Formula BMW USA - Denver - Round 12 - Race

GRAND PRIX OF DENVER - ROUND 12 - RACE
Stevens wins Round 12

Denver, Colo. - August 13, 2006... Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsports Team USA) took
the Round 12 Formula BMW USA victory today at the Grand Prix of Denver. He
finished .517 seconds ahead of Ryan Phinny (Hearn Motorsports) in the 23-lap
race around the 1.657-mile temporary street course. The win was Stevens' third
of the year and moved the 21-year old Californian up one position to third in
the overall points. Phinny, making the most of his first front row start,
delivered his very first runner-up finish and set a new race record (1:14.854)
on lap 22. Point leader Robert Wickens (EuroInternational) finished third,
moving back to an 18 point margin over Matt Lee in second. Lee, the Round 11
winner yesterday and polesitter today, finished ninth.

Daniel Morad (AIM Autosport) was again the highest finishing Rookie driver in
the field, moving up one spot from his Round 11 finish to fourth today. Race
Johnson (HBR Motorsport Team USA) finished fifth, but was penalized by IMSA 20
seconds for unjustifiable risk that moved him back to the 11th finishing
position. Following this decision Sebastian Saavedra (Gelles Racing) moved up
to round out the top-five.
Maxime Pelletier (Gelles Racing) also received a 20 second penalty from IMSA
for blocking and was moved from his 10th finishing position to 16th.

Simona de Silvestro (EuroInternational), moved to the rear of the 24-car field
following post-qualifying technical inspection, kept her championship hopes
alive by finishing sixth. Her fine drive, passing 17 competitors, meant she
only lost one place in overall points to fourth, ten points from Stevens in
third.

The race began with Lee - from the pole -, Wickens - from third - and Stevens -
from fifth - getting good starts. With Phinny in fourth, the top-four began to
pull a gap on the rest of the field in the opening laps. On lap 5 Lee made
slight contact with the wall and he slowed allowing Wickens, Stevens and Phinny
to pass by. On lap 7 Stevens passed Wickens for the lead. Further back in the
field De Silvestro moved into the top-10. On lap 15 Phinny took the second spot
from Wickens and began to chase Stevens. Holding off Phinny, Stevens took his
fourth career Formula BMW USA win while Wickens finished third, 11 seconds
ahead of Morad in fourth.

After Morad, the top-five finishing Rookie drivers were Sebastian Saavedra
(P5), David Garza (P8), Maxime Pelletier (P16) and Robert Thorne (P17).

Wickens' third place finish secures him the lead in the Overall championship.
Lee, scoring only two points in today's race, stands second - 18 points behind
Wickens. Stevens' win moves him up to third in the points followed by De
Silvestro. Stefano Coletti (EuroInternational), who returned to the Formula BMW
Germany championship, rounds out the top-five.

With another best-Rookie finish today Morad moves up to the top of the Rookie
points, four points ahead of David Garza (EuroInternational). Saavedra stands
third, only one point behind Garza. Pelletier and Robert Thorne (Team
Autotecnica) stand fourth and fifth respectively.

"My team stayed up late and completely changed the setup," said a happy
Stevens. "They didn't tell me about it, but in this morning's practice session
it worked out very well so that we decided to stick with it for the race. In
the opening laps I realized my car was extremely fast and had a bit of luck
with Matt falling out. Phinny came on very strong in the closing stages in the
race, but I pushed 100 percent. I am very happy to come home first. If we
continue this form at Mosport we can finish second place in the Championship."

Phinny said, "I had a great weekend and hope to be able to continue like this.
Trying to keep up with the top guys is definitely tough. My first podium finish
feels great and is definitely where I wanted to be all year. Unfortunately, it
took quite long to get there. My car was the best it has been all year after we
discovered some stuff Friday night and fixed it. Hopefully we can get the car
as good for the next races."

Wickens said, "We missed the set-up for today a little bit. We thought the
track was going to change a little bit more, but it didn't. For Mosport,
EuroInternational will give me a high-speed track setup so I think we are going
to my hometown race with a good advantage and gain maybe two wins. Finishing
third today feels great because with my clutch breaking on the start yesterday
I was very disappointed. It was hard because I only had an eight points lead in
the championship. Now I have an 18 points lead and got back where I was at the
start of the weekend. With two poles and a win at Mosport I think I will have
the championship clinched."

The winner of the 2006 Formula BMW USA championship will be decided in the two
final Rounds at Mosport International Raceway in Canada on September 1-3 in
support of the ALMS.

Championship points after 13 of 14 races:
1. Robert Wickens (Team Apex Racing USA, 134), 2. Matt Lee (Team Autotecnica,
116), 3. Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 107), 4. Simona de Silvestro
(EuroInternational, 97), 5. Stefano Coletti (EuroInternational, 77), 6. Daniel
Morad (AIM Autosport, 67), 7. John Zartarian (Gelles Racing, 60), 8. David
Garza (EuroInternational, 44), 9. Ryan Phinny (Hearn Motorsports, 42), 10.
Sebastian Saavedra (Gelles Racing, 39), 11. Race Johnson (HBR Motorsport Team
USA, 38), 12. Tom Sutherland (Jensen Motorsport, 23), 12. Tobias Hegewald
(Atlantic Racing Team, 23), 14. Doug Boyer (AIM Autosport, 21), 15. Adrien
Herberts (Gelles Racing, 19), 15. Maxime Pelletier (Gelles Racing, 19), 17.
Ryan Campbell (Gelles Racing, 15), 18. Scott Schroeder (American Spirit Grand
Prix, 12), 19. Yannick Hofman (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 8), 20. Jordan Dick
(Team Apex Racing USA, 6), 20. Philip Major (Atlantic Racing Team, 6), 20.
Robert Thorne (Team Autotecnica, 6), 23. Alex Navejar (Jensen Motorsport, 1),
24. Jules Duc (Hearn Motorsports, 0), 24. Marco Santos (Haberfeld & Walker
Racing, 0), 24. Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 0), 24. David Rangel
(Haberfeld & Walker Racing, 0), 24. David Farias (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24.
Joel Jackson (Gelles Racing, 0), 24. Frankie Muniz (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24.
Maryeve Dufault (Hearn Motorsports, 0)

Rookies: 1. Daniel Morad (155), 2. David Garza (151), 3. Sebastian Saavedra
(150), 4. Maxime Pelletier (142), 5. Robert Thorne (87), 6. Jordan Dick (85),
7. Steven Guerrero (77), 8. Joel Jackson (61)

Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level championship in Formula racing.
In 2006 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA. More than
80 up-and-coming drivers, some as young as 15-years old, will compete
worldwide. Racing five times in support of the Formula One World Championship,
Formula BMW offers a worldwide stage, training through a multifaceted Education
and Coaching Program and BMW's longstanding Junior scholarship for deserving
drivers.

The FB02 race car is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine, reaching speeds up to
140 mph. The design exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class, with the
BMW Motorsport developed FORS (Formula Rescue Race Seat), and the mandatory
HANS (Head and Neck Support) safety system.

From November 24 to 26, 2006 the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo
Tormo will host the second Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from
the four regional Formula BMW series will compete against each other with the
winner receiving a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.