January
Murphy, A.C., and Katrina Flood brought you right into the action at the Daytona 24, as AC calls it, “the World’s Greatest Race.” This time it almost was, with the Bear (a “Daytona Denier”) on the edge of his seat (with the rest of you – admit it), over the final hour and last laps.
A.C. gave ya’ll ten rools in “How to Enjoy the Rolex 24”
As he did for the previous year, Murphy listed the five entries most likely to win and contend for the win. In 2008, first, second, and third were from his top five. This year he had 1 and 2, and all five of his picks were in the first seven.
There was an interesting exchange with wrestlerrob in Paddock Poop 109 after the race. Wrestler wondered if the Bear would stick to his “Riley only” rool for his 2010 picks. Murphy answered he didn’t see any change, writing that, “Seriously, there’s no challenge in sight to Riley’s dominance. Certainly not Lola, in a partnership of which they are not enamored…or so the Bear hears.” There was your first clue that Lola and Krohn weren’t getting along, nearly a year ago. That “relationship” has now landed in court; if Krohn runs those cars (he’s entered them) it won’t be with any help from Lola.
Murphy mentioned another prototype – of much greater interest – on January 15, “There are multiple hints that there is a Porsche LMP1 in the wings that could debut as early as 2010 – if Herr Dr. Wiedeking will allow it.” Now that Wiedeking is gone his successor is talking openly of the prospect, though a 2011 debut seems most likely.
A.C. proudly declared, “I am A.C. Guillermo, and I’m a Grand-Am Writer.” In his race review, “The Grassy Knoll 24” A.C. ridiculed the conspiracy buffs, with his usual insightful expert analysis, observing, “I was watching the TV coverage of the race today and I saw no evidence of any cheating, aside from all those male enhancement product commercials (that stuff doesn’t work, trust me).”
On January 21, in Paddock Poop 108. “Murphy on Sebring’s Likely Starters,” the Bear wrote, “When the flag flies at Sebring on March 21, 30 entries will thunder into the old airbase’s Turn 1. It’s a different mix, but nearly the same number (31) Murphy gave you on December 10. If Sebring starts the Bear’s 30, it will have done well, indeed, in tough times for racing, losing only 10% from last year’s 33.”
The next day the Bear revised that, summarizing in Paddock Poop 109, “For now, those changes will cut his likely P1 starters to seven. Murphy’s going to keep his expected GT starters at 17, making Sebring’s total grid 29.” Contrary to his reputation in some quarters, in the event, the Bear would prove to be far too optimistic.
February
On February 3rd , the Bear reported that negotiations to bring back “Radio Le Mans,” seemed stalled; that the coverage could end in the new season. “Your favorite internet audio coverage will be gone in the 2009 season unless funding from Braselton is replaced from some other source. Perhaps Murphy’s will have to send what he’d budgeted for a forum hat to England to help out. Time to register your displeasure? It’s said that the at-track-PA coverage by Mr. H. will be back – if the offer is accepted.”
The content of that was never questioned, though there eventually was an agreement, and much ado about the stuffed animal having written “Radio Le Mans,” rather than “ALMS Radio Web.” He said he was very, very sorry. Roll this story a year forward, and that’s exactly what has happened: It’s been announced ALMS Radio Web will not be funded by the American Le Mans Series. The good news is that Hindy and company at Radio Show Limited seem optimistic the needed sponsorship will be forthcoming.
The other item in Paddock Poop 110 was this:
“The Bear’s been told that as of yesterday an enterprise in a small Northeastern Georgia town will have across-the-board pay cuts.”
That one leaked so fast that phone calls from Braselton to Murphy’s acquaintances quickly followed, trying to ferret (cute little things, aren’t they?) out the Bear’s source. The Great Georgia Mole Hunt was on! Later in the year, when this or that Braselburger head would roll, it would be rumored that the mole had been excised. But Murphy continues to report what goes on in the Broadway Avenue puzzle palace, doesn’t he?
Murphy’s optimism about the Sebring entry (if 30 can be characterized that way) faded quickly. On Valentine’s Day he wrote, “In mid February, there are 25 Sebring entries (P1 = 7, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 13). Though more – as many as 35 – are possible, Murphy thinks the grid will grow by only two net (P1 = 7, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 15) to 27.” The entry dated February 19 totaled exactly that, in a bit different class mix. There finally were 26 on the grid in March (P1 = 8, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 13).
