Schedule Follies
Just minutes before it was announced, Murphy was told the two TBA’s were Detroit and Texas. Subsequently, other candidates have made the routine rounds of the rumor mill. Boss Scott confirmed the Detroit TBA in a rather odd and self-serving press release after Grand Am confirmed it would have that June 2 Detroit Race. Now it seems likely nothing will fill that ALMS April/May TBA.
Nor does the September/October event seem very likely. Though Sears Point, Montreal, Oklahoma City (the only thing going on there appears to be the all-too-routine legal wrangling amongst the promoter group – Oklahoma City Grand Prix LLC et al v. Mattioli), and Thunderbolt (New Jersey) have been thrown out there by fans, the only one that makes sense – the only one that might motivate Braselburg to move PLM to late October date – is Texas.
Unfortunately, that’s ground being plowed by others. The gang from International Speedway Boulevard was in Austin not long before PLM, just the latest in a series of such visits. Australia’s V8 Supercar – a NASCAR ally, an FIA darling, and a growth product for Speedtv – is already scheduled for the new Texas track. The FIA’s ally in North America is Grand Am, not the ALMS, the partnership with the ACO in the WEC notwithstanding.
The Circuit of the Americas needs an event ahead of the its first F1, if for no other reason than to sort out its traffic and parking plans. As of now, Murphy will bet on Grand Am being that event, even though he can’t think of a weaker way to test traffic (little will be expected) and parking (little will be needed). Perhaps they want to make sure their dry run isn’t too challenging?
All that assumes the Texas track will get built in time for any 2012 race, even the November F1 date. Construction’s been halted while the principals fight for control (see also Oklahoma City and Baltimore). The only “money guy” in the promoter group is Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, who in owning the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings, pretty much defined “cheap” and “ruthless” for sports ownership and promotion.
The continued “temporary” absence from the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Boss Scott told us this was just a temporary scheduling conflict, and that ALMS would be back in the streets of St. Pete. Temporary is now 3 years; the promoters don’t seem to be very interested in getting the Braselburgers back, do they? The Bear’s said from the beginning the combination of geography and calendar made this a “cannibal event,” one that would do little more than leech from the series’ premier event in Sebring. But why dissimulate?
Laguna Seca moves back to the spring. Make up your fricken mind! Are they really trying to kill sports car racing on the Monterey Peninsula? Braselburg’s spin is “requested by the venue.” Of course Boss Scott has given us nothing but reasons to believe him, hasn’t he?
The likely outcome of all this is another 9-event ALMS schedule, with two breaks, eight weeks in May-July, and seven weeks in September-October.
Sebring Confusion
Who to believe? Here’s Scott Atherton’s description of Sebring rule from his State of the Series at PLM:
“Next year’s 60th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will be round one of the 2012 ALMS. It will also be round one of the FIA WEC… The ALMS cars will be competing with technical specifications consistent with what will be in place for the balance of the ALMS season. …
Our class configurations will remain unchanged for 2012:
LMP1 – utilize the current 2011 regulations that include permitting grandfathered cars.
LMP2 – as current
LMPC – as current
GT – as current
GTC – as current”
Autosport, in its October 6, 2011, issue paraphrased Boss Scott this way:
“Atherton said that the latest contract would give the ALMS new freedom when implementing ACO rules. He stated that cars from his series would be able to run in ALMS specification when they compete at Sebring next March.”
and continued:
“That comment has been contradicted by the ACO.
ACO president Jean-Claude Plassart said: ‘Sebring will be 100 percent WEC rules. There will be no GTC cars, for example. They are not in the rules.’”
Nor, Murphy reminds his readers, are 12 cylinder LMP1’s. “100%” is pretty unequivocal, isn’t it? The Bear emailed Messr. Plassart for clarification. Valérie Girard, (v.girard@lemans.org) actually, to whom Jean-Claude’s mail is routed. Murphy will pass on what he hears – if anything.
Corvette
Corvette, under pressure from GM to deliver in the remaining years of its contract with Pratt & Miller – or sooner – met at Road Atlanta with the ACO. Their point? Others have been given an “unfair advantage,” not in the way Mark Donohue meant it, through engineering and team performance, but off the track in the way “performance balancing” is conducted in the sport.
