by A.C. Guillermo

 The storm clouds are gathering. 2012 is shaping-up as a showdown year between the NASCAR Rolex Grand-Am Series presented by Chip Ganassi and the floundering American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron.  

I know 2011 has barely started, but already the stage is set for a battle next year between Daytona and Braselton. If you only knew what I don’t know! (Editor’s note – AC must have consulted Yogi Behra on that one).   Each sanctioning organization is set to embark on an aggressive expansion, and you can put your money on the ALMS coming out the first loser when it is all said and done.

Let’s check the scoreboard.   Next year the Daytona Rolex 24 will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, while Sebring will its mark its 60th anniversary. Although Sebring has a better history, a more exciting circuit, more fans, a much better entry list, and a far better anniversary celebration, they still don’t have a Hooter’s in Sebring. Grand-Am 1, ALMS 0.

Scott Pruett won’t be entered at Sebring. So make that Grand-Am 2, ALMS 0.  

Next year the ALMS will again host two rounds of the ILMC, and will likely expand into at least three new markets by 2013.  Meanwhile, Grand-Am will continue with its non-spectator concept, using Homestead as a model.  Expect to hear about races in 2012 that were held at five new venues nobody will know about, adding to the allure and mystique of Grand-Am racing.  Grand-Am 3, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will be the feature race at the Austin F1 weekend, and each DP will have an F1 pilot as a co-driver. You heard it here first.  Grand-Am 4, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will begin to field a huge variety of GT3 entries in 2012, including Audi, Audi, Audi and Audi.  Grand-Am 5, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will run a version of the DTM (see my previous columns for details) and will somehow manage to make all the cars look alike. Grand-Am 6, ALMS 0. 

Chip Ganassi will not be allowed to race in that series. Grand-Am 7, ALMS 0.  

ALMS will continue with its internet broadcast concept, while Grand-Am continues broadcasting on the NASCAR Network (new name for  SPEEDTV to be announced soon).  Grand-Am 8, ALMS 0.  

The new DP bodywork will be stunning, sleek, ground-breaking and evocative (thanks for that word, Godwin). Even though they may still make your eyes bleed, Wayne Taylor will love them, and so will you. Grand-Am 9, ALMS 0.  

The ALMS Green racing initiative will be countered by a far more effective Grand-Am marketing program touting the Rolex Series’ lack of fans, meaning far less fuel is consumed by people coming to Grand-Am races than ALMS events. Absolutely genius.  The “Less fans. More Fuel” slogan will first appear on the Spirit of Daytona entry.  Grand-Am 10, ALMS 0.  

Mark R. has assured me Grand-Am “Competition yellows” will continue in 2012, and will be supplemented by “Competition Timing & Scoring,” that will add and subtract laps from various teams as needed. Grand-Am 11, ALMS 0.  

Finally, the big one. I know you won’t believe this, but it is going to happen. At least one round of the Rolex Series (and maybe two), will be on an oval next year. Yes! An oval race for sports cars. Why not! Its going to be wild. You think that will be too hard on equipment? Ever seen a street race?  Grand-Am 12, ALMS 0.  

A shutout.   I think my track record is pretty solid in reporting on the NASCAR Grand-Am Series. If you checked back at my previous columns, you would not find one single true thing I reported was not true considering the truth is what happened and the untruth didn’t, unless the truth was falsely reported as untrue.  

Grand-Am Notes 

• At Barber, J.C. France was sporting one of his new “Don’t You Know Who I am?” shirts, part of a new apparel line he designed exclusively for wealthy offspring who frequently get pulled over by the police… 
• A 17-foot tall statue of Scott Pruett will be erected in front of the NASCAR offices later this year, joining statues of Ann & Bill France, Dale Earnhardt and Tim Richmond …. 
• Yours truly was not a bit surprised to find out an ALMS Media Guide was found at the Bin Laden compound in Pakistan …
• Since nobody showed up for the Grand-Am Fan Club meeting at Barber, any future meetings will be held in Hurley Haywood’s office at the Brumos dealership in Jacksonville .…
• Although the same team wins every Rolex Series race, I am told that will change in 2012.  Suntrust has already purchased three victories, and the Gainesco Team is seeking financing to purchase two others …
• NASCAR and SPEEDTV issued a joint statement vehemently denying there was collusion between the two parties to prevent the ALMS from being on that network. SPEEDTV also explained that it was a “technical problem” that resulted in Scott Pruett only talking about Grand-Am cars while commentating at Le Mans last year…
• Daytona officials were devastated when the State of Florida recently voted down permission to have fans buried at the speedway.  I’m told the Daytona Security Department was especially disappointed. …
• Heads-up for ALMS fans and IMSA staff: Baltimore has the highest VD rate in North America …
• Rumors still persist there is a supporting series sanctioned by Grand-Am; I’ll let you know what I find out…
• More details to come, but I have to get back to my hobby of posting anti-ALMS rants on the Grand-Am forum.

 

 A.C.

