Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley in the #95 Turner Motorsport M4 GT4 finished fifth in the weather-shortened Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Sebring on Friday, July 17. It was the series’ first race since the season opener at Daytona in January.
The race was red flagged after twelve minutes of racing because of lightning in the area. The race went back to green, but it ended under yellow behind the pace car because of the threat of more lightning in the area. The threat of lightning strikes brought the flaggers in from the corners.
Robby Foley was second to Tyler McQuarrie in the #39 Carbahn Audi R8 GT4 when the red flag came out. When racing resumed the car fell back. Bill Auberlen got in and managed to place the car in the top five by the end. Nick Galante and Dillon Machevern in the #80 BimmerWorld Racing to End Alzheimer’s M4 GT4 finished seventh, while James Clay and Devin Jones in the second BimmerWorld car finished tenth. Clay reported on Facebook that the #80 car had experienced cooling issues and the #82 car had fuel system difficulties that led to stumbling at random throughout the race.
The overall win went to McQuarrie and his co-driver Jeff Westphal in the #39 Audi.
The series runs again at Road America on July 31–August 2.—Brian Morgan
[Photos courtesy BMW of North America.]