He’s been thinkin, how much can you rip the gang that can’t shoot straight before it’s just same ol’ same ol’? Which it has been for a long time. When The Bear launched this thing – way back in 2005 – he was documenting exciting and fun stuff. That started fading about three years later, and the whole damn thing’s turned pretty dark. Which Murphy doesn’t really like. At all.

Good News

Anyway, here’ some good news. Ah…ah…geez…The Bear’s thinkin’…ahah! That’s it! Dyson will be back racing against Greg! Like last year. And there will be some P2 guys – no one really knows how many – but it might include the Payday Lender King. Well, perhaps not King, but Chief, since he’s “gone native (American).”

GT will be cool, though there are way too many indications that’s headed for a slip, too. But all the more reason to enjoy it when you can. The Bear still isn’t sure whether the Texas car dealer will be back with his Ferrari(s) (that “s” is pretty unlikely, for sure). That will leave the Mexican cactus squeezers in charge of Ferrari’s prospects – and they haven’t had a lot of luck cracking the top 5 – ever. Not likely to change.

Where were we? Oh, yeah. Good News. There will be a handful of spec. LMP’s and another handful of spec. Porsches on the ALMS grids. If that turns your crank, then by all means go for it. Brewskis  and brats (with an “a,” you know who you are way over there “down under,”) – and stronger stuff – with friends at the track hasn’t changed, regardless of the rest of it, right? That part of sports car endurance racing is a big part of its uniqueness, something that the stocker guys and OW guys (and girls) really have trouble understanding while sitting on their tushes in grandstands, heads on swivels like a rotating perversion of the crowd at Wimbledon.

Watchin’ the Rolex

Anyway, back to racin’ Like it or not, the Rolex is racin’ and the Bear’s going to settle in to watch  in a couple of hours. Last year he was in Daytona Beach and even spent some time at the track. A disaster, though he met some really cool people. This time it’s his comfy rocker and his telebision. Ain’t it great not to have to screw this the streaming crap? (And crap it is.) Hey, ‘burgers, where the hell is Roku? Too busy? You have to be fricken kidding.

Good Ole Georgia Boys, New York Lawyers, and a Formerly FIA Frog in Volusia County Court

And Don, ol boy, suing a poor graphic artist known for poster of ocean liners? (and a girl at that)? The Bear ain’t much of a speller, but he sure kin’ git a person’s name spelt right, specially on a lawsuit. Will it get tossed for the mis-spell do ya think? Jus more paperwork keepin’ the New York lawyer busy, I spose. Anyway, does the new Grand Am tech guru Gabriel Cadringher know too many secrets? Did you have a contract wit him? More busy-work. No wonder there’s no time to open a Roku channel of  yer racin’.

The 50th and the 60th

The 50th Rolex at Daytona. The whole world knows it’s the 50th, what with the gnomes of International Speedway Boulevard telling a story-a-day for a couple of months it seems, making sure everybody knows that great history. While who knows that Sebring is the 60th? (The Bear’s got a Sebring 50th commemorative bottle of The Don’s red – he and J. had some back 10 years ago at your Chateau at the safety pin, pretty good stuff, but this one is staying firmly corked and in the Bear’s cellar, where it’s been for the past decade.) What’s your PR department doin’ to tell the folks about the big race in March? Other than the new book (cool) by Sebring’s PR boss Ken Breslauer, all we’ve heard so far is the Frogs ain’t showin’ up wit their diesel. That should make it a one-marque race up front – again. (Murphy still thinks that Audi truck looks like a platypus.) Still, Sebring is the best party on the planet, and for Le Mans-style racin’, bein’ the only WEC round, the only ALMS race worth going to – except for the hard-core partiers, of course, who can have a good time at all but the dumb-ass street courses.  (Have ya’ll figured  out The Bear really does not like street courses?)

Where Were We?

Ok, the Rolex. Here are Murphy’s famous “Top 5” picks of the classes. He’s been pretty good at this. You can look it up.