Does this have to do with the design waivers granted in the homologation of entrants? It doesn’t seem likely, does it? Ferrari got none in 2011, and Corvette (and BMW) got a bazillion. Perhaps the devil is in the (engineering) details? Murphy’s been told Corvette would rather have the rules and homologation done at the beginning of each season (as it once was), then leave it alone. Without (as they see it) getting “on par with BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari,” the American team might easily be gone before the end of 2013. Pratt & Miller’s contract extends through the 2013 season, but the company’s work can easily be directed into pursuits other than the American Le Mans Series if GM believes that would be advantageous.
So why go to the ACO, since the ALMS has announced a separation of rule-setting from the ACO the ‘Vettes are an ALMS program? At least one source says the ALMS so-called “declaration of independence” from ACO rules is largely window-dressing, mostly concerned with the Sporting Regulations, not so much the Technical Regulations. Then there’s the fact that Chebby has always said that the most important part of the Corvette Racing program is Le Mans, not the ALMS.
Far more ominous to the American Le Mans Series is the obvious budding romance between Chebby and Grand Am. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. The General moved last season to make the NASCAR sports car series the place it would establish a performance resume for its new Camaro, while it discouraged Corvette GT entries, preparing to move ”the American Sports Car” into a prominent place in Daytona Prototypes, where it was designing and funding a Corvette body for the new “DP 3.”
At the end of the season the Bear was told Chevrolet would substantially strengthen its Grand Am factory driver program, abandoning the use of part-time ALMS drivers in favor of an expanded full-time Grand Am group. In fact look for considerable “restructuring” across the board, with drivers being assigned and re-assigned to different series, with movement in all directions between ALMS, Grand Am, and Pirelli World Challenge.
A new IndyCar engine program, a continued strong relationship with NASCAR (despite the rants of a Detroit pundit), and now the title sponsorship of Grand Am’s first race in the Motor City means at least a relative reduction of the prominence in the Division of Corvette’s American Le Mans Series program.
Ferrari
The Bear won’t be surprised if you’re at least a little confused at Corvette’s ACO complaints, since he’s written that a Ferrari team is unhappy about the same tinkering, and “the straw” was an advantage given mid season to (wait for it) – Corvette. So much so that the “pause and review button” was punched for the ALMS racing program.
A move to Grand Am seemed a slam-dunk just a few weeks ago (the toe is already in the water via a little noticed partnership) until Maranello signaled it was getting cold feet. Backtracking a bit, when Ferrari committed its 458, it was generally supposed that Mazda would not return in 2012. Now it appears the RX8 is back.
Why would Ferrari expose its 458, (MSRP $247,000) to regular losses to Mazda’s RX8 (MSRP $26,795)? The simple answer is they don’t want to, and Grand Am’s reversal of its early decision to let the RX8’s homologation lapse has caused Maranello to review its commitment to support full-season Grand Am entries. It’s bad enough they’ve had to suffer through a season of losses to the BMW M3 (MSRP $58,900), but that car at least has some racing history and a performance cachet, as does the Porsche 911 (MSRP GT3 $103,100). Murphy’s certain zoom-zoom doesn’t count Maranello among its fans.
For manufacturers the attraction of racing is the establish your performance creds – or in Ferrari’s case, reinforce them. If you are Ferrari – or more recently, Audi – the last thing you want to do is damage a hard-won performance reputation.
So what are the 2012 choices for Murphy’s favorite Ferrari team in the whole wide world? (1) Take the year off (2) Race in the WEC – including Le Mans (3) a Grand Am campaign (4) an ALMS campaign, with or without Le Mans. The Bear’s betting that’s pretty much the order of probability, too.
Jaguar
In its second full season, RSR’s Jaguars completed just 44% of ALMS GT laps. In 18 entries, had one top-ten finish. The kitty cats averaged a 13th place finish in a field that averaged 15 entries. Is there any doubt this is the worst GT team ever? It certainly is among those that raced for so long. Others in history this bad had the sense to be embarrassed – and quit. When will Tata realize what a great advertisement this is for its competitors in America, providing reasons at every event not to purchase a Jaguar?
Fun with Numbers
The Braselburgers – led by “Two-T” Scott – continue to have a problem with numbers. During the Silverstone round of the LMS, on-line viewing reportedly peaked at 2,500. We’re told that ESPN3 routinely draws 100 times that for ALMS races.
