BMW North America NA announced a multi-year partnership with Daytona International Speedway to continue as title sponsor of the BMW Performance 200, the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season opener. This year’s race will run on Friday, January 23, the day before the start of the Rolex 24.
NA also announced that Victor Leleu, currently a Product Planning Specialist, is the new manager of BMW NA motorsport programs effective January 26. NA says that “Having recently completed the nationwide launch of the all-new BMW M3 and M4, Leleu is a life-long racing enthusiast who will lead a renewed motorsport marketing effort as BMW of North America celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2015.” Leleu replaces Gordon McDonnell, who has moved to a new position with BMW Motorrad.
The announcements were made on the first day of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test session at Daytona. BMW Team RLL is running its two new Z4s at the Roar. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of BMW Motorsport’s first race in North America, this year’s Z4s are numbered 24 and 25, after the 3,0 CSL that won Sebring in 1975 and Daytona in 1976. BMW is also represented in the CTSCC street tuner class at the Roar, with cars from BimmerWorld and Burton Racing.—Brian S. Morgan