Daytona Prototypes (new or old), the Top 5 finishers, in no particular order:

10 Angelelli/Briscoe/Taylor SunTrust Racing Corvette DP
02 Dixon/Franchitti/McMurray/Montoya Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley
90 Garcia/Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP
5 Donohue/Fittipaldi/Law Action Express Racing Corvette DP
01 Hand/Pruett/Rahal/Rojas Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley

The Bear’s not enamored of the pole-sitter. DP’s become a pro driver’s class. Peter’s got some nice drivers goin’, -check out the two Scots and the German guy, but he’s had to sell too many seats, so the three that could win it all are carrying a pair of weak sisters. Is this the year that Bob can break through and bring GAINSCO the big win? Daytona’s not been kind to the insurance maggot. So Murphy can’t make them a favorite, either. Spirit of Daytona has a really nice driver line-up, but has France cash converted this team from a couple of guys in a Daytona garage to a real race team? Sun Trust always has a shot, and while the World’s Greatest Race Car Driver (hello to the family at home) will start at the rear, Chip’s Grand Am regulars will be back in the hunt soon enough.

In GT, Porsche’s got the numbers. (24 Porsches in the field of 60 sort of overwhelms the whole damn event, doesn’t it? Pretty soon we’ll not be able to tell the difference from ALMS until we read out ticket.) Ferrar’s got a new car. Murphy’s not a Mazda fan, but they won in 2010, and McDreamy and company climbed the podium last year. The Camaros have struggled in practice and qualifying. Will they find the pace in the race?

Again, the Bear doesn’t like the pole winner to come through on top, for pretty much the same reason as above for Daytona Prototypes. He likes the Lizards a lot, even with the owner aboard – that doesn’t hurt nearly as much in this field as it does in the ALMS GTE field – and Seth is experience even if not fast. That should help a lot on a tough, crowded track. The Ferrari’s may be new, but they look good, and the Grand Am configuration isn’t a “high stress” kind of thing subject to the teething issues the GTE cars are.

45 Bergmeister/Long/Neiman/Rockenfeller Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche GT3
63 Beretta/Bertolini/Vilander Risi Competizione Ferrari 458
93 Auberlen/Dalla Lana/Marsa/Muller/Werner Turner Motorsport BMW M3
67 Bertheau/Bleekemolen/Goossens/Henzler/Pumpelly TRG Porsche GT3
23 Collard/Holzer/Leitzinger/MacNeil  Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3

Rumors

What? No rumors? Maybe next time.

Announcements have been written but not released while the last details of an agreement are completed. However, Murphy is pretty sure Dyson Racing (but not its current two drivers) to be on hand at Montreal, and yes, the Bear knows full well that’s on the same weekend as Mosport. Dyson Racing will wrap up the 2010 season involved in both ALMS and Grand Am, as they have before.

Dyson’s been struggling this season – hell, the past three or four haven’t been anything to write home about. So perhaps a little change of scenery is in order. Plus, maybe you’ve noticed, prototype racing, after a pretty cool 2007 and 2008, well, the only way to put it is…it sucks. Big time. So, why not take on something different? The ALMS thing is sure no fun. (According to sources who have talked to both, Chris is circumspect about all this, Dad less so.)

Anyway, along comes John and Karen McCutchen’s Godstone Ranch Racing, participants in this past Rolex 24 with Davy Jones in Leighton Reese’s new Corvette. John’s been driving in Continental since. The Bear thinks McCutchen will drive the prototype and Davy Jones will join him.

Dyson Racing will participate as the team of record and with team staff and infrastructure and such. Lola will deliver a car, and Rousch-Yates will do the Ford engine. The effort – as at Daytona – will carry Godstone’s imprimatur and benefit Texas Heart Institute. According to Murphy’s sources will be Lola factory-supported. (You didn’t really expect Lola to carry on with Krohn after the names they called each other in Delaware’s Chancery Court, did you? I mean, they wanted Krohn to sell cars and win races, and he’s done neither.)

All the participants are contributing some amount of support to this party…no one is carrying the whole burden, and it seems no one is “just getting a check.” For Montreal and Utah this year, anyway, it looks like this one is pretty much set.

No one will say for sure that there is – or isn’t, for that matter – a 2011 plan. But Murphy thinks this is a bit of that “team building”; if the kids all get along, and they can work out some numbers (from Dyson’s standpoint, with Mazda and BP not coming through as expected this season, almost anything will be an improvement) they’ll continue with a full season in 2011.

Back to Mexico in a Huff

Murphy thought, along with others, that the Gonzalez boys were mad at IMSA for the ride height penalty, got mad and left. Now Murphy’s been told that wasn’t the deal at all. Seems Gonzalez got it in his head that instead of just buying a ride (or renting a team), he was buying a team, or at least part of one. Then Alex (or was it Holly?) sat down and had a little heart-to-heart. No, Alex Job Racing was still – and would remain – Alex Job’s team, lock, stock, and barrel. They must do business differently in Mexico, because ol’ Mission tortilla chips up and left, went back the Monterrey (anyone with any sense is going the other direction from that drug gang cesspool). That’s what the Bear heard at Lime Rock, anyway . And Murphy likes Tostitos better, anyway.

Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course

Murphy was told just this morning that a sale of Mid-Ohio is imminent. He’s written more than once that it was on the block, most recently this June 10 entry:

“The American Le Mans Series could lose its Mid-Ohio round next season. Murphy previously heard the sale of the track is possible – there have been discussions, and a  price has been named…” (Paddock Poop 168.)

Now he’s heard the sale is just about wrapped, up and will be announced soon. Ominously, this source says, “New owners not big ALMS fans.”

2011

If there are enough teams, where will they race? Uncle Scott still prattles on about 11 events, but the Bear can’t find many in the paddock who believe that. Rumors are flying about the addition of Baltimore (that seems pretty certain) and Oklahoma City (less so), but what about the 9 on this year’s calendar? Who will be back, and who won’t. Murphy doesn’t know, of course, but there are lots of rumors about, and a little speculation, so here is your 2011 season:

Sebring, Mosport, Road Atlanta. They are the “house brands,” so they’ll be along for the ride no matter what…except of course, when the Don can get “residential real estate value” for the 700 acres of Road Atlanta. Mercifully, with today’s real estate market, that won’t likely be any time soon. Mosport will stay a sprint race as long as the Tundra Monkeys keep turning up in profitable numbers for a sprint. The party goes on at Sebring (and the land isn’t worth much, anyway).

Long Beach. ALMS is still in the midst of a contract that – according to rumor – hugely benefits the promoters. The series is obligated to (1) pay and (2) show up. Long Beach isn’t going to let this fish off the hook.

Monterey. A fairly successful event, colder than hell the past two years, especially where wind-exposed. Attendance has dropped both of the past two years, more this year, after the date was changed. Changing an event date, not just from one week to the next, but from fall to spring, is never good, but Laguna Seca will be back in 2011.

Utah. Nobody – and Murphy means literally nobody – shows up for this one. Rumors have been rampant it would be gone in 2011, but there are just as many rumors that it will become the next 6-hour enduro. Teams don’t like it, fans don’t like it. What the hell are you going to do with yourself in this sun-baked wasteland for six hours?

Sonoma. The rumors have gone quiet. Best guess is it’s off.

Lime Rock. Attendance is mediocre, and few are happy with the butchering that was done to this track under the guise of an upgrade. No real rumors that it’s gone, though, perhaps since it’s the series only foothold in the Northeast.

Mid-Ohio. The date has to move to make way for Baltimore, but It’s not clear where there’s room. Could it go before the Le Mans break? There are recurring rumors that Mid-Ohio will be off the schedule. A sale if continuing rumors are correct, will almost certainly remove the track from the 2011 schedule.

Baltimore. A good source says Baltimore is a slam-dunk for the ALMS. The promoters want the series, and the series wants to be there. The same source says the contract was in the hands of the series, and the promoters were anxious to see it signed and announced.

Oklahoma City. Murphy hears it’s on, Murphy hears it’s off. That reflects the reality. 50-50.

Road America. Gone. The Bear’s sources on the ground say the Nationwide race drew the largest crowd seen Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine country in years, perhaps in decades. That’s enough, with ISC’s AMA Super Bike, for the track to get rid of the money-losing sports cars. George won’t care, he’s happy with his new NASCAR friends. Though he would jump at a good open wheel weekend if one came along, he’ll accept a Grand Am date to keep Nationwide and the Super Bikes.

New Jersey. Often rumored, but just wishful thinking. In the ISC pocket, no chance for the ALMS.

Houston. Promoters want to re-launch this one. If they do, it will be with IRL, and  likely without the American Le Mans Series.

Go Git Em, Johnny

Others have done so (Montagny) but the Bear was warmed all over that Johnny O’Connell treated the fans like adults and told them what they already know: Lime Rock does not suit the American Le Mans Series. That’s particularly true after the butchering of the recent “upgrade.” Another place where they are lying to you when they say love being there: Miller Motorsports Park.

Murphy’s “Quote of the Week”

This gem comes from the PR release of one of the ALMS teams after Saturday’s qualifying at Lime Rock.

“As usual at Lime Rock, the rain came earlier than expected.”

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Falken sent three wheels bounding down the track. One took out the Flying Lizard’s defending champions. Does that trifecta wipe out a previous Robertson Racing record of two stray wheels in a single race?

