There’s been good news for the American Le Mans Series lately, three items in particular. But after that, the silver may have a cloudy lining. (What’s that? A backwards metaphor?)
Prius-R
Corsa finally confirms its prototype, and it’s a blockbuster, a prototype Prius! Well, not exactly – it’s a Zytek.
Though there’s been some internet chatter about “two new manufacturers,” Murphy consulted his notes, and more recently Braselton’s referred to one, not two. Was BMW one of the original two? If it were, then Corsa’s Zytek might be the second. If not, we’re still looking for another one. (Edit: The Bear’s a bit confused by many referrences to new entries, both this year and next. Murphy certainly would not put BMW in the ‘attracted by the Green Racing initiative’ catagory, and if Braselton was being precise about ‘next year,’ Zytek won’t fit either. Don’t forget that ‘manufacturer’ in IMSA’s parlance includes chassis builders like Zytek.)
In April, the Bear passed on some things that pointed to a real Prius. Is that “off the table?” Perhaps not.
The General
There was this item in Murphy’s Mosport Special Edition:
It’s settled. The General shows a bit of good sense. Corvette will be back in 2009.
AutoWeek says a split season next year – half GT1, half GT2. Murphy’s not sure of that. He thinks the prototype idea could still be on the table, though the GT2 thing is probably the odds on favorite in the paddock. This will be a Pratt & Miller program. Riley took a flyer to put a GT2 Corvette on the track with Lou Gigliotti, and it was clear to Murphy (and to the paddock, and importantly, to GM) that the Gigliotti part of that program was the best part.
Murphy was told a Pratt & Miller prototype made it all the way to the wind tunnel. What happens to that? Some speculate that there still may be opportunities for Corvette power, and even for that chassis, somewhere on sports car prototype grids.
Acura
The announcement of its LMP1 program was the third bit of good news for the series. Three teams will contest two prototype classes, and Honda would clearly like to have a second P2 team, too.
Doubts
That brings Murphy to some unhappy rumblings in the paddock. The list of teams that may not return next season has grown to three, four, or five, depending on who’s talking – plus doubts about the “official programs” of two manufacturers. The economy isn’t particularly strong, and sponsors aren’t exactly awash with cash, so none of that should come as a surprise. Given the history of such things, the Bear doesn’t start celebrating when it’s said “there’s a 70% chance” of returning.
Someone out there reported that Murphy said Porsche was testing an LMP1. He didn’t. If they are, he doesn’t know about it. What he actually wrote was that Porsche was testing a P1 when word of the impending ACO diesel rules put an end to that program – over a half-decade ago. He does think they should build and race a P1. But they don’t pay a lot of attention to stuffed animals in Weissach. Perhaps they should.
2004
At least part of the prototype grid next season may look like it did only in 2004.
Driver Quietly Looking
A very, very good American Le Mans Series driver of some year’s experience is said to be quietly inquiring about ride possibilities for 2009. That’s not just interesting in the “driver silly season rumor mill,” but in the whole question of teams that will or will not – return. The driver’s quiet job search is the best clue yet that a key prototype team does not – for now – intend to return in 2009, and neither does a manufacturer.
It’s the economy, stupid
American Le Mans Series racing programs have been curtailed – and some didn’t happen – because of the economic climate. The series will do well to hold the line on the grid next season. You might have noticed that Grand Am’s DP field didn’t grow from year-to-year, and the Bear expects it to contract in 2009. Southard Motorsports announced this morning it will skip Grand Am’s season-ending event in Utah and pointed directly to the economy.
Good News, Bad News
In ALMS GT, a Porsche team will add both a car and a factory driver next season. This is an area in which Grand Am – if it keeps its promise for GT to become “all tube frame” – is going to take a big hit. Porsche sources say they’ll not build, nor will they support, tube frame 911s, even though they were willing to do so twenty years ago. The premier Porsche prototype program will also wrap up.
That increase in Porsche participation in ALMS GT could well be greeted by a decrease in the Ferrari presence. Murphy hopes that’s not the case, but he’s hearing…
Bored
The English fish-and-chip-oil burner now won’t be ready for Silverstone, just as it wasn’t ready for Sebring (sitting about the paddock doesn’t count), and for anything else so far this year. Ho hum.
NASCAR Diversifies
We’re told that NASCAR is making a bid to get into the casino business. As part of that, they’re promising to toss in a second Cup race at a nearby track, where they’ve promised to build a roval track and race guppies. The prototurtles might be around much longer than Murphy had been hearing, and the now-official acquisition by NASCAR just may be more than a way to cover some losses before the shut-down. One thing seems certain. The gnomes at International Speedway Boulevard are ignoring the advice they got from Detroit and will stay the course on which they’ve been for the past decade – to separate themselves entirely from reliance on the auto industry. With the Car of Tomorrow the last step is pretty easy – just rip off the Toyota, Cheby, and Ford decals.
