Rob Bunker - Birmingham races

Rob Bunker proved the value of his targetted testing and coaching program
with two strong results in Formula BMW USA races on July 30 and 31. The
Bridgewater, N.J., driver is patiently climbing the ranks as he completes
his rookie season with the series.

 

Bunker, his Speed Secrets coaches and the AIM Autosport team have
implemented a strategy aimed at identifying the best driving style for each
turn at each track. They focus on maximizing performance in each corner,
rather than chasing overall speed. They were rewarded at Barber Motorsports
Park in Birmingham, Ala., this past weekend, when Bunker drove his No. 18
Formula BMW FB2 to seventh- and sixth-place finishes in 20-car fields.

 

"We came to the weekend with the goal to change the outlook of how everyone
saw us as a team. I think we ended up doing just that. We pushed hard, we
asked for a lot and we got the car to the objective of what we wanted to
do," Bunker said. "The first race, I had a great start and I drove the car
to its absolute limit. I couldn't ask for anything more. Same thing on the
second race, we pushed harder and we made a change that ended up being worth
another position.

 

"We're kind of inching our way up and we're hoping that [at the next race]
in Denver, we'll make one huge step and jump on the podium, because we know
we can do it. Going from track to track and just trying out different styles
in different corners – not worrying about [lap] time but worrying about what
is going to be fast during a race – helps a lot to establish our options.
We're looking to the future – we have quite a bright future ahead of us."

 

Bunker's next Formula BMW USA races will be in Denver on Aug. 13 and 14.