Bill Auberlen has labeled his record 61st victory in IMSA competition at last weekend’s Michelin GT Challenge at VIR as the best win of his career.
Auberlen and Robby Foley took victory in the GTD category in the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3, which puts the BMW veteran above Scott Pruett as the most successful driver in IMSA in terms of wins.
The 53-year-old equaled Pruett’s 60 victories with a class win at Petit Le Mans in October, and surpassed him by taking win number 61 on Saturday.
“It’s amazing,” Auberlen said. “I said my best career win was Petit Le Mans last year; I think this one has to top it. … It is probably the best win of my career. To do it with Robby, Turner, BMW, everybody, I’m super happy.”
While the BMW M6 GT3 looked strong throughout the race, it wasn’t a clean run to the flag for Auberlen. He came under pressure from Meyer Shank Racing’s Mario Farnbacher early in his stint, but a botched overtake attempt by Farnbacher cleared the way to victory.
“He had a very fast car; that Acura was super quick,” Auberlen explained. “I knew he was going to make an attempt on that lap because he was the closest he had been. “
Luckily, he really shoved it in and overshot it. And I was prepared for it; that’s why I didn’t turn in as he was sailing by.
It gave me a gap to second place and then second, third and fourth had to battle together, and then I could just put my head down and run my laps as hard as I could all the way to the end.”
Auberlen maintained the lead out front as Farnbacher, Paul Miller Racing’s Bryan Sellers and Riley Motorsports’ Lawson Aschenbach battled for the remaining podium spots not farr behind.
“This was the most nerve-racking hour of my life. When I got to about 35 minutes, every little calculated mistake or whatever I was making, I would talk to myself: ‘Don’t blow this!’
“This time it was all in my head, trying not to screw up, get this monkey off my back. Now we can put our head down for the season and try to win this championship.”
