Dateline: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Right here, right now. If you’re a Buffalo Bills fan in any capacity, you know this is our incessant battle cry. Made famous by our beloved Head Coach Marv Levy back in the 90s (happy belated 100th birthday, coach!), it rallies the crowd at the start of every single home game. This is a deeply emotional pre-game ritual for me, chanting (screaming!) these words together with 80,000 like-minded fans as my nose is about to freeze off of my face in-between bites of my beef on weck sandwich. Be good, do good, God bless, and Go Bills!
Zack has hit the nail on the head below as we look forward to our season-ending season-defining contest at Indy. If this isn’t a right here, right now moment, I don’t know what is. We have executed to the highest level all season long, and although it hasn’t been glamorous, we are in full control of our destiny. If we win Indy, we win the Championship. Period. If the #94 wins Indy, the #94 wins the Championship. Period. If the #7 wins Indy, the #7 wins the Championship. Period. It’s just that simple. Win Indy and wear the Champion’s crown.
We’ve got this. All of us.
There will be no conservative calls. There will be no laying back and seeing how situations play out. There will be no second chances. It’s a winner-take-all scenario, and a comfortable second-place finish means you get to pack up your tent and go home. So, screw that thinking. Push those chips to the center of the table, for as cliché as it sounds, we are all in. Every one of us. Because where else would you rather be than (everyone together now) right here, right now?
See you at the track!
JWJr
#82 GT4 America
Dateline: Thursday, September 4, 2025
Q: Let’s get to it…how did the races at Road America turn out this year?
A: Races? What races? First, let’s set the stage with the GT4 America Pro-Am season standings coming into August, post-VIR.
| Position | Drivers | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craven/Green | Random Vandals #94 | 141 |
| 2 | Walker/McQuarrie | BimmerWorld #82 | 132 |
| 3 | Gaples/Cooper | Blackdog #33 | 117 |
| 4 | Swearingin/Dickinson | ACI #7 | 97 |
Q: How did the race (singular) at Road America turn out this year?
A: That’s more like it. James Jr. and Tyler entered the weekend looking up at the competition for the first time since April and intending to make up some ground on the Vandals. Race 1 was cancelled due to heavy rain, resulting in just one Sunday contest for all the cheese this year. Saturday afternoon consisted of one formation lap through the wet woods of Wisconsin and a return to the pit lane. The same qualifying grid would be used for the makeup race. Someone in the paddock is getting pretty good at the rain dance, and whoever it is must be stopped.
Unfortunately, a normal GT4 top-of-the-hill scene.
Q: Did the rainstorm follow Charlie from Virginia?
A: I won’t blame Charlie outright for the rain this time, but his strong performance in the wet weather at VIR prevents the cloud of suspicion from completely evaporating. More evidence: shortly after writing my Virginia newsletter, I ran into a British friend of mine at the airport while visiting my Maryland-based cousins. After I said hello (hullo?) to my friend, my flight was immediately delayed more than eight hours for the thirty-minute rainstorm (yes, that’s not a typo), and I did not get back home until 5 AM the following morning. Maybe it would be more reasonable to blame the airline for not having robust contingencies for this most basic of delays, but the pattern is undeniable, and I’ll blame whoever makes the best narrative.
Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. Rain, rain, every day, foll’wing those from the UK.
Q: Rain, rain, more and more, postponed race for GT4?
A: That’s the spirit. Postponed to Friday of the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, to be precise. In years past, the worse a race weekend went, the more likely my dad would be to turn the newsletter into some outlandish form of poetry. He would undoubtedly be doing that after this most recent race, having added insult to injury by spinning while already in 6th place (dad edit: did you have to go there so soon, Zack?), if he did not have a company to run. I’ll try to stick to the usual format. No promises.
Buc-ee’s is big in NASCAR country. We’ll sign that deal eventually.
Q: Did we get a good enough race on Sunday to make up for missing Saturday?
A: You bet we did. It was a wild one, with bumps, crashes, and an overall winner who came out on top despite missing a co-driver for the day (and therefore receiving the required extra-long pit stop). Notably, it was the first time my dad and Tyler have ever regained the championship lead mid-season. For proper context, the points leaders (our friends in the #94 Random Vandals BMW) retired from the race with a broken front left tie rod, so there was an equal amount of luck involved. Randomness, if you will. I won’t say they have an Improbability Drive on that thing, but it might explain some of this season’s ups and downs.
Unfortunate way to end a four-race win streak.
Q: Were our heroes able to escape the chaos?
A: They were indeed and successfully converted a cautious early-pitstop strategy into a podium finish after the yellow flags had stopped waving. The point of this was to avoid having to crawl around the lengthy circuit in case of a sudden caution during the pitstop window. The Blackdog McLaren jumped them during the pit cycle, but my dad drove a consistent, solid stint and came home in third. The commentators were confused as to why Tyler, the Silver driver, would pit so soon, but the strategy paid off and BimmerWorld left Elkhart Lake with a four-point championship lead. Don’t underestimate a Bronze driver, or you will suffer the consequences.
