Formula BMW USA - Round 14 - Laguna Seca - Race

Andreas Wirth wins inaugural Formula BMW USA Championship.

Monterey, Calif. - Sept. 12, 2004. Matt Jaskol (Team Autotecnica) put on a
driving clinic at Laguna Seca Raceway today to win the final round of the 2004
Formula BMW USA Championship. Polesitter Jaskol led every lap of the 15-lap
contest, setting the fastest race lap (1:28.748), and winning by nine seconds
over Jonathan Summerton. The win was Jaskol's third of the season.

Andreas Wirth finished third and clinched the inaugural Formula BMW USA
Championship while James Hinchcliffe, second in the Championship, only finished
11th. Wirth's podium finish was his 11th of a great season that included four
wins. He never finished out of the top-six. Wirth won the Championship with 201
points. Hinchcliffe is second (174), Summerton third (163), Jaskol fourth (161)
and Billy Johnson fifth (88).

The top-finishing Rookies in the race were Summerton (P2), Rahal (P5) and
Sutherland (P7). James Hinchcliffe won the Rookie title with Summerton second
and Rahal third.

Wirth's third won him the Championship, but he was also aware to help his HBR
Motorsport teammate Summerton. "Consistency was the key to the Championship,
not just wins. I felt that I could have won today, but when I saw that James
had fallen back I knew the Championship was mine. Holding my third position was
important to my teammate, Jonathan, as he had to finish behind Matt to keep
third overall."

Jaskol's win capped his best weekend of the season. "I proved this weekend that
we are better than my fourth place finish in the overall Championship shows. I
came up a short in yesterday's race, but had the fastest lap. Today, we were
dominant - the pole, led every lap and set the fastest lap of the race."

Summerton had to finish behind Jaskol in order to hold onto third in the
overall Championship. "We did not have the car we had yesterday and I could not
catch Matt, but getting third in the overall Championship is as good as a win
today."

While the race was not close at the front, farther back in the field many were
having an exciting day. Lawson Aschenbach ran his strongest race of the year,
his fourth place finish his best of the season. Graham Rahal's fifth moved him
up to third in the Rookie standings. Tom Sutherland finished seventh, equalling
his season's best effort.

Race 14 - Results (15 laps) :
1. Matt Jaskol (Team Autotecnica) 22:23.465 (89.955 mph)
2. Jonathan Summerton (R) (HBR Motorsport) 22:32.529
3. Andreas Wirth (HBR Motorsport) 22:34.496
4. Lawson Aschenbach (Team PTG Motorsport) 22:39.980
5. Graham Rahal (R) (Vitesse Farm Racing) 22:40.526
6. Kyle Herder (Atlantic Racing Team) 22:40.660
7. Tom Sutherland (R) (Team PTG Motorsport) 22:44.929
8. Billy Johnson (Team PTG Motorsport) 22.45.369
9. Brian Frisselle (PoleVision Racing) 22:47.384
10. Tom Milner (R) (Team PTG Motorsport) 22:48.212
11. James Hinchcliffe (R) (AIM Autosport) 22:48.497
12. Robbie Montinola (Jensen Motorsport) 22:58.188
13. Alexis Fenton (R) (Team Autotecnica) 23:13.180
14. Derek Burseth (R) (PoleVision Racing) 23:31.203

Championship points after 14 of 14 races:
1. Andreas Wirth (HBR Motorsport, 201), 2. James Hinchcliffe (AIM Autosport,
174), 3. Jonathan Summerton (HBR Motorsport, 163), 4. Matt Jaskol (Team
Autotecnica, 161), 5. Billy Johnson (Team PTG Motorsport, 88), 6. Brian
Frisselle (PoleVision Racing, 68), 7. Graham Rahal (Vitesse Farm Racing, 63),
8. Tom Milner (Team PTG Motorsport, 50), 9. Lawson Aschenbach (Team PTG
Motorsport, 44), 10. Kyle Herder (Atlantic Racing Team, 34), 11. Joey Hand
(Team PTG Motorsport, 22), 12. Dominik Jackson (Atlantic Racing Team, 20), 13.
Tom Sutherland (Team PTG Motorsport, 15), 14. Federico Montoya (Atlantic Racing
Team, 10), 15. Gerardo Bonilla (Jensen Motorsport, 8), 16. Robbie Montinola
(Jensen Motorsport, 5), 17. Trevor Daley (Atlantic Racing Team, 4), 18. Daniel
Herrington (Jensen Motorsport, 2), 19. Alan Sciuto (Team PTG Motorsport, 1),
20. Derek Burseth (PoleVision Racing, 1), 21. Alexis Fenton (Team Autotecnica,
0), 22. Morgan Spurgas (Jensen Motorsport, 0).

Rookies: 1. James Hinchcliffe (223), 2. Jonathan Summerton (213), 3. Graham
Rahal (147), 4. Tom Milner (145), 5.Tom Sutherland (112), 6. Alexis Fenton
(65), 7. Derek Burseth (54), 8. Federico Montoya (32), 9. Trevor Daley (26),
10. Alan Sciuto (16), 11. Daniel Herrington (14).

Background:
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen adds, "Our junior talent promotion
program is an intensive basic education for successful kart drivers who want to
move up into Formula racing. Our priorities are to create a level playing field
through technically identical vehicles and scrupulously defined regulations,
and to ensure maximum safety."

The ultra-modern Formula BMW racecar, which allows 15-year-olds to enter the
world of motor racing, has been lining up on the grid all around the world
since the 2002 season. It sets standards above all on the safety technology
front. The single-seater, powered by a 140 bhp BMW motorcycle engine producing
speeds up to 140 mph, features a carbon-fiber chassis and fulfils the safety
requirements of the much higher-performance Formula 3 cars.

In 2004, Formula BMW will be staged in four different series held in Germany,
England, Asia and the USA. Formula BMW events will be part of the Formula One
support program on five occasions around the world. All the series go
hand-in-hand with a comprehensive education and coaching program, as well as
substantial financial backing for promising young talent. The most
distinguished graduate is Ralf Schumacher. The star of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team
made his racing debut in the junior class in 1992.