Audi  was running at Sebring this week. According to the best minds that analyze such things (Mulsanne Mike, for instance), the 2012 R18 really quite a different car than last year’s R18. Hopefully, the changes will improve the outward vision. A pal of a friend of the Bear drove the R18 a couple of months ago, and reported an “absolute blind spot out of the right hand side.” “It explains the McNish crash at Le Mans,” he said.

In other news from the Bear’s Chief European Correspondent, Romain Dumas is headed back to Porsche soon, there’s a big tug of war over Timo Bernhard, and Oliver Pla was quick at a secret Peugeot test.

Insiders in Europe believe ALMS will have Audi, Mercedes, and perhaps others not fully homologated by the ACO in some form of local GT class – but it’s unclear when that gets done.

The ALMS Field

The American Le Mans Series LMP1 and LMP2 fields, are slowly getting sorted out. In the premier class, it looks like Dyson will field two cars, though we don’t know yet who provides the second. It could be Humaid al Masaood again, or it could be someone else. A third entry seems a stretch, but remains possible. Cytosport is committed, but it now appears likely Mike Lewis’ Autocon partners won’t be able to save the entry and are looking for rides with others. The likely outcome for the class appears to be about what we had last season: two Dyson and one Muscle Milk prototypes.

LMP2 will be a bit stronger (that’s an ursine joke) than it was in 2011. Level 5 is reported to be a two-car entrant. Readers don’t have to be reminded that was last season’s expectation, too. Murphy’s is thus restrained in his excitement for Level 5 in 2012. Rumor has Newman Haas in the field, but if anyone’s seen any firm evidence, give a “holler.” The firmest entries appear to be Conquest and Black Swan. The Bear expects to see at least two LMP2 entries at every event, and as many as five at a few.

LMPC has six confirmed entries. None of those include Intersport, whose drivers and team employees seem to have fled to new team BAR 1 Motorsports, which the Bear believes is a probable entry. For those concerned with this and other LMPC teams obtaining funding, Murphy reminds you that in this class the drivers are the funding. With one more possible, the prototype Challenge class will be s-8 in 2012.

GT will struggle to reach 10 entries this season. The Lizards will return to try to recapture the hardware they believe they deserve – with some justification – every year. Extreme Speed is likely, but has one foot in Grand Am, and that might extend past Daytona. Falken is back and expecting to improve on  its 2011 – which will make it a contender for some of that end-of-season bling. BMW wants a splash for its M3 ahead of its motorsports reorganization that will put that venerable racecar into DTM and hand the keys to GT/sports car racing to the Z4. Corvette has had a disappointing start to its GT(2) program, but is always in the mix (if not mixing it up). Driver changes are in the offing, primarily driven by a desire to provide more stable factory driver support to privateer Corvette teams in Grand Am and around the world. As the Bear tweeted, Antonio will take a full-time seat. Expect Olivier Beretta to be full time with Jack Laconte’s Larbre Racing. Other Corvette Racing drivers will moonlight at Grand Am’s “major” events (Daytona, the Glen, Indy), but will not routinely partner in Grand Am DP and GT entries as they did last year. Grand Am teams are demanding “dedicated” drivers, and to the extent it can, the KGeneral is obliging. The Bear believes the other three Corvette “regulars” – Gavin, Magnussen, and Milner – are set, though there’s been a bit of rumble around a Magnussen move.

The winter’s most popular parlor game has been “Where’s Risi?” in which players try to come up with the most convoluted 2012 racing solutions for America’s premier Ferrari team. A kind of “Where’s Waldo?” for Ferrari fans. 2011 wasn’t a good season for the Houston team, and they’ve responded with some big changes, including substantial personnel turnover. Included in that is driver Jaime Melo, who won’t be back. The early season is pretty well fixed. Risi will field two new 458’s at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in January, replacing one previously entered under the Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale name (you didn’t fall for that little ruse, did you?), then one at Sebring in March. It’s not so certain after that, but some Waldo players are putting their chips on Grand Am. In the end, the only player who counts is Guiseppe, and he hasn’t shown his hand – yet.  There was momentary excitement, a kind of ripple in the force, when Canadian Scott Maxwell a journeyman driver at best, tweeted that he’d landed a drive with Aston Martin. ALMS was the assumption, the hope being it portended another GT entry; Grand Am’s Continental series with Multimatic’s Aston Martin Vantage is the reality.

