“No, that’s not a typo!” headlined the discharge saying Turner Motorsport’s 2025 IMSA plans, as probably the most skilled BMW racing group of all time introduced its line-up of not one, not two, however six BMWs that may compete throughout all IMSA championships at Daytona later this month. Final 12 months, Turner set the file for probably the most entries by a BMW racing group, and this 12 months Will Turner and firm start their twenty seventh skilled racing season.
Main the best way is the brand new No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, working for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Championship in 2025.
The No. 96 group will function acquainted names, led by BMW M Motorsport manufacturing facility driver Robby Foley and co-driver Patrick Gallagher, who enter their third season collectively. 18-year-old Jake Walker Jr. returns for the Michelin Endurance Cup occasions, and Jens Klingmann, one other BMW M manufacturing facility driver, will full the group in Turner’s fifteenth Rolex 24 At Daytona begin. Foley and Gallagher completed fourth within the 2023 IMSA GTD standings, and improved to second in 2024, with a race victory at Highway America and three runner-up finishes.
Turner’s iconic blue and yellow livery can be current within the Michelin Pilot Problem paddock because the group additionally provides two new BMW M4 GT4 EVOs, each of which is able to compete for the GS (Grand Sport) title.
After spending two seasons in GS in separate Turner automobiles, Francis Selldorff and Dillon Machavern will group up for the primary time within the No. 95 BMW. Matt Dalton and Patrick Gallagher will break up the season with Vincent “Vin” Barletta and Robby Foley within the No. 96 automotive. And as confirmed this week, Barletta will be part of Dalton and Gallagher for the four-hour BMW M Endurance Problem at Daytona.
“I’m actually trying ahead to being again for my seventh full-time season with Turner Motorsport,” mentioned Foley, Turner’s lead driver. “Now we have quite a lot of momentum coming off a powerful 2024 season, however equally some new challenges.
“Within the No. 96 GTD automotive, we’ve got quite a lot of continuity with Patrick and Jake, and Jens ‘The Maschine’ for Daytona, so it’s enterprise as traditional there. After all, there are quite a lot of new features on the technical facet with the attractive new BMW EVO automotive, but additionally from IMSA,” he provides, in reference to IMSA’s new torque sensors that can be necessary in GTD this 12 months. “This can hold us on our toes, however we’re prepared for the problem. Plus, it’s all the time thrilling to debut new automobiles at Daytona, and I’m excited to see how we stack up!”
Three Turner BMWs will run within the VP Racing SportsCar Problem opener at Daytona, together with two BMW M4 GT3s within the new GTDX (GT Daytona X) class.
GTDX is a brand new class open to GT3 fashions that participated within the earlier 12 months’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (that means that the M4 GT3 EVO shouldn’t be but eligible) and won’t use torque sensors.
After three seasons in Lamborghini Tremendous Trofeo North America, the aforementioned Walker will run full-time within the VP Problem sequence — driving the No. 6 BMW M4 GT3 — as he seems to be to realize extra expertise within the class.
“It’s nice having Jake and Francis proceed to maneuver up of their racing careers with Turner Motorsport. We’ve nearly created a driver improvement program with the best way our drivers have shuffled round and moved up,” mentioned group proprietor and namesake Will Turner. “It began with Robby studying underneath Invoice [Auberlen] and now Robby is mentoring the subsequent wave of expertise. Patrick is teaching Matt as nicely, and as a group proprietor, you couldn’t ask for a greater group of drivers all working to enhance themselves but additionally as a group.”
At Daytona, Walker can be joined by the No. 95 BMW M4 GT3 of Barletta, and the No. 96 BMW M4 GT4 of Dalton.
“As traditional, it’s been a loopy low season to get this fleet of BMWs set for 2025,” Turner mentioned “It’ll be a busy two weeks in Daytona, however I can’t wait to get to the monitor with the BMW M4 EVOs. It’ll take quite a lot of tacos to energy my crew throughout six BMWs however we’re up for the problem.”
