Wayne Taylor Racing and BMW Team RLL both scored the pole yesterday and went on to taste victory on the streets of Long Beach today, but their victories were anything but easy.

Both the Corvette DP of Ricky and Jordan Taylor and the BMW Z4 of local hero Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner had to make passes for the lead on their way to victory lane today.

Ricky Taylor grabbed the lead off the start but a slow pit stop when handing over to his brother Jordan gave Joey Hand’s Ganassi Ford a shot at the lead.

Taylor managed to sneak down the inside into turn one to grab the lead and held off Hand to score the team’s first 2015 victory.

Auberlen got jumped by Giancarlo Fisichella’s Risi Ferrari off the start and later was delayed in the pits when handing over to Dirk Werner.

From back in fifth place, the German BMW ace was on the charge in the second half the race, passing Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia, BMW teammate Lucas Luhr and then pounced as Risi Competizione’s Pierre Kaffer suffered a lock-up at the end of the back straight.

The victory is BMW’s first TUDOR United SportsCar Championship win. Kaffer and Fisichella held on for second with last year’s winner, Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen taking third.

More updates to follow…..