murphythebear.com

Reader pdxracefan asked in a comment to Paddock Poop 145, “how much worse can it get?” Murphy says to keep reading.

Porker Plans

Is there a 2010 ACO spec Porsche? Of course there is: the 2009 GT3 RSR with a 2010 plate. Falken has one, according to driver Brian Sellers. Don’t be surprised if Sellers is joined by a factory pilot. Porsche’s running out of places to put the boys, and Porsche doesn’t want them idle. Socrates would have classed them as idle anyway, having opined, “They are not only idle who do nothing, but they are idle also who might be better employed,” and the Porker pilots won’t be very well employed in the American Le Mans Series.

With Farnbacher reported to be a partner in name only (best source say shop shut down), if that, Murphy is less than convinced there will be a Greg Loles GT2 entry rumored by others in ALMS. He also hears the west coast reptile team will only enter a single car, with Seth at the wheel partnered by another of those under-employed Porsche pilots. Is that it, then? Just two Porsches in GT2, neither competitive? Murphy thinks it’s likely. Another source this afternoon is convinced there will still be two Lizard Porsches. Meanwhile, the entire reptilian brain trust is driving in one of Kevin’s Porsches at the Daytona 24.

Ferrari

After hearing all kinds of rumblings, and nothing convincing to the contrary, the Bear wonders if his favorite Texas Ferrari dealer will field a full-season entry. Someone said they were likely to at least contest the major enduros, but this week he heard Jaime Melo is off to Europe, and Pierre Kaffer will partner Scott Sharp at Patrón Sharp (OK, Supreme Speed, er, Excess Speed, er, Extreme Speed, or something like that), with Johannes van Overbeek partnering Ed Brown in the team’s second Ferrari entry.

Other GT2

There’s been nothing further of substance in regard to a second BMW team (believed at the time to be Schnitzer). In fact, Murphy was told the whole thing was game-playing by BMW with the World Touring Car Championship – something they’ve done before.
Corvette is likely to be back, of course. Is that causing Porsche to flee? Massive equipment sales raise questions about a Panoz entry. The Bear knows an underfunded operation when he sees one, and he certainly saw one at PTG last season. It was said around the paddock that upgrades and testing were being done on ptgboss’s nickel (certainly out of character) because the Don was being his penurious self. Those cars are old wrecks.

Elsewhere, it’s rumored that Robertson’s trip to Asia was for the fun of it and a reward for the past season more than having anything to do with 2010. Is it possible that was a au revoir? Though Murphy’s best information is that Robertson will certainly be back, he’s sharing that contrary rumor (or speculation).  Primetime shopped for a replacement to the aging and uncompetitive Viper last season, and has been mentioned in connection with LMP Challenge. A return with the snake will be a surprise. If Rocketsports holds it together – not certain by any means – it will be for one, not two, Cats.

That’s a GT2 of 9 – Murphy’s best guess of a “take it to the bank minimum” so far, 10 if Robertson is added. Add six – maximum 8 – LMP combined class, and three in LMP “C” class, and you get 19 entries before the all-Porsche spec. amateur, you-can- see-better-at-a-Porsche-club-meet GT Challenge. The Bear thinks a ticket price reduction is in order for 2010. Murphy won’t be ready to lay out his projection of the whole field until January, but it looks like doo-doo here at the beginning of December.

Krohn Krunched in Kourt

Murphy was reading a document from Delaware’s Chancery Court, a November 12th ruling on Krohn’s response to Lola’s allegations of perfidy (the Bear’s word; good one, huh?). The short of it is Krohn was krunched, and has two options: settle or go to trial. On the latter, the Bear’s no barrister, but the Texas oil maggot’s (is that speeled right?) chances seem slim and none.

Krohn is one of just 11 entries in the Rolex December test at Daytona. (Ed: Murphy relied on reporting by DSC to come up with that 11 figure. It was wrong – or perhaps just out of date, being dated November 28, two days before the Bear wrote this. The real number of entries is 24; 10 DP and 14 GT entries, here.) Regardless of the lawsuit – and it’s a nasty one – Krohn paid for the cars and can race them if he chooses, but the Bear’s not sure that will remain the case as that dispute goes forward. Brumos now admits they’ll enter just one DP in 2010. The Bear believes even that’s a bit of a stretch. Oddly (since they’re on their own) four of the five DP’s in the test are Porsche-powered.

Can’t give it away

As the boss prepares to extol the virtues of green racing to academics at Clemson, the first foray of the American Le Mans Series into such things – ethanol – is getting even an even bigger black eye. Now they can’t even give the stuff away. With the drop in gasoline sales, the congress-mandated barrels required to be sold by ‘big oil” can’t be met (another law caps ethanol in “regular” gasoline at 10%) and ethanol plants are shutting down and going belly up all over the country.

The other problem is that the all the “big media” features are about NASCAR recycling its motor oil and picking up the trash after its events, with ALMS rating a little paragraph in the middle of that non-story. So, how many cars on the grid and fannies at the track will the Clemson evening get the series? Or planting trees in California – the other big green contribution by the “world’s greenest racing series.”

The oil of racing

Is really cash, of course, and it looks as if 2010 will be tougher than 2009. It’s ”farewell, we’ll see ya (and our checkbook is going with us),” by Audi and Acura. Porsche is rumored to have likewise cut funding to the series – all of these cuts are some combination of reduction of ad buys and of other contractual payments. In Porsche’s case, Murphy thinks something is left over – a requirement of the “commercial considerations” that are keeping GT Challenge exclusively Porsche. Likewise, Michelin continues to pay for ad spots, features, and the dubious honor of title sponsorship of the Green X Challenge (what’s the “X” for, by the way).

Now it seems that for all the “green” blather, BP’s going to “walk” on Dyson. Murphy’s friend Rick reports retailers have been told of the departure. I guess they decided it was a lousy vehicle to promote their substantial investment in Butanol. Good call, after the ALMS refused to promote the two “demonstration” runs in its final two events. Would you continue to lay out hundreds of thousands after that nonsense? Murphy sure as hell wouldn’t. Dyson even begged the series to provide some coverage via participation in the qualifying session, even if the qualifying time wasn’t recognized. IMSA “wouldn’t budge,” (and yes, that’s a quote). The Bear wonders if Mazda is going to “step up,” in 2010 as hoped by the Poughkeepsie team.

It’s rumored that Castrol will replace BP on the Dyson cars. The Bear wonders what that’s worth to the team. Not much, probably.

Look for Murphy’s first annual Christmas quiz. It’s got big prizes…honest.

Tags: BP, Clemson University, Corvette, Dyson Racing, Ed Brown, Farnbacher, Flying Lizard Motorsports, Green X Challenge, Greg Loles, Jaime Melo, Johannes van Overbeek, Krohn Racing, Lola, Pierre Kaffer, Primetime Race Group, PTG, Risi Ferrari, Robertson Racing, Rolex, Schnitzer, Scott Sharp, Socrates

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