Willows, CA – Dec 3, 2006 – Auston Harris (
www.AustonHarris.com) completed the 2006 25 Hours of Thunderhill with the fourth place overall and third place in class Car and Driver/BMW Diesel 335d entries, repeating his performance in class and just one position short in the overall standings of 2005.
Photo by Mary Seelhorst
Auston will turn 16 years old later this month and is now the veteran of two 25 hour endurance events.
The Car and Driver/BMW Diesel team had two of these very quiet 2006 BMW 335d turbo diesels entered in the event. These were the first production-based diesel cars to compete in an American road race. Auston drove stints in each car along with Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, the Car and Driver editorial staff (Csere, Gillies, Swan and Webster) and Martin Birkmann of BMW NA.
Photo by Mary Seelhorst
Auston’s stints were all in the darkness of a clear and crisp Northern California night that was thankfully free of precipitation that seems to visit this event bi-annually, inexplicably bypassing this year.
“I am really grateful to Csaba Csere of Car & Driver and BMW of North America for extending this opportunity to me” said Auston at the conclusion of the 25 Hours. “It was an outstanding experience to co-drive with Bill and Joey, and to be part of the team introducing BMW diesels into the US racing scene is a real honor.”
Photo Zack Steinkamp
Up next for Auston is the Daytona 24 in January 2007 where he is scheduled to compete in a The Racers Group Porsche entry, a little more than 30 days after he turns 16.
Auston’s plans for 2007 beyond the Daytona 24 are undetermined. He may be contacted through the link to the left.