The average Bronze driver is no threat to anyone!
Q: What are the consequences?
A: I don’t know. I just wanted to project some confidence before the winner-take-all final race of the season.
The SRO wave-around procedure could use some work. IYKYK.
Q: The last race of the season has already happened?
A: Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself. Anyways, that’s how Road America played out. Some rain, some luck, some consistency, a really fast green Porsche team rediscovering their championship-winning speed from last year (concerning), but a solid outing overall.
Here’s how things stacked up after leaving Dairyland. Note that the top four championship contenders are within 25 points, and 25 points are awarded for a race win. ACI won the Road America Pro-Am race and Blackdog finished in second, causing things to tighten up.
| Position | Drivers | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craven/Green | Random Vandals #94 | 147 |
| 2 | Walker/McQuarrie | BimmerWorld #82 | 143 |
| 3 | Gaples/Cooper | Blackdog #33 | 135 |
| 4 | Swearingin/Dickinson | ACI #7 | 122 |
Q: Did Craven and Green get points after not being able to finish?
A: They did. GT4 America awards points for the top ten cars regardless of finishing status, and with a field of nine or ten in class each weekend, points are almost guaranteed for all who start the race. Not all racing series operate like this, but SRO does. Therefore, you will receive points unless you race with an incorrect power setting on your car, which enables you to make an impressive comeback from far down in the field, but also disqualifies you. Honest mistake from our Am friends in the garbage truck. They’re cool off track, according to my secret inside source. They’re cool on track too, just annoyingly fast. Ultimately, the Pro-Am Vandals escaped Road America with two points despite the broken axle.
Q: You know, that makes me think…how is Axle?
A: He’s not broken. Unless you mean housebroken, which he is. But you’re darn right, it’s been far too long without a dog photo in the newsletter. He is doing well, he is still a good boy (though his Instagram page was just a phase), and…drumroll please…
Either he just heard you say his name or he hears my dad eating pretzels.
Q: Ddd-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-
A: And he is a big brother! Everybody say hello to Rusty, who joined the Walker family in November of 2023. 2024 was his rookie season, but he’s an experienced racing fan now.
The floor is nice and cold after a midday summer walk.
Q: Awww. Did you pick him because he looks like a toasted version of Axle?
A: Axle picked him out, actually. Like Axle, he’s also a generic mutt, which we will assume until my mom finally uses those doggy DNA kits she got for Christmas. Three years ago.
The dogs are not related but they do look very similar. Rusty has grown up to be a little taller, skinnier, floppier, browner, and dumber than Axle is. But they are best friends and can often be found napping on each other or biting each other, in equal quantities.
Mutt bonding. Note they are watching GT4.
Q: Do they actually like racing?
A: Rusty definitely does. So much, in fact, that he bolted through the narrow opening on the front porch when we were taking Easter pictures last year, and I had to chase him down and bring him back inside. In other words, he saw a gap that existed and he went for it. He’s a real racing driver.
We’ll get him started in karting when he turns 5.
Q: Do the dogs feel the need for speed?
A: If you have seen them doing laps around the yard, you know the answer to that. They also engage in some Random Vandalism from time to time: eating socks (Axle), spraining a tail from too much wagging (Rusty), grazing on the backyard grass (equally guilty), etc.
But they are BimmerWorld fans at heart (be like Axle and Rusty get your official team dog collars now on BimmerWorld.com!). Good puppies. I’ll try to work them into the newsletters more often. Now back to racing.
I told you they look similar.
Q: Isn’t Barber the track with all the weird bug statues and stuff?
A: Correct. In case you did not know, my dad has a healthy fear of spiders (dad edit: it’s not a fear, Zack, it’s a paranoia), which should put some lead in his right foot every time he sees the giant arachnid sculpture in his rearview mirror. It’s like that old joke with the runners and the bear: he doesn’t have to be faster than the spider, he just has to be faster than everyone behind him.
There’s a spider in my room!
Q: Did the streak of third-place finishes continue in Alabama?
A: Yes it did. If you were counting, you noticed that the #82 finished on the bottom step of the podium a remarkable five times in a row. They crossed the line in P3 twice at VIR, once at Road America, and twice at Barber (including the Road America makeup race).
Unfortunately, Random Vandals and ACI have had four- and three-race winning streaks, respectively, and therefore have a slight edge in the championship battle. But it is a credit to the BimmerWorld team (and I guess the drivers can have some kudos too) that they are able to produce positive results each weekend, despite the car itself seeming to run a bit further back from the pointy end of the field than it has in years past (as evidence, see the pic above of the safety truck passing Tyler).
While 2025 has only brought us one win so far, having a strong, steady racecar with a great team and drivers behind it has been a reliable combination. Racing is hard work, and each sixty-minute race is just the final piece of the puzzle.
Unsung heroes. Turn the photo upside down and he’ll bench-press the car.
