Paul Miller Racing, BMW look back to where it all began with Laguna Seca throwback livery

IMSA GTD Pro championship leaders and defending Rolex 24 At Daytona class winners Paul Miller Racing have unveiled their special throwback livery for this weekend’s StubHub Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The livery of the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO is inspired by the legendary 1975 BMW 3.0L CSL which ushered BMW into North American sports car racing. Hans-Joachim Stuck, Brian Redman, Allan Moffat, and Sam Posey drove the car to victory in that year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Two months later, the 3.0L CSL returned to action at the Monterey Triple Crown. In the first of two 100-mile heat races, Stuck took the pole and set the fastest lap – but finished second to Peter Gregg. Stuck would bounce back with a win in the second race.

“The secret is out,” BMW M Motorsport wrote on its social media accounts. “For Laguna Seca, the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO honors the iconic 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL. Fifty-one years ago, Hans-Joachim Stuck dominated this track in these colors. Now, as GTD Pro championship leaders, Neil Verhagen and Connor De Phillippi are here to finish the story.”

Following victory at Daytona and a fifth-place finish at this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring, Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen are currently tied at the top of the GTD Pro standings with Sebring winners Manthey. But with Manthey not taking part in the IMSA sprint races, the next-highest car in the standings is the No. 4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R of Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg.