Honda Takes a Powder

Honda’s North American sports car racing program has passed on, the agonizing seppuku of its dying finally ended with one final swift stroke of the kaishaku. The beginning of the end that was announced today was in 2009 when three Acura-supported teams were cut lose. In 2010, the Acura brand was replaced by the HPD non-brand, and reduced to a single LMP2 entry. A tentative 2011 plan with token support, limited to Highcroft field trips to Sebring and Le Mans, was ended today.

Will Honda continue to develop and support the LMP2 V6? Will it simply transfer the center of gravity of its sports car racing to Europe? It’s clear it’s done paying for chassis, and equally so any significant engine program – the V6 is a half-hearted effort, at best. And it is very, very clear – even before this announcement – that Honda is not interested in the American Le Mans Series.

Taken in isolation, Honda’s departure is bad enough, but a wider survey of manufacturer’s plans, some announced, some rumored, should worry sports car racing fans around the globe.

RIP Wankel

Mazda will make radical cuts to its racing budget for 2012, something Murphy reported via Twitter on May 5. Now he’s learned a bit more. With the Wankel finally headed into the dustbin of history, the Grand Am GT program is in its last season, but Murphy hears Mazda North America likes McDreamy’s marketing value, so much so that it has contracted the development of an entirely new turbo 4 cylinder for the TV doctor’s step up to LMP2 in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2012. So a McDreamy Mazda skips the ALMS’ minor events in favor of the big show with just two North American appearances. The Bear’s 64 dollar question: does Mazda continue its other turbo 4 program, the branded AER motor used by Dyson Racing? Or does Dyson have to move to the new engine to stay in ALMS prototypes with Mazda?

Datsun and Toyoda

Two engine programs burst onto the scene this year, exciting fans hungry for any good news, particularly since these companies fielded the R390 and GT One not so many years ago. Not to be a wet blanket, but the Bear thinks there is less here than meets the eye. Both appear to be doing little more than attempting to squeeze a little marginal revenue out of existing 3.4 liter V8 motors developed for the All-Japan Super GT series – Nissan’s from the Skyline GT-R, and Toyota by its Cologne, Germany-based group for the Lexus SC430. Neither appears to be headed into sports car racing as anything more than engine suppliers with limited budgets, and neither seems to have any plans to participate in the American Le Mans Series. For Nissan in particular, be some pressure in the past two years for racing in North America seems to have largely dissipated in the face of ambivalence from Japan and a “beleaf” the future of racing is electric.

The Four Rings

No, not J.R.R. Tolkien, but the Decade’s Lords of Le Mans. Audi NA decided three years ago a North American LMP racing program was not a good marketing investment. It subsequently proved that by the results it measured after diverting those millions to other advertising.

It’s rumored that Audi AG wants to take a controlling stake in an existing F1 team, something it could do easily at a cost not much more than its on-going prototype program. If it does, instead of old prototypes moldering in a museum, its investment would give it hundreds of millions in F1 concorde distributions, the continuing revenue of an engineering business, and in one rumored case, leadership in flywheel KERS systems. All-in-all not a bad exchange.

And F1 adventure would be the end of campaigning the R18, except for Le Mans; otherwise Audi will continue in the ILMC. There is no possibility of returning to a full ALMS schedule.

Porsche and Peugeot

Murphy doesn’t know if Porsche will step into the gap left if Audi leaves ACO’s prototype ranks, as has been rumored. On balance, what he hears leads him to conclude it will not; the lucrative GT business is just too good not to remain the core of Porsche Motorsport. In any case, if there is a Porsche prototype it seems certain – like Peugeot – to compete in the ILMC events, and not contest the ALMS. The French will continue in the ILMC and at Le Mans for the “service life” of the current 908. Neither Porsche nor Peugeot will contest a full ALMS schedule.

Grand Am

As the Bear noted above, Grand Am GT will be without Mazda next season. Unfortunately Murphy hears there are bigger problems than that. Things aren’t improving in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup. It should be a wake-up call that Clint Bowyer may be done for lack of sponsorship in weeks, maybe sooner.

