Porker Rools?
The Bear wrote in his last Poop that Porsche had been “reigned in” by a reduction of 5 kilos, because that change to 1245 Kg reduced its restrictor – at least that was an engineer’s reasoning. Now it’s said that Porsche had 25 Kg added to its minimum weight. The illegal engine thing, you know. The Porker’s been illegal since it introduced the 4.0 engine. Fünfundzwanzig kilo? Vir lachen bie Sie!
Is it one or the other, or is that a new 25 Kg since the 1245? Or is the reduction – or the increase – wrong? The IMSA memorandum cryptically simply announce the RSR would compete at an 1245 minimum weight. Does that really mean its previous minimum was 1220? Can someone explain it all to the Bear? (See comments. Murphy thinks Duff44 has solved the mystery.)
The Lord has a New Plan?
The Bear heard that Drayson Racing has bought a Lola LMP1 coupe with Judd power. Will that affect the team’s plan (or “expressed interest”) in contesting the final two ALMS rounds in GT with the Aston Martin Vantage?
Cytosport Support
Some are asking what support Porsche is giving the Muscle Milk guy. The Bear doesn’t know what’s in it, but given the huge $ figure he heard this morning, it better be pretty damn good, and the protein drink better keep selling like hot cakes (or whatever it sells like).
Maybe it’s in the Mail?
Murphy’s invite to the big stakeholder’s confab at Elkhart Lake hasn’t arrived. Nor has he heard anything contradictory to the “new prototype class” story he was told and passed on in Paddock Poop 134.
Monterey, Sonoma, Petaluma, Mooresville
Kevin Buckler is nothing if not mobile, all those places being former or current shops. Just a few days ago, Buckler announced plans to build a “complex” at New Jersey Motorsports Park (Thunderbolt) near Millsville, NJ. A wine guy amongst NASCAR beer drinkers (he sells a California wine with his Adobe Road label), he’ll open a wine and cigar bar in the 40,000 sq. ft., $5,000,000 facility – if it gets built (there’s no scheduled groundbreaking and Buckler admits he’s looking for an investor) What about the Mooresville shop? According to reports, Buckler will move his east coast operation to New Jersey in its entirety. There’s a rumor it’s already closing – or closed (no confirmation of that). In related news, the Bear was told that Buckler Grand Am driver Spencer Pumpelly (6th in GT points after Barber) was out of Buckler’s TRG Porsche with sponsorship “difficulties” at the Grand Am Watkins Glen round, but was able to sub for an ill Robin Liddell at Stevenson Motorsports.
Hard on
The Bear’s been hard on Road America over the years. It’s because its his favorite track, but it’s never been his favorite event – or even close. George know a lot more than a dumb bear about promoting great racing. He must since his marketers produced the 2009 brochure with the Malibu Grand Prix cars on the front, and the promotion video that features golf cart scavenger hunts. Murphy wouldn’t have thought of any of that!
A Perfect World
What Gil actually said about 2010 plans is that “in a perfect world” he’d like to run two cars in IRL and two in ALMS. It seems to Murphy that the next question (not asked by any of the “crack journalists” present, it seems) would be, “What’s likely in a “not-so-perfect world?” The Bear hears there are driver and sponsoship ideas being kicked around the rumor mills for two IRL entries, but he’s not heard much for the ALMS side.
Bookings
Murphy’s been told September accommodations in Northeastern Georgia have been booked for männer von Wald-Michelbach.
Favorite Places
Siebken’s has been the prototypical race bar since the beginning. Everyone from Dan Gurney to Pat Long has tipped a cold one at Siebken’s Stop Inn Tavern. In recent year’s Ferrari celebrated a break-through victory over Corvette Racing.
Of course there’s the Commercial Break in Tropical Neenah.
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Tags: Aston Martin, Commercial Break, Judd, Kevin Buckler, Lola, Lord Drayson, Porsche, Road America, Robin Liddell, Siebken's, Spencer Pumpelly, TRG, Tropical Neenah, Wald-Michelbach
So I guess that means we’ll see the Teutons back for a grudge match against the Lion. Will they stick around for Monterey?
Oh as as for the Courage FLM class, does the ACO have a similar vision, or will the AFLM(?) class competitors be without any direct path to the 24?
I started the “+25 kg” rumor because of something I heard on television (if it’s on television, it must be true,) or maybe (more probably) something I heard in the Radio Le Mans broadcast (and it is on the Internet, it is Gospel truth, truth of a higher order.)
So I have no clue.
But I do recognize comic genius, just as you recognize advertising genius.
The Lord bought a Lola? Good Lawd I want to a Lord!
And I thought you weren’t supposed to re-sell those “Cash for Clunkers”…or was that just in the same country???
Hindy said the Porsche had been given 25 Kg, I think. The whole damn thing confuses the hell out of Murphy. (He just fixed the “11xx Kg to 12xx Kg…he had that all effed up until a friend pointed out the mistake.)
OK, I think I have the Porsche weight thing figured out:
ALMS Bulletin 09-03 (pre-Sebring) stated that the Porsche must run “ACO specifications”, which in and of themself include a 25kg weight break for the 911. Since this car has 14″ wide rubber, it would normally run at 1245kg, but with the ACO-spec 25kg reduction, it started at 1220kg. The car runs to 1220kg in the LMS.
ALMS Memorandum 09-14 updates the homologation of the 911 RSR to run at 1245kg, effectively rescinding the ACO-allowed weight break.
So in reality, the Porsche is running at the weight it should be running without any ‘adjustments’.