Murphy’s Rolex Punting Rools

1. Riley only. The first non-Riley in 2008 was 15th. In 2009, a Dallara snuck into 4th, a Crawford into 8th. Last year, the oil maggot got his Lola into 4th and Wayne, Ricky, Max and Pedro dragged a Dallara into 6th for NASCAR’s favorite bankers. That’s marginal improvement, but not enough to change the rool.

2. Teams you’ve heard of. Ganassi won its third in a row in 2008, another of Murphy’s teams,  Brumos, won in 2009 – and took third, too. Action Express won last year, and you might be scratching your head, but even the barely sentient knew that was the Brumos gang with the Godfather’s money.

3. No oil (or Silicon Valley venture capital) billionaire drivers, no scrawny girls. The scrawny girl’s a no-show; the capitalist is slower than the oil maggot, but stays on the track.  No drivers with the same name as the team. The Bear’s rule has been no brain doctors or heart doctors, but this year the Murphy’s going with Starworks anyway, because he likes Peter, and Peter invited him to lunch. Hey, you didn’t really think there was no graft in this stuff, did you? Still, you better be a pro – or close to the pace – to win this thing. Yes, the oil billionaire was 4th last year, but that’s still not the podium. The Bear didn’t say anything about racing empire trust fund boys, though.

Rolex Picks for Punters

So, here are Murphy’s picks. Both Ganassi entries – the Bear hasn’t taken leave of his senses (stuffing or not). Starworks fields four pretty good drivers, you’d think  they’d be able to carry one neurosurgeon, especially one that styles himself as “the world’s fastest” (see also reference to graft, above). Action Express won the last one of these, and well, J.C. is no brain surgeon, is he? GAINSCO? The Bear picks them every year and it seems they bag it about half way. Someday, they’re going to figure this race out, like the two-time champions have long since figured out the rest of the schedule.

01 Ganassi  Hand, Rahal, Pruett, Rojas – BMW / Riley
02 Ganassi  Dixon, Franchitti, Montoya, McMurray  – BMW / Riley
  8 Starworks  Braun, Dalziel, Enge, Forest, Lowe – Ford / Riley
  9 Action Express  Barbosa, Borcheller, Fittipaldi, Papis, France – Porsche / Riley
99 GAINSCO  Fogarty, Gurney, Johnson  – Chevrolet / Riley

Murphy’s “dark horse” is Michael Shank Racing. They’ve been ignored by the Bear, but last year flirted with the podium. If they were a Riley again, they’d have made the “Bear’s Five,” but their real “pro car” is a Dallara. The No. 6 could be the first non-Riley to crack the podium in many years. And the other Shank car, No. 23? Martin and Mark are heavy lifters, but Zak’s too heavy even for them.

GT with the Bear

Last year, for the first time, the Bear decided it was time to pay some attention to the GT field. So, what are Murphy’s GT rools?

The Rools

1. At least 3 pros to carry a weekender. If so, doctors and CEOs are O.K. here.

2. Teams with experience and talent. Some of these are easy to pick out: TRG and Turner Motorsports, for instance. Others aren’t so obvious.

3. Current or former ‘factory’ drivers. They don’t go – or aren’t sent – where they have no chance.

In 2010, the Bear’s picks were all German – four Porsches and a BMW. This time the colonies are represented with a pair of Camaros to go with two Porsches and that same Bimmer. (Ok, the Bimmer is an “M3” this time – just like the last one was an “M6.”)

48 Paul Miller Bell, Miller, Sellers, Sugden – Porsche GT3
57 Stevenson Bremer, Liddell, Magnussen  – Camaro GT.R
59 Brumos Davis, Haywood, Keen, Lieb – Porsche GT3
88 Autohaus Lester, Marsh, O’Connell, Taylor – Camaro GT.R
94 Turner Auberlen, Dalla Lana, Plumb, Said – BMW M6

Three TRG entries, 54, 66, and 67 look good and nicely fit Murphy’s rool about factory drivers with Pilet, Luhr, and Henzler, but the Bear’s concerned the pros (who also include Bleekemolen, Farnbacher, Lally, and Pumpelly) are diluted too far with those weekenders. With more teams fielding more drivers, there are more and more unknowns and many more bankers, surgeons, actors, and trust fund kids in the GT field. It’s getting to be more of a crap shoot than ever to pick a winner. Is the stuffed one foolish to stay away from the Mazdas? Who knows. Crap shoot.

00 Aten Motorsports Ferrari is the Bear’s GT dark horse. Collard and Pompidou are quality pros, as good as anyone on the grid, Davy Jones isn’t quite his former self (who is?), but he’ll keep it in the hunt. Abergel and McCutchen are good as weekenders go. If the race can be won on smarts by a car the factory would like to see go away, this is your long shot.

Tommy Gets the Gig

Murphy was the only one back in December, and today Team Corvette made it official, Tommy Milner will be the full-schedule replacement for Johnny O’Connell. Nice work, Turbo Tom.

Where are They?

Back in July, Grand Am’s Dave Spitzer (not the Bear) wrote in a memorandum to teams:

Audi R8
We are in advanced discussions with Audi surrounding the possible introduction of the R8 in Rolex GT.

Ferrari 458
Discussions are underway to introduce a version of this car for Rolex GT competition.

