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ALMS: BMW Team PTG provisional qualifying notes, Petit Le Mans

17 September 1999

BMW Team PTG drivers qualified fourth, fifth and sixth in the GT class
during the first Petit Le Mans qualifying session on Thursday.  Darren
Law led the group with a time of one minute 26.417 seconds (105.81
miles per hour) in the #10 BMW M3.  Peter Cunningham qualified the
#7 M3 in 1:26.430 (105.79 mph) for fifth in class, and Boris Said was
sixth-fastest in 1:26.480 (105.73) in the #6 car.

The team will participate in night practice Thursday evening in
preparation for Saturday's 10-hour, 1000-mile race.  Final qualifying is
scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Darren Law, driver, #10 BMW M3

"I'm pleased with the run we had in the BMW M3.  We've done a lot of
work and the crew has done an excellent job in preparation.  In the
overall scheme of things, this [qualifying session] isn't that significant:

we've got 10 hours.  But all three of the BMWs are together, so I'm
pleased with the performance of the car and I'm glad to be in the front
of the group.

"This is only my third race this year with the team, but things are
coming together.  I'm getting to know the crew guys real well and I'm
enjoying driving the cars.  Every time I get in, I'm just a little bit
better. 
Hopefully, tomorrow we'll get a little closer and then the rest remains
to be seen.  It's a long race."

Peter Cunningham, driver, #7 BMW M3

"The boys have this car working really well now.  We had a decent
time, but we found a couple of reasons why we think we can pick up
just a little bit more [speed].  But even if we don't, we've got a car
that's
really ready for 10 hours at this place."

Boris Said, driver, #6 BMW M3

"I'm happy our cars are getting quicker.  We found out a couple of
things in qualifying:   We kinda used it more as a test session than a
qualifying session.  The guys are doing a good job and we're getting
faster.  We've got a long way to go to catch the Porsche, but we'll just
keep working on it."

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