Sebring – Competence (continued)

All excuses (and resigned shrugs) aside. The fact that the GT2 race was ended nearly five hours before the checkered flag by IMSA rules (or the sloppy implementation of same) is stupid. Murphy thinks the ALMS is in the entertainment business, not just for the ticket-buying public, but for the sponsors of Flying Lizards Motorsports and Rahal Letterman Racing, and the rest, struggling for sponsors, all of them. The Braselburg puzzle palace better figure out how to keep those competitors in the show until they lose (or win) the race through their own efforts.

Another AJR

Alex and Holly’s fourth Porsche entry will go to Patrón GT3, not to ALMS GTC.

Fancy Fromage

If you searched Sebring thoroughly, you might have found the elusive cheese curd company. There was this pick ‘em up with a little trailer…

Driving Mr Fehan (part deux)

Murphy tipped his readers that Paul Edwards, Graham Rahal, and Butch Leitzinger  would test with Corvette Racing at Sebring after the 12 Hours. Many, however, were taken by surprise. Perhaps they were thinking that the two new “enduro drivers” who debuted at Sebring meant the cohort of pilots was nicely set.

Oh, contraire! (Some very cultured bears know a little Français.) It may seem that not much changes at Corvette Racing, because, well, it seems everyone else in the sport is swapping out drivers every few minutes. For Corvette turnover has been less frequent. Still, 19 drivers have piloted the team’s Corvettes in the American Le Mans Series.

In 2011, that number will increase by one or more. Driver No. 20 – believed to be a 2011 full-timer – was selected in January.

Not Amused in Winchester

To have someone say the Abruzzi is being built Georgia. Speaking of which, the Abruzzi may be as much Panoz as its GT1 was. Exactly so, perhaps.

Tequila Patrón

First the Braselburger in charge of marketing was yelling at the burger in charge of TV, or, more like yelling at each other. Then it was the agave farmer’s marketing guy yelling at the Braselburger marketing guy.

Someone “forgot” you can’t have liquor on TV before 11:00 AM. (Murphy’s always thought it’s not a good idea before noon, but well, you know the old thing, it’s, like noon somewhere, maybe in the Canary Islands or something.) Anyway, that’s a problem, because it was like 7:00 AM in California when they started the Sebring telecast, so it was “The American Le Mans Series presented by Patrón” instead of “…presented by Tequila Patrón.”

The Bear’s pretty sure if anyone could be expected to know the rules for booze ads and such, it would be an agave farmer’s marketing guy, so Murphy’s not sure why he was handing out the business. On the other hand, Braselburg played in the sportsbook.com fiasco a while back, so you’d think they’d have an organizational memory even if these particular burgers weren’t around.

Le Rat sans Fromage

With the addition of GT2 to the Intercontinental Challenge, the ACO would seem to have settled on GT2 as its premier (or only?) GT class, dumping GT1 in the LMS and at Le Mans in 2011. Will manufacturers ignore the Le Rat-run FIA GT1 championship? Murphy hears yes, which will put the poor little rodent in a big bind when Aston Martin, Corvette, and Maserati leave after 2011, given his GT2 series is already a non-starter in 2010. Le Rat invited the discomfort of manufacturers by excluding them in the first place. What would be your motivation to put your name on the line in a world championship entirely in the hands of…who knows?

The “smart money,” (obviously that’s not the Bear, is it?), is saying not only is GT1 deader than a mackerel, the ACO is looking at the fast disappearance of its lucrative manufacturer LMP franchise (you didn’t really think the club’s only benefit from Audi, Peugeot, and the rest was entry fees, did you?).

So if they’re smart (even – especially? – the French know how their palm is greased), we’ll see somewhat less restrictive 2011 rules (kind of grandfathering without saying so), and increasingly large GT(2) fields, maybe even a class that looks a little like GT3 (no, not the big buck stuff it’s been allowed to become in Yurrup). The Frogs won’t let the premium (or only) GT class be “2”-anything, so look for a nomenclature change.

Music City Motors

The Nashville car builder may now find itself in a lonely position, having built a car to the FIA GT1 spec. Now what do they do with it (or without it). The Bear suggests get serious about the ALMS program they’ve recently toyed with.

There’s a Law against that, isn’t there?