Other GT3 cars – Mercedes, BMW, etc.
We are in early discussions with these brands to include versions of their GT3 cars in Rolex GT also.

Snag Somewhere? Smokin’ sumpin’? Whatever, the Bear is wondering if an opportunity has been lost, given Grand Am has exclusive rights to sports car endurance channel surfers in the 2011 season. Build them sumpin’ and they’ll come. Zoom, Zoom aside, Mazdas don’t qualify as sumpin’ – Ferraris and Audi R8’s do.

The big trick in business is to find something exciting before someone else does, then promote the hell out of it. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the cute little phone biz or the sportycar racin’ biz. The Braselburgers haven’t figured that out, so the Bear was hoping the World Center had. Not so sure now.

Atlas, Panoz, Autocon, and Lou

It’s kind of like the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Atlas eFX can’t do an Abruzzi deal (Murphy thinks no one, no where, no how, no time will), so buys Lou’s ALMS Corvette for the ILMC, and Tomy Drisi signs on to drive, materially reducing the chance that we’ll see very much of Autocon in the ALMS.

Krohn rumor No. 5: Georgia shop working on independent ALMS Ferrari entry. One-off Rolex 24 in Lola then ALMS GT for 2011. One car or 2? Honestly, Murphy hears a new Krohn rumor just about every month, from McLarens to Mercedes, and now Ferrari. The Lola partnership has been in Delaware Chancery court, while the oilman continued to race the car in Daytona Prototypes. Beyond coming from a pretty good source, this one makes some sense. Krohn has paid Risi to run a Ferrari for him in selected races over a number of years, so why shouldn’t he strike out on his own?

Lola no more; Prodrive talking to ORECA for next Aston Martin proto chassis. Yes, “talking” is what the Bear heard, though you’d think they’d have to be further along than that. Perhaps they are, and the news that there’s a “donor” chassis is just now catching up with the reality. One’s thing seems to be widely believed in the industry: Lola and Aston Martin Racing/Prodrive don’t want anything to do with each other. It’s that intellectual property thing.

New (final?) ILMC schedule announced; Seven events. Petit back in, Japan out. China TBA, Imola added. Is this good news or bad? If you’re planning to go to Petit or Sebring, you’ll see it as good. If, on the other hand you live just up the road from, say, Road America, what then? You have to hope the GT field holds together, because the prototypes are going to suck. Console yourself that it will be even worse at some other stops, like Lime Rock and Mosport. The Bear can’t believe the Cannuckistanis are going to be very happy. No Japan. That tells Murphy that there may be a Toyota motor in an LMS team, but there’s not going to be any significant participation in the ILMC by Japanese manufacturers or teams. Why Imola? That can’t be more than a place-holder, can it? What’s left of the LMS schedule? Two races? Everything else is co-opted by the world thing.

Six for Grand Am. TRG, TRG/Steven Bertheau, TRG/Black Swan, Brumos, Magnus, and Muehlner take delivery of new-for-2011 Porsches. This in interesting for lots of reasons. First, it’s an indication that Porsche is “back” in Grand Am. Most of those new models can be expected to continue in the remainder of the Grand Am schedule. There’s only one for Brumos which was thought to be a two car team. Also there’s no new team there, so if there’s a new Porsche team on the horizon, it’s headed to the American Le Mans Series, not to Grand Am.

Rolex 24 Ferrari GT announcement imminent; quality of effort indicated by “modern alchemist” and drivers Bell, Simonsen, and Farnbacher. Murphy hopes this actually happens, especially after a good Sebring test the week before Thanksgiving, but he’s a smart enough Bear to know that it’s a long way from a press release to a grid. The news this week was not good, with promised financing seemingly going into hiding. The car in Regis Lefebure’s photos from Homestead was not “Tony’s Ferrari.” This is:

Pumpelly, Lally announced in TRG’s third Rolex 24 Porsche entry. According to Porsche’s release, this is not one of the new-for-2011 Porsche 911 Cup cars delivered for the Rolex 24.

Just got information on an “open top spec prototype series for gentlemen drivers.” Just what we need. HSR will host a “Race Your Radical” series with its other events. Now there’s word of a GT3 Cup series associated with HSR. Really, just what we need  – another place to race Porsches.

Another schedule change – the expected Road America 4 hours “sunset finish” and move to Saturday August 21 is finally announced by ALMS. At least all these revisions in the schedule since it was rushed out at Road America in August are keeping us entertained while we’re waiting to find our what television coverage we’ll get.

The Bear hears an ALMS prototype team is considering a jump to GT. No word on the racing series for the GT program. An ALMS prototype team principal is spending a little time in Europe in the Stuttgart area. Murphy doesn’t think it’s a vacation. The Cytosport rumors a team source bemoaning the lack of prototype options after Porsche’s retirement of its RS Spyder.  Then the Bear heard Greg was in Germany for something other than a vacation. The conclusion? Perhaps a GT team, but it’s been quiet of late, so who knows? Is this the rumored new GT team, or is that a move up by Alex Job Racing, or a second car at Falken? All of the above? None of the above?

