Ka Boom
A manufacturer has been watching its engine program hit the wall lately. If the Orville Redenbacher sponsorship doesn’t work out, they’ll need to look for a change in the focus, management, and perhaps even the participants. Orville likes the popping sound and white smoke, but it isn’t a very good image for a race engine (ask the James Bond car guys). Murphy’s been told that whatever else they do, a look at the in-house ten-cent engine control system should be the first order of business.
Petite Field
How petite will the field at Petit Le Mans be? Murphy figures it’s 29 firm, with four more possible. The “solid” LMP entries – announced and likely to show up to race (not the same thing) - include these eleven:
Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 – 2
Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 – 2
Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a
DeFerran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a
Oreca Racing Oreca-Courage LC70 AIM
Intersport Racing Lola B07/10 AER
Drayson Racing Lola B09/60 Judd
Corsa Motorsports Ginetta-Zytek 09SH
Autocon Motorsports Lola B06/10 AER
The lone possible addition is Team LNT’s Ginetta-Zytek 09S Zytek
Five LMP2’s are likely to occupy the Road Atlanta paddock:
Dyson Lola B09/80 Mazda – 2
Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b
Cytosport Porsche RS Spyder
Van der Steur Racing Radical R9
Murphy’s unaware of any likely additions to LMP2
There are 13 GT2 entries on the list in Braselton:
Corvette Racing Corvette GT2 C6-R – 2
Primetime Racing Dodge Viper CC
Falken Racing Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
PTG Panoz Esperante GTLM
LG Motorsports Riley Corvette Z06 GT
Robertson Ford GT40 Mk VII
Flying Lizards Porsche 997 GT3 RSR – 2
Risi Competizione Ferrari 430GT
Farnbacher Loles Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Rahal BMW E92 M3 GT2 – 2
Among possible additions are a Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT for Tracy Krohn, a VICI Racing Porsche 997 RSR (not two), and a lone Rocket Sports Racing Jaguar XKR. The minimum Road Atlanta grid looks like 29, the maximum 33. The Bear takes 31 in the “over-under.”
A pot of money – what are the odds?
A rumor at Mosport had a former F1 constructor fielding Audi prototypes in the American Le Mans Series next year, but Tim Cindric told a Euro mag that, “we see no business model that would allow us to return to the ALMS in the near future.” A big pot of money would solve that “business model” problem overnight, of course.
Japan
Murphy saw that the ACO doesn’t know the difference between Road Atlanta and Road America in its September 1 Asian Le Mans press release. The Bear predicted the Japan rounds would follow Shanghai into oblivion, but it seems the ACO is determined to go ahead as an undercard to round 11 of the World Touring Car Championship. Twenty-three entries. That’s after subtracting a couple (Signature and KSM) on the original entry. Only one race is mentioned – has something happened to the second Japan round? Is the putative series salvaging ¼ of its planned schedule.
DP Happenings – or not
Murphy’s exposé of rumors of DP departures in Paddock Poop 136 were not only confirmed by sources in the Mosport paddock, but at Montreal. Even motorsport.com had jumped on this bandwagon. A north Florida car dealer will concentrate on selling street cars (arguably a full-time job these days). Some think they (the car dealer) will stuff a Cayenne engine in the back of a Riley, but Murphy hears it will be someone else that does that with the former car dealer’s chassis.
Not-So-Amiable Split
The partnership stresses that the Bear told you about exploded when one team’s DP’s were withdrawn before crossing the international border. Subtract a pair of Grand Am prototypes for the rest of the season – and for next, too. No, forever, that’s certainly the end of the Brendan Griven (TWR) designed package, of which none were sold except to the US partner. So the big-time racing car builder and its oil magnate partner may be headed to court. Clearly both partners’ expectations were way out of line with reality. If this keeps up, the DP ranks will be as depleted as the ALMS prototype grid.
Stayin’ put with Vette Bodies
A Grand Am team that’s staying put will put a new body on its frame and buy another, going from one now dead “Excitement” to a pair of America’s Sports Cars. A Scot was lead driver and will stick around; with another car they’ll add another. Bet on a Dyson pilot, a long-time friend of the team’s manager, to fill that seat.
Television
The American Le Mans Series has opted to say not a word about its television ratings, even though Grand Am is perfectly willing to hype numbers hovering around .1 (that’s point one) as some great proof of popularity. So how bad could the ALMS broadcasts be? A recent network broadcast had overnights of .4 (that’s point four). That’s evidence that the Speed broadcasts are awful indeed. (Bear message to ALMS PR: If they aren’t lousy, publish them. Otherwise, “go gentle into that good night.” Thanks to Dylan Thomas.)
Quickies
A former IMSA team champion will run a more extensive Patrón Challenge program next year, perhaps supporting more than one ALMS Challenge class competitor.
Scott and Dario will help out a pair of teams (you know who) at Petit.
The English gardner will spend some time with the Poughkeepsie team in a non-driving advisory capacity.
If Grand Am does Indy, it will be in support of the Brickyard 400, not as a stand-alone event.
Versus went dark on Direct TV. Tony can’t be happy. (Nor are IRL sponsors.)
Murphy’s working on his Petit Le Mans trip plan. So should you.