Or try this from the 2011 State of the Series: “Attendance is up 12%,” reflecting in large part the substitution of Baltimore for Salt Lake City. To which Murphy says, “duh!” In 2009, Miller was reported to have attracted 35,000 fans willing to drive around the Oquirrh Mountains from Salt Lake City. That number – already “ambitious” – fell further in 2010 before the northern Rockies were abandoned in 2011. Given that Baltimore was claimed to be on the far side of 100K, it’s not just a “large part” of a 12% increase, but rather likely all of it, and perhaps more.
The funniest numbers faux pas was by Boss Scott, again in the State of the Series. “In addition to our already extensive international distribution through Motors TV in Europe (50 internationally-recognized nation-states), Fox Sports Latin America (33), Fox Sports Middle East (19) and Rogers Sports Net in Canada (1), we are now fully distributed through ESPN International which represents an additional 149 countries…” The ALMS is seen in 252 countries? Better tell Hillary, her Department only recognizes 195 (Taiwan not included).
ALMS Twitter followers nearly doubled from 3900 to 7500. Meanwhile, Murphy attracted over 800 followers (Twits?), even after winnowing out the pole dancers not already close friends.
The Other Jaguar
As soon as Ian Dawson (Taurus, ECO, etc.) was identified as the boss of an oddly ambitious out-of-nowhere Lotus racing program, the Bear knew something was up (or down). Now that shoe has dropped, with the thud we’ve come to know and love from Dawson’s racing adventures. The thud this time was the sound of the Lotus LMP2 program’s hitting the trash bin. After watching the Evoras at PLM, it wasn’t hard to imagine another Jaguar Racing program in the making.
Abruzzi: a cousin to the Norwegian Blue?
Dissembling again, Boss Scott said the Abruzzi was “on hiatus.” Unless “hiatus” no longer means “a pause, or break in continuity,” that was wrong when he said it. The Abruzzi was dead, gone, is no more, a former Abruzzi, very much like a Norwegian Blue.
Losing Count
…of the departures. This time, Lynda Polk, long time timer/scoring chief for IMSA will not be returning next year. Murphy expects her position to be filled by a needy Champ Car refugee.
Bathurst
Murphy sent Crocodile McFly – the Down Under Mole – from Hendry’s Beach to Australia to report on the Bathurst 1000. The Croc called with his impressions on Monday. “Wow! A great event. Good, close racing. The fly-over was so low, I had to duck. Great crowd at a track “you aught to see.” Crocodile thinks this would be a better show than DTM. They have the right idea on so-called “gentleman drivers,” he says. They simply refer to them as “Co-drivers.” Simple, and without the negative (to some) connotation. Now that the FIA has approved the Supercars as an international sanctioning body, we’ll undoubtedly see more of them, including at Texas in 2013. Supercars, F1, and DTM – can USA racing get any more crowded?
The Bear understands there are new Supercar rules coming. That’s good, since the current technical regulations are compromised by as many adjustments as the infamous ACO homologations, and for just two cars. Perhaps they’ll provide little more exhaust noise, the only thing our mole thought should be tweaked.
Crocodile is going to stay over for the Gold Coast race this weekend. Check back with Murphy for that report.
Andy Lally Challenge
Andy’s had four races since Murphy last updated the Challenge, Chicagoland (28th, $95,100), New Hampshire (34th, $80,300), Dover (33rd, $78,925), and Kansas (37th, 85,250). That added $339,575 to his season earnings, bringing the total to $2,618,856. He’s also captured and maintained the 35th place in owner’s points for Kevin Buckler, so is ensured a spot on the starting grid.
The American Le Mans Series field closed out its season with races at Laguna Seca, where the field earned $148,000, and Petit Le Mans, which paid them $135,000. With that $283,000, the entire ALMS field was happy to claim total season winnings and bonuses of $1,795,000 including estimated privateer bonuses that Murphy added at the beginning of the Challenge.
Six races remain on Andy’s 2011 schedule.