A life member of the Peerage was poking about in Leafield, giving credence to rumors he’ll join the ranks of prototype constructors. Leafield is where the former TWR shops are located. Lord Drayson is rumored to want to build his own chassis. A source said he was touring the TWR facilities. Murphy’s heard nothing since.

Sour Milka

It’s not a rumor that the IRL has cut its cash-sharing program to 22 entries from 24. The collateral damage was Conquest, which ran its No. 36 as an arrive-and-drive with five different pilots. The real target was Milka Duno, for whom Dale Coyne will not be able to collect $1.2 million from the series.

The Under-Boss Says So

The Under-Boss tells John Dagys at speedtv.com the combined ACO-rule schedules will make contesting the ALMS and ILMC “very difficult.” What he calls “product” will have to be “on both sides of the Atlantic.” Murphy’s translation of “product”: cars, tools, tires, transporters, tables, chairs, timing stands, stopwatches, fire suits, shoes, spares,  gloves, fireproof underwear. Like that’s going to happen.

Dyson and Riley

It’s been rumored that Dyson is “looking at” a new Riley. Murphy has been skeptical, but he’s lately been told that Riley is actually building something, so unlike the company’s last LMP announcement, the project has moved beyond a drawing. The connection to Dyson – or anyone else – remains tenuous, but Bill Riley has some hope to be building. (Another source chimes in, “In spite of what you’ve heard, they are presently building nothing and still waiting for a “donor”. At this point it would be impossible to field a car by Sebring.” -MHB-)

Follow Murphy at http://twitter.com/Murphythebear

Flying Lizards to Daytona

Before Seth Neiman and Flying Lizard Motorsports leased a Daytona Prototype from Brumos, he talked to Penske about one of the Captain’s cars. Near term, it was decided a lease was more attractive than an outright purchase. Seth will be one of at least two ALMS stalwarts we’ll see at the Rolex 24; what happens after that is still unknown.

Chip to Ford

It’s possible that Chip Ganassi will go with Ford in NASCAR. If he does, it’s likely his DP’s will also be powered by Ford. (Edit: Murphy tweeted an update on November 2: At a team celebration this week, it was announced Ganassi will stay with GM motors. Presumably, that will mean the BMW power in Grand Am continues also.)

Peugeot Power

The test of Peugeot’s new prototype exclusively reported by Autosport was sans engine – the new one, that is. Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director, claims it hasn’t even made that decision yet. A hybrid power unit has been rumored, and one of the Bear’s correspondents was convinced of it by the new roof air intake. “A new-rules 2 liter turbo, with KERS,” he wrote. One of Murphy’s technical wizards acknowledged the air intake but pointed out the 90X also has the fender intakes used with the turbo diesel. “They’ll stick with the diesel,” he said. “It still makes better technical and marketing sense.” The Bear has decided it will be one or the other. (Edit: One of the Bear’s favorite tech gurus points out that a diesel/KERS combination remains in the mix, and might even be likely. Whoops! Murphy now believes it will be one of those three. Any other ideas?)

Television and Alternative Media

The American Le Mans Series still doesn’t have a “broadcast” (obsolete word, isn’t it?) package it can announce. What gives? The Bear heard at Petit that the “traditional broadcast” (and its on-air talent) would be history, that 2011 would be docudramas on Versus with live coverage via web streaming. Murphy knows some will cheer that, but he’s not one of them.

So do we get Hindy and crew? Probably, but the Bear hears sponsorship and contract issues remain. (If that is “unhelpful,” Radio Show Limited can issue a statement – again. Murphy’s not in the “helpful” business; plenty in the media have accepted that charter.) A SpeedTV deal is crippled – in terms of value, at least – by the ACO’s grab of the rights to Sebring and Petit. A professional sport needs the revenue that’s possible only with “big league” television coverage. It’s not certain that’s going to happen. Among teams and drivers in the paddock who race for a living, this is a topic of great concern.

Japan to Join GT Ranks?

That’s what the world’s leading sports car racing blog wrote, admitting it was a “rumour.”  (What’s with all the poaching on the Bear’s territory lately?) Two manufacturers mentioned – Toyota and Honda – have had on-again-off-again programs over the past couple of years; nothing new there.

Honda told the ALMS two years ago it would like to field an NSX-based GT1/2, but only after the then-planned new model was introduced – soon after, they cancelled the new car. That would seem to have ended the idea, except that Honda got special permission to race the not-to-be-produced design as the HSV-010 GT and promptly won the Super GT championship in the GT500 class. Since the ACO is similarly perfectly willing to wink at its rules when it suits (see, for reference, the magic homologation of the Abuzzi), don’t be surprised to see an “NSX-something” somewhere in ACO racing.

Toyota might be working on something with the LFA – then again they might not. Old story again.

There is nothing ACO-oriented going on at Nissan that either NISMO or NA knows anything about.

