TURNER MOTORSPORT TO BECOME TEAM WITH THE MOST PROFESSIONAL RACES WITH BMW IN THE WORLD

Newton, N.H. (May 7, 2024) – When the green flag waves on Sunday, May 12 for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Turner Motorsport will make its 557th race start to become the team with more BMW race starts than any other team in the world. In honor of the milestone achievement, the LiquiMoly BMW M4 GT3 GTD entry will run the car number 557.

In 1998, Team Owner Will Turner made his first professional race start with a BMW E36 325 in SCCA World Challenge in Topeka, Kansas. The team has exclusively raced BMWs ever since, winning nine championships over its 26-year history. This weekend, Turner will eclipse the previous record of 555 races with a pair of BMW M4 GT4s (No. 95 & No. 96) in Saturday’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race and the No. 557 BMW M4 GT3 in Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race.

“Thinking back to 1998, our first World Challenge race, it seems like so long ago in some ways, but it also seems like just yesterday,” said Turner. “If you had asked me then what my plans were for the future, I never would’ve told you that we’d still be racing BMWs 26 years later!

“I’m very fortunate to have a lot of great people working with me, and for me, over the years. Everybody says that they have an awesome crew, but I truly have had the best and still have the best team I could imagine.”

The team’s storied history includes 15 seasons in GT World Challenge America, 18 seasons in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and 14 seasons in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. While series names have changed over the years, the blue and yellow Turner Motorsport BMW has remained a constant fan-favorite on the grid. The team has raced a variety of BMW models over the years, starting with the E36 moving to the E46, E90, E92, E89, E63, F13, F82 and the present day G82. There are almost too many drivers to name that have had their names over the door of a Turner BMW, but fans often associate the likes of Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley, Joey Hand, Jens Klingmann, Markus Palttala & Boris Said with the Turner team.

“557 races and nine championships later, I still love what I do. The competition over the years has just gotten more and more competitive, it’s harder to win a race now than ever, but there’s something about that challenge that’s going to keep me racing for another 500,” Turner laughs.

“It’s a pretty impressive, great milestone for Will and everyone that has been here for a long time. Will has had a lot of the same people for almost 20 years, so we’re thankful to have a great core group of people around us,” added driver Robby Foley. “To drive the car with 557 on it is a special honor to commemorate that. It’s nice to be a small part of it over the last six years. It’s been my home and I feel very lucky to be a part of this group, and I hope for many more races in the future.”

BMW North America will honor Turner during Sunday’s pre-race fan grid walk and the team will celebrate with tacos, of course.

The weekend kicks off at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Friday, May 10 with practice for both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Turner’s pair of BMW M4 GT4 GS Sport entries will race in the 2-hour WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 on Saturday which can be streamed live on Peacock at 5:00 p.m. E.T. The No. 557 BMW M4 GT3 will race on Sunday with a live broadcast on NBC at 3:00 p.m. E.T.

Team Highlights:

Exclusively racing BMWs since 1998
557 Races with BMW
9 Series Championships
2011 BMW Sport Trophy Driver Champion – Paul Dalla Lana
2014 BMW Sport Trophy Driver Champion – Markus Palttala
2023 BMW Sport Trophy Team Champion

9 Championships:

2003 SPEED World Challenge* Touring Car – Bill Auberlen
2004 SPEED World Challenge* Touring Car – Bill Auberlen
2006 Grand-Am Grand Sport** – Boris Said/Anders Hainer
2006 Grand-Am Cup: Street Tuner** – Will Turner/Don Salama
2007 Grand-Am Koni Challenge: Street Tuner** – Adam Burrows/Trevor Hopwood
2011 Grand-Am Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge: Grand Sport** – Bill Auberlen/Paul Dalla Lana
2014 IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship^: GT Daytona – Dane Cameron/Markus Palttala
2023 IMSA VP Racing Challenge: Grand Sport X – Francis Selldorff
2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: Grand Sport – Robby Foley/Vincent Barletta

* Known today as World Challenge America

** Known today as IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

^ Known today as IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

BMW Models Raced: