Murphy is back home in the land of fruits and nuts, though he’s thinking after his trip and some of the goings-on elsewhere that others could lay claim to that title.
First, with 3,400 road miles on the little furry one, he’s got to say he’s seen some crazy things, not least of which are gas prices. What? Who’s surprised by those? Consider, before Murphy left he paid 3.07 for the good stuff that Prancer needs (regular was 2.87). Here in the golden west taxes on a gallon are sixty cents, and everywhere he was going they taxes were least ten cents, and as much as thirty cents less. So, with it being after Labor (Labour, you Canuckistanis and Limeys) Day, and wholesale prices around $1.85 and falling, the Bear naturally expected to pay less on his trip than at home. Did he? Noooo. He mostly paid more, once got down to $3.04, and in one place, Aspen (OK, they can afford it) saw regular at $3.75! That’s your friends and neighbors screwing you, not big oil, or the Mullahs. He had to get back here East of Eden to find premium below three bucks, and yesterday finally bought some for $2.70, in Eden itself for crissakes.
OK, that’s out of my stuffed head, what about some scurrilous stuff. The Bear is working to beat the release – which should be within 24 hours of this column – but he’s got a line on the Petit Le Mans entry. Look for twenty-eight total, of which exactly half are prototypes. There will be eight P1 entries, and P2 will be six. Only one real surprise there, and that is the a team that’s running an Acura next season. Have they decided they can use a bit more team practice, and will they be in their new silver and blue colors?
Those hoping for one or more additional GT1 entries will be disappointed. Just four, the champions and those green cars whose boss was heard at Mosport to complain about “treatment” and to say they’ll pack their tent – permanently – at the end of the season. In fairness, he’s since said that’s not what he meant. Whatever. The sign on a kitchen wall in New Mexico says it all, doesn’t it? Does a phone call from a German guy named Franz asking the “absolute deadline” for an entry give you any hope? He was likely told 11:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 30 September 2006. And for next season, the only glimmer of anyone with guts enough to take on the Corvettes just might be Dick Barbour. At least he’s not been the complaining type.
The Bear’s been thinking he’d like to do a football (the oblong kind) column. He likes baseball of course, and considered that – especially with a friend (the other little fuzzy one) being as much baseball as racing anorak – but let’s face it, football has become the big thing. Murphy put up forty bucks on a pair of games in Las Vegas a week ago and doubled his money. Sometimes it’s too easy. If you thought that Texas could send Vince Young to the NFL and still beat the Buckeyes, you better stay away from the sports book. And Green Bay isn’t likely to win a game this season, much less beat the little Bear’s big Bear buddies from the Windy City. I know all you Georgia crackers are reading this eagerly (and slowly, mouthing the words) looking for a mention of your beloved Dawgs. No chance. But what about them Falcons? Miami loses three in a row and drops out of the top 25. Can you whistle “The World Turn Upside Down?” And, sorry Jack. I thought I saw a tear in the eye of Touchdown Jesus last Saturday. Last year, Murphy’s little Bear friend from State College, Pennsylvania had a dream season. This season is already a tougher one for his Nittany Lions, but they’ll still be a heck of a lot better than Murphy’s Golden Rodents. OK, some “roundball” for our anorak friend. A dozen or so games to go and Murphy’s pretty proud of his Twinkies. He thinks that the Pale Hose are done – stick a fork in ‘em – and the Motor City Kitties (that could be baseball or football, couldn’t it?) will end up with the AL wild card. See, it ain’t all about racing is it?
Fingers-still-in-the-pie-department. Ralf Jüttner was at Mosport, described as a member of “Audi Sport North America.” I suppose. The Bear says “Hi,” Ralf.
Petit Le Mans entry, part deux. B-K Motorsports is back, having gotten the parts they needed from the Atlanta guy, who won’t be going racing any time soon – likely not at all – with the kit he bought this summer. He got out of that exactly what he wanted to get out of it. Van de Steur will be there with the new Radical, of course, as will Didier Theys and the Horag bunch. Didier expects the team to contest much of the ALMS next season. The ten GT2 entries do not include J3 Racing, in spite of hopes inside and outside of the team to the contrary. The third party funding there just didn’t materialize. The good news is that 2007 is looking pretty solid.
Murphy stopped by the Queen Mary in Long Beach on his trip. Did I mention Long Beach? Really? Well, since I’m on that subject, it seems it’s “official” (that’s not the Bear’s word, but that is what he was told) that Grand Am will not be a part of the festivities at the 2007 Grand Prix of Long Beach. What that means for now is that there is space in that schedule. Will someone else fill it, or will it just stay open? The 2007 American Le Mans schedule won’t be announced until the usual time and place, at Petit Le Mans on Friday. Heck, the Bear doesn’t even think it’s all wrapped up yet. There may be “inroads” with the powers that be at Long Beach. As of this moment, his sources tell him there are likely to be eleven events, and that does not include Edmonton. I guess it’s something about that being too far from Moose Jaw, or Medicine Hat, or somewhere. Forget an enduro in Wisconsin. Don’t even think about 500 miles. You don’t get that kind of event when Champ Car is the big kahuna on the schedule. The Bear’s heard it again, bid farewell to a stand-alone event at the best road circuit in North America. Would the addition of Southern California be seen as a “fair trade?” Probably. It would be better for the marketing, but worse for the racing. Murphy feels sorry for the guy who has to put this all together every year. It’s been described in some quarters as a “miserable process,” and this year has been more miserable than most. The Bear will buy that man a Jameson at Paddy’s if he sees him.
The Laguna Seca entry will look much like the one at Road Atlanta, with an additional Creation entry, and second Radical. Subtract the Highcroft Lola, and you’ve got a “plus one.” We’ll hope for better than that.
Speaking of “better than that,” remember that Murphy said that Porsche would announce new 997 entries in for the 2007 GT2 season? Well, the Bear can put a number on that now; it looks like five. That’s five new, not including returning Porsche teams. Plus, a Georgia team that can tala Swedish just may (they’re exploring it) be taking over a pair of Spykers to race in the 2007 season. As they say, “Wait ‘til next year.” (I couldn’t resist.) Have you noticed that “silly season” is pretty much year ‘round, now?
So what the does Bear make of the Krohn Racing announcement? Well, there were a lot of surprised people. Don’t discount the possibility of a GT2 team, though. Murphy got a note from someone who said that the Texan looked at GT1 and decided it was a “little too much to take on,” but that a GT2 program along with the Daytona Prototypes might be possible. Tracy himself has stated a desire to go to Le Mans with a team of his own, and noted that was something for which there is a “learning curve.”
Jimmy Sykes’ article in Speed Arena is still the only journalism on the topic, so the Bear thinks it’s got to be pretty close to right story. Except, of course, for some “whys,” “whats,” and “whos.” Why would the program be cancelled without the cars ever being tested (as the Bear has now heard)? That would tend to put to bed the idea that they weren’t fast enough, wouldn’t it? Who really called a halt to the Lexus program? Was it Toyota? Was the Lexus division “out on its own” from the beginning, much like Lamborghini was in the VW-Audi Group? Did such a program violate the Corporate strategy to go taxicab racing? Did someone whisper in someone’s ear? Did BMW’s decision not to field a “factory” entry doom the Lexus? What’s the next step? Nothing? An LMP2 program?
Believe it or not, Corey Shaw is out there, working on an “awesome carbon race car.” He occasionally contacts people, but reportedly uses untraceable pre-paid phone cards. Is he working on the next big technological break-through for race cars? It just might be. If you see him, tell him to contact the Bear at murphy@murphythebear.com
That’s likely all the Paddock Poop until Petit Le Mans. Murphy’s going to work on a “People and Places.” That is certainly not Corey Shaw pictured on the left, of course. Ever wonder where this guy is? Murphy will tell you in that “People and Places” installment.
Wait a minute – did you say I can see Champ Car AND ALMS in one event at Road America? YE HA!!
You’re right, some would see that as a good thing for spectators. Wouldn’t you hope, though, that the premier sports car racing series in North America would be able to command a weekend of its own – especially at North America’s best road course?
Interestingly, since this article, Murphy has heard that the American Le Mans Series will be the Sunday “headliner.” In exchange for that, the ALMS will be the Saturday “feature” at two ChampCar “Urban Festivals,” both in April of the 2007 season.