About this event
CT Valley Chapter's 2023 Annual Dinner is extra special as it is also our 50th Anniversary!
We’ve missed seeing a room full of members enjoying BMW comradery the last couple of years.
Those who have attended in the past know this is a NOT TO MISS event.
We are excited to have you join us for our
50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner at
La Notte in East Windsor, CT on November 11th!
The Details:
Cocktail Hour 6pm - 7pm
Buffet Dinner 7pm
Chapter Business, Announcements, Guest Speakers
Door prize drawing throughout the evening (must be present to win)
We are delighted to welcome a pair of extraordinary guest speakers to our gala event:
Bill Auberlen
Quite simply, synonymous with BMW. Throughout the course of his career racing BMWs, Bill hasn’t just made a name for himself; he has become the face of BMW Motorsport in the US. He has carved out a sizeable place in the annals of BMW, and has undoubtedly secured the title of “legend”.
Nothing predisposed Bill Auberlen to being associated with BMW for so long and yet, over the span of a 25+ year career, Bill has become an absolute BMW institution, racing and winning more with The Ultimate Driving Machine® than anyone in the world. From his first race in Fort Worth, TX at the wheel of a BMW M3 GT E36 in 1996 to his 2023 efforts behind the wheel of a Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, Bill Auberlen has raced close to 500 times with BMW.
Highlights of his illustrious career include two Grand-Am GT Championships and multiple GT Class wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Bill has spent the majority of his career in sports car racing and currently leads in the all-time IMSA sports car victories.
and
Erik Wensberg
Though there is no letter M in Erik Wensberg, he most assuredly is responsible for putting the letter M squarely into the product line of BMW and the garages of thousands of avid owners.
What started as a short term assignment at BMW from a NYC marketing firm, evolved into a 14-year tenure with the company. As the longtime Motorsport Manager, that group launched many high profile projects, solidified BMW’s North American racing program, and significantly strengthened the relationship with the BMW Car Club of America. Erik was appointed as the company’s first Brand Manager for M Products in 1994, with the task of launching an important new M model (the E-36 M3), and breathing passion and relevance into a small line of world class performance vehicles that were all but gone from the American Market. This led to the M3 Lightweight, and with a small but dedicated team, they took sales from a low of 200 per year, to an all-time peak of some 80% of BMW M vehicle production worldwide, among five different models - a sales pace that has never been matched since.
Career highlights include winning Automobile’s Car of the Year in 1995, outselling Porsche Cars North America, working on the debut of the McLaren GTR, orchestrating BMW sponsorship of the Monterey Historics, and running a car at Le Mans in 1996. Along the way, BMW won some 20 championships, in addition to 100+ major GT victories at nearly every major North American racing venue including the 12 hours of Sebring (twice), and the 24 Hours of Daytona (twice).
Having retired from BMW in 1998, Eric is now VP and co-owner of AMI Graphics LLC. Eric is a lifetime member of the BMW CCA. He had served as a strategic advisor to the BMW CCA Foundation Board since 2003 and became a Trustee of the Foundation in 2023. In addition, Eric is a member of the Board of Governors of Lime Rock Park and of the Lime Rock Drivers Club since 2013.
Come listen, laugh, and learn!
Event requirements
Cost: $50.00 per person
Date: November 11, 2023 6pm
Location: La Notte
17 Thompson Road, East Windsor, CT 06088
~ FINAL DATE TO REGISTER* is November 4th! ~
*at least one attendee within a registering party must be a BMW CCA Member.
Click here to JOIN BMW CCA NOW.
There are two options to register:
- Sign up here through MotorSportReg (easiest and quickest method)
- Send a check made payable to "BMW CCA-CVC" in the amount of $50 per person,
for arrival by October 28th, to
BMW CCA Connecticut Valley Chapter, Inc.
P.O. Box 432, Hartford, CT 06141
Please include the attendee name(s), email address(es) and member number(s) {if applicable}.
Mailed In Payments Must Be Received BY OCTOBER 28th!
Some Fine Print:
This event is open to chapter members and their guests.
Only chapter and associate members are eligible for door prizes.
*Should the need to cancel arise, please be kind and notify us immediately so those waitlisted can secure their space.
For questions, email dortoli@ctvalley.org