Teams and others in the NASCAR family are again pressuring Jim France to focus on the company’s premier series, questioning the “diversion” of resources to the “house” road racing series. We’ve been down this road before, but then it was in a context in which Sprint Cup’s weakness was largely seen as recession-caused, and would recover quickly as soon as the economy improved. That’s simply not happening, as anyone looking at the grandstands at Dover Sunday could readily see. What the recession (yes, business and employment is recovering, albeit very slowly) did do was break the love affair between corporate America and racing sponsorships. It’s hitting NASCAR, and has hit road racing much harder.

What does that mean to Grand Am? In the near term, it means that if purse increases recently discussed on International Speedway Boulevard happen, it will require contractions elsewhere, likely to Jim’s support of DP teams, including those “captive” or nearly so, to the France largess. (It was a chuckle at VIR that the “Beat Chip Bounty” was paid from one France pocket to another.)

Further out, Murphy can see a loss of momentum in the transformation of the series and particularly of the Daytona Prototype. However, the Bear isn’t as convinced as some that the “new look” will fall short. After all, a few inches here and there can account for the difference between a Ford and a Ferrari. We won’t know how these cars look until we actually see a car, or at least a to-scale drawing. But lessening financial backing will increase the series’ fear of driving away current entries by forcing too large an investment in new hardware. Similarly, new entries – Ferrari and others – in GT will increase cost by raising the bar for current competitors, again reducing entries. All that will likely make Grand Am more timid in implementing the changes that sports car fans (the traditional kind) have wanted to see in the Grand Am product.

Proposed DP Revisions

We always knew that the (cash) impact on current participants of new DP rules would be minimized, didn’t we? It’s a consequence of having “cheap” as your principal product attribute.

With that in mind, the kinds of changes – mostly bodywork – floated last week weren’t a surprise. Those who are critical might consider that it really does take only an inch here and there to hugely impact appearance. Consider that this look was achieved largely by raising the sidepod profile without any greenhouse reduction at all.

Bounties

With Grand Am paying the $25 grand bonus to itself, the only out-of-pocket payment was the $25 put up by Magnus for beating Bill Auberlen and Turner Motorsports (who none-the-less again landed on the GT podium).

The “Best television coverage in racing”

(As odd as it may now seem, that’s quote from a “State of the Series” presentation at a previous Petit Le Mans.) In a press release announcing the promotion of an underling, the ALMS confirmed the departure of Senior Vice President of Television Production Services John Evenson. He’ll “remain as a consultant to the series.” Pretty soon the series will have more “consultants” than employees. Murphy told his Twitter readers Evenson was shown the door at close of business Friday. The Braselburgers get credit for hiring Miss 12 Hours of Sebring 2008 in the same week.

The most important fans – the ones that bother with such things as forums – had been telling the series almost from the beginning that its television package was terrible. It chose not to listen.

Media Mogul Moves

Don’t be surprised if News Corp. makes a move to acquire the F1 commercial rights.

GRT

Generic Racing Team launched a website last week, then quickly shut it down. The prime suspect called Kevin and pled “Not Guilty.” The NASCAR brass was publically peeved, but privately amused. The search for a disgruntled former employee with advanced website design skills continues…

ALMS Prototype Summary

Muscle Milk will complete the season, as will one Dyson Lola AER (Mazda).

A Dyson second car announcement remains possible.

Autocon is “in” beginning at Mosport, though the “new direction” stuff is a bit overblown – same car, same motor, same drivers, some reorganization of the “partnership,” car upkeep moved to a new shop. No, it did not get “significant upgrades” at Lola.

It seems Intersport will “Field” an LMPC – but no LMP1 or 2.

If they can get the AMR One to run, Aston Martin will make a single ALMS foray, at Laguna Seca, in addition to the Petit Le Mans ILMC round.

Tucker will campaign one LMP2 for the remainder of the ALMS schedule.

Murphy’s seen no evidence that Signature has a car, or an engine, or a crew. (When they do, perhaps they’ll be kind enough to post a photo? Even Solo Al was able to do that.) The team says it’s in the “re-evaluating” mode. It’s getting a little late for this season, isn’t it?

