BMW Media Site Strong together. Team & drivers. Contact: Thomas  Plucinsky thomas.plucinsky@bmwna.com   Matthew  Russell (201) 307-3783 (office) Matthew.Russell@bmwna.com   Bill  Cobb billcobbcommunications@yahoo.com     Strong together. Team & drivers. BMW Motorsport and Bobby Rahal have one big thing in common: both have been synonymous with success in motor racing for decades. When, prior to the 2009 season, the opportunity arose to embark on an adventure in the American Le Mans Series together, neither side needed long to chew it over.Rahal is an icon on the American motorsport scene, and has also enjoyed international fame and fortune over the course of his career. In 1992 he became the only person in motorsport to win the ChampCar World Series as a driver in his own team. He had previously won the title in the renowned single-seater series in North America on two occasions – but just in the cockpit, not as the owner of the team. His career as a racing driver also includes victories at the legendary Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona (US) and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2004 he proved he could also be successful as a team owner when his driver Buddy Rice (US) won the Indy 500. Rahal is one of just three people ever to have triumphed in Indianapolis as a driver and team owner.However, Rahal does not lead BMW Team RLL on his own. The RLL in the team name stands for the three owners: Rahal, TV presenter David Letterman (US), who has been involved with the team since 1996, and businessman Mike Lanigan (US). The team is based in Hilliard, Ohio (US). The operation is run from there in close cooperation with BMW of North America and BMW Motorsport.The debut season in 2009 was immediately full of promise. As well as numerous podiums, the driving pairs of Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, and Tommy Milner (US) and Dirk Müller finished first and second at Road America (US) in the BMW M3 GT2. A change in the pairings, which saw Hand and Müller partnered together and Auberlen and Milner share the other cockpit, promptly brought about the breakthrough success in 2010: BMW Team RLL won both the team and manufacturer competitions to present BMW with its first title in the ALMS since 2001.Remarkably, the team managed to trump its 2010 performance in the 2011 season. Hand and Müller lined up in one BMW M3 GT, while Auberlen alternated with Dirk Werner (DE) at the wheel of the second car. A one-two at the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring was the perfect start, and a sign of things to come. Hand and Müller also won the following two rounds at Long Beach (US) and Lime Rock Park (US). Second place at Laguna Seca (US) was enough to clinch the driver and team titles in the GT class with races to spare. Third place for Werner and Auberlen at the “Petit Le Mans” also secured the manufacturer title at the season finale.BMW Team RLL – Facts & Figures.Founded:  1992Website:  www.rahal.comTeam owners:  David Letterman, Mike Lanigan, Bobby RahalHeadquarters: Hilliard, Ohio (US)Milestones.2007 3rd place GT class ALMS Team classification2009 3rd place GT class ALMS Team and Manufacturer classifications1st place GT class Asian Le Mans Series Okayama2010 1st place GT class ALMS Team and Manufacturer classifications2011 1st place GT class ALMS Driver, Team and Manufacturer classifications2012 2nd place GT class ALMS Team classification, 3rd place Manufacturers classification