murphythebear.com

A week or so ago, Murphy wrote that an ALMS “high official” said the second half of the season could see “six, or four, or two new entrants.” Well, the Bear’s now knows what those (your guess here) are. (A comment in regard to Steve you-know-who-but-the-Bear-embargoed-mention-of-the-car interview is added below.)

The 6…or 4…or 2

Forsythe. There are some insiders who continue to believe that one or more Forsythe LMP entries are possible. Murphy calls his drivel Paddock Poop, and that’s exactly where this story comes from, amongst the mechanics and worker bees of the sport (and are most likely to know what’s happening).

Walker. Derrick Walker’s team is a business that makes its revenue racing. With the “Team Australia” partnership gone, and only a small Atlantics program remaining, why not an ALMS program? “…we will be where we can get the corporate support to be able to keep racing.” said Derrick Walker in February. Has Derrick found that corporate support to finance an ALMS venture? Some think he has.

ECO. They almost – but not quite – turned a wheel at Sebring. They promised they’d be in Utah, then Lime Rock, now Mid-Ohio. ECO Racing’s principle has said quite clearly that the car and team are not a priority amongst his other ventures. They’ll show up – if and when he has the time to deal with the team’s many problems of homologation, design, organization, shipping, and administration.

BMW/Rahal. The most informed of the Bear’s friends believe that Petit Le Mans is possible, Laguna Seca is probable. Testing prohibitions after debut apply to the team, not to the manufacturer, so as with Porsche, Acura, and Audi, it’s BMW Motorsport (the MPower boys and girls) that will be doing the bulk of the testing and development – as it’s doing now on a Deutschland track.

Muscle Milk. Yes, the Bear’s source mentioned Muscle Milk. van der Steur would seem to be a similar case – a part time 2007 entrant yet to race in 2008 – but pointedly wasn’t included. (Murphy adds: Walter the Walrus reminds the Bear that van der Steur Racing was at St. Pete. Oops. They were just so memorable.)

That’s the list from around a water cooler in a small Georgia town.

Pugs, an Icon, Desert Coupe, and the Rat’s Races

But it’s not the final word, because there have been hints from more rarified precincts. Primary amongst these was the prediction that an alternative energy – not just diesel and ethanol – vehicle will be on an ALMS grid before season’s end. Since it was already announced as the kick-off of the Green Racing Challenge, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta presumably is the place. So what is the likely entry? For various reasons, Murphy’s speculated (and has given reasons for that) it will be Toyota’s LF-A, but that’s far from certain.

Will Bell Motorsports come back to GT1? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Is that a big deal? Not to most bears. (Murphy quickly gets “an  attitude” about part-timers who promise way more than they ever deliver.) Some have mentioned Wayne Taylor Racing…but that initiative’s already been slapped down to preserve the New Order.

The Bear was told on pit lane at Miller – by the guy who’s “going to run it” (congratulations to a motorsports icon) – that the Tim Pappas’ Ford GT is being screwed together as you read this. Gawd willing and the creek don’t rise, they’ll be on the grid at Lime Rock.

Peugeot? They’ve said, “Non!” Murphy held out hope for a while because Atlanta and Monterey are kind of on the way to China from France. Now that the LMS flyaway is cancelled – again – Petit will have to depend on its own merits as an international draw. Recently, that’s mean two or three entries. The usual suspects – Creation and Zytek – are mentioned again, the former actually having announced its intent (with the obligatory “funding” escape clause) to contest the final two ALMS rounds.

Among other possibilities are a pair of cars-that-Murphy-embargoed-mention-of. Their namesake gave in interview in which he said he “hoped to return to the ALMS before the end of the season.” He’s been testing and is proud of his pace. We’ve been around on this so many times that the Bear will have to see the car(s) on the grid before he gets  very excited.

Murphy would never tell who, but he’s heard there’s interest in a Lola coupe near Heidi’s laundry.

Speaking of trying to create races in places there’s little interest, Murphy’s come to a conclusion such events are a bit of a fetish for the Rat. Ah well, at least there are no whips involved. (The Bear’s heard there’s an updated remake of renowned producer Max Bailystock’s hit play. The new version will be titled Springtime for Max.)

We stand on the threshold of a new beginning.

Meanwhile, it’s really only a matter of time before Grand Am ends the pretense and makes Prep 2 the de jure requirement. It’s already de facto. Then some pro teams (racing teams in the business for profit) will probably go elsewhere (though not in the midst of a season).

Those most affected by the rules tinkering in favor of tubeframe (some are more specific: tubeframe Pontiacs) of the NASCAR road racing cabal are AJR, TRG, and Farnbacher Loles. They seem not to be particularly happy with the status quo.

Speaking of Grand Am, another pretense will end when NASCAR takes de jure (there’s that word again) control and makes the Daytona Prototype the Official NASCAR Sports Car (the Road Course Car of Tomorrow). What will actually happen is the absorption of the fig leaf Daytona Motorsports Group, which – nominally at least – controls Grand Am, MotoST, and now Superbike and all other series (except – for now – Arenacross and Supercross) formerly run by AMA Pro Racing.

It didn’t take long for the Sith of International Speedway Boulevard (Darth France and Darth Edmondson) to take their rules meat axe to the Superbikes, either. Murphy’s not saying they’re draconian, of course, but if you like Grand Am’s approach to racing you’ll love the new NASCAR-like Superbike (renamed Daytona Superbike, of course). The contrary view is expressed by Mat Mladin, who when asked what he will do if the newly announced rules go into effect said, “I won’t be riding Daytona Superbike next year.” (If you don’t know who Mat Mladin is, you don’t understand any of this, and probably don’t care.)

The Empire is on the prowl.

Tags: Cytosport, ECO Racing, Forsythe, Grand Am, Lola coupe, Prep 2, van der Steur, Walker

This entry was posted on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 4:59 pm and is filed under Paddock Poop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.