The 2011 ALMS Prototype GridMurphy summarizes what he is hearing around the paddock about the likely 2011 entry for races not part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

LMP1
Highcroft – Expect Duncan to continue with HPD for another season, but don’t take his dalliance with IRL too lightly.
Dyson – Not happy being let down by Mazda just weeks before the 2010 Sebring Winter Test, Dyson will start 2011 with “a foot in each camp.” Though they repeatedly say they want to be in the American Le Mans Series, where the team goes from here is largely funding-dependent.
Cytosport – If no good hardware option is found (Porsche is out of the picture), Cytosport could stay on the sidelines. For now, at least, they aren’t happy with the options.
Intersport – We don’t know why, but someone will come up with just enough cash for Intersport to run about half the season’s miles. In a tough 2010, they had to finish Petit to get near that magic “halfway.”
Drayson –  If the announced ILMC full schedule becomes certain in 2011, this team is much more likely to contest that than a full ALMS schedule.
Autocon – Zytek is likely not an option. If the only thing on the table is a return to the Lola AER, will Autocon race, take some time off, or drop to P2?
ARES (nee Corsa) – No activity on facebook, nor in a race shop, since April.

LMP2
CORE – More likely to be an LMPC entry.
HVM – Broke and looking for funded drivers.
Level 5 – ILMC is likely, ALMS less so.
Libra (nee Taurus, nee ECO) – Libra, Ian Dawson’s act 3, is on track to be as successful as acts 1 and 2.
Signature – The team’s own hope is only for the second half of 2011. This reality show won’t make prime time.

LMPC
Dick Barbour – Katherine Legge? Not likely.  Terri O’Connell (nee J.T. Hayes)? The Bear likes real girls. Too much hype, too little substance (or cash). Reminds Murphy of DBM in 2001: Elford, Panoz, Mugen, Holt, Duno, Graham, de Radigues. Sounded good, didn’t it?
Green Earth Team Gunnar – The real 2010 LMPC champs say they’ll be back.
Intersport – The Ohio team’s cash cow.
Performance Tech, Genoa, and Mathiasen – All possible
CORE – They’ll be here if anywhere.

Once again, the series will struggle to field a dozen prototypes in three classes outside of the two ILMC events.

The Bear’s been told the Münchenbergers will be in DTM by 2012. Motorsport chief Mario Theissen will be gone by the end of the year.

Up the road at the Stud Garden, the prototype project has been canned. Something about refinancing €14 billion, and more billions of liability from allegations of market manipulation by boss Wiedeking and finance chief Härter.

Closer to home, Brumos has let go some well-known sports car racing names in a significant downsize.

The View from Belgium

 Not surprisingly, the American Le Mans Series was thought by many to be in dire straits. That’s become pretty routine, whether one is in on the Atlantic in Florida, or across the Atlantic in Europe. Does the fact that so many seem to believe it mean it’s close to the truth? Or perhaps, like the negative views of the stock market, it’s an indicator things are about to get better?

The series has cut costs, changed its television package and, as a result of that, it’s exposure, added to its fields with the Challenge classes, and seems to be moving toward two new street race venues. Are those the right moves? Are they enough? Should be expect more changes before the end of 2010?

Intercontinental Bust?

Others at Spa were bemoaning the status of the new Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, some even saying it’s near to being a non-starter. We heard a lot of that about the Asian Le Mans races last year, but at least some of that schedule finally happened. The clearest indicator we’ll have of at least short term viability, if not long term potential will be the number of teams that contest Petit Le Mans because it’s a required ILMC  round. Among possible GT entries, Team Felbermayr Proton and BMS Scuderia Italia, one the Le Mans winner, and the other the victor at Spa, are getting mention.

Yet another sage sports car racing observer wonders, “if the ACO is between a rock and hard place with the new InterContinental Challenge.” Whose rules will they use? What fuel at Sebring and PLM? What will happen to the local junior classes if the entry is over subscribed? “(Daniel) Poissenot could or would not give me an answer on these questions,” he tells the Bear.

The FIA, GT 1 through 4, and Grand Am

There’s widespread belief that GT1 won’t go into another year, but Le Rat is still clinging to the concept despite its precarious financial position. There are rumbles that Freddie Dor is going to build another car and an Alpina B6 is on the way, it seems. But all the teams are strapped. One observer reckoned, “It feels like the first season of A1 GP and we all know where that went.”

The North America division of an auto manufacturer believes FIA GT3 cars in Grand Am (reported recently by http://lastturnclub.com ) is close to a done deal. Murphy hears two about Grand Am’s FIA quasi-alliance: (1) putting butts in the seats, and (2) managing its competitive balance in GT.

A GT2, GT3, and GT4-based  series could do well with Spa 24 as the centerpiece, according to analysts. That’s important with the FIA’s push to create national series at least roughly compliant with those rules in North America and Asia. And as some one said, “It gives Le Rat a path to retreat to if the Gt1 thing goes tits.” Consider this, said our source, “GT3 makes a lot of sense (for Grand Am) as the cars can run at Spa and Nurburgring 24 Hours.  It will give GA a shot at the wine and cheese crowd without bringing in Peugeot and Audi LMP’s.”