Not on that grid was VICI Racing. On the 24th of February, the Bear wrote, “In GT2, VICI has added two Porsches to the entry, oddly with drivers TBA. Murphy says “oddly” because it seemed clear that the VICI program was very much dependent on drivers with budgets, so if the entries are firm, the drivers should already be “on board.” Other opinion from the paddock (shared with the Bear yesterday) remained doubtful about at least the second of the two entries, and dismissed any possibility of a third.”
VICI stories continue to this day, with the Pollyannas convinced that the telephone sponsorship on the car last year would actually be funded in 2010. As if corporate budgeting worked that way. Might happen, likely won’t.
March
An Audi R8 was rumored early in the month. That came to nothing, of course. Now it’s rumored for GT Challenge – a “future maybe.” It would be a pretty expensive way to go, about twice the cost of the 911’s that likely would beat it like a redheaded stepchild.
The Riley-Lou-Pratt & Miller-Corvette Racing-GM soap opera continued with a Riley, left standing at the alter, filing lawsuit charging GM with “breach of promise.”
Murphy’s Prototype Punter’s Guide made the two Audi R15s the co-favorites, with the two Peugeots right behind. Big deal, you say? OK, it wasn’t hard, given the rest of the field was pretty much helpless against the diesels. Those four were all in the top five, with Fernandez’ Acura P2 sneaking into fourth ahead of a broken-down Peugeot. It was a field worth traveling to Florida for. 2010? No Audi, no Acura P1, just two Peugeots to crush a sorry lot of non-contenders. Murphy knows (it’s that mole again) Braselton takes Sebring for granted, believing the rubes will show up no matter what junk is on the grid. Are they right?
In his GT Punter’s Guide, Flying Lizard’s Bergmeister and Long (lang und kurz – having nothing to do with their names) were the Bear’s 3-2 favorites, followed by Risi Competizione’s Melo and Kaffer (3-1). The Ferrari won it, the Lizards falling to 4th . He still had VICI as a “player,” since they were claiming factory pilots, a load of bull droppings, as usual.
At Sebring, the Bear tipped a few with friends away from the track.
And at.
Cruised the paddock for stories – and found a few.
Under the heading of “Fantasyland,” he wrote, “Saleens, ECO Racing, Creations, Zyteks, Jaguars…well that last one might be possible, but the silence is ominous.” The Cat finally came straggling in – remindful of a tabby that’s fallen into the cattle watering trough – at Laguna Seca. That bull crap (the bull is a friend of the Bear’s) at Petit Le Mans was an embarrassment.
Murphy closed out the month with a rare single-topic Poop: “Acura Rumor Review – Smoke or Fire?”
The Bear opined that “…there is usually some fire under such a large volume of smoke.” In retrospect we were hearing the first rumblings of the complete shutdown of the Honda/Acura racing program.
April
Off we went to St. Pete. Well, everyone but Murphy, who gets to burned out partying at Sebring to go up the road 90 minutes for a pale imitation of road racing. We’re all spared that monumental waste of time this year, aren’t we? The Bear feels sorry for his pal Huge, but hey, how many “home events” do you need? Seventeen cars started on Tampa Bay, twelve in three classes were running at the finish. Even a stuffed animal knows how to spell J-O-K-E. Who wants to pay real money for that?
A.C. returned from a well-earned vacation at Dollywood to a full mailbag, which he dutifully dug into, treating the rest of us to the best snippets.
VICI was floating bull crap again, this time about a Long Beach entry. A couple of guys were promising a second Aston Martin GT entry. Never happened, just more hot air.
The grid was marginally better at Long Beach – 21, of which 18 were running at the end. Murphy was there. Shockingly, the ALMS drew very well compared to the IRL. That’s more an indictment of the latter than anything particularly good about the former.
May
Tim Mayer left IMSA/ALMS. Murphy published a “quick” Poop the day before the announcement. The Bear always thought Mayer was the best of the bunch. That may sound like “faint praise” in some quarters, but Tim stood out as a good guy and a competent manager.