Q: Will Buc-ee’s be impressed by third-place finishes? Won’t they want wins?
A: Maybe so, but after five consecutive tertiary performances, I’ve found another sponsor more suitable for the situation.
Masters of the repeating decimal.
Q: But what about WINS? We need WINS!
A: Well, at least they won the race that counted for double points. That was a good one to pick. Regardless, after two third place finishes by the Red Line Oil machine at Barber (overcoming the cleanup truck debacle…the green flag flew as Tyler was just about passing it), plus Sunday’s sixth-place result in a surprise win by the #43 McLaren, the fight for the championship is as close as it’s ever been.
The Blackdog McLaren showed good speed at Barber but fell behind a bit in the points through the safety car and pit-window chaos. Up top, the three Pro-Am leaders are separated by only nine points! See, third-place finishes can put you in a decent position after all. Appropriately, the #82 is third in the points, as it has often been on track. Progress may be slow, but it has been steady.
This is how you get faster. Intense focus.
Q: What’s up next?
A: The GT4 field is set up nicely for what should be a fascinating season-closing weekend of two races at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The BMWs have not been as dominant this year as they have before, but we can’t complain about fair, tough racing. Recent resurgences by the green machine and the two McLarens have kept each weekend unpredictable and thoroughly exciting to watch. Here are your pen-penultimate standings:
| Position | Drivers | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craven/Green | Random Vandals #94 | 194 |
| 2 | Walker/McQuarrie | BimmerWorld #82 | 190 |
| 3 | Gaples/Cooper | Blackdog #33 | 185 |
| 4 | Swearingin/Dickinson | ACI #7 | 165 |
Q: How do the points work again?
A: If you fall into the “numbers nerd” category, but are not super familiar with race scoring, here is the breakdown. I’m sure there is only a very small number of readers who fit that description, but I’ve got you covered.
| Place | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Translation: it’s anyone’s game. With two races left, and the top three separated by only nine points, a double win would clinch the championship regardless of any other results. If BimmerWorld needs a blueprint on how to overcome a late-game nine-point deficit, they can always rewatch the Bills vs. Ravens highlights from earlier this fall. Go Bills!
Further translation: Raccoon bad. Green bad. Red good.
Q: What if none of the teams get the sweep?
A: There are many other possible scenarios, which you can work out yourself, but those four teams all have a shot at the title. And that’s enough title scenario talk. My dad and the team read this snark piece too, and we need them focused on winning races, because that’s what they’re good at. Hypothetical championship scenarios don’t matter. As long as the team can put together the fastest car they’ve rolled out all season, and the drivers can execute turn after turn, lap after lap, that is what’s important.
All you can ask for when heading into the last weekend of the season is a chance of winning, and BimmerWorld absolutely has that. Out of all the outcomes you envisioned at the start of the season, it wouldn’t realistically have ended up with you sitting in a much better spot than this, right? To quote the great Marv Levy: Where else would rather you be than right here, right now?
Q: NOWHERE! RAAAAH!
A: Amen. Now make sure you tune in to the Indianapolis races (9:50 ET 10/18, 9:45 ET 10/19, subject to change, as always) to cheer on your four favorite race car drivers as they bring their best efforts to the table one last time in 2025.
Four? That’s right, James Clay and Charlie “Rain Man” Postins are leading their Am class championship battle as well. They are ten points ahead of the Supra of Anthony Geraci and Kenny Schmied of The Team Formerly Known as Smooge (according to the GT4 site, at least, which is often wrong). You can watch their quest for another championship while you watch my dad and Tyler strive for their first. The power of a large and enthusiastic fan base cannot be ignored.
Third place has apparently become contagious.
Q: Why don’t they call it Smooge Racing anymore?
A: That name was so much more fun to say than Rafa Racing, right? I think it’s because it would have been too much of a mouthful for the commentators to say “Schmied in the Smooge Supra” every race. Gotta make it easy on our friends Ryan and Calvin in the booth.
Q: Are you ready for the final rounds?
A: Absolutely I am. I’ll be there! I’ve never been to the Brickyard, so maybe I’ll sneak onto the track and try to touch the famous pavers. Bucket list. I will see you at the track!
“Yes, Dad, the CEO of Buc-ee’s did go to A&M, but again, no, I don’t know him.”
Q: And what about the #82’s biggest fans? Where are those dogs?
A: They will also be watching the GT4 finale, as they should. Their eyes might be closed but they will be watching regardless. And they will be rooting as hard as anyone. Rooting up flowers in the backyard, that is. Good mutts.
They’ve re-established the Ottoman Empire.
Q: Let’s go race our ass off at Indianapolis, shall we?
A: There’s the right attitude. What else is there left to do? Don’t worry about the big picture, just focus on every turn of every wrench, every corner of every lap, every click of every harness, and every point of every dataset. Focus on the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. This is where we wanted to be in March, and the team controls their own destiny. And now it’s time to execute.
Boogity boogity boogity, let’s go racing, boys!
Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?
ZJW