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.

Back on July 7th, Murphy told  you about talks between NASCAR, the FIA, and the folks who run DTM. The Bear’s comments reflected  what was said at a little get-together in Daytona Beach that week. Soon thereafter, Grand Am published its “GT3 Memo,” reported in detail by Murphy’s friends over at Last Turn Clubhouse.

Now ITR – the promoter of DTM – announces that they are working on a joint schedule with NASCAR and Grand Am that would bring 12 races to North America in 2013. Some question the story, one critic writing it’s “BS,” trumped up solely by Hans Werner Aufrech of ITR. If that were so, would Grand Am President Tom Bledsoe (said to be very close to Jim France) have released a statement confirming the general outlines of the on-going discussions?  Murphy suggests you shouldn’t ignore that these talks were announced at that same reception for Grand Am and other NASCAR team owners in Daytona in July.

What’s being described publically by both  sides is the introduction of a separate DTM series of races in North America, that will share weekends with NASCAR-owned series. A few in the paddock speculate that by the time we get to 2013, the DTM cars – some variant – will replace the highly unpopular Daytona Prototypes and thus be “integrated” into the Grand Am show. While it’s not certain that an agreement will finally be signed, everything Murphy hears indicates that the discussions are quite real, and the sides close to an agreement.

Murphy is only a purveyor of Scurrilous Stuff; he certainly can’t compete with the Unvarnished Truth, can he?

At Petit 2010

Thursday evening after night practice, the Bear was at the annual party in the woods above Turn 10; old friends and new stopped by. It was the usual good time, with barley pop and other beverages in abundance. The Bear and friends have spent most of the last decade in that very spot on that very night solving the problems of the sports car racing world.  Now…if someone would only listen…

When Good News Maybe Isn’t

Don’t get too carried away about that prototype HVM says it will field in the ALMS next season. So, HVM is going to do a Lola ALMS prototype program? Are y’all forgetting this is the team that didn’t have the scratch to run a whole Indy Car season? (Edit: The Bear has been corrected. HVM actually made the last race at Homestead after being locked out of its own shop. Apologies for the misinformation. That this is a team “shopping for funding” is still true.) Murphy told you about that last month. This is one of those “we’ve got everything but the funding” deals.

Zytek

Lawrence Tomlinson’s public statement (published widely) would seem to indicate Zytek’s or Ginetta’s involvement in the prototype business will be pretty much “on ice” for the foreseeable future. To Murphy this looks oddly reminiscent of the Creation Autosportif mess, and will likely similarly end badly.

Porsche on the Prowl

Hints of change in the sports car racing world keep trickling out. Grand Am’s approval of single nut wheels and other changes will be applied to Porsche, bringing the Stuttgart company closer to its objective of one race car it can sell in multiple series around the globe. Brumos will race Porsche GT’s in the coming season, and all indications are that the team will get significant factory support.

The Great GTC Scam

The Two Scotts have spent nearly two years telling us the Porsche-only-GTC class was just a matter of convenience. When launched, it was claimed to be the only practical solution for a quick fix of the series’ inability to attract enough entries.

So, of course you thought you’d get something beyond a Porsche club race in 2010. No such luck. When the 2010 season rolled around, it was still too hard to do, Porsches again…but y’all could be excited because some of those Porsches could be different, from different series (though you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at them).

It had to be a sure thing that you’d get more cars in 2011, right? Then you learned that only one car was being considered, Audi’s R8, already a fixture (and a successful one) on the world GT3 scene. That wasn’t good news, but many seized on it as fait accompli.
Will it happen? Nope, too hard, can’t balance performance, yadda, yadda, yadda…but all bull turds according to Murphy’s sources. Was there a tactical error in Braselburg? Have you seen the GTC entry at the ACO’s Zhuhai Le Mans Intercontinental Cup? Four entries: Audi R8, Audi R8, Audi R8, and Aston Martin DBRS9. What was it the Scotts said? Couldn’t make it work?  Sure.