Grand Am

Grand Am unveiled the Corvette-bodied Daytona Prototype, the first of its new “DP3’s”. Its initial pace at Daytona wasn’t very impressive, lagging behind the DP2’s. Was it just new car teething? Sandbagging? At the time the Bear dismissed its importance, but then heard differently. The Corvette is seriously slow, unable to crack 190 anywhere on the DIS layout. There might be some other “good news,” though, in that a rumored an insurer is weighing in with a desire for slower top ends. That will give the series “cover” to slow everyone else down without it looking like a blatant move to put the Corvette in the game. Murphy guesses that no “balancing” will be quite enough, however, so he’s putting his money on Ganassi Racing to dominate in 2012, just as it did in 2011, 2010…

Scheduling Struggles

While Grand Am announced a 2012 schedule with not much fuss (though it did add its Lime Rock date later), the American Le Mans Series has struggled to pin its calendar down. Not all of that has been the fault of the Braselburgers, the comedies at Baltimore and Texas being the principal culprits, with the ACO’s June big black hole blowing out any chance to get Detroit. It does demonstrate the lack of options the series has been left with, however.

Bernie and Red finally settled their differences, confirming Austin for November, but not before a self-imposed construction delay. The result of that is the ALMS date remains unannounced, its early October date in limbo – for now, at least – pending some assurance the track will actually be complete enough to host a “trial” date ahead of the F1 circus.  Meanwhile, as if the current Baltimore (9/1) to PLM (10/20) gap isn’t enough, the Keystone Kops routine in Charm City has left that event with empty coffers and a $12 million debt. It has just two weeks to remedy that situation. Someone is going to have to come up with some serious cash or it’s buh-by to Baltimore. Necessarily, another Braseburg Two-Step – or perhaps a Cotton Eyed Joe – is underway, the dance partner this time being Virginia International Raceway, Murphy tweeting on December 7 that talks were underway, and AutoWeek chiming at about the same time. No announcement has been forthcoming, though, so as it stands now, the ALMS calendar could well have two gaps, eight weeks from May 12 to July 7, and nine weeks from August 18 (Road America), to October 20 (Road Atlanta).

There are real concerns about Bahrain’s appearance on both the F1 and WEC calendars. Regardless of the insistence by the FIA, ACO, and Bernie that everything is just hunky-dory, a bomb outside the British Embassy and rioting on the Pearl Roundabout doesn’t exactly contribute to any confidence amongst observers that either event will – or should – take place. More than 35 people have died in clashes and protest-related violence since February. Bahrain’s protests are the largest and most sustained to have hit the Arab monarchies and sheikdoms that line the Persian Gulf. There hasn’t been much progress on reforms promised after the February-March protests, contributing continued protests and clashes with security forces as recently as Thursday this week.  Murphy is among many who think that both Bahrain race dates are questionable at best. The status of its putative replacement makes the dropping of Petit Le Mans as a round of the World Endurance Championship a real head scratcher, doesn’t it? There’s good new in this for the civilized world (lately that doesn’t seem to include much ground between the Mediterranean Sea and Delhi). If Bahrain’s WEC round is cancelled, where does that series go? If the FIA and ACO get their act together before March’s Sebring opener, perhaps Petit Le Mans is back. Otherwise, probably just a hole in the schedule between Japan and China.

The Andy Lally Challenge

At Murphy’s last report, the American  Le Mans Series field had already closed out its 2011 with a total of $1,795,000 paid to all competitors.

When we last left Andy Lally, he had six races remaining on the Sprint Cup schedule, and he unfortunately struggled to the finish. For Sprint Cup’s Rookie of the Year, leading a lap at Talladega might have been a highlight, but his race ended in an accident after 162 laps in 39th place, with a purse of $81,300. In the previous race, at Charlotte, a brake problem ended his race after just 20 laps, but the 42nd spot still paid $64,825. At Martinsville, Hermie Sadler filled in, as he had earlier in the season, but then Andy bounced back for a finish in 29th and a $101,475 purse at Texas Motor Speedway. That was it for the season; Andy failed to qualify at Phoenix, and Mike Bliss drove at Homestead in the season’s final race. The $246,800 earned in three races in which Andy drove brought his season total winnings to $2,865,656. That final total almost doubled the earnings of the entire American Le Mans Series field for 2011, and brings the Bear’s Andy Lally Challenge to a close.

Kevin Buckler’s No. 71 entry gave up the 35th spot in owner’s points at Talladega to Bob Jenkins and was unable to gain it back. Buckler’s driver, whether Andy or someone else, will start next season having to qualify to make the grid.

The Bear wishes you all a Happy Christmas and a Wonderful 2012.

