Bill Auberlen

Bill Auberlen (born October 12, 1968) is an American factory race car driver known for his affiliation with BMW, driving cars made and run by the famous German marque for a number of years.

Motorsports career and affiliation with BMW

Auberlen was born in Redondo Beach, California, located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. His career started in the 1970s in motocross, with Auberlen moving to IMSA GTU in 1987. He stayed there until 1997, his last year resulting in him winning the championship. During his time in the IMSA Series he had also become the 1996 Peruvian Formula Three champion. Other competitions Auberlen has competed in during his career include the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series (1999-2003), driving a BMW V12 LMR in 1999 and 2000 for Schnitzer Motorsport. During the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in 2000, his BMW did a spectacular back flip[1] over the same hump over which Yannick Dalmas backflipped in a Porsche 911 GT1 in 1998.

Auberlen briefly stepped up to Grand-Am's Daytona Prototype class in 2003, in addition to driving a BMW 325i for Turner Motorsport in World Challenge touring. Auberlen won both the 2003 and 2004 Speed World Challenge Touring Car Championship behind the wheel of a Turner Motorsport BMW 325i. By doing so, Auberlen ended an eight-year Honda / Acura domination of the series. For 2004, Auberlen dedicated himself to the production-based World Challenge GT class for BMW Motorsport's Prototype Technology Group team, earning the series championship for BMW. In 2005, Auberlen continued to drive for BMW PTG in Grand-Am's GT series, while also driving for Panoz Racing in IMSA's American Le Mans Series. In 2006, Auberlen is once again exclusively driving BMW's — an M3 for Sigalsport's Grand-Am GT team, an M3 for Turner's Grand-Am team and an M3 for BMW PTG's ALMS team.

Bill Auberlen has driven BMW cars in more races than any other driver in the world. He has won six professional auto-racing championships, four with BMW power. He has competed in over 500 professional races to date, 339 in BMWs. His results include 91 race victories, 188 podium finishes, 56 pole positions, 83 fastest race laps and 110 records.

Auberlen currently drives a BMW Z4 GTE in the American Le Mans Series GT class for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and a BMW M3 for Turner Motorsport in the Grand-Am GS class.

Personal life

In addition to his racing success, Auberlen has designed and built fast boats and bikes. Using motorsport technology, he developed X Power Drive, a high-performance boating outdrive, engineered a custom 1554-hp Chevrolet engine that powered his open-bow Carrera catamaran to numerous world speed and acceleration records. He also built a custom turbocharged 420 hp motorcycle.

Career highlights

1987-94 IMSA GTU – eight poles (five record), five wins including pole and win in East-West Challenge 1993 (Fuji, Japan) and 1994 (Autopolis, Japan), 16 podiums including second in 12 Hours of Sebring 1987 and 24 Hours of Daytona 1988, three fastest race laps (one record); co-drove with father Gary 1987 to 1989.

1995 IMSA GTS-2 – second, record seven-consecutive record poles, five wins including 12 Hours of Sebring on 10th anniversary of father Gary's Sebring win, eight podiums and seven record fastest race laps in 11 races; Speedvision Cup – two wins, three podiums, two record fastest race laps; Atlantic Championship – second in series debut, record fastest race lap.

1996 Bill joined BMW Team PTG after his very successful privateer effort. He became the 1996 Peruvian Formula Three champion – four wins, five podiums; IMSA GTS-2 – one record pole, three podiums, one fastest race lap; competed in all three classes at the 12 Hours of Sebring; first WSC start, in Rolex 24 At Daytona

In 1997, Bill was the IMSA GTS-3 champion – six poles (three record), five wins including Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, eight podiums, three fastest race laps (two record); three WSC starts; Speedvision Cup – one record pole, two podiums; Atlantic Championship podium.

1998 fourth, 24 Heures du Mans GT1; test driver, BMW V8 race engine development; SPORTS CAR – first BMW prototype victory; SPORTS CAR and USRRC GT2 and GT3 – six record poles, seven wins including Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, two class wins in same race, nine podiums, seven fastest race laps (six record); International Sports Racing Series – two podiums; Won the final IMSA GT Championship race overall at Laguna Seca Raceway

1999 fifth, 24 Heures du Mans Prototype; American Le Mans Series Prototype – three podiums; USRRC GT3 – one record fastest race lap

2000 American Le Mans Series Prototype – two podiums; Grand American Road Racing Association GTU – two wins, two record fastest race laps

