NEWTON, N.H. (March 19, 2024) – Turner Motorsport finished a strong sixth at Saturday’s Twelve Hours of Sebring. After a second-place finish in 2023, the team had high hopes for another podium, but knew it would take a little luck on their side to repeat.
Patrick Gallagher qualified the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 a strong tenth with a best lap of 2:00:59, just a few tenths off from the top five. After technical infractions disallowed others in class, Gallagher rolled off the grid eighth in the 72nd running of the historic event. The BMW M4 GT3 had a strong start and the team executed well on pit lane pitting under a full course caution. Gallagher passed the car off to Jake Walker, the team’s 18-year-old driver brought in for the IMSA Michelin Endurance Challenge races. Walker worked his way up to second place and BMW Works driver Robby Foley completed the first round of stints keeping the iconic blue and yellow -liveried M4 in the top three. The race continued to be plagued by full course cautions but allowed Turner to make moves on pit lane to lead the class back to green at the 4-hour mark. The team kept its position in the top three in the GTD class through the halfway mark until a prolonged caution for the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac landed upside down on the tire wall.
The trio of drivers maintained position in the top five as they cycled through their stints in the second half of the race, including an impressive double stint from Foley to finish the race moving from thirteenth to second after a pit stop under green. The 27-year-old Turner veteran narrowed the gap from the class-leading Mercedes but two final full course cautions and the need to pit for fuel and a final set of tires caused the BMW to fall back to seventh.
“We were looking good until that yellow with about one hour to go. We basically needed a little more fuel on pit lane than the others, so we lost a few spots a result and restarted sixth. We got pushed around a bit back to seventh and made one move to get back to sixth,” said Foley. “It’s so hard to pass there, and everyone is so good at the end. We just needed a little bit better track position to get to the podium, but we’re happy with the weekend overall. The results weren’t very flashy, but we earned very good points and had good execution from the whole team.”
The No. 96 Turner BMW finished the race strong in sixth. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues to Long Beach, Calif. for the Grand Prix of Long Beach April 19-20, 2024. The IMSA Michelin Endurance Challenge will resume in Watkins Glen, N.Y. or the Six Hours of the Glen June 20-23, 2024.
Alan Jay 120 – IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
Francis Selldorff qualified the No. 96 in seveneth while Dillon Machavern started his BMW M4 GT4 in eleventh when the green flag dropped for Friday’s Alan Jay 120. The second IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race of the 2024 season saw a full course yellow early in the stint, during which both Turner cars pitted for tires and fuel. The 10-lap caution left the No. 96 and No. 95 in eight and sixth, respectfully, following the cycle of pit stops. Two green flag laps gave the No. 96 three positions, but progress was interrupted when a second yellow flag flew. With just under an hour to go, Robby Foley took over driving duties in the No. 96 while Machavern handed the wheel over to Robert Megennis while under caution. With 40 minutes to go of the 2-hour race, both cars worked their way back up in the field. Unfortunately, Megennis made contact in the final lap giving the No. 95 a fourteenth place finish, while Foley parked the No. 96 in sixth.
“Overall, it was good to get solid points. In GS, we had a good race and Francis did a great job doing what he could to stay in the top 10,” said Foley. “A good strategy and staying out of trouble was the name of the game. It was good for points toward the championship.”
The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge continues in Monterey, Calif. with the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 May 10-12, 2024.
