[BMWGirlFL]

BMW M Race of Legends part of support programme for 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

BMW M GmbH is staging the BMW M Race of Legends as part of the 50th ADAC TotalEnergies 24h race at the Nürburgring. In collaboration with BMW Group Classic, they have secured a well-known, international starting grid for the race. Multitude of BMW racing legends will go head to head in a 30-minute race on the Grand Prix track just before the 24-hour race gets underway on Saturday 28th May, 2022. The minimum age to compete is 50.

Dirk Adorf (DE), Bill Auberlen (USA), Johnny Cecotto (VEN), Eddie Cheever (USA), Harald Grohs (DE), Olaf Manthey (DE), Jochen Mass (DE), Arturo Merzario (IT), Steve Soper (UK), HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE), Franciscus van Meel (NL) and Eric van de Poele (BEL) will take each other on in identical BMW M2 CS Racing.

Jochen Neerpasch (DE), co-founder of BMW Motorsport GmbH and mentor of the current BMW Junior Team, and BMW Group Classic brand ambassador HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE) will also be supporting the drivers as patrons of the extravaganza.

The 365-hp BMW M2 CS Racing will be sporting an iconic BMW M racing design from the 1970s in honour of BMW M GmbH’s racing history, which will be slightly different to identify each of the drivers.

Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH: “This year we will be celebrating a huge anniversary party on the weekend of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring to mark the 50th anniversary of BMW Motorsport and BMW M GmbH. There will be plenty of BMW M highlights in store for spectators and fans. One special treat will be the BMW M Race of Legends, with a starting grid of racing legends that is rarely seen. We would like to thank ADAC e.V. for giving us this opportunity.”

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...e-nuerburgring


Video starts about 1:10:

[BMWGirlFL]

Bill Auberlen spent this past Memorial Day weekend far from his Lake Havasu, Arizona home at the famed Nurburgring, in the Eiffel Mountains of Germany, doing what he does best, winning races in a BMW. This race was a very special, invitational contest for BMW drivers from the past five decades to celebrate the golden anniversary of BMW M Motorsport. There were 12 identically prepared BMW M2 CS race cars and collectively more BMW racing experience than anywhere else on the planet lined up for a 30-minute race to kick off the 24-Hour race weekend.

In addition to Auberlen, Dirk Adorf (DE), Johnny Cecotto (VEN), Eddie Cheever (USA), Harald Grohs (DE), Olaf Manthey (DE), Jochen Mass (DE), Arturo Merzario (IT), Steve Soper (UK), HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE), Franciscus van Meel (NL) and Eric van de Poele (BEL) made up the grid.

Cheered on by the fans lining the Grand Prix circuit, no mercy was shown as the M Legends executed overtaking maneuvers, drifts, battles, and some accidents before celebrating together on the podium. Victory went to Bill Auberlen, who fought his way through the entire field after starting from last place on the reverse grid, having posted the best time in qualifying. Second and third places went to the BMW DTM legends Johnny Cecotto and Steve Soper. Guest of honor, the former FIA President Jean Todt waved the checkered flag and joined Franciscus van Meel and Jochen Neerpasch, co-founder of BMW M GmbH, to hand over the trophies. Spectators were drawn to the BMW M Race of Legends paddock throughout the weekend and the drivers lost count of the autograph requests.

A delighted Auberlen said, “That was so much fun! I had a superb time on the track with these guys. I knew that Johnny Cecotto would be the toughest nut to crack – and he did shove me into the gravel once. Once I passed him, I simply enjoyed watching his duel with Steve Soper in the rear-view mirror. Overall, a fantastic event from BMW M. Thanks for letting me be part of it!”

What’s Bill doing this weekend? Racing a BMW, of course. Practice starts tomorrow for the IMSA Detroit Grand Prix where Bill and co-driver Robby Foley will be racing for a second consecutive GT Daytona class victory in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3.

https://www.bmwusanews.com/newsrelease.do?id=3978&mid=

[///M TOWN]

Epic… Thanks for posting ‼️

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Epic… Thanks for posting ‼️

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