions. As the track was cleaned, the No. 22 M3 circulated in the GT class lead. On lap 119 Milner handed off to Kelly Collins. After new tires and fuel Collins rejoined the race in seventh position, but was back in the pits one lap later. The M3 was brought to the garage to repair broken rear wheel studs and lost 20 laps. At the six hour mark the No. 22 M3 stood in 22nd position with Collins still behind the wheel. RJ Valentine took over at lap 149 and within 20 laps the wheel studs broke. The No. 22 car was brought to the garage and ultimately withdrawn from the race.

"The right rear wheel studs failed for a second time on the No. 22 M3, within the same hour they broke on the No. 21 M3," said Tom Milner, BMW Team PTG owner. "Whatever the flaw, part or design, there was no other choice but to withdraw both cars. Trying to continue would have been too dangerous for everyone. Brand new racing cars always have new problems, and this stud issue is certainly new to us. The cars were back at the shop on Sunday and work has already begun to fix the problem. The withdrawal was a major disappointment. We got it right at Miami last season - looks like we need to do it again."

Round Two of the Rolex Sports Car Series will take place on March 3-6 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where, in 2004, BMW Team PTG began a seven-race winning streak with a 1-2 BMW M3 finish.


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

Hey guys - need your opinion.

How would this car look with a bimmerfest.com decal on the side? :eeps:


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## Elwood (Dec 20, 2002)

scottn2retro said:


> Hey guys - need your opinion.
> 
> How would this car look with a bimmerfest.com decal on the side? :eeps:


 It would look better with my name added to the drivers section


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

Elwood said:


> It would look better with my name added to the drivers section


 Hehe, I'll have to relay that to Rob Finlay. But I've heard from several sources that the driver team they have in that BMW/Riley is pretty darn good.


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## jagman (Sep 27, 2004)

rennfahrer said:


> and some good news from the automatic racing camp
> 
> Automatic Racing Finishes 4th at Daytona
> in Grand-Am Cup Season Opener
> ...


 That #5 Mustang, the Blackforest Mustang, was straight out of the box.
and yes, we're looking forward to Santo Domingo as well. Infact, we've inlisted some of the TRG group crew as well. So, the bimmer folk's better be ready for one hell of a battle, LOL.


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## dhabes (Jan 22, 2004)

Define straight out of the box  

I mean Ford surely was working on and testing that car for sometime. Maybe not that specific car but hell there was a TV special on the testing and development of that car in Nov or Dec...


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

Elwood said:


> That race was a snoozefest. I just couldn't get into it. Something about those DP's remind me of Nascar :snooze:


Bring back IMSA :thumbup:

The France family has no interest in sportscar racing, so as long as they are involved it will remain a limited sport with NASCAR style rules. You can also thank Rob Dyson for the crappy racing.


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## Lanc3r (Sep 5, 2004)

*2006 Rolex*

Right now Danica is in 9th place.:thumbup:

Pretty exciting so far. Here is the link to the live leader board:http://grandamerican.vfx.com/Rolex/GrandAmerican_800.asp

With this post there is just over 14hrs left. Im not changing the channel.


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

LmtdSlip said:


> Bring back IMSA :thumbup:
> 
> The France family has no interest in sportscar racing, so as long as they are involved it will remain a limited sport with NASCAR style rules. You can also thank Rob Dyson for the crappy racing.


Ill stand by my comments from last year.


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

misterlance said:


> Right now Danica is in 9th place.:thumbup:
> 
> Pretty exciting so far. Here is the link to the live leader board:http://grandamerican.vfx.com/Rolex/GrandAmerican_800.asp
> 
> With this post there is just over 14hrs left. Im not changing the channel.


Maybe start a SPOILER thread for 2006?


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## dhabes (Jan 22, 2004)

haha i was way confused... 2005 thread talking about 2006


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## Lanc3r (Sep 5, 2004)

Sorry guys. It did occur to me to start a new thread. Being that this thread title is not dated and many opinions about the series had been voiced, I chose to continue this one.

Oh well. damned if you do and damned if you dont.


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

misterlance said:


> Sorry guys. It did occur to me to start a new thread. Being that this thread title is not dated and many opinions about the series had been voiced, I chose to continue this one.
> 
> Oh well. damned if you do and damned if you dont.


I started a new Spoiler thread with a year in the title. Be happy to discuss over there.


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