DEPARTURE TO THE NEW WORLD.
Up until the mid-1970s, many people in North America thought BMW stood for “British Motor Works.” Determined to change that perception, a BMW Motorsport team, whose technical expertise was only matched by their resourceful spirit, headed to the United States in the spring of 1975, two powerful BMW 3.0 CSL in tow. Despite the challenges of racing in a foreign country under the unfamiliar rules of the IMSA GT series, the team clinched victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in only their second race on American soil. The win marked a breakthrough moment, propelling the BMW name into the national spotlight overnight. Now, 50 years later, we return to Sebring International Raceway to catch up with Jochen Neerpasch – then Team Principal and former Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW M – and legendary driver Brian Redman, as they recount the race that marked a turning point in BMW’s North American history.
50 YEARS AFTER: RETURN TO SEBRING.
REAL PIONEERS.
REAL PIONEERS.
The biggest challenge facing the team, says Jochen Neerpasch, was the fact that they were stepping into largely uncharted territory. At the time, BMW of North America was only just beginning operations, which meant there were no established local structures the racing team from Bavaria could rely on for support. Still, BMW Motorsport – setting foot in the U.S. for the very first time – was expected to hit the ground running and start delivering race wins almost immediately. And not just in any series, but in the fiercely competitive IMSA GT championship, known for its tough tracks and a mix of sprint and endurance races.
As Jochen Neerpasch recalls, “The challenge was: we had little to no understanding of the American racing scene, which left us underprepared for the season ahead. All we knew was our ability to go head-to-head with the Porsche 911, just as we had successfully done in Europe.
It was a real challenge as BMW of North America didn’t even exist at the time. So, support was minimal. We had to share the same apartment with our eleven mechanics and one engineer. Sometimes, even the racecar drivers had to get behind the wheel of the trucks or motorhomes, because there weren’t enough hands to go around. It was an adventure. Also, we never quite knew what to expect at the next race because we didn’t know the tracks. It was a fantastic time.”
BAVARIAN FRONTIERSMEN.
BAVARIAN FRONTIERSMEN.
Jochen Neerpasch and his hand-picked team of technicians and mechanics arrived in the U.S. with two BMW 3.0 CSL in their cargo. This race-spec model – based on the production vehicle of the same name – held particular significance. It was BMW’s first ever homologated racing car, and it had already made an impact by winning the European Touring Car Championship right out of the gate. For this reason, expectations were high for its debut on American soil.
Also, a group of German motorsport journalists was invited to join the journey to ensure strong media coverage in Germany. Their involvement also had a logistical benefit – due to the complex customs and import regulations at the time, each journalist was able to use their personal baggage allowance to transport spare parts needed for the cars.
This kind of improvisational spirit, as well as the fact that they were the first Bavarians of the modern era to set out to conquer the Wild West, quickly earned the team their nickname ‘Cowboys’.
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES.
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES.
BMW Motorsport had chosen anything but an easy starting field for the 1975 IMSA GT series. Porsche was dominating the grid with its winning 911, while American heavyweight Chevrolet rolled out a thunderous Corvette – bigger, louder, and packing more power than BMW Motorsport’s two 3.0 CSL.
To stay competitive in the high-stakes field the IMSA GT and the competitors’ line-up was, the two 3.0 CSLs needed more power. Much more power. Neerpasch and his team therefore further developed the European touring car champion BMW 3.0 CSL into a Group 4 vehicle and increased the power output to an impressive 316 kW (430 hp).
As for the drivers’ paddock, Neerpasch assembled a lineup of top-tier drivers, bringing together some of the most renowned talents of the era. Taking the helm of the #24 and #25 BMW race cars were: German touring car champion Hans-Joachim Stuck, American endurance driver Sam Posey, British veteran Brian Redman and Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson, also known as the ‘Super Swede’. The exceptional quartet entered BMW in the IMSA GT at the 24 Hours of Daytona. In the following race at Sebring, the Australian driver Allan Moffat stepped in to take the wheel from his colleague Peterson.
Our first race took place in Daytona, a demanding 24-hour race. We delivered during training and qualifying, and if memory serves me right, we were holding a top-three position in the race until midnight. Unfortunately, both cars had to retire due to water contamination in the fuel, which caused engine issues. Despite this setback, we left with a sense of satisfaction, having proved our competitiveness on the track.
Previous Team Principal of BMW Motorsport and Head of Management, BMW M.
SET-BACK AT KICK-OFF.
At the inaugural race in February 1975, the 24 Hours of Daytona, the newcomer ‘Cowboys’ team demonstrated that the BMW 3.0 CSL was indeed a damn fast racing car and that their drivers were serious contenders. And with the right fuel in the tank, the team reckoned they had a real chance in the next race, the 12 Hours of Sebring. However, they were keenly aware of the obstacles. The American racetracks were most challenging, requiring maximum performance from both drivers and their machines, particularly during that era.
I always thought that Sebring although it was only 12 hours, as opposed to Daytona 24 and Le Mans 24, was more difficult to race.
Rennfahrer
Resumes Jochen Neerpasch: "We knew that Peter Gregg's Porsche was our strongest competitor. And the fastest car we had was Hans Stuck's. Our strategy was for Hans Stuck to drive directly against Peter Gregg while we entrusted Brian Redman with the role of steering our course toward a safe and steady finish. And that’s what he did."
Chimes in Brian Redman, “Jochen, do you remember the driver meeting before the race? You said: ‘Hans, I wish you to go out and break the Porsches.’”
HISTORY LESSON WITH A FAULTY ALTERNATOR.
Hans-Joachim Stuck and Sam Posey in the #24 car relentlessly pushed the leading Porsche to its limits – with the result that both cars retired before the end of the race due to engine damage. Meanwhile, the #25 3.0 CSL, driven by Brian Redman and Allan Moffat just under the limit, navigated the night despite a faulty alternator, managing to stay in the competition.
In the early hours of 30 March 1975, BMW M Motorsport made racing history when Brian Redman crossed the finish line as the winner in the #25 BMW 3.0 CSL at Sebring.
The CSL was really fantastic at the time. At Daytona in 1976, on only five cylinders it was faster than the fastest RSR Porsche. Using 9,000 rpm on five cylinders. Amazing.
Rennfahrer
THE UNSTOPPABLES.
THE UNSTOPPABLES.
In one fell swoop, BMW Motorsport and the BMW brand became household names across the USA. And the ‘cowboys’ were just getting started.
As the season unfolded, more victories came their way, starting with a triumph at Laguna Seca, followed by a one-two finish at Riverside, a feat they repeated at the Daytona re-match. The success continued at Talladega, where Stuck not only won but also shattered the lap record.
By the conclusion of the challenging 1975 IMSA GT season, the Bavarian Motor Works team had secured five overall victories, six second-place finishes, and two third-place results across 13 races with their race car version of the BMW 3.0 CSL. They also shattered no fewer than six new lap records in the IMSA series. To top it off, 1975 saw BMW break new ground in the United States by setting a fresh sales record, a milestone that was surpassed in subsequent years with consistently higher figures.
And nobody ever spoke of ‘British Motor Works’ again.