Black Hole

Will the American Le Mans Series disappear into the same television black hole that has captured the IRL? Murphy tweeted on Friday that IMSA was considering a no-pit-stops-under-caution rule for Mid-Ohio. That obviously didn’t happen. Speculation at the time was the idea was triggered by concerns over pit congestion due to the larger-than-normal IndyCar entry and the smaller-than-normal pit lane; the headline series (that would be IndyCar, fans) leaves its equipment along the pits throughout the weekend, contributing to the problem. One rumor now says that wasn’t the reason – not the real one, anyway. It’s all connected to a plan that will end SpeedTV coverage of the American Le Mans Series next year, and move all its races to Versus, presented in the same truncated 1 hour programs by the same company that’s doing a trial run with CBS events this season. The editing of those packages gets a whole lot easier if pit stops are all under green, doesn’t it?

For the third year, the Bear’s picking five entries likely to contend for the win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2008, his list of five captured 1, 2, and 3. Last year, they grabbed the top two steps.

Before he picked, Murphy gave away the five rools that will let his friends pick the Daytona Prototype winners, too. Not much has changed, so here they are again:

1. Riley only. The first non-Riley in 2008 was 15th. Last year, a Dallara snuck into 4th, a Crawford into 8th. That’s not enough to change the rool.
2. Teams you’ve heard of. Ganassi won its third in a row in 2008, another of Murphy’s teams,  Brumos won in 2009 – and took third, too. Ganassi was second and fifth, Penske sixth, GAINSCO seventh. The Bear didn’t mention SunTrust, which was fourth; they’ll replace the departed Penske among our picks. Murphy thinks “nicely turned out” counts for a lot. It’s a team that does that.
3. No oil billionaire drivers, no scrawny girls. No drivers with the same name as the team. No brain doctors or heart doctors. In other words, absent an LMS-type ‘gentleman driver rool’ DP is a “pro only need apply” class.

Rolex Favorites

The Bear had no trouble picking four, but his fifth turn out to be ‘a bear,’ so to speak. After Ganassi (2), GAINSCO, and Brumos, it came down to SunTrust Racing, a familiar (and successful) team (see rool 2.) but with a Dallara (rool 1.). It was the SunTrust Dallara that snuck into 4th last year, too. On the other hand, there’s Action Express Racing, a “rookie” team (that runs afoul of rool 2.), while meeting rool 3. (drivers), and rool 1. What to do? The elves told the Bear it was time to do a little research.

A little digging uncovered that Action Express is the ‘second Brumos entry,’ owned by long-time Brumos associate Bob Johnson, with a number Brumos staff and crew, and with drivers Barbosa and Borcheller. So, with good leadership, it might meet rool 2. after all. SunTrust’s 4th was a break-through for the non-Riley Dallara, three of four drivers return – Ricky Taylor (son of team owner Wayne) replaces veteran gentleman Brian Frisselle. Is that an improvement? Was last season’s Dallara break-through a trend or an aberration?

Here are Murphy’s by-the-rools five favorites for the 2010 Rolex. Last year we asked if this ‘Looked familiar?’ This year, it’s ‘Look familiar – again?’

01 Ganassi  Papis, Wilson, Pruett, Rojas – BMW / Riley
02 Ganassi  Dixon, Franchitti, Montoya, McMurray  – BMW / Riley
  9 Action Express Barbosa, Borcheller, Dalziel, Rockenfeller – Porsche / Riley
59 Brumos Donohue, Haywood, Law, Leitzinger, Matos – Porsche / Riley
99 GAINSCO   Fogarty, Gurney, Johnson, Vasser – Chevrolet / Riley

If anything, Ganassi is fielding even better driver lineups. Brumos returns without the drug felon, and with Leitzinger and Matos – a huge upgrade in talent (and sense) if a Bear ever saw one. Two-time Grand Am champion GAINSCO returns with drivers as good as anyone – intent on capturing the prize that’s eluded them. Action Express – as we’ve explained – is ‘Brumos Lite’ with a better roster of pilots.

Murphy makes SunTrust his “dark horse.” Level 5 having morphed into NPN Racing might have made the Bear’s favorites list, until Tucker, the designated rich guy, listed himself in both cars, diluting otherwise stellar driving lineups. If you can figure out which car will not get Tucker’s driving help, pick the other one.

Taking a Flyer on GT with the Bear

The Bear decided it’s time to pay some attention to the GT field. Just in time for the faux Mazdas to drop from contention, now having fallen to second tier teams and too many otherwise-employed drivers out for a weekend fling. That doesn’t rule out other bodies on the tubers – the odd BMW and Corvette look-alike.

So, what are Murphy’s GT rools?

1. At least 3 pros to carry a weekender. If so, doctors and CEOs are O.K. here.
2. Teams with experience and talent. Some of these are easy to pick out: TRG and Turner Motorsports, for instance. Others aren’t so obvious.
3. Current or former ‘factory’ drivers. They don’t go – or aren’t sent – where they have no chance.

23 Alex Job Baldwin, Burtis, Farnbacher, Pagerey, Ragginger – Porsche GT3
44 Magnus Bleekemolen, Lietz, Potter, Stanton  – Porsche GT3
67 TRG Bergmeister, Long, Neiman, van Overbeek – Porsche GT3
71 TRG Bernhard, Dumas, George, Labonte, Pumpelly – Porsche GT3
94 Turner Auberlen, Dalla Lana, Hand, Said – BMW M6

07 Godstone Ranch Corvette is the Bear’s GT dark horse. Young up-and-comer to watch is Thomas Merrill, Salinas California, Corsa Team PR1 BMW.