2001 American Le Mans Series GT – Petit Le Mans win, one record fastest race lap; Rolex Sports Car Series GT – one overall and GT podium, one record fastest race lap; World Challenge TC – one pole, record 43-place last-to-first victory at Lime Rock Park, one fastest race lap

2002 Rolex Sports Car Series GT co-champion – two poles (one record), five wins, seven podiums, one record fastest race lap; 24 Heures du Mans LMP 900; American Le Mans Series LMP 900 – one podium; Grand-Am Cup GS1 – one podium, one record fastest race lap

2003 World Challenge TC champion – three poles (two record), four wins including three flag-to-flag, record eight podiums, seven fastest race laps (five record), two record race speeds; World Challenge GT – second, four poles (three record), three wins, one flag-to-flag and one last-to-first at Lime Rock Park in heavy rain, four podiums, four fastest race laps (three record), one record race speed; Rolex Sports Car Series DP – one record pole, two podiums, one record fastest race lap; American Le Mans Series LMP 900 – one podium

2003 Grassroots Motorsports Editors' Choice Award.

2004 Rolex Sports Car Series GT champion – five record poles, record eight wins including record six consecutive wins, nine podiums, six fastest race laps (three record), career GT victory record; World Challenge TC champion – three record poles, three wins, five podiums, two record fastest race laps, one record race speed, record career winning percentage; Grand-Am Cup ST – one win; selected as All-American Team member, American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association

2005 24 Heures du Mans GT2 – qualified third; American Le Mans Series GT – one record pole, one win, two podiums; Rolex Sports Car Series GT – three poles (one record), three wins, five podiums, three fastest race laps (two record); Grand-Am Cup GS – five wins, six podiums, one record fastest race lap; World Challenge TC – one pole, two wins, three podiums, two fastest race laps (one record), one record race speed, series record fifth career win at Lime Rock Park

2006 American Le Mans Series GT2 – three podiums; Rolex Sports Car Series – one DP podium, one GT record fastest race lap; Grand-Am Cup GS – third, two wins, five podiums, two fastest race laps (one record); World Challenge TC – one record pole, one win, one record fastest race lap

2007 American Le Mans Series GT2 – one podium; Rolex Sports Car Series DP – one win; KONI Challenge Series GS – three wins, five podiums, two fastest race laps (one record)

2008 Rolex Sports Car Series DP – two podiums; KONI Sports Car Challenge GS – one pole, one win, four podiums, four fastest race laps

2009 American Le Mans Series GT2 - one win, two podiums; KONI Sports Car Challenge GS – one win, four podiums, one fastest race lap

2010 American Le Mans Series GT – team champion, third in driver points, six podiums including 12 Hours of Sebring; Rolex Sports Car Series GT – one win, two podiums, two fastest race laps(one record); Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS – one fastest race lap

2011 American Le Mans Series GT – five podiums, including second, 12 Hours of Sebring; 24H Dubai – fifth, third-fastest race lap; Rolex Sports Car Series GT – two wins, four podiums, one fastest race lap; Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS – one win, five podiums, two fastest race laps (one record)

2012 American Le Mans Series GT – one record pole, one win, four podiums, one record fastest race lap; Rolex Sports Car Series GT – two wins, four podiums, two fastest race laps (one record)