The American Le Mans Series is a bigger poacher than a redneck possum hunter. Lock up your daughters. They got Freescale.  They went after Kohler (from Road America) and lost, but it took the cake when a Braselburger went after Cytosport without knowing it’s Greg Pickett’s own company. Desperation, no shame, or just dumb?  

Where’s the Button?

Scott’s button – the one he wore at Lime Rock – has disappeared. The Bear can spell W-o-r-l-d C-e-n-t-, aw hell, you know who.

The Tucker Rule

Scott Tucker entered two cars. He drove 79 minutes in No. 55; it won, and he collected the points. He drove No. 95 for the required 2 hours. It was excluded. The Tucker Rule (as it stands now, and as the Bear interprets it) is that a driver can meet the newly-mandated minimum by combining the time he drives in two cars, even if one of those rides is excluded by rule. So, the car is excluded, but a driver’s time in it is good?

There are lots of combination that will win a pro-am race if you have two entries.

How did Murphy do?

Once again, the Bear published his Punter’s Guide (Tip Sheet in the colonies). It’s time he owns up to the result.

LMP1 – He nailed it,  but that really didn’t take any talent, did it? If the Frog diesels hadn’t cruised, he’d be closer to that 10 lap deficit he thought likely for the Lola Aston Martin Lola. Some of his readers thought that car had a chance separate from “the field,” but it never did. Drayson’s Lola Judd is a better car. Unfortunately Lord Drayson is one of its drivers. (You Brits better hope the Lord doesn’t buy Manchester United, he’ll look like dog doo in shorts, and play like it, too.)

LMP2 – He blew it. In his defense, you want to make it a parlay with those three teams? Murphy will bet that Highcroft is the better finisher of the three in no less than six of the remaining races on the ALMS calendar. Takers?

GT2 – The poor Bear screwed the pooch again, but Corvette Racing taking both cars out of the running in one incident is grassy knoll stuff. His next pick – same odds as the No. 4 Vette – was Risi (62), with the Lizard’s No. 45 next (taken out by a rolling tire? Give the Bear a break!), and then the two BMW’s. Take out the freak stuff, and Murphy’s got ‘em nailed.

The Bear didn’t provide a line for either LMPC or GTC, and for good reason. Cars fall to pieces, drivers find tire walls, and questionable (even after the fact) rule interpretation. Murphy can’t say he’s much surprised at Alex Job’s sweep of GTC, or a win by Leh Keen.

Follow the Bear on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Murphythebear

And read Last Turn Clubhouse for a more serious spin on this stuff.

Then grab a beer, take a sip, and wait for the Aston Martin. After that, take a little roll on the air mattress with the Significant Other, have a brat, open another beer, take a hit (of the beer or something else), count to ten, and here comes the third “pod,” Autocon, Intersport, and Drayson. (If you didn’t bring a S.O. – or rent one – have another brew, or maybe some of Gus the Gator’s Sebring Hooch Juice.) Really, since they’re creating new classes, ALMS ought to award three trophies in LMP1.

Murphy’s not sure LMP2 will be behind LMP1; actually, you’ll probably miss the LMP2 parade on the mattress, if not during that first beer. Highcroft, Cytosport, and Dyson promise to give us a pretty good race. Here’s hoping some “C”doesn’t take one or more out. If so, use it as an excuse for another trip to the mattress.

The Bear has no idea where the “C” protos will end up. A tire barrier? The paddock? One of his elves says these cars haven’t been run on anything like Sebring (Euro tracks are smoother and slipperier than…oh, never mind) so don’t assume they’ll be all that bullet proof. Six seem to be “official,” and “ready” (meaning they’ve got a car, drivers, and cash) – Primetime, Intersport, Genoa, Level 5, Green Earth Team Gunnar, and PR1.

Others might have a car – or not. Drivers – or not. Cash – or not. (The cash would be related mostly to the driver thing.) Those include Alex Job Racing, rumored to have a car in the shop and Comprent, which went fishing for funded drivers a while back (no sign they’ve landed one).

GT2 is as good as it’s ever been (in Bear memory, anyway). That would be in large part because this is the first Sebring for Corvette Racing, and pair of BMW’s with a season of development. They join Risi Competizione Ferraris (Tracey Krohn might be there with a Merc, instead, but Murphy thinks the odds are that’s later in the season), one of which will compete at the sharp end, and Flying Lizard Porsches – again, one will compete, one will drive around. AF Corse will contribute a competitive Ferrari.