Tags: Abruzzi, ACO, Andy Lally, Baltimore, Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, BMW, Circuit of the Americas, Crocodile McFly, Detroit, ECO Racing, ESPN International, FIA, General Motors, Gold Coast, Grand Am, Ian Dawson, Jean-Claude Plassart, Kevin Buckler, Laguna Seca, Lotus Evora, Maranello, Mazda, Montreal, Motors TV, Norwegian Blue, Oklahoma City, Pirelli World Challenge, Pratt & Miller, Rogers Sports Net, Salt lake City, Scott Atherton, Sears Point, Sebring, St Petersburg, Taurus, Thunderbolt, V8 Supercar
I’m honestly not surprised there will still be some old DPs running around next year. And I’m looking forward to it, as well. As ugly as they are, I think I’d like the visual diversity we’ll get from having some old Rileys(and a Dallara if Kevin Doran can keep his team going), along with some new, plus the FIVE Corvette DPs that will occupy nearly half the grid.
Clay, I have been following the discussion on here for a while, and I am a fan of the ALMS and Le Mans-style racing. As a fan of the sport with no real connection to the business side of it, it’s quite easy for me to contrive what I think is happening with certain aspects of the series (why new teams start, why teams shut down, reasons decisions are made concerning regulations etc.), but all I really know is what I read on the web. So here is what puzzles me: I don’t understand why you state that you would prefer to do ALMS when the majority of your comments focus on how messed up the ALMS is (which you construcively offer solutions for– which I respect). Don’t get me wrong– I would love to see a new prototype class team in the ALMS, but after reading your posts, it would seem to me that you’ve argued that Grand Am would be a better option for your team. If I had no bias towards ALMS, I would not understand your leaning toward ALMS at all after the comments you have posted.
As a side note.. I also fail to see how LMS would be a better option for a U.S.-based team over the ALMS, unless it is where your sponsors want exposure?
“My uncle is a lawyer specializing in IP law.”
Is that like a Canadian girlfriend?
Seriously dude, if you are going to make this argument about ACO being able to dictate what races cars built to their specs can race in, can you give me some case law that supports that premise? As Murph noted, I have a pretty serious legal background, that also includes about 9 years of IP legal research. Now the premise I am working on is the US Copyright law on rules for games (http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html). You might ask, ‘what do rules for games have to do with rules for ACO?’ And that would be a very good question. The connection is this, in all cases of rules (whether for games, sports, or in this case rules for how to build cars for a race) all you own is the actual literal text of the rules, not the concepts behind them.
“Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.”
Otherwise, the NFL would tell everyone who could or couldn’t play American football, FIFA could do the same for world footbal (soccer), MLB could have their sporting police dragging sandlot players in for execution and so on. The only thing ACO (or NASCAR or the ALMS or Indy Car or NHRA) can do is go after anyone who, without their permission, uses verbatim their rules and publishes them as such for their competing series/event. In fact, the perfect example is the long running feud between the NHRA and the IHRA in drag racing. They have a number of classes that allow identical cars to race in both series. Neither drag racing series can prevent that from happening and a good many lower tier racers do both series, especially in regional events.
@Brown
The answer is very simple. I enjoy the somewhat open rules and the ability to improve the car through wind tunnel, 7 post shaker, testing etc. Grand Am does not allow such improvements. Call it the engineer in me, but I very much enjoy the competition. Grand Am tells the teams what they can do. What parts and pieces they can use and so on. It is spec racing at its finest.
My reasons for beating up on the ALMS, is because they have the opportunity to get it right and have a first class series. However, I believe because of the marriage with the French as well as poor management they are about to miss the boat and go down the drain. To fix the problems are not that extreme. It just takes the will and desire to see it through and get their head out of the sand.
The reason the LMS is being considered is our sponsors have as much European presense as they do in the States.
Clay, thanks for your response and clarification. Good to know that your reasons are probably the same ones that most sports car enthusiasts have in preferring ALMS over Grand Am. Let’s hope ALMS can get their act together and that there is a lot of positive news over the coming weeks. It does bother me that all we are hearing out of Braselton is silence when compared to what’s coming out of Daytona.
Best of luck in your decision making and preparation for next year.
@Brown:
I am pressing for an ALMS program. But the bottom line is, it is not my money and I will do as our financial partners decide.
To them it is all about ROI and what they see as negatives. The two large holes in the schedule, low number of events, the terrible TV package, the lack of prototypes and too many sprint races all will weigh heavily on their decision.
The decision as to what series is strictly a marketing decision and nothing else enters the equation and it is out of my hands.
