BMW takes Pole and 2nd place in GS class

 
BimmerWorld Takes Victory and a Podium in First Round
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series at Daytona
 
 

 

What a race for BMW at Daytona International Speedway! The BimmerWorld Racing team from Dublin, Va., had a near perfect weekend, collecting the pole and victory in the Street Tuner (ST) class of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (ICTSC) series on Friday, as well as second place in the Grand Sport (GS) class.
The BMW Endurance Challenge race, a part of the 56th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona race, was a four-hour enduro with its fair share of cautions.
Polesitter Devin Jones of Mooresville, N.C. and teammate Nick Galante of Greenfield, Mass., dominated the race in the ST class in their No. 81 BMW 328i (F30 chassis), never putting a wheel wrong and it paid off in a proud victory for the duo. It was also the first victory for the F30 328i in the ST class, after multiple podiums. Devin, who collected his first IMSA Continental Tire victory today, drove the first 85 laps before changing to teammate Galante.
BimmerWorld team owner James Clay of Blacksburg, Va., and Tyler Cooke of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. started from the 18th position in the GS class in their international GT4-spec No. 82 OPTIMA Batteries BMW M4 GT4. Qualifying and starting driver Clay charged into the Top 10 and even led one lap (lap 17) in a convincing run to the podium in the inaugural Continental Tire race. Clay drove for the first 67 of 106 laps, before Cooke came in fresh and continued the gallant charge for their first podium of the season.