Then it gets a little dicey. The Bear doesn’t think Extreme Speed’s Ferraris are good enough to be in the mix at the front; they may mix it up with the Jag for as long as the Cat lasts. In some order, Robertson, Black Swan, and Falken will bring up the rear.

Murphy knows Alex and Holly will be on hand with a pair of “C” class Cup cars. Expect single entries for P7, GMG (the Bear did a double-take, thinking maybe a ‘professional grade’ truck), Kelly-Moss, and Velox. There’s hope Melanie and Martin will be on hand, but they didn’t participate in support series testing, nor are they on the ALMS winter test entry. Of course, they’re pretty good on this track, having won (among other races) GT1 in the 1999 Florida debut of the American Le Mans Series. With six already accounted for, Murphy thinks you can count on eight GT Challenge entries.

In terms of total entries, the Bear accepts that the two Challenge classes have rescued the ALMS from embarrassingly small grids. They’ll account for 14 of 38 Sebring entries, if Murphy’s right. Attendance slipped last season – worse as the season went on – leaving the Bear to wonder how a field heavily dependent on spec cars will ‘sell.’ It seems contrary to the interests of ‘traditional sports car fans.’ Murphy remembers Roger using that phrase introducing Daytona Prototypes.

What will the entry look like in the rest of the season? With no unexpected losses, there will be six prototypes after Long Beach (Aston Martin stays for that one). The Bear’s not yet convinced that there will be two Jags, but he’ll count two here. He also hears Krohn will be around for the whole season – in something. So add a Jag and subtract the AF Corse Ferrari – it stays at 15 after Sebring, and likely through the remainder of the season. Add fourteen challenge entries; expect a grid of 35 at Laguna Seca and beyond. That’s exactly the number that Atherton’s been using in interviews. If that doesn’t turn your crank, there’s Petit Le Mans, where you can expect a substantially better entry for a designated Intercontinental Cup stop.

To help you get kill time between prototypes at Sebring Murphy’s passing along this little recipe from his friend Gus.

Gus the Gator’s Sebring Hooch Juice

1 gal cut-up fruit – apple, pineapple, watermelon, pear, peaches – anything you want, fresh or canned
4 oranges (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
4 lemons (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
4 limes squeezed (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
1 jar maraschino cherries w/o stems
1 Liter Bacardi 151 rum
1 Liter Everclear (ethanol, if you want to be official)
1 Liter Vodka – any flavor
1 46 oz. can or 2 liter bottle of fruit punch
2 2 liter bottles lemon-lime soda (sprite, 7up, etc.)
1 bag – or block – ice

Mix in large cooler, wash tub or anything else that will hold about five gallons.

Gus recommends that some fruit gets into each cup. He admits he missed the race and a lady friend embarked on a new career. The Bear thinks this is a great way for the gals to get warmed up to go out and collect a few beads. Neither Gus nor Murphy assume any responsibility for blindness, getting run over by a Sebring buggy, drowning in a mosh pit, or anything else.

If it wasn’t on Friday, a missed payroll will likely be made up soon, Murphy hears. But it seems a long shot for the team to make any of the first three races, at least with a car of their own design.

The big rumored is that controlling owner Chad Hurley is disappointed with the current team management, and will provide significant additional funding only if the team is able to meet agreed-to progress targets. Of course they’re in a bit of a Catch-22, given that the current cash starved position makes it difficult at best to perform. According to rumors there was a “sweat equity” deal with current team senior management, and that deal includes progress clauses that would allow for their (forced) departure. Murphy can’t verify that (unless it happens), but it’s widely enough believed that others in the sport are positioning themselves to become a ‘rescue team’ on the assumption it’s true.

A US-based group is preparing to propose a ‘take-over’ of the project, as is a British. The latter would move the operation to the UK, throwing most current staff overboard. Any change has to come with the acquiescence of Hurley.

Both those groups and the current USF1 management are battling to acquire the complete and crunch tested Campos/Dallara chassis to cover those early events. (Clearly there are many in the sport – from Bernie on down - who don’t believe Campos is going to make it.) Meanwhile, Stefan Grand Prix (Serbian Zoran Stefanovich, previously referred to here as ‘the Russians’) is sitting on the sideline with the ex-Toyota F1 stuff (Zoran might want to check that accelerator) hoping a failed team drops a pair of grid spots into its lap.

Krohn Racing

Murphy’s heard that Tracey Krohn informed the head shop (pun unintended) on International Speedway Boulevard that he’s ending his Grand Am adventure. That might mean a second full-time Ferrari in the Risi stable. Might it also might mean a whole new marque for ALMS GT2, from a Stuttgart – Woking axis?