Count the legs, divide by two, multiply by the event days…

“More than 300,000 fans attend GRAND-AM races in person each year, and millions more watch on television,” said Kevin Hindson, Grand Am’s VP of Marketing and Communications. Interesting stuff. You don’t say “more than 300,000” if you had “more than 400,000,” or even something like 350,000. The Bear’s no math whiz, but 300K at 12 events is an average of 25,000. According to figures Murphy’s seen, the ALMS claims “over 700,000” for nine events, an average of 78,000. That includes two “signature” events (Sebring and Petit) for the Braselburgers, and one for NASCAR’s series. ALMS has one shared weekend (Long Beach) at which accounting for attendance is problematical, as it is for events Grand Am shares with its NASCAR big brothers (July at Daytona, August at the Glen, and Montreal). At best educated guess, television for both series has been stuck around 200K.

Kurt’s

Friday night was Murphy’s second annual Friday Dinner at Petit. One of the local elves suggested Kurt’s in Duluth. The Bear was very, very impressed. Kurt’s and Vreny’s is a self described “European Bistro,” but it’s German enough (as is Kurt) to have been recognizes as one of the top ten German restaurants in America. Wonderful food, excellent service…then Kurt took us on a tour of the most phenomenal collection of motorsport memorabilia Murphy (or his friends) have seen anywhere on the planet.

The Great LMPC Scam

The “Rookie of the Year” is?

Schedule Follies – Part 2

They had to get it out quick. No idea why, but there it is. Then, the TBD date was defeated in Oklahoma City. Other dates move around, or are moved. Even now Road America plans a Saturday race and Braselburg a Sunday date in Wisconsin. Murphy hopes they get together. While they’re at it, why not figure out how long the race will be. The Bear would like six hours. Very much.

Meanwhile, the lack of title sponsors for either of the Baltimore headliners puts that event behind a financial 8-ball. One item about which  fans seem now to be obsessing but Murphy doesn’t share the worry is concern that the returned-to-fall race at Laguna Seca will be shortened from its 2010 6 hour duration. It won’t be.

Anybody know what the television coverage will be in 2011? Neither does the Bear, who’s happy he doesn’t have to raise sponsor money for an ALMS team.

Sincerely dead. Now what?

With key parts now unavailable, the Porsche RS Spyder is – in the immortal words of the Munchkin Coroner – not only merely dead…really most sincerely dead. So, what to race for a team the ALMS sorely needs to return? So far, the only reasonable option is HPD – and do they want to be in line behind Duncan? Other possibilities have drawback that make them unattractive. Contacts with Audi were referred to Audi NA where they dead-ended. A call to Peugeot is likely, but pro forma,  not offering much hope for a program of reasonable cost.

And Dyson? Will Mazda offer enough to make another season like the last two acceptable? Is there hope for any better without an enginectomy? Can the Roush-Yates deal for Grand Am be leveraged into something for ALMS?

Murphy’s Stop-a-Clock Ugly

With the unveiling of the Abruzzi, the talk at Petit Le Mans naturally turned to the ugliest automobiles of all time. There was much conflict but a fair amount of agreement, too. Others mentioned included the Ford Expedition (doesn’t fit in a garage), the Excalibur Phaeton (cheesy copy category), Mercedes Benz Maybach (conspicuous consumption category). Pontiac’s Aztek was on everyone’s list, and somehow dropped off between the Turn 10 woods at PLM and this column. Let’s give it the “Shooting Fish in a Barrel” award, as “too easy,” and allow one more to make the Bear’s final list.  Here are the Bear’s picks:

10.    AMC Gremlin– Took cheap boxy designs to the pinnacle of putrid. Runner’s up here are Chebby’s Vega and Ford’s Pinto. Add Datsun’s B210, Yugo, and Fiat 124 to the Bear’s “catchall and runner-up last spot. Cheap cars that looked the part. 9.    1975 Triumph TR7 – Who knew you could make a sports car look really, really stupid?

8.    1961 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Breadvan’– It turns out a Ferrari got there over a decade before Triumph with ‘La Camionette,’ though it wasn’t Enzo’s doing.

7.    1958 Edsel – No one bought the Edsel because no one wanted to be seen in one.

6.    Tucker Torpedo – Whatever the movie’s script, the Tucker was dead on arrival.

5.    1951 Studebaker Commander – At Studebaker they like the Torpedo so much they decided to build their own.

4.    1958 Oldsmobile 98 – The car that took chrome so far it happily killed the whole idea.