Most likely ALMS (non-ILMC) LMP1/2 entry: Lime Rock 3, Mosport 4, Mid-Ohio 4, Road America 4, Baltimore 3, Monterey 5.

Oklahoma!

Still a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but not yet a racing event. The “announcement” did not announce an event, but a promoter’s intent to get an event approved. The mayor is for it, the state is for it, yadda, yadda…but no mention of the OKC council, which defeated it last year. With a hoops playoff underway, auto racing isn’t even close to the community’s consciousness.

South America for the ILMC?

They’re floating the idea, along with an assumed constraint of seven (and no more than eight) events, including Le Mans. Drop one of the three European events? Perhaps, but most of the entries are from that continent. It seems equally likely that North America will lose one of its two, doesn’t it?

Andy Lally Update

Andy failed to qualify at Darlington, but won $80,825 at Richmond, and $88,875 at Dover for GRT, er..TRG, which brings his season winnings to $1,020,811. The entire American Le Mans field has won $1,093,000, less $173,000 withheld, the total due to participants to date is $920,000. Teams that have been classified as “factory,” or “factory supported” are not paid purse money. The next privateer(s) does/do not “move up.”  The Bear has already credited the privateer bonus fund that will actually be paid after the season. That may also not reach the $540,000 he has allowed, in which case the total will be adjusted downward as necessary.

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.

Obviously, if you’re Audi, Champion Racing (or ASNA – anyway, the guys from Pompano Beach), or Allan McNish, “great” is the right word. If you’re Acura, Duncan Dayton, or Scott Sharp, your descriptive language is something else.

This was a Petit not to miss, because Murphy thinks it was something of a “high water mark,” at least for a while.

The Bear was out googling the other day and just for laughs put himself in the search. One of a few hundred hits was an archived thread from the former Champ Car fan site, now called crapwagons or something. So, Murphy’s reading the names he was called in a thread about last season’s Road America Paddock Poop, in which he sounded the Champ Car death knell and was struck by the deja vu all over again he encountered at Petit Le Mans.

No, he doesn’t see the end of the road for the American Le Mans Series, but neither does he expect a “growth” year. Come on, fans, put down the sports section and pick up the business section. The Bear’s friend Tim couldn’t have been more clear when talking about schedule expansions, more than one of which was attractive, “next season is not the time.” Stability, baby. Weather the storm. Brazil can wait.

Betting the Black (Label)

Nope, the stuffed one is talking about being a pretty looped little bear the night before Petit in 2009. He made a couple of bets. If the NASCAR sports car series is alive and well then, he’ll be buying the scotch and the wine. If by then it’s been put out of its misery, he quaffs the good stuff for free. (He’ll want to throw a Jameson in there. Heck, the first Scots were Irish anyway.)

Some say, “I heard from International Speedway Boulevard,” or “I heard from my brother-in-law’s cousin…” yadda, yadda, yadda. Murphy will even grant that the “insiders” over there remain true believers, but then they were that in CCWS right until January this year, weren’t they? I mean, Murphy’s friend didn’t name them the “cognoscenti” for nothing.

Even aside from the ongoing Grand Am coup d’état (some prefer “palace revolt”) the fissures are pretty clear. Sixteen DPs finished the season in Utah; after a bump at Daytona, about ten are now likely to continue. Alex Job Racing has proposals out for both series, but no guarantee of either. Could they end up on hiatus for 2009? SAMAX will most likely be taking the year off. Riley isn’t selling the transporter and golf cart because it wants to upgrade its race car. (No kidding, that was one bright idea the Bear ran across.) There was bad news around the paddock about Cheever Racing. Roger to the rescue? Read below.

Right in the middle of an ALMS awards banquet a few years ago, now-defunct Century Mortgage got a pitch to jump to Grand Am “where you’ll have access to the big boys.” How’s that worked out? Chickens headed back to the roost?

