murphythebear.com

Murphy’s projections of the 2009 American Le Mans Series grid have been among the most pessimistic in this silly season. Braselton, and a few scribes close to the Broadway Avenue palace, have insisted all along that there will be “mid twenties” on the grid at every stop, and sometimes more. One IMSA insider said the series expected an “average grid of 30 entries.” At the other end of the range, the Bear quoted one participant who put the likely full-season entries at 18.

Murphy doesn’t want to always play the Grinch, so he dug around a bit to try to find those entries. (more…)

Murphy’s back from Petit Le Mans. He had a great time, had his head rubbed for luck on Friday night at Paddy’s by an underdog team owner – who was back to give him a “thank you” pat on Saturday after the finish of a Petit Le Mans that some will call “great” and some will describe as merely “good.”

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. (more…)

What many scribes and snappers heard in the Le Mans paddock led them to conclude that the American LM-P1 will get its approval after all. What’s behind that upbeat attitude in the Corvette contingent? Murphy’s been told that one GM NASCAR groupie blocked the prototype project. He’s gone – to Europe – so when it’s submitted again the answer has a better chance to be “yes.” That’s assuming that the General’s dire financial straits don’t now torpedo that – and more.

(more…)

A week or so ago, Murphy wrote that an ALMS “high official” said the second half of the season could see “six, or four, or two new entrants.” Well, the Bear’s now knows what those (your guess here) are. (A comment in regard to Steve you-know-who-but-the-Bear-embargoed-mention-of-the-car interview is added below.) (more…)