The other than that my other beef is GA biggest race is obviously the 24 hours of “North Americas most prestigious sports car race” that it seems that anyone with a big enough check book can go and race and possibly win. Unlike Le Mans where it actually requires more than I can fathom of tech and organization to attempt to win and heck to make the first part matter you have to get a entry into the race to make any attempt to race. Granted Le Mans is not a part directly of the ALMS but has links. Even at that Sebring is such a great event and the meaning in the past of if the car will stay together and if you can win you are more prepared for Le Mans and a favorite to win.

I am only 33 and will say this I have never missed a Petit and have been going for the last 10 years to Sebring and do not have a reason to stop going. I have gone to the 24 hours of “North Americas most prestigious sports car race” once and that was in 2000 when the Viper won and have been tempted at that time of the year to go again as Sebring’s draws closer to satisfy the racing itch but watch it on TV and usually glad that I wait till Sebring to satisfy the urge.

To end, in my opinion if GA ended I would not loose any sleep at night (unless I was celebrating). But If ALMS went away it would be a life changer for me I look forward to the races that I attend with my father and friends it seems all year round and I start over as soon as we leave an event. Also it is entertaining to try and keep up with the tech and info that makes it all more interesting. Also enjoy watching the coverage in any form I can get it streaming or delayed on ESPN 2 and/or both.

Thanks Murphy for the topics, rumors, and info that give all of us the want to discuss and thanks for all of the general info shared by all that post here.

Noooooooooo, gawd bless your little heart, sir. Here we are in blighty hoping for a few crums from your big yankee table in the form of some civilised racing on the old streaming machine….yes your bearship after a long day of chimney sweeping and saying cor blimey sir there is nothing better to go wiv me stewed cockroaches but a bit of yer ALMS. Gaaaaawd bless yu, in it.

Yu see the ACO cant organise a bun fight and the FIA well they cant breave unless they get permission from the little dark lord so it will end in tears withun two years…gawd there you go even some poetry for ya. It did in the 90′s FIA GT’s and just last year GT1 champs, they just dont av the instinct for endurance. As for he frogs well the last time thae took a scorpion across a river just look what happened, sunk without trace, its in its nature it purred, glug glug glug….

cant stay, nice to parley with yu, its time for ice hockey on the streamer, there it is again fur face. keep putting the cream on those necks and keep the faith. ALMS is a great American institution……..

1. It would be nice if ALMS could have more cars with a chance of winning the overall.

2.GTC in ALMS is a spec entry, it sucks that only Porsches are allowed to enter. Open the class up!

Where we may disagree is I much prefer ALMS GT over GA GT. Like Murphy, I hate the tube frames (except DTM).

I just read the WEC and Le Mans entry lists. If this really takes off, I think the WEC will kill off the ALMS and ELMS. I think that will probably be a good thing.

Whelen’s Corvette also won one, so the Chevrolets are by no means field fillers in GA.

“GTC in the ALMS would be so much better if they let more than just Porsches race, like the Grand Am GT class.”

My comment simply is Apples with Apples compare ALMS GT with GA GT it is closer than you might think. So in ALMS you get a possible 4 different style of cars that can win any given race (BMW, Ferrari, Corvette, and Porsche.) and in GA 3 at best of different style cars that will win at any given race (Porsche, Mazda, and BMW). Both fields have part time showings for cars and teams some can be winners like the Risi Ferrari if they race again in GA or maybe ESM but most likely will not be a competitive Ferrari team in GA for the full season. As an outside chance a Camaro team could win but I think that most of them fall in the GA field filler class like the R8 teams and the Viper that will mostly give car count than an actual threat for win. ALMS also has teams that will come and go and are more likely to add to the car count and diversity of field that doesn’t truly offer a threat for wins aka Jag and Panoz and Ford GT. Granted teams like Robertson fight for podiums and have an outside chance to pull off a win but has not happened yet so I would not hold your breath and that’s if they race this season. But due to the additions and available GT Diverse fields both have about the same of different styles of cars. Just the difference is the car count, quality of different teams, and tracks that are raced on. Personally I will say that ALMS and GA have some what equal GT car count and tracks are about equal comparison (granted GA has a better spread out series and two more races in comparison to ALMS Lemans break) but I think that the quality of teams and drivers puts ALMS at the advantage in the GT area out of three areas. The GTC diversity statement I think will be less seen more than those teams stepping up to GT or LMP2. For the teams in the possibility of becoming GT teams that don’t have an all pro car and having enough the ALMS having the demand GT-AM class could be a legit thing for the ALMS. That again could add more cars and different styles to the ALMS field also.

For GA the interesting thing to see is how many GT teams race a full season rather than just being part of what is called “50 years of North Americas most prestigious sports car race” quoted from Daytona’s website.

These of course are a theory’s and have no backing of hard info behind them mostly just my opinon.

My latest book on Sebring will be out Monday! A detailed statistical history of America’s greatest sports car race, with over 600 photos (the top ten finishers from every year). Available directly from Sebring International Raceway.

I think I remember this post a few years ago was to show how predictable the Grand Am series was. Now it seems that the race is a lot more “nascar” with a number of entries capable of winning. Murphy pulled an 0-fer this time. I iwsh the ALMS was more like that (multiple cars capable of winning, not a spec field.)

GTC in the ALMS would be so much better if they let more than just Porsches race, like the Grand Am GT class.