@Clay:
Know how we were just arguing about whether there was any benefit to the Le Mans auto invites in the ALMS?
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-dyson-eyeing-lm24-effort/
Perhaps we should shelve any further debate on the matter until we get final word on this.
Clay, I guess my question would be, when is the last time unlimited technology made for compelling racing as a spectator/viewer? I guess if you give me the choice between the team engineer or the team driver deciding who is going to win the race, I’m going to side with the driver every time, and this comes from a former racecar mechanic. I have found that very tight technical rules mean you have to out THINK your competition, not just out spend, out resource them. Ganassi rules in GA not as much becasue they have more money and resources, or even that Pruett is better than about anyone, but becasue their cars are bulletproof and their race strategy is dead on 95% of the time.
@dieselbob:
The answer to your opening question is Group C & IMSA GTP, where you could put almost anything into the car as long as it met the maximum fuel consumption(Group C) or the power-to-weight ratio dictated by the series(IMSA GTP). Group C was so popular among fans and manufacturers that the FIA killed it off to keep it from hurting Formula One.
Yes, I am a firm believer that the FIA knowingly killed off Group C – there is no way anyone with half a brain could have looked at the changes they laid out and actually believed things would work out okay.
Dieselbob:
I think the high tech side is what brings the real race fan to the race. Do many car about spec racing? Not if you look at the crowd at a Grand Am or Indy Car race. Walk the paddock at Sebring and last years PLM or the WEC next season.. Where are the people. Most are or were around the P-1 trailers.
There can be open racing with some restrictions and not have the forementioned spec series. You as a motorsports professional should want the best you can get and the most upto date equipment.
Out thinking and out engineering costs money. Do not think for one minute Ganassi has not spent a load of money on that car to make it fast and reliable.
I am not suggesting things become an open free for all as LMP-1 will be in the WEC. Look at what the LMS has done. They already have more prototypes committed than the entire ALMS field and it is only Nov 30.
ALMS needs to make some changes. Open things up a bit. Make it interesting. There are a lot of very good people in the paddock, from teams to manufactures to fans. ALMS listens to no one and buries their head in the sand and thinks everything is good while everything passes them by.
The ACO and the FIA have left the ALMS and IMSA at the alter. There is a world championship and it will grow regardless of what the ALMS says, wants or does. Otherwise 2012 could be the end
Clay, No disrespect intened at all, if nobody cares for “spec racing”, how do you explain NASCAR? Formula, GTP WAS pretty great, but look what happened. It died within a decade. Who cares how whiz-bang something is if it is not sustainable? If you factor in the economic climate that shows little chance of drastically changing soon, and the US’s oveall luke-warm taste for sportscar racing, Grand Am’s approach may be the only sensible way long term, no matter how appalling that idea is to most of you. I follow both series, and have since they started so I have no ax to grind, but I try to look at it all from a strict logic standpoint, and I just don’t see the ALMS position as being viable much longer. Which brings up one more question. Clay, why advocate entering a series if even you feel the chances are pretty good it may not even be around after next year? What I want is one strong sports car series with money in the bank, stable rules, stable classes, lots of competitors, lots of fans, good TV coverage, exciting cars and exciting racing. Neither series has managed to meet that goal, but in my opinion, one is a lot closer than the other.
Bob:
I do not disagree at all with you. I think we all would like too see more freedom, but as you state in this climate that is difficult.
I do believe the ALMS will die at the end of 2012. It no longer serves a purpous for the ACO and managment does not care as they have other areas of interest and running a racing series is not one of them. They have missed the boat so many times in the past 12 months there is little hope to save the series in its current form.
Therefore there are 3 options for racers as I see it. 1. Find a buyer for the ALMS and develop a LMS like series. Although Grand Am may well be on the brink of that if they open the series a bit. 2. Just go race Grand Am, since right now it is the best thing going. 3. Go to Europe and race.
The only reason our financial partner are considering a ALMS program is because long term plans are being developed to compete in the WEC. Running the ALMS gives us some additional experience with the ACO spec cars. Other than that, we have no real reason to consider the ALMS. The next 10 days are decision time for us as our partners are expecting the marketing agencies report and then will make a decision as to what we will do for the next 4 years.
I’d be very happy if one of these series went to a “run what you brung” concept, with workshop ingenuity being celebrated as opposed to obsessively controlled.
