Packing the Podium
Sep 8, 2021
SRO GT4 America Sprint X
Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
August 28, 2021
In a triumphant return to racing after a months-long break in the action, the BimmerWorld/Racing to End Alzheimer’s team turned the first race of the Road America weekend into a seminar on blistering speed and sizzling teamwork.
Gutsy from the get-go
The pent-up energy of the long hiatus was on full display as an adrenaline-fueled combination of camaraderie and competition brought out the best in all three participating BimmerWorld teams.
Driver James Clay in the #36 BimmerWorld/Racing to End Alzheimer’s M4 GT4 set the tone from moment one of the race, rocketing from his starting position at #7 on the grid to the second spot in a turbocharged field of competitors. Meanwhile, BimmerWorld’s two other entries in the race were also operating at the top of their games, with driver Jon Miller in the #94 and James Walker Jr. in the #34 aggressively jockeying for position at the front of the pack and dueling for dominance on the iconic Road America track.
No let-up in the action
At the halfway point, James Clay pulled into the pits for a mandatory pit stop and driver change. After a lightning transition, driver Nick Galante blasted back onto the track still in second place. But the hungry drivers behind him had no intention of making this one easy.
BimmerWorld teammate Bill Auberlin, now behind the wheel of the #34, was on a charge and closing in fast. He caught Galante and made the pass just as the first-place #11 Classic BMW driven by Toby Grahovec suffered a race-ending gearbox failure. That left team BimmerWorld sitting pretty in 1st and 2nd – but only for a few glorious moments.
A high-speed, high-stakes finish
Focused on keeping up the blistering pace set by his teammate Auberlin in the lead car, Galante found himself being chased down by a string of cars eager for his hide. While the distinctive purple Racing to End Alzheimer’s #36 BMW was fending off a fierce attack by the #47 Porsche driven by Jason Hart, the #52 BMW of John Capestro-Dubets slipped by and stole the 2nd spot.
The ensuing battle to hold on to a top three position – and a place on the podium – never let up. When the dust finally settled, BimmerWorld teammates Bill Auberlin and James Walker JR had won the day, while Nick Galante and James Clay proudly claimed the hotly-contested third spot on the podium. A remarkable day – and a thrill-filled return to the track – for the entire BimmerWorld team.