Daytona 24 Hours: BMW 18 Hours into the race

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After 18 hours: BMW Team RLL enters the final stages in Daytona in third and fourth. Daytona (US), 26th January 2014. The 24-hour race of Daytona (US)  enters the finishing straight: After three quarters of the United  SportsCar Championship’s (USCC) season opener, BMW Team RLL and its  BMW Z4 GTLM cars were able to consolidate…

After 18 hours: BMW Team RLL enters the final stages in Daytona in third and fourth.

Daytona-24-Hours

Daytona (US), 26th January 2014. The 24-hour race of Daytona (US)  enters the finishing straight: After three quarters of the United  SportsCar Championship’s (USCC) season opener, BMW Team RLL and its  BMW Z4 GTLM cars were able to consolidate its positions among the  top-five of the GTLM field.

Dirk Müller (DE), John Edwards (US), Dirk Werner (DE) and Graham  Rahal (US), are currently running third with the number 55 BMW Z4  GTLM, after completing 499 laps of the iconic “Daytona International  Speedway”. The quartet are ranked directly ahead of their team-mates  Bill Auberlen (US), Andy Priaulx (GB), Joey Hand (US) and Maxime  Martin (BE), who hold fourth with the number 56 car.

The night went by without any major incidents on the track. Despite  the fact most of the 67 cars that started the race in Daytona are  still running, there were just a few yellows up to dawn. The Turner  Motorsport team also used these conditions to make up ground in the  GTD class with its BMW Z4 GTD. Currently Augusto Farfus (BR), Paul  Dalla Lana (CA), Dane Cameron (US) and Markus Palttala (FI) are  running in ninth.

Dirk Werner (Number 56 BMW Z4 GTLM):

“At the moment our car is running like clockwork. We are able to put  in lap after lap and our times were okay as well. In addition, the  traffic out there was less wild than in the beginning. I managed to  drive for two hours without any full-course yellow. This was great  fun. I hope we keep going like this. If we stay out of trouble and  make no mistakes, then we might be able to put the cars ahead of us  under pressure a bit. Let’s wait and see.”

Maxime Martin (Number 55 BMW Z4 GTLM):

“Although there were still a lot of cars on the track, the traffic  was okay during the night. However, our disadvantage in terms of top  speed was clear to see. On the straight we just don’t stand a chance.  Things got even more difficult due to a problem with the air filter.  Nevertheless, the important thing is we are still in a promising  position. Now the race enters its crucial phase.”


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