Dunlop helps BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team to ALMS championships

Oct. 6, 2010

BMW Rahal Letterman Racing rode to the season titles on a fourth-place finish by its No. 92 car, completing 354 laps in a race that lasted more than nine hours and 12 minutes. Ironically, it was the only event of the 2010 season that the team did not finish with at least one of its two BMW M3 race cars on the podium.

Still, the finish was enough to score the points needed to stay ahead of Ferrari and Porsche in the GT Manufacturers Championship by a point. Most racing observers considered the GT segment to be the most competitive class in the ALMS during 2010, with teams from BMW, Ferrari, Porsche and Corvette battling it out, and each winning a race this year.

For Bobby Rahal, president of BMW Rahal Letterman Racing, the Dunlop tires played an integral role in the championship achievement.

“Winning the ALMS Manufacturer and Team Championships this year is a great testament to the work ethic and the desire to improve that was shown by everyone involved with Dunlop this year. Every time the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team M3s turned a wheel this year, Dunlop was there gathering data and looking for ways to make us better and it paid off with a championship,” said Rahal.

For the season, the team captured a race win at Road America and was consistently strong in the nine races of the series. The series raced this year at some of the best tracks in North America, including Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Mosport and Laguna Seca.  Dunlop has been BMW Rahal Letterman Racing’s tire provider since the launch of the M3 GT program last year, and the racing tires have been credited for helping the team mature and develop into a consistent performer and winner.

Because most of the ALMS races are lengthy in laps and overall racing time, the teams switch drivers throughout the competition during pit stops. The tires, especially, must be consistent for long runs, and the Dunlops were praised by the team for their continuing improvement.

According to Dunlop brand general manager Jonathan Lee, “Being a part of the championship team at BMW Rahal Letterman Racing is a terrific accomplishment and a solid reflection on the Dunlop brand.”