BMW CAR CLUB (GB)
SOUTH EAST REGION
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Our Trip to the BMW Car Club of America Oktoberfest in 2000
Part Three: Road Atlanta - Petit Le Mans race.
Well the race did not go the way one wished. The season’s car to beat was the Audi’s, and they won the race.The BMW V12 LMR, driven at the time by Bill Auberlen, decided to take to the air, it did a 360 back flip. As Bill was around for the rest of the Oktoberfest week, the crash did not seem to harm him! Speaking at one of the dinners he said he knew something was wrong, because as he climbed the hill his visor came up on his helmet, and then the car took off.
Also the PTG team hit mechanical problems. Watching the race, it was a rare occasion that a BMW Art Car raced. The car being Jenny Holzer’s signature statement car. “Protect me from what I want” . The ever-popular BMW Driver Hans Stuck drove one of the PTG M3’s, and also took part in the New Beetle Cup 2000 race, and WON.
The Le Mans race was a 10 hr race. As the start time was 12.30pm it was going to be a long day. After the start it was time to look around he BMW parking area, as you can see from the photos there was plenty to see, even a Z8. Some of the number plates were cool.
The race progressed and with the large TV screens opposite our viewing point we were keep well informed. Event in the BMW NA marquee we had two large TV screens to watch. As night fell we took a walk around the track to watch the cars enter the corners at full braking, the red-hot brake discs made a great sight As the race went more cars dropped out. Paul Newman was given a little help from behind when he was punted off in the Well at around 1.30pm after the race had finished it was time to head for the Hotel, we would be back at the track tomorrow for the BMWCCA race.
BMWCCA - USA
Oktoberfest 2000
We have had a week of travelling around the southern states, it was now time to meet up with club members David and Paddy Paisley, as they had spent some days in New York before joining us at the Jameson Inn, Oakwood near the Road Atlanta raceway. Their journey from Atlanta airport was held up due to a crash on the Interstate.
Saturday morning of the race we all travel to the racetrack, which was 5miles from our Hotel. The race was to start 12o/c but we had BMW NA hospitably tickets. And the morning breakfast was to be served at 10am. We found the BMWCCA viewing area, which was at the top of the hill on esses by turn 5. As BMW fans we had two teams to root for in the American Petit Lemans race. AC Schnitzer team ran two BMW V12LMR and also the BMW Team PTG would run two BMW E46 M3’s.