PTG BMW M3 Thursday Serbring Report

PROTOTYPE TECHNOLOGY GROUP BMW M3 NOTES: 1999 SUPERFLO 12 HOURS AT SEBRING FINAL QUALIFYING, MARCH 18

Boris Said drove the #10 Prototype Technology Group BMW M3 during the final qualifying session. His fastest lap time was two minutes, 10.596 seconds at an average speed of 101.99 miles an hour. The qualifying effort maintained the car's second-place on the GT grid.

The #7 BMW M3 did not qualify during the session. The time set by Mark Simo on Wednesday, 2:10.881 (101.77 mph) held for third-fastest GT qualifying time.

PTG TEAM OWNER TOM MILNER:

"In qualifying, we went out with one car, trying to get the pole. We used some softer tires and I think we had the car working better, but we were still two-tenths off. We're going to scratch the faster time and use our slower time, which still leaves us in second place but with a harder tire compound to start the race.

"We had some engine over-heating problems, but I think we've solved those. Things are looking up. We're still making a few more changes to the cars to make sure they're okay. But now we're ready to set them up for the race."

HANS STUCK COMMENTS:

ON HELPING NEW DRIVERS: "It's nice because people come and ask me things. It shows that I'm a wanted person, with the experience not only on the track but off the track, with coming here regularly since 1975. I always like to talk to them, to be helpful to them, especially with our team, of course."

QUALIFYING: "The qualifying was easy for me because we flipped a coin who was doing it, either Boris [Said] or myself. I chose the wrong side of the coin. I'm getting along very good with Boris. He has the same feeling in the butt that I have. I don't have to check what he says. Speedwise, we're doing the same speed. So we're a perfect couple -- on the track, of course!"

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: "I think it's great. I was very much excited about seeing all the new cars compete against each other. The new cars are a new world in terms of speed, but when we talk Saturday after the race and see who won Sebring, I would bet a couple of bucks that not the fastest car, but the most reliable, is going to win.

It shows that the series is of high interest, matching a new world with an old world in terms of marketing. It's going to be very interesting. The Le Mans series for the fans shows what they're thinking -- we have to give the fans interesting racing, not interesting for the teams and manufacturers, but for the fans."