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BMW V12 LMR cars end the season with double win in Las Vegas

9 November 1999

Round 8, American Le Mans Series, 7th November 1999, Las Vegas,
Nevada 

Munich/Las Vegas. BMW rounded off the year in the best possible
fashion by finishing first and second in the final round of the American
Le Mans Series. JJ Lehto (FIN) and Steve Soper (GB) won the eighth
and final round, with the second open-top BMW V12 LMR of Bill
Auberlen (USA) and Joachim Winkelhock (D) finishing 0.27 seconds
behind them. The race lasted for two hours and 45 minutes, 129 laps of
the 2.25 mile (3.6 kilometre) circuit in the Nevada desert. 

Lehto started from fifth, Winkelhock sixth, but it was the German that
made the more spectacular start, promoting himself to third by the first
corner. Winkelhock refueled after 48 laps, staying on the same set of
tires but close to the end of his double stint he was overtaken by Lehto,
who had already taken on fresh tires after 45 laps. On the 83rd lap,
Winkelhock handed over to Auberlen, who received two fresh tires on
the right side and Lehto handed to Soper, who followed the same
strategy on lap 86. The two BMW cars were ideally placed to take
advantage of any difficulties that affected the leading Panoz, and took
the lead when the Panoz made an unscheduled pit stop. 

Las Vegas saw the first 1-2 finish for the BMW V12 LMR, topping an
extremely successful season. The new car won its first race at the 12
Hours of Sebring in March and won the world famous 24 Hours of Le
Mans in June. This was then followed by ALMS wins at Sears Point,
Laguna Seca and Las Vegas. It is the first time since 1969 that the same
car has won the famous long distance Sebring and Le Mans races in
the same year.

Hans-Joachim Stuck, BMW works driver in the GT class, at the wheel
of a BMW M3 coupe, started fourth in the class and finished fourth
together with Johannes van Overbeek, helping BMW Team PTG to win
the team's championship.

BMW Motorsport Team Manager Charly Lamm: "This was a great
season. Racing with a new sports car in the ALMS meant a big
challenge for us, like being thrown into the deep end of a swimming
pool. I guess that we learned to swim. The BMW V12 LMRs have
proved reliable, with both cars finishing every race since Le Mans. 

JJ Lehto #42: "I can't say how happy I am. I feel we have got the happy
end we deserved - we had a great car, prepared by a strong team." 

Steve Soper #42: "To win you have to be there at the end. Setting up
the car for this circuit with a narrow infield and a fast part of an ovaI
was really hard work. I am very pleased that we were able to be
competitive to the end."

Joachim Winkelhock #43: "By moving up to the banking I had a perfect
start and the Michelin tires were brilliant. Eventually lapping a slower
GT car I picked up some dirt and JJ overtook me."

Bill Auberlen #43: "Joachim did a great job. We could even have won if
we would not have had the bad luck of having pitted just a couple of
minutes before a whole track yellow came out."

Hans-Joachim Stuck #6 (BMW M3, BMW Team PTG): "For me this was
a good end to a very enjoyable season. With our BMW, which was the
car to beat over the last years, we have been able to put the new GT
Porsche under pressure."

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