Toot-toot Department
Murphy’s been accused of tooting his own horn. Why the hell shouldn’t he? This item appeared in Paddock Poop 60, October, 2007.
NASCAR Sports Cars – an Oxymoron whose time has come…
No more Grand Am. It’s going to be the NASCAR Sports Car Series…That might sound good, but Murphy’s not so sure. It looks like a compromise between full speed ahead and a more complete withdrawal to support NASCAR events only. NASCAR Sports Cars will still have an independent schedule including some non-NASCAR tracks, but the pitch is being focused on the already-captive market. How that makes sense, the Bear hasn’t got a glimmer.-10/23/2007
Millville and Monterrey
Speaking of Grand Am, it was at dusty, narrow, and unready Millville on the weekend. While the crowd was reported to be ‘huge by Grand Am standards,’ the teams were quite unhappy about racing at a track so clearly unprepared to host professional motorsports, and some of them said so. The American Le Mans Series is losing some interest in the venue, while becoming more enamored with the Lady of the North.
Petit Le Mans
Plan on getting there. Some say this is another sports car racing “Golden Age.” It’s mixing metaphors, but the 11th Petit Le Mans could also be the “high water mark” for some time.
Murphy will be at Petit. Look for him. La Parilla, the woods near Turn 10, Paddy’s and Jeffrey’s are all favorite haunts. And the paddock, of course.
Tags: Acura, Corvette, ECO Racing, GM, Millville, Monterrey, NASCAR, Porsche, Prius, Southard Motorsports
Suppose Grand-Am/Nascar Sports Cars were to fold in near future. Would ACO have problem with ALMS if they were to add 24 Hours of Daytona to their schedule?
Ferrari: I’ve heard that the ACO has a policy of no other 24 hour races on their sanctioned series’ schedules. I had thought just as you are now, until that was shot down during a paddock conversation at LRP…too bad. Can the bear confirm this policy?
Millville has another problem with that hump that allows cars to get airborn. That would have to be fixed before ALMS would be willing to race there, I would bet. Anybody have any idea what the “Lady of the North” is. I am assuming it is a Canadian track.
I suspect that if the Daytona 24 was sanctioned by another body and the car rules were close enough to IMSA ALMS rules, then the ALMS cars might be able to race there. It wouldn’t be a “sanctioned series” race that way. It would be great if this could happen, but I think it is extremely doubtful. The Daytona 24 would need a full time series to support it I would think.
I’d be very enthusiastic of a 24 Hour race series that is only a handful of races a year, including Daytona. You could have some kind of class structure that allows different types of cars to compete, like the BritCar 24 or something like that. Doubt it will happen, I’m just saying it’d be very nice.
I wish Lady of the North was Portland, OR, but I’m thinking Mt. Tremblant at this point.
All the focus on the demise of Grand-Am/24 hours of Daytona misses the point that some of the better Grand Am programs, such as Stallings, Wayne Taylor and possibly even Ganassi, may have to find their way to (or back to, in some cases) ALMS, perhaps in the Prototype field. Particularly if some of the big hitters like Audi and Porsche were to nix their factor involvement…
So when is Grand Am/NASCAR Sportscar Racing set to shut down,Murphy?
WTF, do you mean now that those who put money in are safely paid out of the NASCAR coffers?
Who knows – there’s not much rumored about timing, except some who say they have to give it a go for long enough to look good to the auditors and NASCAR shareholders.
Of course, others say this is a serious effort to make Grand Am the leading sports car racing series in North America. Time will tell, won’t it? Murphy is just passing along the scurrilous stuff he’s heard.
How could it hope to be the leading sportscar series in N.A.????
The WC GT series is already the best. Even twenty five or thirty DPs on the grid won’t change my mind.
ALMS GT might be good. Assuming that GM doesn’t crush everyone else and scare them away.
(An ALMS GT ONLY series would be better for the N.A.market since there will never be enough LMP 1′$ over here to have good racing. LMP2 is soon to be be for gentlemen and young up and comers with no chance of beating the Acura P1 teams overall. Why not just have everyone in GT instead of another ten years of watching a pair of factory LMP cars lapping everyone?)
Murphy, You may also want to try Jack’s while at Petit. Just across the interstate from the Chateau. A semi-race type decor and great food & drink. It doesn’t hurt that Jack used to run the Lotus Sports team and Bob Akin’s IMSA team. For Mexican, Le Centenial on 53 in the strip mall next to the Wendy’s is very good but small and can get quite loud. La Hacienda, also on 53, but in Brasleton proper is much larger and just as good for my money. Hope to meet you at Petit. You can always stop by the YFDS camp site.
You can’t miss Murphy – he looks just like his picture (because that is his picture). Except for the tux, of course (that’s for the ALMS awards banquet).