BMWs won three races and took two more podium finishes over the course of the Pirelli World Challenge weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Toby Grahovec in the #26 Classic BMW Motorsports M235i Racing won the second TC/TCA/TCB race on Saturday, and Mike Mills and Kuno Wittmer teamed in the #46 Z4 GT3 to win both races in the series’ new SprintX Championship.
Grahovec finished second to Nick Wittmer in a Honda Accord V6 coupe in race one and went on to win the second sprint after a race-long battle with Wittmer and Mazda MX-5 racers Adam Poland and Patrick Gallagher.
Grahovec, who leads TC points, said "That was one of the most fun races I have ever had. I couldn't tell you how many times we all (top four) passed each other. It was insane. I got an awesome start and it looked like (Nick) Wittmer spun his tires a little bit too. I got around (Adam) Poland on the outside of turn one. It was back and forth between the four of us the entire race. It was pretty crazy going through lapped traffic and back markers. We were all going flat out and our lap times were incredible. It was like (one minute) 30.5 every lap. I couldn't believe it. We were side-by-side in turns two, fourth and five. That just doesn't happen too often. This place is awesome to race and the fans are great here too. Our BMW is quite a bit heavier than the Mazdas so we have set up our passing for the back straightaway. I was looking in my mirror the entire time because everyone was just on top of each other.”
Mills and BMW NA pro racer Kuno Wittmer are teaming in Mills’ Z4 to run the entire SprintX series with support from BMW North America. The series is scheduled to run six races in total, each a 60-minute race with a required pit stop and driver change.
Mills started the car in the first race at CTMP. He was running second when he handed off to Wittmer. Wittmer soon assumed the lead and held on for the win.
Wittmer, a native Canadian, said "It's a really special feeling. When you race in front of your home crowd, the only race of the calendar in Canada, in front of your family, it's special. A big thanks to Mills Racing and the crew, and BMW Motorsport North America. This (SprintX) is a really good format, it's obvious the future is going this way. Two drivers together is a smart way to go, this can be big. I'm happy about the race today, Michael did well and drove an awesome stint. He gave me the car with enough tire on it. The car was flawless."
Wittmer started the second race. He joined the pack in his second-place starting position after the car stalled on pit road and he received assistance to get the car started. He was ordered to move to the back of the pack, but he was informed in the middle of the pace lap. He slowed, but other cars did not go around him. He started second and was called in to serve a drive-through penalty. Wittmer recovered, running third when the pit stop window opened. He stayed out, moving up to first before pitting, Mills came back on the track in second. He soon moved up to first and held on for the win.
Turner Motorsport returned to PWC in GT/GTA/GTC competition at CTMP with its #96 M6 GT3. Bret Curtis, who drove a Turner Z4 GT3 in World Challenge last year, drove the M6 at CTMP. He finished third in the GTA class in the first race and did not run in the second race. It was a single race weekend return to the series for the Turner team, which is campaigning its M6 GT3s in the IMSA WeatherTech series.
Following the two races at CTMP the Sprint X series will run at Utah Motorsports Campus (formerly Miller Motorsports Park) on August 12-14, and will finish its season at the PWC season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on October 7-9.
The rest of the PWC classes return to competition in just a few days at Lime Rock Park. Grahovec leads TC points going into the Lime Rock event.—Brian S. Morgan
