---

BMW Team PTG Test Day; NASCAR Meets Formula One

8 October 1999

BMW Team PTG notes:  test day, Oct. 7
VISA Sports Car Championships, Laguna Seca Raceway
race seven, American Le Mans Series

NASCAR meets F1

#6 BMW M3 drivers Boris Said and Hans Stuck seem to have
covered the spectrum of racing worldwide.  In addition to their
extensive road-racing experience, Said drives stock cars in the
NASCAR Winston Cup Series and Stuck has competed in the
highest level of open-wheel racing -- Formula One.

"Hans was my favorite driver growing up and it's hard to believe
that I'm finally racing with him.  It seems like for sure we're
brothers who were separated at birth across the Atlantic," Said
explained.

"Boris has the same experience as me -- he drives everything that
has wheels on it," Stuck said.  "I never thought my 30th season of
driving would be so satisfying.  Boris is one of the best three
drivers I've ever had for a teammate, not only in terms of
performance but also for having fun."

family and friends

#7 BMW M3 driver Brian Cunningham hopes to achieve what his
grandfather set out to do -- win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  He
would like to do it with BMW.  "I came to PTG because of BMW.  I
have the street car and I love it," he said.  "I love their heritage.  It's
a supreme racing heritage, and I don't think I could align myself
with a better marque."

Team-mate Peter Cunningham, who is driving the #10 M3 this
weekend, says driver friendships are important elements of BMW
Team PTG's success.  "We're friends away from the track and we
have fun.  That's key because when we're talking about an on-
track activity or we're doing an on-track activity, it's 110 per cent
serious.  But the camaraderie that we have helps us keep it a
totally enjoyable experience."

laps-plus

#10 M3 driver Johannes van Overbeek and Mark Simo, co-driving
the #7 car, both extend their racing involvement beyond seat-time. 
Van Overbeek coaches a handful of drivers who compete in
sports-car and vintage racing.  Simo co-owns a NASCAR team
and his company, No Fear, produces the Driving Force line of
racing apparel.

The people I coach are fun, interesting people.  I enjoy their
company and the cars that they have," van Overbeek said. 
"Everybody I coach is exceptional in their business, so it's fun to
learn from their experiences and try to teach them an ability that I
have."

"Getting up in the morning, I've never had a doubt in my life that
this is something that I'm driven to do," Simo explained.  "There is
nothing more satisfying than getting behind the wheel of a race
car, but driving a race car is only one component.  It feels a lot
better driving the race car when I'm intimately involved in the
business."

###