TEAM REPORTS (REDONDO, CA.) - Auberlen To Chase Two Championships in 2008

Bill Auberlen will chase at least two championships in 2008, aiming for the top in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and KONI Challenge Series. The Redondo Beach, Calif., driver has won two of his six professional auto-racing championships in Grand-Am competition, with 30 victories, 46 podiums, 11 pole positions and 26 records in the two series to date.

As announced previously, Auberlen will drive the No. 23 Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team Porsche-powered Crawford in the Rolex Series Daytona Prototype class. The car will be prepared by Alex Job Racing for Auberlen and Joey Hand of Sacramento, Calif.

Auberlen will also return to the KONI Challenge Series GS class, driving the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 with Matthew Alhadeff of Los Angeles, Calif. The team won its third-consecutive KONI Series driver and team championships this year. Turner and Auberlen's results gave BMW its first KONI manufacturer title.

"I almost won two championships in the [2003 SPEED] World Challenge series, when I won in Touring Car and I missed in GT by just a few points. This year I want to go one better and try to win both Grand-Am championships," Auberlen said.

"To be teamed up with Alex in the Ruby Tuesday Porsche Crawford and to have Joey Hand as my teammate is fantastic. And the Turner car has been a rocket ship; it's been fast. I've had to miss races because of conflicting schedules, but this year I'm going to be able to make all the races. I'm going to put a major effort into winning these championships.

"This is all about the year to win, to win, to win. It's been awhile since the stars all lined up this good. I can't remember the last time I went into a season feeling this confident."

Will Turner, owner of Turner Motorsport, is also optimistic.

"It's great to have Bill back with Turner Motorsport for another season," he said. "He has been a part of the Turner BMW team since 2001. We've won a lot of races together, and a few championships over the last six years. I look forward to 2008 – we are going to have a real strong team and we're going to do whatever it takes to win another championship."

Auberlen won the Rolex Series GT driver championship in 2004 and was GT co-champion in 2002. His career race results include six championships, 75 wins, 139 podium finishes, 53 pole positions (41 record), 64 fastest race laps (48 record) and 102 series and track records.