Bill Auberlen
An endurance racing stalwart whose name became synonymous with BMW in North America, setting a record for most IMSA wins.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American factory race car driver·Birthday: October 12·Generation X
Biography
Bill Auberlen has more IMSA wins than any driver in the series' history. The American factory racer, born in 1968, spent over three decades piloting BMWs, becoming central to the brand's racing identity in the United States. Though he drove for other manufacturers occasionally, his career was tied to the Bavarian marque, most often with the customer-focused Turner Motorsport squad. Auberlen excelled in endurance racing, where mechanical sympathy and relentless pace are both required. His record-breaking victory count in IMSA secured his reputation for skill and longevity. He became a familiar, respected paddock presence, valued for his straightforward manner and deep technical knowledge.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Bill was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds the record for the most career race wins in IMSA history.
- Won the 2020 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge championship with co-driver Robby Foley.
- Secured class victories at prestigious endurance races like the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
- Has been a BMW 'factory' driver, representing the manufacturer in official racing programs for many years.
Did You Know?
His father was also a professional race car driver who competed in the Can-Am series.
Auberlen began his racing career on motorcycles before switching to four wheels.
He has competed in the famous Nürburgring 24 Hours race in Germany multiple times.
He once drove a BMW M3 GT2 to a class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona while suffering from the flu.
“The car talks to you; you just have to be quiet enough to listen.”
