Required?
In some quarters it’s believed the series has to announce a major manufacturer for a committed full time 2010 program no later than at Petit Le Mans in September. It can be the return of a former (Audi or Porsche) or new (Toyota) big-time player. It can’t be a back-door-badge-something program. What about the impressive growth of GT2? Won’t help, say the Bear’s sources. Neither will a Panoz LMP1 be enough, though some believe the motivation for the Don’s idea might be the need to provide some competition to keep Acura in the fold.
Phillips
The disappearance from the ALMS website of the veteran journalist’s latest column has caused a bit of a disturbance in the force. What the heck is that all about? Murphy read the supposedly-offending piece and found it a largely positive, but realistic view of the “state of the series” as it nears the long “Le Mans break.” As the Bear reports above, Phillips isn’t the only one who gets the impression that there will have to be some competition for Acura to start the 2010 season. Murphy is sure there are bigger worries for Braselton than the nuances of a motorsport commentary.
Adjustments
The rumblings around the paddock about the race-to-race GT2 adjustments are about as well received as the(in)famous AM-Corvette thing, and the on-going petrol-diesel thing. “Pandering” and “politics,” are overheard. Panoz gets an 8% larger restrictor than the same motor in a Doran Ford GT. The Viper is reigned in at the last minute; perhaps they were going to fast for their own safety? In LMP2, will a one-race extension of the boost pressure and restrictor given Mazda’s in the first three races avoid an advantage the turbo might have had at Utah’s altitude?
Revolution de l’Sarthe
Le Mans is secure in its place as the world’s premier endurance race. The Le Mans Series is apparently weathering this recession better than other motorsports leagues. The American Le Mans Series has brought a decade of the French classic to hundreds of thousands of American fans. So it was surprising this past week when it was rumored that a palace coup had ousted ACO general manager Daniel Perdrix, and technical director Daniel Poissenot. So far, this remains unconfirmed rumor, but it’s gotten the sport buzzing, and other sources that can’t confirm the departures of the Daniels still say that “changes are underway in the organization.”
Even more fascinating were rumors that linked such changes to a recent bulletin that may give the French promoter of the 24 Heures du Mans a window within which to roll back some aero innovations introduced by Audi’s R15 diesel.
In a sidebar to this story, Murphy can’t tell you how disappointed he was to read (in sportscarpros.com) that the ACO’s two Daniels’ idea of fine dining was the Outback Steakhouse in Sebring. Perhaps the Frogs at home got word of that transgression? If so, the Bear can understand the dismissal; nothing is more damning for a Frenchman than a lack of culinary taste. On the other hand, having tried what passes for “steak” in “La Ville-Lumière” perhaps Murphy should be a bit more forgiving.
Green Racing: An Official Personal Lubricant?
The Michelin Green Challenge may be a great way to sneak a racing program past your board of directors, but racing fans – the ones that have heard of it – don’t really care. If you can’t see it, it’s not a sport. Period. How many spectators are there for a math competition? Murphy rests his case. Besides, it’s all quite counter-intuitive, isn’t it? Naturally aspirated engines beat turbos, V8s beat four cylinder motors, and gasoline engines beat diesels. The Bear hasn’t forgotten this is the result of collaboration with da gubment.
Since the Bear’s on the subject of green, there’s that new (not approved for cars and trucks but announced at Sebring) “official lubricant of the American Le Mans Series” announced at Sebring. You haven’t heard of it? Ah! Just as the bear thought. Well, here’s what Murphy got out of the press conference: It’s called “G-Oil,” and it’s a lubricant. Heidi’s getting a little hot. The Bear wonders what Mobil thinks of all this.
First trucks, then sedans, and now…
Patrick Long raced twice with the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour – at Mobile (28th), and at Pensacola (7th). From Late Model Digest’s Quotable: Assorted sound bites from the Late Model world: “Rally’s pretty wild. I’m just gonna keep it at a mellow pace.” – Patrick Long, a sports car racing star who made his oval debut in the ASA Southeast races at Mobile and Pensacola. Several of Long’s sports car teammates race rough-and-tumble rally cars all over the world in their off-weeks.
Speed Report said Pat got in a paddock fight on the weekend. Don’t know with whom – is Johanna Long in Pat’s weight class? Some wondered how stock car pay compares to Porsche factory driver pay. Murphy’s here to tell you they’re not even on the same planet – and he shouldn’t have to tell you which is more.
With Porsche nixing any support for the Spyder entry at Le Mans (consequently withdrawn), and Roger being sent to run a mid-engine taxicab in Grand Am, perhaps Porsche has decided to “go mainstream?” (As if getting into the truck and sedan biz isn’t enough of a clue.) Anyway, Murphy thinks Porsche needs to give its permission for such extracurricular activities by its drivers, and since only Chevy, Ford, and Toyota will soon be left in NASCAR Sprint Cup… Well, the Bear heard some Panamera style stick-on headlights were on the drawing board at Porsche Design. As you can see, the depleted ALMS grids have left Murphy with entirely too much time on his hands.
