BMW of North America returned to the 2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this past weekend with classic racing cars. The huge vintage racing event which ran from August 18–20 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California. The highlight of the BMW entry was not only the classic BMWs, but the drivers in them, including Ludwig Willisch, former President and CEO of BMW of North America who just retired from BMW earlier this month after 21 years of service to the company.
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion tops off a big automotive week that included concours d'elegance at Pebble Beach, the Quail, and the Legends of the Autobahn. BMW chose the week's activities to preview two big upcoming models with concept versions of the next BMW 8 Series Coupe and Z4 Roadster.
But over at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, vintage and classic racing cars that usually occupy museums come roaring to life in wheel-to-wheel racing around one of America's most iconic tracks. The most notable BMW entries include the famous #25 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL IMSA Group 4 and the #21 1972 Alpina BMW 2002ti.
The #25 BMW 3.0 CSL was driven one more time by Ludwig Willisch as a retirement gift from BMW. Willisch raced the #25 car regularly at Monterey while he was BMW NA's chief executive.
The #21 1972 Alpina 2002ti was raced by a current BMW executive whose racing skills might surprise some people. Senior Vice President and head of design for the entire BMW Group, Adrian van Hooydonk, will be at the wheel.
Another classic racing car brought by BMW was the #42 BMW V12 LMR that won the 1999 ALMS Twelve Hours of Sebring in the closest finish ever up to that time. The #42 BMW LMR comes to race at the 2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion directly from the BMW CCA Foundation's "Heroes of Bavaria: 75 Years of BMW Motorsport" exhibit at the Foundation's museum in Greer, South Carolina.
We have enjoyed watching Herr Willisch race the #25 Batmobile at Laguna Seca in the past. He is a true enthusiast who has let us enjoy seeing a car that helped build BMW's motorsport reputation in its natural environment—the track. We wish him the best in his retirement.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