Follow Murphy at http://twitter.com/Murphythebear
Tags: Asian Le Mans Series, BMW, Corvette, Dario Franchitti, Dylan Thomas, Dyson Racing, Grand Am, IRL, Jaguar, James Bond, Japan, Lola, Mazda, Mosport, Orville Redenbacher, Patron, Porsche, Road America, Road Atlanta, Rocket Sports Racing, Scott Dixon, Tim Cindric, Tracy Krohn, Versus, WTCC
Hey Murph,
Didn’t think it was possible to run the roadcourse and oval at Indy on the same weekend.
Murphy was told it can be converted in a reasonable amount of time, if spectator areas/overlap of the road course is controlled. (And you wouldn’t be able to “mix” practice and qualifying sessions, so you’d run a day (Thursday?) of DP’s then convert.) A separate event doesn’t pass the “smell test.” Would Indy pay a million dollar sanction fee? (That would seem to be in conflict with recent boardroom actions.) Will Grand Am rent the track. (If they do, NASCAR will have to agree to underwrite significant losses; no attendance history for that series would suggest they can break even paying the cost of separately opening the track.)
If you are right and NASCAR is willing to incur the costs, then it says something about Grand Am’s intent in regard to NA sports car racing, doesn’t it?
The Bear is dead on, 31 total entries. No GT Challenge class at Petit? That would be nice, it takes away from the “real” racing.
ECO racing in P1, I didn’t see that coming.
I will be rooting for the LG Vette to be strong in GT2.
NASCAR is willing go to the mat for that trash?
Let’s be honest, Ganassi runs cars just as a favor to NASCAR and as long as money there to run it, he doesn’t care. Suntrust would run ALMS if they make an affordable case for it, Wayne hasn’t burned that bridge.
NASCAR is looking to tie the series as another “Touring” series with the main Sprint Cup, especially when they run at Road Courses, so either they’ll add more road courses (likely but not next year) or run the series down to about 8 events to reduce overall cost.
I can’t see it running alone at Indy it would be an embarrassment, almost everybody leaves when they run the support race to the Coke Zero 400.
I think this is all to placate JC France because this is his “Pet Project”. Just like Tony was able to spend mounds of family money and ultimately loose control of his series, accomplish NONE of his goals and relegated Open Wheel Racing to 2nd citizen status on the motorsport food chain.
Yes Fuzzy it says plenty about how serious the France family is about dominating motorsports in America. They are willing to wait out and out spend ALMS if needed in order to make him cave.
But I think he’s about to be sorely disappointed because when the Economy comes roaring back, it will benefit the ALMS faster than Grand Am.
ECO racing is on the entry list and it mentions on the Radial web site that they car has been updated to 2011 specs.
Dixon is not listed on the driver list for De Ferran, of course he’ll be there, off weekend for the IRL.
Petit will be off the chain but there’s plenty to talk about during the build up.
Concerning ECO:
http://www.endurance-info.com/version2/news-focus-2284.html
Thinks they will be at Petit.
I do believe the “excitement” team will be fielding tube frame Pratt and Miller Camaro’s, not Corvettes.
Ding, ding, we have a winner! The Bear posted this over on the ALMSfans forum this past Thursday:
brifred, you’re the first one to “fix” Murphy’s identification of the new body as a Vette. Will you be at Petit or Laguna? If so, leave a PM for the Bear over at americanlemansfans.com forum.
I cant imagine that tying the GA series to the Sprint cup series would be accepted by the GA teams. It would relegate them to a support series role and push them in to lousy time slots on the track, and into the boonies in the paddock. I’d be curious to know how the teams feel about the situation at the events that they share now. Any word on how teams like Doran and Crawford are looking for next year as they have been relegated to mid to back of the field runners? Can/ will NASCAR feed these guys enough money to keep them alive in the series?
More ?’s than answers at this time I guess.
Camaro’s, the same car that Chevrolet wouldn’t run as the the new COT of the Nationwide series because it ruined the “classic” lines of the car.
So now they take it to the DP class, who’s cars look even worse than those of the COT’s.
bifred, the GA teams are realists. They understand they exist at the pleasure of their NASCAR/ISC friends (particularly when the cash the periodic check).
FosterC92, the Pratt & Miller tube frame to which Pontiac bodywork was screwed, now to be replaced by the brick-like shape of the Camaro, is a GT, not a DP.
I see. Thanks for the update. Totally confused.
Has the Don sent everyone home? Is anyone left in Braselton? speedtv.com announces a RSR Jaquar XKR will be at Road Atlanta but nothing on americanlemans.com.
I hope someone will be there on the 26th to open the gates.
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/alms-rsr-jaguar-xkr-to-debut-at-petit-le-mans/
(Love the Bear but no points for “Among possible additions….” It’s possible Rob will jump in the Mazda Lola for a stint….)
What the hell is this?
https://www.signup4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=ROLE152E
A Grand Am event starting at the Dons in Braselton?
GMAFB
Here’s the funny thing: That same site/signup was out there at this same time last year as the “Inaugural event.” Same Boggy Bear, same ride with Roger, the whole enchalada.
So, how can this one be the “Inaugural event?”
Murphy surmises last year never happened.
The Bear predicts this one won’t either..
I saw that ad for the Grand Am Rally. Frankly, I thought if was great way to try out the really boss new Pontiacs, presumably, cabriolets!
Go GM!