IMSA – BMW Duo Chasing Pruett’s Career Wins Record
Auberlen, Luhr Sit Second, Third On Combined North American Sports Car Victories List. Scott Pruett solidified his position atop the all-time victory list in major North American sports car competition, winning three races in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in 2014.
That brought his career total to 59 victories, including 15 in the former IMSA GT/GTP series and 41 in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
Next on the list are two drivers who will be united in 2015 driving for BMW Team RLL, Bill Auberlen and Lucas Luhr. Auberlen has 53 career victories, spread out over IMSA GT (19), USRRC (2), the GRAND-AM Rolex Series (27) and American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (5).
All but two of Luhr’s 51 victories were in the ALMS, where he recorded a series-high 49 wins.
Next on the list are Al Holbert and Butch Leitzinger, with 49 victories, followed by Johnny O’Connell with 48. Porsche factory driver Joerg Bergmeister’s triumph in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida last March tied him with Olivier Beretta with 44 victories.
Current Corvette Racing driver Oliver Gavin is ninth with 42, while teammate Jan Magnussen’s four 2014 victories tied him with Peter Gregg for 10th with 41 each.
“It’s good for me to be so close to Pruett, because I’m only half his age,” Luhr joked. “I’ve got a long time to go to reach the same number of victories. It’s nice to have a statistic like this, but to be honest, what’s happened in the past doesn’t count for tomorrow. It’s good to be in different cars than Billy, so I can get by him next season.”
Auberlen is one of the drivers who pays attention to the statistics.
“One of my objectives is to try to catapult my way – with BMW – to P-1,” Auberlen said. “That would be a career achievement. I’m right near the top in poles and wins. With our program – and how hard the guys are working – I can see myself clawing my way up there. BMW builds such a competitive car that anything is possible. Being so close to Lucas, and being in different cars, it’s going to be a competitive year, even more so.
“Why don’t you add the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge to the list?” Auberlen added. “I’ve got quite a few wins on that side, also.”
Auberlen’s 17 victories in combined Street Stock competition would make him first on a combined list with 70 triumphs, followed by Pruett with 59 and Terry Borcheller with 52
Fonte: http://www.imsa.com