3.    Citroen 2CV Charleston – The 2CV was bad enough, then they gave it this two-tone in a swirl.

2.    1980 Cadillac Seville (Full Cabriolet Roof) – Baroque bad taste taken to a whole new level.

1.    2010 Panoz Abruzzi – The unholy offspring of hippopotamus and a Dyson vacuum cleaner. And the doors don’t fit.

 Numbers

Murphy wrote his first Paddock Poop in July 2005; that’s 64 months ago. With 176 and a few ”specials,” that’s a about three a month, so the Bear hasn’t been as derelect as some of his readers think.

The night of October 3, Murphy and Last Turn Clubhouse passed 2,000,000 visits. That was just 15 months after the two sites logged their first million. Thank you all.

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

It has been a while since you’ve heard from A.C. My temp job with the Census Department has really tied me up, and I haven’t been able to attend any Grand Am races since Daytona.

There has been a lot of news about the Rolex Series recently, and its all been good. Probably the best thing is J.C. France has been fully exonerated of those bogus charges against him.  J.C. is a good citizen and an asset to the Daytona Beach community and the Rolex Grand Am Series. It almost brought a tear to my eyes when I saw all those “Free J.C.” Banners at the Rolex 24. 

It was obvious from the start J.C. was targeted by law enforcement. This is called RWGP (“Rich White Guy Profiling”) and has become a serious problem in our country.  The fact he has 30 traffic stops on his record proves the police are unfairly targeting him. From what I understand, the ACLU was going to defend J.C. because of the nature of this RWGP case.  Fortunately, all charges have been dropped.

I wasn’t surprised to hear the good news that Scott Pruett was just named the “Most Interesting Man in the World,” replacing that bearded Dos Equis guy (“Stay Thirsty my Friends”). The announcement was made by the NASCAR Road Racing PR Department after a poll of Grand-Am fans (Andy F., I know you stuffed the ballot box, but I won’t tell anyone).  As I’m sure all you Grand-Am fans know- Scott is simply the greatest race car driver ever.  By the way, Memo Rojas is a great guy too, but not that interesting.

I received an email from a reader suggesting I comment on the dwindling car count in Grand Am. First of all, 12 DP’s is an excellent number, because it’s quality, not quantity that matters.  More important, it’s kind of cool that there is usually one car per spectator at Grand Am races, which creates a very intimate feeling.  NASCAR does not overlook anything!

I really like the new ballast drawing instituted for the GT class. If you are not familiar with it, it is quite simple: When a Mazda team arrives at the track, they draw a number [between 74 and 76] out of a hat, and that is the amount of extra pounds they carry in the race. Non-Mazda teams are exempt.

Don’t know if any of you have had a chance to see the massive new NASCAR offices on International Speedway Boulevard, but they are awesome.  The lobby features a tribute to the France family and the importance of NASCAR to our society. Its like a little museum; there’s a special display by Winston, showing the number of NASCAR fans who got lung cancer during their sponsorship. Another display shows the technology advances of NASCAR (for some reason the timeline ends with the 1970s).  A neat item on display is the actual urine sample Jeremy Mayfield submitted for his drug test.  Probably the coolest thing is the “Wall of Contrived Controversies” the NASCAR PR department has dreamed up to create fan interest.  They were just adding the Jeff Gordon vs. Jimmie Johnson feud when I was there the other day.  Anyway, the Grand Am office is on the first floor in the back corner, next to the restrooms and the “Office of Loyalty.” Inside the Grand-Am office there are 159 different photos of Hurley Haywood on the wall, arranged in a pattern that spells “DAYTONA.”  Really cool.  If you ever have a chance to visit the new offices, I recommend it.

The “silly season” is upon us already!  Lots of juicy rumors.  I’ve heard Jim France is the stroke of a pen away from buying the three Panoz tracks.  If he steps up to the plate, and I think he will, expect the Rolex schedule to expand by three races next year!

I’ve also heard the next generation of DPs will be announced later this year!  The rules will send shockwaves throughout the road racing community (and especially in Braselton).  I am sworn to secrecy, but I will give you these hints: Jim Hurtubise, Zima, and The Village People.

A.C.

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