BMW drivers poweredThe Ultim ate Driving Machine® to the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car class Manufacturer’s title behind record BMW entries throughout the 2017 season. Double digit entries of BMW M235i Racing cars competed in every round of the championship with four BMW drivers sharing seven of the 12 round victories contested across North America. With the BMWs so equally prepared and the intramural competition so intense, BMW drivers finished in six of the top-10 positions of the Driver’s Championship. The title was earned by Audi driver Paul Holton.
Greg Liefooghe, of San Francisco, Calif., driving the No. 20 Stephen Cameron Racing M235i Racing, was the top-finishing BMW driver in the class of 2017, finishing runner-up in the Driver’s Championship with four season victories and two second place finishes in the season-ending Rounds 11 and 12 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
“I certainly want to thank Stephen Cameron Racing for a great year,” said Liefooghe. “If it were not for a forgetful weekend at Lime Rock Park where we only scored three points things could have turned out differently. The M235i Racing is a surprising package. On paper you would not think it is as quick as it actually is. The car generates incredible grip, is well-balanced and is quite easy to drive fast. BMW Motorsport delivers a racing car that is well sorted allowing you to really focus on driving.”
The additional drivers celebrating a top-10 finish in the Driver’s Championship are: (P3) Nick Wittmer, No. 91 ST Racing, (P4) Toby Grahovec, No. 1 Classic BMW Motorsports, (P5) Mason Fillippi, No. 12 Winding Road Racing, (P6) Anthony Magagnoli, No. 80 Rooster hall Racing, (P9) Ari Balogh, No. 19 Stephen Cameron Racing.
“Speaking on behalf of everyone at BMW of North America and BMW Motorsport,” Victor Leleu, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “I want to thank every BMW M235i Racing driver in Pirelli World Challenge competition this season for helping BMW to win the Touring Car Manufacturer’s Championship. Congratulations to Greg Liefooghe and Stephen Cameron Racing for finishing second in the Driver’s and Team Championship as well as Nick Wittmer, Toby Grahovec, Mason Fillippi, Anthony Magagnoli and Ari Balogh for each being one of an outstanding group of six BMW drivers in the top-10. BMW of North America is very proud to have grown our customer racing program substantially with, last year, the introduction of the M235i Racing. On a few occasions this season we’ve had more than 20 cars on track and that is quite a testament to the program and our customers. Next year we will begin to write the next chapter of our customer racing program with the all-new M4 GT4 and look forward to even more BMW teams and drivers in both PWC and IMSA competition.”
Returning to PWC competition in 2016, BMW finished second in TC manufacturer points standings to cap an excellent inaugural season for the BMW M235i Racing in North America. Toby Grahovec, of Little Elm, Texas, was crowned TC class driver’s champion following a strong season in the No. 26 Classic BMW Motorsports M235i Racing. Classic BMW Motorsports also scored the TC class Team title.
BMW of North America Customer Racing
BMW of North America’s customer racing program supports privateer BMW drivers across North America with racing cars, engineering, parts and contingency. During 2017, BMW NA supported the M235i Racing and BMW M6 GT3 platforms. For more information, please contact Victor Leleu, BMW NA Motorsport Manager at [email protected].
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 341 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 152 BMW motorcycle retailers, 127 MINI passenger car dealers, and 36 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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