Prototypes would be just that, and major manufacturers who
wanted to have some skin in the game would have to beat the little guys fair and square. If the racing isn’t fender-banging close for six hours, so what? That’s not the history of sports cars. Besides, the close racing formula may please some privateers, but the racing public remains indifferent and the same handful of teams win the races. So what’s really gained by embracing it? The ALMS may go away. That’s fine. But American sports car racing deserves to be the place where innovation takes place. Let the Europeans fix the rules so only the big spenders in France and Germany vie for the top prizes. Let’s open up the engineering and see where it takes us. I think a lot of folks on both sides of the sports car split will be surprised.
With what was just announced in Grand-Am GT, I’m almost ready to declare the ALMS dead. Grand-Am has been improving for 2012 at such a rate that I’m beginning to think it’s impossible for the ALMS to recover no matter what they do.
I order my Mid-Ohio tickets just after Sebring and right now I’m VERY much leaning towards the Grand-Am race(which will be the day before my birthday), with IndyCar a close second. The ALMS has to have a rash of awesome announcements for things that we can know will happen in the week leading up to Sebring for me to consider them.
You know, since the DPG3 was unveiled I’ve noticed a TON of cars the designs bear something of a resemblance to – and I don’t mean just looking like shortened GTPs. Cars I’m aware of that you can rightly say the DPG3 visibly resembles:
McLaren F1
Saleen S7
Nissan R390
Maserati MC12
Vemac RD320R, RD350R, RD408R
Honda/Acura NSX(Super GT version specifically)
ARTA Garaiya
Mercedes CLK-GTR, CLKR-LM, and the infamous CLR
Porsche 911 GT1-98
And most closely of all, the Lotus Elise GT1
Was this a bit of genius on Grand-Am’s part, or just a bout of laziness? I’m curious to know if I’ve actually missed some cars it resembles.
Again speaking just as a fan, Im very disappointed that the focus of the ALMS public announcements are focusing on a rather lackluster 2011 season with almost no announcements (of consequence) about 2012. On the other hand the GA seems to have a new announcment every other day.
NASCAR isnt winning this war, the ALMS has surrendered.
@Sacktrack:
A racing series, for the most part, is dependent on it’s participants to provide them good news to publish. It’s not as much ALMS surrendering as it is the ALMS participants not providing them anything to write about. Nothing from the manufacturer end or the team end.
There is a rumor that IMSA is looking into making a technical exception for teams to run the Audi R8 LMS in the GT class. NOT the GTC class, for some reason.
@ Formula Fox – In my opinion putting the R8 LMS into GTE makes more sense than GTC, as the Gt3 spec car is much closer to GTE performance levels than it is to GTC. The ALMS GTC cars are 911 cup cars, while the GT3R which is what the R8 LMS usually runs against is something a bit more than that. If the R8 was to run against the GTC Porsches it would slaughter them,
@wrs:
The ACO put the Audi R8 LMS and the Mercedes SLS GT3 into the GTC class at Zuhai with a small amount of performance balancing(extra weight and a smaller restrictor), and everything I’ve heard indicates it went over very well.
They may be closer to GTE, but the fact of the matter is this: They’re SLOWER than GTE. It’s easier to balance them into a class they’re faster than than it is one they’re slower than, unless IMSA plans to slow down the entire existing GT field. I have a suspicion that this would not go over well with anyone.
Actually, one of the Audis qualified 2nd overall in the combined GTE/GTC-field, so they have the speed to hang with those cars, they just need the reliability…
So, Clay – any news on your program?
@Cobrawesome
Actually it is coming along fairly well. We have selected both engine supplier and constructor and we will meet them this coming week to exchange paperwork and payment. I expect our financial partners will be ready to make an announcement before the holiday.
With the rumblings about Dallara getting into the LMP-business, Clay’s comments about using the same manufacturer for the potential DP and LMP-programs suddenly makes a lot more sense….
Looks like Black Swan’s moving to LMP2. Is Dyson going to be stuck all alone in LMP1?
Conquest Racing looking at LMP2 now, as well. Last I heard, Greg Pickett was looking at LMP2, as well. The ALMS definitely needs to drop LMP1.