Murphy’s Predictions

A smaller field gets less opportunities to hit the favorites, so the good ones will mostly be there at the end. If it rains – and it seems it might – all such bets are off.

Matt Connolly Motorsports will be relevant in Matt Connolly’s mind and among the cogs.

We’ll see more of McDreamy than we do on Grey’s Anatomy.

No one will mention that Krohn Racing is in a dust-up with Lola. Krohn, who shouldn’t want to bend the Lola with few spares (and none in the pipeline) will drive anyway, and bend the Lola.

Sebring and Le Mans will disappear into a parallel universe for the duration of the coverage.

Jack Baldwin and Hurley Haywood, separated at birth in May 1948, will insist senior discounts at Hooters on International Speedway Boulevard. Well, Jack will, anyway.

With only six NASCAR drivers on hand, that story line should be a bit more subdued in this year’s telecast. Those seats are filled by current and former German factory pilots.

Kia Goes Grand Am Racing

When it came time to pick a ‘platform,’ the fast-growing manufacturer ‘passed’ on the Global Leader Green Racing to field a new factory team. It’s particularly interesting that a manufacturer intent on building a new ‘luxury’ image would consider, then reject, the American Le Mans Series.  Wouldn’t it’s market strategy have fit ALMS’ ‘World Class’ image?  Too bad it was abandoned to chase a green strategy.

Perhaps the Braselburger boss has been too busy with alternative energy mucky-mucks to waste time with automobile manufacturers. After leaving Phoenix, he went hobnobbing in Toronto chatting up “alternative fuels” this past weekend.

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With the big enduro less than three weeks away, I must admit the anticipation is just overwhelming. At least I got a fix at the Bore before the 24, where I had a chance to preview some exciting new things awaiting the hundreds of thousands of fans who will be attending the Rolex 24.

Yes, there are only 29 entries (plus 13 field-filling GT3s). The DP category has been steadily declining, and even Andy F. would acknowledge a lack of diversity, let alone numbers (well, actually he probably wouldn’t). But this is part of NASCAR’s strategy.  The three main elements of this strategy are declining fields, dwindling sponsors/manufacturers, and a fancy new office building! In Braselton, they only have two-out-of-three of those elements!

NASCAR is going all-out this year to prove Grand-Am and the Rolex 24 will be the success their press releases claim. From race operations to fan activities, and everything in between, NASCAR is taking Grand-Am to new levels.

While at the test, Mark showed me the new scales to be used this year. After the debacle last year’s 24 when the Brumos car shed pounds faster than Jenny Craig during the race, they realized a new technology was in order. The new scales contain a special computer chip that detects just how important the team owner is, thus adjusting the weight as needed. Pure genius.

For fans, a new concept is the Daytona Speedway Security Department’s Gauntlet of Abuse©, in which every spectator will encounter three stimulating experiences when entering the track: First, it’s the “You Can’t Park Here” Greeting; next, the popular “You Can’t Use this Gate” argument, and finally; the “Let Me See Your Credential You Asshole” confrontation. But its all in good fun, and a unique way for fans to bond with the World Center of Abuse.  Best of all, on the way out you will receive a 10% discount for NASCAR merchandise.

In the Fan Zone, look for the new exhibit paying tribute to the third generation of France children titled “Don’t You Know Who I am.”  And the eye-opening “Why Le Mans Sucks” display will educate those who dare to even consider going to Sebring. And best of all, Scott Pruett plans on personally greeting every single spectator entering the track prior to the race.*(see note)

But those are just minor things. The big news is what NASCAR and Grand-Am bring to the track this year. Fourteen thundering DPs and a boatload of Mazda RX-8s and re-bodied Pontiacs. Is that exciting or what?  Riley-Riley-Riley-Riley-Riley for 24 Hours on a banked track surrounded by 180,000 empty grandstand seats. There is nothing like the Rolex 24!

Of course, the elitist ALMS fans are laughing at NASCAR’s 29 entries for Daytona.  So how many entries will there be at Sebring?  How many Rileys?  True, Sebring may have the U85-powered Radicals, but what else? It’s the same old tired argument that NASCAR wins every time.

The media who are in the know are firmly convinced that this year’s Rolex will be the best in the history of endurance racing, both on and off the track. As you watch this year unfold, you will see A.C. is right. 29 is just fine.

A.C.
_______________

*subject to not happening. Weather conditions or lack of spectators may force cancellation. No autographs. Do not look him in the eye or ask questions about Paul Gentilozzi or Jaguar. May be replaced by Henri Zogiab or J.C. France. Offer not valid on days that end in “y” or if a Coyote qualifies on the pole. No rain checks.

