The Redline Time Attack series just had its third West Coast region event out at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA and Berk Technology was in attendance yet again looking for another podium finish. Auto Club Speedway uses about half of the NASCAR banked super speedway oval track and pairs it with the twisty flat pavement of the infield road course. This track configuration is unique as exceptional handling is key on the infield, however horsepower and aerodynamics are highly rewarded on the high banks of the NASCAR oval. Berk Technology has come up with an exceptional combination of the two that landed our 135i on the podium for the third straight event in a row!
The first two Redline Time Attack events of the season were at tracks that rewarded light weight and exceptional handling. With the help of sponsors like KW Suspension, Hankook Tire, OS Giken, and Velocity Motorcars we were able to conquer tracks like Buttonwillow and Las Vegas Motor Speedway by getting our car to handle with the best of them taking home a 1st place finish and a track record at Buttonwillow, and a 2nd place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Since the third and fourth events are at tracks that reward horsepower and aerodynamics, we shifted our focus a bit and we called upon sponsors like APR Performance, GIAC, Evolution Racewerks, and AEM Electronics to get us the power and aerodynamics needed to be competitive at these types of tracks as well. After some new aerodynamic goodies from APR Performance and an alignment from Evasive Motorsports, we were ready for battle!
Last time the Berk Technology Time Attack BMW 135i was at Auto Club Speedway was back in November of last year at the 2009 Redline Time Attack Finals. There, we ran our personal best time of 1:54.909 and although we knew that this year the temperatures would be much hotter in May, our first goal was to set a new personal best. We also knew that Jeremy Croiset in the Berk Technology Toyota MR2 set the track record for our class here back in November at a 1:50.692. Despite being almost 30 degrees hotter and windy, Berk Technology driver Mike Bonanni drove our 135i to a 1:51.373, over three seconds faster than we were back in November and less than one second away from the track record!
Bonanni’s 1:51.373 lap landed the Berk Technology 135i in 3rd place overall in the Street Tire class and 2nd place in the Street Tire RWD class, just 0.153 seconds behind 1st place. Mike Bonanni also beat out professional rally and drift star Stephan Verdier in the Evolution Racewerks BMW 135i by just over one second making for some very close and exciting racing!
This event also marked the first time the Berk Technology 135i competed in the famed Super Session 5-lap wheel to wheel sprint race. The race pitted Berk Technology against Dave Lemon in the Mazdatrix RX8 battling for the championship points lead in the Street Tire RWD class. At the drop of the green flag, Bonanni took the lead over Lemon and never looked back putting Berk Technology into the championship points lead!
“Although we missed 1st place by painfully small margin, we are extremely happy with the results we came home with from this last event. We have built a car that is extremely competitive on nearly any type of race track and I feel very good about our chances of winning the championship this season.” – Mike Bonanni, Driver
The next stop on the Redline Time Attack Western Regional Series is at Willow Springs Raceway on 4th of July weekend. Be sure to come out and see the action first hand!
Congrats goes out to both Evolution Racewerks and HP Autowerks for their performances at this round and so far this whole season. The competition between the BMWs is intense and extremely exciting to say the least!
---Berk Technology