Racing record

24 Hours of Daytona results

Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1987 United States SP Racing United States Karl Durkheimer
United States Dieter Oest
United States Gary Auberlen
Porsche 911 Carrera GTU 87 64th
DNF
11th
DNF
1988 United States SP Racing United States Gary Auberlen
United States Adrian Gang
United States Cary Eisenlohr
Porsche 911 Carrera GTU 586 17th 2nd
1989 United States SP Racing United States Gary Auberlen
United States Cary Eisenlohr
United States Monte Shelton
Porsche 911 Carrera GTU 351 34th
DNF
7th
DNF
1990 United States SP Racing United States Nort Northam
United States Cary Eisenlohr
United States Gary Auberlen
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GTU - DNS DNS
1993 United States Charles Wagner United States Mike Graham
United States Dave Russell
Mazda MX-6 GTU 430 34th 7th
1994 United States Bill Auberlen United States Les Lindley
United States Ron Finger
United States Mike Sheehan
Mazda RX-7 GTU 462 26th 12th
1995 United States Daytona Racing Germany Wolfgang Land
Germany Arnold Mattschull
Germany Alexander Mattschull
United States Ron Finger
Porsche 993 Carrera RSR GTS-2 587 18th
DNF
8th
DNF
1996 United States Support Net Racing United States Henry Camferdam
United States Roger Mandeville
United States Tony Kester
Hawk C-8-Chevrolet WSC 466 30th
DNF
7th
DNF
1997 United States Prototype Technology Group Costa Rica Javier Quiros
United States Derek Hill
United States Boris Said
United States Tom Hessert
BMW M3 GTS-3 640 9th 1st
1998 United States Prototype Technology Group Belgium Marc Duez
United States Boris Said
United States Peter Cunningham
BMW M3 GT3 657 6th 1st
1999 United States Prototype Technology Group United States Brian Cunningham
United States Johannes van Overbeek
Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
BMW M3 GT3 238 62nd
DNF
25th
DNF
2000 United States Genesis Racing United States Rick Fairbanks
United States Nick Ham
United States Chris Gleason
BMW M3 GTU 312 47th
DNF
26th
DNF
2001 United States Genesis Racing United States Chris Gleason
United States Rick Fairbanks
United States Chris Miller
BMW M3 E46 GT 627 9th 6th
2002 United States Scuderia Ferrari of Washington United States Cort Wagner
Italy Constantino Bertuzzi
United States Derrike Cope
Ferrari 360 Modena N-GT GT 572 25th 14th
2004 United States Prototype Technology Group Sweden Niclas Jönsson
United States Joey Hand
United States Boris Said
United States Justin Marks
BMW M3 E46 GT 267 45th
DNF
17th
DNF
162 49th
DNF
20th
DNF
2005 United States Prototype Technology Group United States Joey Hand
United Kingdom Ian James
United States Chris Gleason
BMW M3 E46 GT 199 57th
DNF
30th
DNF
2006 United States Sigalsport BMW Spain Matthew Alhadeff
United States Tommy Milner
United States Justin Marks
United States Gene Sigal
BMW M3 E46 GT 592 31st 16th
2007 United States Luggage Express Team Sigalsport BMW Spain Matthew Alhadeff
United States Gene Sigal
Austria Karl Wendlinger
Riley Mk. XI-BMW DP 367 52nd
DNF
25th
DNF
2008 United States Alex Job Racing United States Joey Hand
United States Patrick Long
United Kingdom Andy Wallace
Crawford DP08-Porsche DP 569 36th
DNF
15th
DNF
2010 United States Turner Motorsport Canada Paul Dalla Lana
United States Joey Hand
United States Boris Said
BMW M6 GT 675 15th 8th
2011 United States Turner Motorsport United States Boris Said
Canada Paul Dalla Lana
United States Matt Plumb
BMW M6 GT 565 32nd 17th
2012 United States Turner Motorsport United States Michael Marsal
Germany Dirk Werner
Canada Paul Dalla Lana
Germany Dirk Müller
BMW M3 GT 691 27th 16th
Canada Paul Dalla Lana
Germany Dirk Müller
United States Boris Said
United States Billy Johnson
86 56th
DNF
43rd
DNF
2013 United States Turner Motorsport United States Billy Johnson
Canada Paul Dalla Lana
United States Boris Said
Belgium Maxime Martin
BMW M3 GT 631 28th 18th
Belgium Maxime Martin
United States Michael Marsal
United Kingdom Andy Priaulx
United States Gunter Schaldach
- DNS DNS
2014 United States BMW Team RLL United States Joey Hand
United Kingdom Andy Priaulx
Belgium Maxime Martin
BMW Z4 GTE GTLM 679 7th 2nd
2015 United States BMW Team RLL Germany Dirk Werner
Brazil Augusto Farfus
Canada Bruno Spengler
BMW Z4 GTE GTLM 725 5th 2nd
2016 United States BMW Team RLL Germany Dirk Werner
Brazil Augusto Farfus
Canada Bruno Spengler
BMW M6 GTLM GTLM 721 11th 5th

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1998 United Kingdom Gulf Team Davidoff
United Kingdom EMKA Racing
United Kingdom Steve O'Rourke
United Kingdom Tim Sugden
McLaren F1 GTR GT1 343 4th 4th
1999 United Kingdom Price+Bscher Germany Thomas Bscher
United Kingdom Steve Soper
BMW V12 LM LMP 345 5th 4th
2002 United States Panoz Motor Sports United States David Donohue
United States Gunnar Jeannette
Panoz LMP01 Evo-Élan LMP900 230 DNF DNF
2005 United States Panoz Motor Sports United Kingdom Robin Liddell
Canada Scott Maxwell
Panoz Esperante GT-LM GT2 27 DNF DNF
2013 United Kingdom Aston Martin Racing Canada Paul Dalla Lana
Portugal Pedro Lamy
Aston Martin Vantage GTE GTE
Pro
221 DNF DNF

External links

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