Racing News

    BMW finishes first and third in GS and sweeps the podium in ST

     
    Bryan Sellers and Mark Boden in their #46 Grand Sport Fall-Line M3 won the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the duo’s second straight victory; they won the CTSCC race at Watkins Glen in June. Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr. finished second in their Roush Boss 302R GT Mustang, and Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana rounded out the podium in their Turner Motorsport M3.
     
    Terry Borcheller and Mike LaMarra in their Burton Racing 128i led a BMW sweep of the Street Tuner class podium. They finished ahead of Jesse Combs and Jeff Mosing in their RACE EPIC/Murillo 328i and last year’s ST winners Dan Rogers and Seth Thomas in their BimmerWorld 328i.

    Both Sellers and Borcheller led their classes in the final hour. They sealed their class wins with quick restarts with just six minutes remaining in the 2 ½-hour race. A lap after the restart the race went back to yellow because of a two car incident; it finished under the caution flag.

    Hugh Plumb led the first hour of the race in his #45 Fall-Line M3. He handed off to Al Carter, who was running third when he was involved in a late-race incident. He returned to the circuit after repairs, but he lost a wheel that had been left loose on the stop. The car was classified nineteenth in GS. The third Fall-Line M3, piloted by Charles Espenlaub and 17-year-old Trent Hindman, making his first CTSCC start, finished fourth.

    Both class winners acknowledged that a win at Indy was very special. Sellers said “It’s hard to believe I’ve kissed the bricks at Indy. That’s something I’ve always dreamed of growing up. When you go through the tunnel here it takes your breath away. This is where it all started.” Borcheller said, “I always dreamed of racing in the Indy 500. To even be able to come here to race – and win – is a very special thing.”

    CTSCC competition resumes in two weeks at Road America. Going into that race Borcheller and LaMarra lead ST drivers’ points, Burton Racing leads ST team points, and BMW leads ST manufacturers’ points. In the GS class Espenlaub is fourth in driver points, Fall-Line is fourth in team points, and BMW is second to Porsche in manufacturers’ points. Rum Bum Porsche racers Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi lead GS drivers’ points.—Brian S. Morgan