Zytek in Utah
As Murphy said last week, Corsa will be at Utah, probably with a Zytek 07S-LMP1 – not a Q10 (the hybrid) – at least according to the just-released entry. If the car turns out to be the hybrid, it won’t be the first time the entry’s gotten the detail wrong, will it? The team owner admits the car will “barely make it – test for the first time in bare carbon fiber in a race-weekend ALMS Practice.” The Bear hopes that Corsa makes the race. Eighteen “real” entries is pretty weak – about what Murphy’s been suggesting,though – and the three “Challenge” cars are short of Braselton’s expectations. (Note that one lacks drivers, and another is contributed by the Mexican Joy Juice sponsor.) Some say it’s nice to see Melanie and Martin again, but they’ve been there in Challenge all along, haven’t they?
McDreamy
Better get used to it – Patrick Dempsey seems to have replaced Jerry Lewis as the Frog Hero. Was it his starring role in Meatballs III, in which his love life gets some help from a dead porn star? The Bear isn’t sure, but that seems a good bet. In a recent interview, the actor said some “nice,” but largely non-committal, things about the ALMS. That got the good-news-starved-fans so excited they were wet and warm down the leg. What they forgot is that their hero has skipped racing in the ALMS entirely for Grand Am, including the 24 Hours of Daytona, and that’s seemingly a perfectly fine thing for the Frogs at Le Sarthe. Not ready for the ALMS when you driver at Daytona? That’s disingenuous at best. Reports had the actor ten seconds off the pace on the Bugatti circuit. If true, what does that translate to in June on the big track? Well, if Adrian Newey got a free pass into the big race, why not McDreamy?
Motorsport turbulence
Outside of sports cars, but could easily have impact. First, Murphy’s heard that A1GP had a near-death experience over unpaid bills this week, until either a payment magically appeared yesterday, creditors decided to carry until after the Brands Hatch round this weekend. If it’s the latter, the reckoning was only temporarily delayed, and in any case there’ll likely be rocks in the road getting to Australia’s Gold Coast in October.
F1
Meanwhile, F1 is a big mess. Sure, it’s nice to see the little guys winning races, but the idea of a spec. engine has BMW and Ferrari in a quandary – engine development is a big part of their excuse (to their management committees) to be in the big buck series to start with. Now there’s the “voluntary cap” thing, and Ferrari is flirting with the ACO.
Who’s on the list to participate under the £40 million cap, if it happens? Prodrive, of course. Super Nova Racing. Wirth Engineering, too, and therein is a whole can of worms – er, load of rumors – having to do with Acura’s sports car plans and Nick Wirth’s shared interests with his friend Max Mosley.
Ferrari probably won’t leave the F1 fold, but nothing of the sort is certain in regard to BMW, which could very easily leave, and would likely increase its participation in other motorsport. What about Porsche? Could it be attracted by that cost cap? Insiders say no, but other things are possible.
IRL
It’s pretty much an article of faith around the IRL paddock that de Ferran and Fernandez will be back in the fold next season (the only thing that might change that is the announcement of real LMP1 competition that Murphy mentioned above), and that Honda will get the IRL engine competition it wants when the “small turbo,” rules come into being. Don’t forget that Honda and others got very good at that engine technology in F1’s turbo era. There’s been rumor of Audi engines, but Murphy thinks that’s the wrong company.
Whoops, change of plans
Murphy had reason to believe that Grand Am’s viability was being questioned on Speedway Boulevard last year. He’s got even more reason to think that doubt is now gone. VIR drew a good crowd last weekend, but that’s just “gravy”; there are other reasons for the change of heart. Grand Am now sees an opportunity to take control of endurance road racing in the USA, and they’ve got a plan to do it. Stay tuned.
Tags: ASA, Audi, F1, G-Oil, IRL, Porsche, Sprint Cup, Wirth Engineering, Zytek
Ahhhhh. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this post until the last paragraph. Will our nightmare come true?
Are we potentially seeing the End of Days?
Is G-Oil part of a special Challenge?
The Snow’s have multiple ALMS experience in multiple car types.
“Well, if Adrian Newey got a free pass into the big race, why not McDreamy?”
This is what makes the sport great though. In sportscars if you have the funds, the ambition to race, and go through the proper channels you can go do it, as an owner driver.
Give McDreamy credit atleast he is putting money where his mouth is, and is doing a great job at it, and he came from the Panoz Series and he did well there.
Also I believe Adrian Newey finished third in class when he raced at Leman.
Chill out Bear, plus McDreamy will bring more publicity to the states for La Sarthe’.