An Indianapolis-based team tried a jail break once before; this time they might just make it. The view on the street on SunTrust is mixed; some say the Florida mortgage exposure is too high, some disagree, but they’ve needed to add to capital twice in the past few months, and even if they’re hunky-dory, the Atlanta-based bank is widely believed to be a takeover target. Any way you look at it, easy access to motorsports financing is a thing of the past. Whether at SunTrust or elsewhere, that affects everyone – but some series are more affected than others.

Whatever one thinks in October, if by Christmas Sprint Cup and Nationwide sponsor funding is lean, how much money gets shoveled down hill just for ego?

Braselton Bits

Audi Sport North America program will continue for two more seasons. New car? It may not be ready in time for the first event of 2009. Other things still “up in the air” (and keep reading the business pages) include: Will Acura land a second LMP2 team? Will the Walker deal come through? Will Mazda increase its works support?

GT2 Hot, GT1 Not

We know that Corvette Racing will contest only Sebring and Long Beach in GT1. IMSA has heard that Bell will return. There hasn’t been a squeak of anyone else entering that class at anytime with anything. Murphy’s suggestion? Give it a decent (and quick) burial. It can only detract from the good stuff happening in GT2.

Though the Bear doesn’t count on any V8 Aston Martins (we’ll miss his Lordship and the kid ). Ferrari will return with its two 2008 teams, the Lizards should return with two cars, and Farnbacher Loles will be a full-on, two car, Porsche-supported assault. BMW could field two teams. Corvette may well adopt the “Porsche model,” with a pair of teams, including a former champion (in another racing series).

Comings and Goings

Martin Short’s Detroit business was historic racing related – a chassis swap – not about getting a chebby motor. Rob Dyson hasn’t been to Europe lately.

No Connection

More than one occupant of the Road Atlanta paddock employs a prominent Michigan sports attorney, which led to speculation the nearest cell phone tower was all jammed up on Thursday morning.

Roger Rumors Department

Yup, a  whole department, just for Roger. Is Penske going to Grand Am? Staying in ALMS? Penske with Porsches? Toyotas? Hell, how about Penske buying Grand Am? Or buying out the Don? Murphy doesn’t have enough ink to catalogue every Roger rumor and variation. (Actually, DSC did reasonably well with that). What the Bear can do here is cut to the quick. Are these predictions? Well, just kinda, sorta, because Murphy pretty much just reports what he hears around the paddock. Sometimes, though, the poop is flying so fast, he has to sort it out, add some things up, give the “good guys” (the ones most often right) a little weight, and “bottom line” it. So…here goes. Roger will race a DP or two at Daytona. There are a couple available. He may do another Grand Am race. Roger will likely (not 100%, but close) race a full ALMS schedule in 2009. It likely will not be with Porsche.

Relax

Those worried the ACO float of LMP2 engines as the future of LMP1 will be happy to learn that the final rule will likely accommodate multiple configurations.

Below is a Spitfire – Wisconsin style.

The Break makes Seibken’s Stop-Inn Tavern, where Murphy Stopped-Inn Friday and Saturday, seem real upscale, though. It was a “say-hey” to rickybaker on Friday. Pictured are two close friends of Murphy’s on Siebken’s patio.

Saturday, he chatted with Wolf and Jörg after the race, and made some new friends, too.

As always, he stopped by to see friends and visit Brian Redman’s cat in the Carousel, too.

2009 Schedule

Braselton thinks that 14 would be a nice schedule, long-term, and doesn’t want to add more than one new race in a season. But there’s a “whoops” to that second part that goes like this: “Unless a good opportunity comes along,” in which case they might “have to” add two. So, waddayaknow, there seems to be a “good opportunity” in the upcoming season.

Murphy’s heard seven venues mentioned in the paddock and around the water cooler. The Rose City is entirely out of the running for the IRL, so that puts the Northwest in play again for the ALMS. Will the third time be the charm? Or has the track finally settled into the minor leagues for good, now listing drifting, bicycle races, and the Cascade Sports Car Club on its “major event” schedule?