Alex Job Racing

Murphy heard last week that Alex Job Racing would field an LMPC, likely at Sebring. Other sources have been saying the same thing as far back as the open LMPC test at Petit.

AJR announced two GTC’s yesterday…(Murphy tweeted the news). It’s been rumored lately that Alex has an LMPC in his shop. His new GTC’s do not included AJR 2009 Patron Challenge client Mitch Pagery, but neither will that rumored LMPC, since Mitch will be elsewhere in the paddock – with Intersport.

A hint that LMPC entry might not be likely is Butch Leitzinger in a GTC for the team. If it was fielding an LMPC, wouldn’t Butch be better suited there? Or will that LMPC have two “gentleman” drivers? The Bear would like to say  Alex will run three cars in two classes, but it’s only just “possible.”

GAINSCO

The Cogs are mad at the Bear again for passing on a rumor about their little racing club (that’s spelled r-u-m-o-r). Here goes again. GAINSCO is one of six DP’s on the initial entry for Homestead, but rumors about the team and its drivers persist, and Murphy will report them as he hears them – that’s kinda what this little blog is all about, ya know. This week the Bear  was told Rahal Letterman is talking to Alex Gurney about an Indy drive in May, with perhaps Kansas as a ‘warm-up.’ Doing that along with Grand Am is possible; he’d only miss the Grand Am Lime Rock round for certain.

The top two at the Rolex once again came from Murphy’s top 5. After putting both Ganassi cars on the list (a bit of a no-brainer, even if your head is stuffed like a mattress), plus Brumos and two-time Grand Am Champion GAINSCO, the Bear mused in Paddock Poop 152 about the fifth, finally settling on the No. 9 Action Express because it fit all three Bear rools. Including the one about established teams, since in crew, staff, and owner, it was largely the “other” Brumos entry, the one vacated by the accused Daytona Beach druggie.

One Ganassi car blew an engine, a rarity in recent years; it had 8 hours on it at race’s start. Is it a measure of the economy that Ganassi’s ran a well-used motor? Even if his race engine was replaced because of an oil leak, no fresh engine was available?

Readers wondered about the Bear’s bullishness on the BMW M6 entries, but they’re thinking like ALMS fans, where ‘new cars’ are new cars. In Grand Am, tubers shed their skins like snakes, yesterday’s Pontiac becoming today’s Chebby, and tomorrow’s Bimmer. Finishing 8th and 11th, they didn’t have any more trouble than any other make in the field – less, in fact.

Two of Murphy’s five favorites finished in the top five, one on the podium; among the 30 GT entries, the Bear’s Five were 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 12th.

Saab-Spyker Saga

So Spyker’s ‘buying Saab?’ Everyone knows that the one-time Dutch F1 team masquerading as an automaker doesn’t have a guilder to its name, so how does this happen? The devil’s in the details. The Dutch want their pet car company, as do the Swedes, so the Dutch arrange a $562 million loan for Spyker and get the Swedes to guarantee it. GM will ‘sell’ Saab to Spyker for $74 million in cash and $326 million in Spyker-Saab preferred stock (what’s that worth, given neither has made a guilder or krona in living memory?).  Spyker pockets $488 million in cash (perhaps some of that will buy out the 30% Spyker holdings of Vladimir Antonov, suspected (by Swedish Intelligence) of money laundering and links to organized crime.

Rolex Rumor

Northeastern Florida isn’t exactly populated by ALMS well-wishers at this time of the year, so Murphy has learned to anticipate one or more pretty nasty rumors. Some have a kernel of truth, some are just off-the-wall. The 2010 annual ‘Daytona ALMS Rumor?’ Widely circulated in the paddock on International Speedway Boulevard was the story that ALMS has not yet paid 2009 prize money, so teams, in a kind of “strike,” are sending in their 2010 entries with no money. Of course the Bear is more than a little suspicious of the whole thing, but the “fact of the rumor” is surprise – just a measure of the ‘bad blood’ between these two competing sports car racing series.

Murphy’s sources indicated that at least the ‘strike’ part of that is untrue. If any team was withholding entry funds it wasn’t in concert with any other teams, and likely wasn’t in any ‘retaliation’ for nonpayment. Prize payments have dragged in a bit late – sometimes in installments – in recent seasons, and apparently this one is no different. The Series has suggested that prize money be credited against the new season’s entry fee, which seems perfectly reasonable to the Bear.

