| Auberlen Teaches by Tenacious Example in WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge August 11, 2021 By Jeff Olson IMSA Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Without guidance from others, we might not arrive at our destination as quickly as planned. Or at all. For many racers, Bill Auberlen is that guidance. At 52, he’s the sage of speed, the driver whose knowledge and experience are endless. He’s the wise guide, still fit and winning, who’s willing to teach the kids how it’s done. His current class of student-teammates come from different domains. Robby Foley is 25, a relative newcomer with open eyes and ears. Dillon Machavern is just a year older, but his career is more established and decorated. Still, he watches and absorbs Auberlen’s skills. Mentorship isn’t a requirement. Auberlen could hide his secrets. He could view his teammates as competitors, as sometimes is the case with co-drivers. Instead, he chooses to share.  “He doesn’t owe anybody anything,” Foley said. “He’s had a lot of success and accomplished many things. He certainly doesn’t owe me anything, but he’s been helpful to me. Together we’ve won quite a few races. Every time we go to the racetrack, he and I share the same goal: We want to win. There is obviously a big age gap between us, but with our common goals, we get along great.” Auberlen wasn’t put on earth to teach other racers, yet he’s tutored dozens, sometimes without even knowing it. With nearly 35 years of professional racing experience and the IMSA record for major victories in a career – 64 and counting – his experience is a deep resource for other drivers. One he doesn’t mind sharing – usually. “I enjoy it with worthwhile candidates,” Auberlen says, a wry grin turning to a smile. He has two worthwhile candidates this season. Foley and Auberlen lead the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) standings following a second-place finish Sunday in the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America. Machavern and Auberlen also lead the Grand Sport (GS) points in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. The mechanics of their relationships are complicated. Auberlen is teaching his teammates, but his teammates often are – or later become – his competition. He shares his skills without losing them. “This comes off so pompous and terrible when I say it, but I still enjoy when the old man can put one over them and they have a frown on their face,” he said. “That I enjoy every once in a while.” He’s made a career of other drivers’ frowns. Auberlen is a BMW institution, having won four of his six championships as a pro with the German manufacturer. The anchor of Turner Motorsport’s success, Auberlen is approaching 350 races with BMW. For perspective: His pro career began in 1987, nine years before Foley was born. “His energy is kind of contagious within the team,” Foley said. “His 100 percent focus and goal is on the track. That’s the guy you want to have in your car when you’re second. When you’re leading and everything is going well, you have to manage that a little bit because he’s still fighting like he’s in second or third when he’s leading.” Tenacity is one of the many aspects of Auberlen’s approach that has affected Foley, who was somewhat green when he joined Turner Motorsport in 2018. “He was so new to GTD and GS and all this kind of racing,” Auberlen said. “I tried to give him everything I could give him. He’s such a good guy that he’s worthwhile. He’s like a sponge. Whatever you tell him, it will come out in lap time immediately. He’s very good at that.” Auberlen, on the other hand, is very good at tenacity. Winning isn’t enough; dominating the opponent is. With a lifetime of experience tinkering on cars, boats and motorcycles – he broke speed records in an open-bow catamaran with engines he rebuilt – he can unearth the most mundane of setup tricks to fit the conditions. “Part of the reason why he’s been so successful for so long is that he’s never satisfied,” Machavern said. “There are times when I’ll tell the guys that I think we’ve got a pretty good car and then Bill hops in the car and says, ‘Let’s try this.’ He’s always looking for that extra edge, which is something I don’t think many people have.” Machevern and Auberlen added to their growing statistical archive Saturday night at Road America, winning the Road America 120 and pushing Auberlen’s career victory total to 18 in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. Machavern, Auberlen says with admiration, is low maintenance. “I didn’t give him anything; he’s plug and play,” Auberlen said. “He just does it. He’s experienced. We put him in our GTD car, he performs. We put him in our GS car, he performs. … I basically don’t tell him anything.” After the victory at Road America, Auberlen and Machavern sat before the media, exhausted but satisfied, another victory hardly expected, routine or boring. Auberlen ceded the spotlight to Machavern. “Bill’s the type of guy who lets the record books and the lap times and the wins do the talking,” Machavern said. “Obviously, that stuff matters, but with him it’s more a matter of self-fulfillment than anything else. He wants to know he’s the best. He doesn’t need to tell anybody that. He gets a lot of joy out of winning and being the best at his craft.” Indeed. Winning never gets old, especially when your teammates get younger. “It keeps me hungry,” Auberlen said. “These guys are so fast that it keeps me on top of my game. Look, they’re less than half my age. It keeps me fast and on my toes, and I love that.” |