The Oak Pescarolo chassis seems to be the late-startup chassis of choice – Black Swan is apparently looking at either Pescarolo or Lola, and Conquest is definitely leaning towards Pescarolo.
i understand Pickett is doing LMP1 again.. not LMP2 from a very accurate source.. But i agree if they ditched LMP1 – the series would be much better.. one less class and more cars in a common P2 class.. Pickett as of the end of the year was without a car after sending back the aston to England.. and Dyson’s car can be converted back to a p2 car.. oh well opportunity lost in my opinion.
Talking to the grand am folks – Formula Fox is 100% right. There are design rules which make the nose section higher – to make more common to a street car – to encourage manufacturers to design a car, ala Corvette.. there reference points were the modeled after the MC12 and the 98GT1. I was a neighsayer at first, by when my 10 year old saw the Corvette on WindTunnel , He said that car is awesome. The only race car he has ever said is awesome.
@cant we all be friends?
Actually, Dyson’s car CAN’T be converted back to LMP2 spec… Unless they decide to get a new engine, that is – their Mazda engine is no longer allowed in LMP2 as of 2012.
John Dagys reports LMP1 and LMP2 should each have 4-5 cars. I’ve always felt that in a 4-class system, you need a minimum of five entries in a class to guarantee good podium battles, so let’s hope he’s right.
“LMP1 and LMP2 should each have 4-5 cars.
If that doesn’t say that LMP1 needs to go away, I don’t know what does. This niche market class struture just doesn’t work in the current economy. If they’re saying 4-5, my bet is on four, and if anybody has a problem, it could quickly become three. GT1 all over again.
@dieselbob
There really is no reason to race an LMP-1 car. Especially the old cars that are racing now. No one is going to spend a million dollars to purchase a new one when it will be obsolete in two years and most of the old ones are about worn out.
In facct, some of the test times for new LMP-2 cars are faster than the old LMP-1 cars. Imagine the uproar if the LMP-2 cars that race in the ALMS this coming year are faster.
Better deal all around will be LMP-2 and I have a feeling there will be several this coming season.
@Clay:
No one was complaining when the Penske Porsches were consistently beating the factory Audis to overall wins in 2008(except possibly Audi).
@dieselbob:
While I do agree that LMP1 ought to go away at this point, the logic you use to justify it there doesn’t really work unless you apply it to LMP2, as well, since the 4-5 car estimate applies to BOTH classes.
And don’t assume that if LMP1 went away all of it’s team would automatically go to LMP2 – both Dyson and Pickett have looked into Daytona Prototypes recently.
My Thinking is that if LMP1 folded and LMP2 became the top class, you could at least get maybe two of those four LMP1 teams, making perhaps six teams, and the idea that you could now race in the top class of ALMS at a lower overall cost might bring some fence sitters in, and perhaps you could end up with say 10 cars, which wouldn’t be too bad in the current climate. The irony is though that if the ALMS becomes centered around P2 and “GT2″ cars, they will be that much closer to being like their hated rivals down the road in Daytona. That doesn’t bother me at all, but I know it would drive some people crazy.
>No one is going to spend a million dollars to purchase a new one when it will be obsolete in two years and most of the old ones are about worn out.<
Actually, Muscle Milk WILL buy a new LMP1 for next year, most probably an HPD and Dyson are also looking into getting a new Lola.
With the way the ACO has handled grandfathering so far a new car should at least be good through 2014.
@Cobrawesome
Anyone can purchase a new LMP-1. But why would you unless you don’t car about spending money. I would much prefer to have an arms race and a new car every year, but in this economic climate that makes no sense.
The current car is only good for two years as the new 2014 rules will reqquire an entirely new car as the dimensions are completely different. When the width and height of the chassis change, then it becomes very difficult and expensive to rework a current car to comply.
If IMSA/ALMS plans to continue the grandfather clause program I suppose it makes sense. But at that point in time they may as well make it a historics series.
@Fox:
You are correct, no one was complaining very much wirh Porsche beat the LMP-1 cars with the Spyder. However, I can assure you the complaints would be very loud if an LMP-2 car comes in and beats the LMP-1 cars now.
@Clay:
If it’s spicing up the show, I very much doubt it.
We sure could use some new Bear poop, to stir the arguing again. I appreciate that there isn’t too much going on, that hasn’t been made public already. Merry Christmas MTB fans.