DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Turner Motorsport will commemorate its milestone 400th race with manufacturer BMW later this month in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, featuring a driver lineup headed by IMSA’s all-time race winner Bill Auberlen.
Teaming behind the wheel with Auberlen, who has amassed 62 career IMSA wins, in the No. 96 BMW M6 GT3 will be Robby Foley, Aidan Read and Colton Herta. The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will be the third to see Auberlen and Foley partnered for the full season in the GT Daytona (GTD) class, where they’ve collected four wins including the 2019 Motul Petit Le Mans.
Read will join them for the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup rounds. The 21-year-old American-born Australian drove a BMW M6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters Championship and also boasts experience in both Le Mans Prototype 2 and 3 machines.
Herta rounds out the lineup for the Rolex 24. The 20-year-old IndyCar sensation and son of IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge team owner Bryan Herta was part of the BMW Team RLL driver stable that won the 2019 Rolex 24 GT Le Mans (GTLM) class in a BMW M8 GTE.
“Our lineup for 2021 is stellar,” said Will Turner, Turner Motorsport team principal. “Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley have become quite the dynamic duo over the past few seasons, and I could not be happier to have them return for another season. We welcome Aidan Read to the team for the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds and look forward to seeing what he can add to our effort. For the Rolex 24, BMW NA facilitated Colton Herta signing on, and his addition cannot be underestimated.”
Auberlen is eager to get 2021 started after missing the 2020 finale, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts, when he came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. The 52-year-old Californian has a pair of Rolex 24 class wins, but they were in 1997 and ’98, so he’s itching to earn a third Rolex watch.
“I have been very lucky over the years to share my races at Daytona with some exceptionally good co-drivers,” Auberlen said. “This year the lineup will be as good as it has ever been and promises a very good weekend. In fact, all the Turner Motorsport engineers and crew are returning in 2021, so we are starting from a particularly good foundation.”
Turner Motorsport also announced its two-car Grand Sport (GS) class lineup for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2021. Auberlen and Dillon Machavern will share the No. 95 BMW M4 GT4. Foley and Vin Barletta will co-drive the No. 96 BMW M4 GT4.
“I’m really excited to be back with Turner Motorsport in GTD and GS in 2021,” said Foley, 24. “We had a great 2020 season with five wins across both classes, so we’re looking to build on that momentum and fight for some championships.
“In GTD, it’s great to be back with Bill full-time. We’ve built a great working relationship and to be paired with such a legend is a fun experience. … In GS, I’m excited to continue working with Vin. His improvement over the last few years has been amazing to see. We had two podiums and got our first win together last year, so again something to build on in 2021.”