Defecting

Expect more than one Grand-Am team to “defect to LMPC” after Daytona. Alex Job is said to be one of them (interest by AJR was expressed early) along with Level 5, and at least one other. The LMPC count for Sebring will be 4 or 5, with 2 or 3 to join the series after that – consistent with ALMS Supremo Scott Atherton’s recent pronouncements.

From one quarter Murphy is told, “the Grand-Am fields will be horrific after Daytona,” and that “NASCAR upper management is fed up with Grand-Am.” If that’s true it didn’t keep Jim-Bob from winning the Rolex with his own entry. Close connections to Action Express’ owner Bob Johnson – along with other information – would suggest so. Mr. Johnson is Jim-Bob’s personal CPA; the company funding Action Express is something called High Rev Racing. Entering your own race series isn’t exactly revolutionary (Don Panoz being another example); the Bear takes it as a vote of confidence rather than something nefarious.

GAINSCO Gone?

The Bear’s been told that the Rolex was GAINSCO’s last race. Miami hotel reservations have been cancelled.

Audi In, Peugeot Overboard?

The Bear hears that Braselburg is considering allowing Audi to enter Sebring, pending the outcome of the new car’s testing, now underway. If the entry accepted is the “transitional” car, and not the “new rules” R15, then there’s little doubt the effect will be to toss Peugeot overboard. Peugeot may jump anyway, of course. The new Audi just might be ready for Sebring, anyway, since Audi Sport Joest has turned up as a “full season” LMS entry. That would mean the car is now believed to be ready by April…March 20th isn’t all that much earlier, is it?

There’s Cars and…

…then there’s cars. Ferrari can’t be happy about the two street-car based (barely more than that) Ferrari 430 Challenge cars entered at Daytona. One was turned away (‘not ready to race’ is a kind description) the Bear hears. The other muddled around, thoroughly uncompetitive. Look for entries from Tony Dowe later in the Grand Am season to be much more representative of the iconic marque.

Inlimbo Racing League

Izod is the IRL’s new title sponsor; you’ve probably seen the ads. Other noises from the surviving – for now – North American open wheel series aren’t so good. Ganassi is just the latest to join the ‘new car’ discussion, having produced a mock-up – a sign, according to one source, that the series is “just blundering around.”

The addition of Lanigan to Newman Haas was the work of the late Paul Newman; Carl’s family’s not on speaking terms with the new partner. Are we seeing the unraveling of Newman-Haas-Lanigan? That’s one opinion Murphy’s heard.

Unemployment Line

Here’s a measure of the weakness of the racing industry world-wide: Butch Leitzinger, Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller, Sascha Maassen, Emanuele Collard, Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty, all ‘available and looking.’ And that’s just a few.

USF1

What the Bear is hearing is pretty grim. The chassis hasn’t been ‘crunch tested’ yet. There’s no motor on hand, payments to Cosworth reportedly now in arrears. The team has applied to the World Motorsports Council for dispensation to miss the first three races without penalty – more a courtesy than a rule, since guaranteed participation is not a part of the new concorde, as it was in the old.

It’s  not over yet. USF1 owner Chad Hurley (one of Youtube’s three original founders) could rescue the operation – with new management – if he so chooses. Meanwhile, Bernie is in his element, the eminance gris trying to arrange an interim chassis, but that’s wrapped up in a ride for Bruno Senna. If Bernie can’t get USF1 onto the grid, he might be stuck with the Russians, who’ve grabbed the rights to the ex-Toyota chassis (someone will have to check the accelerator pedal).

Lou News

Murphy’s friend Lou Gigliotti is running for Congress – here’s his web site. Meanwhile, he’s charging ahead with his Grand Am Corvette entries. 

Unlike others in Grand Am GT, Lou tells the Bear that, “Our Corvettes are ‘Prep 1’ using stock frames like ALMS cars. We learned a lot from that car and we are moving the technology over to Grand Am.” It makes particular sense for Lou to stick with ‘the real thing’ because Lou’s business is selling Corvette performance parts. Lou says a result of the new program will be   ‘really nice Corvette parts’ that will one day make their way into LG Motorsports’ catalog.
 
Eric Lux and Kelly Collins are set for the season in the first Corvette, with a hoped-for second car possible as early as Birmingham, depending on finding a good driving partner for the Boss.

Pssssssst…anyone interested in a nice ALMS Corvette? Murphy knows where to find one.

Follow the Bear on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Murphythebear