It appears that all the P2 Acuras except one of Duncan’s will campaign in Europe in 2010. If Duncan doesn’t run his, the Bear hasn’t heard that anyone else will, either. There are multiple rumors around Mr. Dayton’s plans, and they certainly weren’t all settled by a recent DSC interview. The Danbury, Connecticutt, team’s been rumored to be running an Acura LMP1, an LMP2, and a Peugeot. All that might depend on what the time frame is for Duncan’s Le Mans dream – in which he wins. If he plans to use that auto entry, it has to be in the same class; that lets out P2, right? If the ARX-01b doesn’t have particularly good high end aero (it doesn’t), the ARX-02a is nothing short of hopeless – say nothing of trying to win overall with a naturally aspirated 4 liter engine. Absent a really good Wirth Le Mans aero package (one was rumored) and a whole boatload of testing, if Duncan goes to Le Mans with Acura, it won’t be to win. On the other hand, if he does a deal with Peugeot…

If you take winning Le Mans out of the picture, the Peugeot rumor fades into oblivion, and you take Dayton at face value that another Acura season is in the cards – completely independent of Acura. We get that HPD is going to lease engines – but what about chassis and body spares?

The Bear would put an Acura engine in a Lola and be done with it.

The Reign in Spain?

Murphy hears Penske is testing something from Aichi in Spain.

Brumos

Regardless of previous rumors (and the arrest of a driver/principal source of cash), it seems Brumos is intent on continuing its Grand Am DP adventures. The team recently held a “gong show” at VIR for three different car combinations. The first, a Coyote with a V-8 Porsche motor, had a part failure and crash. A Riley with a V-8 Porsche was also crashed by driver David Donohue, and another Riley blew up it’s flat six motor. ‘Inconclusive” was the conclusion (The Bear prefers “disastrous.”) “I guess it gives the Brumos guys something to do over the winter. Unfortunately all the contestants got the gong.” chuckled the Bear’s source.

Ferrari

Scott Tucker was out testing Dinan-built Ferrari motors options, the largest of which is a 4.3 liter V8. All will be on the short end of the torque curve against the bigger American V8s in the series. Regardless, a Ferrari-powered DP will be on the Daytona grid. It will be joined at Daytona by an F430, with an expectation of more GT entries later in the season – five cars will be built.

Murphy was reminded that “it’s private property” when he saw a lavender Lambo being wheeled around an iconic Florida track by someone whose body type is more suited to NFL linebacker than race car driver. (Then again, football isn’t the family business, is it?) In an on-site boutique of Ferrari stuff, our linebacker wiped out about half the inventory. No wonder Porsche’s cooled a bit on the World Center’s-very-own-sports-car-racing-series. It also makes the point that there’s no “iconic” like “Ferrari iconic,” and that you might waste a lot of cachet by taking the motor out of the piece of sculpture it came in. Which would be the argument not to do what Scott Tucker is working on.

F1 Follies (a semi-regular Poop feature)

Look for Renault to make it nearly unanimous by leaving F1; then we’ll be back to the “traditional two” – Ferrari and Mercedes. Remember when (September 30) the Bear told you the Germans would dump McLaren in favor of Brawn? Now it’s happened, with the three-pointed star “doing a Bimmer” and buying out the independent team inherited from Honda’s pull-out a year ago. A little “bear math” says Ross Brawn made £29,999,000 on the deal – how’s that for a one year return on £1?

New FIA boss Jean Todt is looking for a place for an old friend, but first he wants to get some administrative experience for him. All of which is related to the Bear’s upcoming field trip.

Too quiet? What about 2010?

Spec LMP’s are in the ACO’s plans for the LMS. Murphy’s heard concerns about shrinking fields – that the ACO’s convinced there will be no – minimal – manufacturer participation next season.

The bear isn’t yet ready to speculate on the 2010 ALMS field. Thus far, the rumor mill has been way too quiet, as if nothing is going on. For instance, following rumors of three or four likely sales, only Intersport confirmed an LMPC purchase and named one of two drivers.

Creation advertised (via another of those “interviews” in which nothing new is revealed) for a funded driver (déjà vu). Peugeot said they’ll be at Sebring. It’s Mazola times two – again – for Dyson. No indication whether the Muscle Milk king will expand his schedule – just the assumption he’ll be back in some capacity. Aston Martin? There was a Charouz interview in which the big news was “I can’t say anything about Sebring or Petit Le Mans.” (You just did, Antonin, but good try taking a page from Janko.)

We know about a pair of Patrón-Sharp GT2 Ferraris, and a likely Risi reprise (with no North American place to race it, they’ve canned any idea of an MC12). One more Flying Lizard season seems likely; if Pat Long has the inside story, there might be two teams running four BMW’s – Schnitzer being the punter’s favorite for the second. The Ford-help-for-Robertson story had no legs. Nothing new from Audi – technicians say they’ve been working on a Sebring entry, while management is mum.

There are Toyota and Nissan rumors – as always. Murphy’s not sayin’ they’re without substance, but, jus’ sayin’… The best informed pundits believe that Toyota will take at least a single season without making any new racing move. Nissan might be interested in something in North America based on its FIA GT1 car, but the 2010 budget has no line item. Maybe 2011?

Coming up

Murphy’s off on a road trip later in the week; all about that in his next Poop.

Look for the Bear’s Christmas quiz. Details (including a very special Grand Prize) in this space soon.