NASCAR declared victory (“mission accomplished, we’ve raised motorsports profile here, our work is done,” or some such nonsensical statement that you’d have to be into the Kool Aid to believe) and will take its Nationwide series out of Mexico City. Murphy doesn’t think Grand Am will stay there on its own. Like Portland, Mexico City gets no mention with the open wheel guys, so does the American Le Mans Series step into a void there? That’s the rub, of course, so many think of the Mexican capitol as a big, scary void. Some not particularly eager to race in Ciudad de México are key to making the sports car schedule. On the other hand, there is another former big-league racing venue south of the Texas boarder. Murphy’s heard it could be one of two new venues to make the grade in 2008.

The Bear told you about the NAS and Lukoil, but there’s another option nearby – east, not north, of Philly – that seems more likely now. The track that shares a name with the famous “Jug” that flew in the middle of the last century may be that second 2008 “opportunity.”

Cleveland and Houston have gotten mentions, especially since the promoter has met with the IMSA guys, but inclusion in some future IRL season seems more likely than landing on the ALMS schedule.

Another Cannuckistani race? The Bear hears (as his lion friend once famously said), “not nohow.”

New Porker Lumps for Dyson

Dyson Racing will get its first DI motor at Mosport and the second at Detroit. (That’s the Weissachian promise, anyway.) Seeking to change his luck, this guy rubbed the Bear before starting his Spyder at Road America. It worked.

What will we see at Petit Le Mans? Lots of cars, it seems. Pugs for sure; Connor says they’ll announce this week. (Independent of web broadcasts, Murphy got a “not our announcement to make…”). You can read that anyway you like, but the Bear thinks just two questions remain: One or two? (that’s cars and races) The Lola with the gasoline V12 might be on its way. In fact there may be a plethora of Astons, beyond the two in the ALMS now.

Forget Cytosport, it seems their announcements of their post-Le Mans ALMS program were as bogus as the ones about the pre-Le Mans program – both LMS and ALMS. On the other hand, we’re going to be much happier with the Corsa Zytek, anyway. And maybe Embassy. Don’t forget the AIM Creations.

Y’all know Mazda’s stepped up to the plate and will field a new Lola coupe in place of the B0something/something spyder (sometimes it seems an extra dive plane will get a new model designation). Murphy’s not sure it will put B-K on race pace, but he’s pretty sure it will get more useful notice than another walk-over bridge with “MAZDA” painted on it.

Will Eco make it to Petit? Silverstone will tell us; good if it shows up, bad if it still won’t run or is damaged. So in the meantime the Bear will ignore everything that’s announced, said, printed, or rumored. You should, too.

Murphy thinks the Mansells are telling the truth about wanting to share a Lola, but also are truthful that someone else will have to pay the bill. So, if “Our Nige” is such a hot commodity under St. George’s Cross, will someone step up? The Bear’s waiting for a note from his correspondent in the Empire.

For 2009, the Bear hears that optimism over funding for a Florida team is at an all-time high.

Murphy spent race day morning with some friends down at the “pit-out” end of the paddock, talking with U.B. about the good old days of shade tree (or garage) mechanics, about Kugelfischer FI, and about engine braking on diesels (now the Bear knows why there isn’t any to speak of). The Herr Doktor was there and in good form with a broad smile, as was Murphy’s new favorite Audi driver, (apologies to the wee Scot) who gave him a big hug. Is there another Audi in the DTM driver’s future? Murphy couldn’t get any denials.

There was a printed copy of Peter de Lorenzo’s “Fumes” from last week on various paddock tables. It’s interesting that what Detroit described it wanted from Daytona Beach was a pretty good description of what GM is already getting from Corvette Racing, albeit on a smaller scale. Does that mean the General understands what Corvette in the ALMS does for it? We can hope, can’t we? Doug said “I’ve given it my best shot.”

The Bear’s heard that planning is underway for a very special event for forum fans at Mosport. Look for information soon. (Actually, while finishing this Poop, Murphy’s just now seen the news posted in the ALMS forum’s Mosport thread.) The Bear is planning a “Paddock Poop Special Edition” to be available only at the gathering.