BMW driver Auberlen clinches Speed Touring title

BMW of North America, LLC
Notes and Quotes
Speed Touring World Challenge Round 8
Race
Laguna Seca Raceway
Monterey, Calif.
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2003

Contact: Bill Cobb 215-295-3115

BMW ACE BILL AUBERLEN CLINCHES SPEED TOURING DRIVER'S CROWN AT LAGUNA SECA;
BMW EXTENDS LEAD IN MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Bill Auberlen, driving the No. 93 Turner Motorsport BMW 325i, clinched his
first SCCA Pro Racing Speed Touring Driver's Championship with a
second-place finish in today's Round 8 race at Laguna Seca Raceway.

Carrying 200 pounds of REWARDS weight he moved quickly from his fifth
starting spot to third before a lap-4 full-course caution period brought
the field back together. Diving into second in Turn 1 after the restart,
Auberlen held his position for the remainder of the 26-lap contest around
the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course in Monterey, Calif.

The race was won by Jeff Altenburg's Mazda by 2.533 seconds over Auberlen.

It only took eight races for Auberlen to claim the driver's crown. The
Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., resident won in Sebring (Fla.), Road Atlanta
and Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.) from the pole and, in addition to
today's race, finished second at both Mosport (Ontario, Canada) and
Mid-Ohio. With a third at Road America (Wis.) and a fourth at Lime Rock
(Conn.) he has scored 234 points, and cannot be surpassed in the
remaining two races of the season.

Auberlen also recorded the fastest race lap in six rounds and has led the
most laps to date.

Bob Stretch driving the No. 99 Wheels America BMW 325Ci had his best finish
of the season, taking fifth after running as high as third.

Rounding out the top-10 for BMW, James Sofronas moved his No. 29
LectricAir/Tecmark 325Ci into 10th from his 15th starting spot.

BMW continues to lead the Manufacturer's Championship over Acura by 18
points and Mazda by 25.

The race is scheduled for broadcast on Speed Channel on Saturday, Sept. 20,
at 2:00 p.m. ET.

BILL AUBERLEN, No. 93 TURNER MOTORSPORTS BMW 325i (first):
"I needed to beat Pierre (Kleinubing) by eight points today not one point,
so I was content to run in third place behind him early on. When the green
flag dropped for the restart I had such a run that it was just instinctual
to pass him for second. It was too big a risk to go for Jeff and there was
no point in that. If you wanted to win the Touring Driver's Championship you
needed to drive a BMW. It is unbelievable to think that I could run in the
top-two carrying 200 pounds of REWARDS weight."


BMW finishing positions:

2     (93)  Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, Calif., BMW 325i
5     (99), Robert Stretch, Dallas, Texas, BMW 325Ci
10   (29), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., BMW 325i
11   (92)  Will Turner, Newburyport, Mass., BMW 325i
13   (98)  Bobby Carter(R), San Ramon, Ca. BMW 325Ci
18   (36)  James Clay(R), Blacksburg, Va., BMW 325i
19   (37), Matt Richmond(R), Mooresville, N.C., BMW 328i
20   (56)  Mickey Miller (R) , Costa Mesa, Ca., BMW328is
21   (07)  Ralph Warren (R), Irvine, Ca, BMW 328
28   (27)  Rich Maki (R), Santa Monica, Ca., BMW 325Ci
31   (71)  Ori Della Penna, San Jose, Ca., BMW 325is
33     (7) Ken Dobson, Carmel Valley, Calif., BMW 325Ci


###