The Honda rumors continued, the Bear reporting that “Honda’s is taking financial steps to facilitate a Yankee team’s move to IRL next season. It’s widely believed that Acura will only return if there is major manufacturer competition, and that it currently assumes that will not be the case.” The first part of that wasn’t the case (rather than helping anyone, Honda’s thrown them all under the bus), but the second part was sadly quite true. Been nice knowin’ ya.
Endurance-info got into the “Creation promotion business” with DSC, printing what some of the cool aid drinkers called a “confirmation” that Creation will be on the ALMS grid soon. “We plan to return to the ALMS Series, when we are ready,” said Andy Woolgar. Murphy wrote, “‘when we are ready’ will not likely be sooner than 2010.” At least dailysportscar gets its bad information from the chief rather than a North Carolina-based minion. The Bear’s pretty sure pigs will fly before a Creation chassis graces an ALMS grid. What has Creation accomplished lately other than the periodic trashing of Bicks and the Bear? (In a theater near y0u soon?)
A.C. was back with a column about Grand Am at Thunderbolt in New Jersey. He reported that Scott Pruett invented the internet without Al Gore’s help. Now he working on some investigative journalism stuff about global warming.
There was a race somewhere in Utah. No one went. Corsa was there not running its hybrid gear. Good place for such shenanigans.
Murphy’s elf inside F1 was keeping him (and you) abreast of those sordid happenings. Murphy reported that de Ferran was negotiating to acquire the cars, engines, tools, transporters, and pit equipment of a part time IRL team.
When Robin Miller was roasted for reporting that TG would be out at the brickyard, tossed by his mother and sisters, Murphy was one of just a few that knew he was right, and said so. So much for blood… The Bear wrote at the time, “What the Tony kerfuffle is really about is creating separation between the finances of IMS (which Tony’s sisters and mother care about) and the IRL (which they do not)…” Having created that separation, the IRL is truly in dire straights according to Murphy’s best inside sources. There are more than just a few that wonder whether it can survive the 2010 season.
In Braselton, the layoffs and a fire sale were underway. Haas was looking the place over, and though a sale wasn’t closed then, some agreement leading to a joint venture in the coming year was put in place.
June
The Bear led the month off with his Le Mans Prototype Punter’s Guide, published jointly with Last Turn Clubhouse. If there are any punters out there that pay any attention to a stuffed animal, they deserve to be broke – and probably are. Murphy gave the nod to Audi again. Ah, well…
Later he thought D.R. should “give it a rest,” a rather common sentiment in the sport, and told “A Medieval Bear’s Fable.”
The “Grand Am buying ALMS” rumor was floated by that same IRL scribe (Murphy doesn’t have to tell you who, does he?). Murphy reviewed the evidence and wrote, “Some might sum all that and come up with an imminent sale. Murphy doesn’t.” It was roundly denied, and nothing came of it, other than SA walking around with a button at Lime Rock that read “We are not for sale.” Funny.
The Boss was dealing with important things like planting trees in public parks (can someone send those guys to Miller Motorsports Park?) and organic T shirts. Then he (SA) told us we should, “Look for an announcement of a major new licensing deal in the third quarter that will greatly enhance our product position and global exposure.” Murphy thinks he missed that announcement. Was it the LMP Challenge? Naw, that doesn’t do any of that stuff.
A.C. closed out the first half of the 2009 season with his usual insightful ruminations about NASCAR and Grand Am.
Next: Murphy’s Year in Review, Part 2
Tags: A.C. Guillermo, Acura, ALMS Radio Web, American Le Mans Series, Audi, Creation, Dollywood, F1, Ferrari, Grand Am, Honda, IRL, Katrina Flood, Le Mans, Miller Motorsports Park, NASCAR, Peugeot, Porsche, Radio Le Mans, Risi Competizione, Robin Miller, Rolex 24, the Mole, Thunderbolt, Tony George, VICI Racing
Happy Birthday to the young l;ady in the middle photo!!!!
You were right bear, it was a riley rave at the Daytona 24. Its January again, and I will watch anything remotely similar to a sportscar race. I am looking forward to this years guide to the Daytona 24. And now I know (for the 5th year in a row) it will be a Riley to win.