Murphy H. Bear

Just minutes before it was announced, Murphy was told the two TBA’s were Detroit and Texas. Subsequently, other candidates have made the routine rounds of the rumor mill. Boss Scott confirmed the Detroit TBA in a rather odd and self-serving  press release after Grand Am confirmed it would have that June 2 Detroit Race. Now it seems likely nothing will fill that ALMS April/May TBA.

Nor does the September/October event seem very likely. Though Sears Point, Montreal, Oklahoma City (the only thing going on there appears to be the all-too-routine legal wrangling amongst the promoter group – Oklahoma City Grand Prix LLC et al v. Mattioli), and Thunderbolt (New Jersey) have been thrown out there by fans, the only one that makes sense – the only one that might motivate Braselburg to move PLM to late October date  – is Texas.

Unfortunately, that’s ground being plowed by others. The gang from International Speedway Boulevard was in Austin not long before PLM, just the latest in a series of such visits. Australia’s V8 Supercar – a NASCAR ally, an FIA darling, and a growth product for Speedtv – is already scheduled for the new Texas track. The FIA’s ally in North America is Grand Am, not the ALMS, the partnership with the ACO in the WEC notwithstanding.

The Circuit of the Americas needs an event ahead of the its first F1, if for no other reason than to sort out its traffic and parking plans. As of now, Murphy will bet on Grand Am being that event, even though he can’t think of a weaker way to test traffic (little will be expected) and parking (little will be needed). Perhaps they want to make sure their dry run isn’t too challenging?

All that assumes the Texas track will get built in time for any 2012 race, even the November F1 date. Construction’s been halted while the principals fight for control (see also Oklahoma City and Baltimore). The only “money guy” in the promoter group is Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, who in owning the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings, pretty much defined “cheap” and “ruthless”  for sports ownership and promotion.

The continued “temporary” absence from the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Boss Scott told us this was just a temporary scheduling conflict, and that ALMS would be back in the streets of St. Pete. Temporary is now 3 years; the promoters don’t seem to be very interested in getting the Braselburgers back, do they? The Bear’s said from the beginning the combination of geography and calendar made this a “cannibal event,” one that would do little more than leech from the series’ premier event in Sebring. But why dissimulate?

Laguna Seca moves back to the spring. Make up your fricken mind! Are they really trying to kill sports car racing on the Monterey Peninsula? Braselburg’s spin is “requested by the venue.” Of course Boss Scott has given us nothing but reasons to believe him, hasn’t he?
The likely outcome of all this is another 9-event ALMS schedule, with two breaks, eight weeks in May-July, and seven weeks in September-October.

Sebring Confusion

Who to believe? Here’s Scott Atherton’s description of Sebring rule from his State of the Series at PLM:

“Next year’s 60th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will be round one of the 2012 ALMS. It will also be round one of the FIA WEC… The ALMS cars will be competing with technical specifications consistent with what will be in place for the balance of the ALMS season. …
Our class configurations will remain unchanged for 2012:
LMP1 – utilize the current 2011 regulations that include permitting grandfathered cars.
LMP2 – as current
LMPC – as current
GT – as current
GTC – as current”

Autosport, in its October 6, 2011, issue paraphrased Boss Scott this way:

“Atherton said that the latest contract would give the ALMS new freedom when implementing ACO rules. He stated that cars from his series would be able to run in ALMS specification when they compete at Sebring next March.”

and continued:

“That comment has been contradicted by the ACO.
ACO president Jean-Claude Plassart said: ‘Sebring will be 100 percent WEC rules. There will be no GTC cars, for example. They are not in the rules.’”

Nor, Murphy reminds his readers, are 12 cylinder LMP1’s. “100%” is pretty unequivocal, isn’t it? The Bear emailed Messr. Plassart for clarification. Valérie Girard, (v.girard@lemans.org) actually, to whom Jean-Claude’s mail is routed. Murphy will pass on what he hears – if anything.

Corvette

Corvette, under pressure from GM to deliver in the remaining years of its contract with Pratt & Miller – or sooner – met at Road Atlanta with the ACO. Their point? Others have been given an “unfair advantage,” not in the way Mark Donohue meant it, through engineering and team performance, but off the track in the way “performance balancing” is conducted in the sport.

Does this have to do with the design waivers granted in the homologation of entrants? It doesn’t seem likely, does it? Ferrari got none in 2011, and Corvette (and BMW) got a bazillion. Perhaps the devil is in the (engineering) details? Murphy’s been told Corvette would rather have the rules and homologation done at the beginning of each season (as it once was), then leave it alone. Without (as they see it) getting “on par with BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari,” the American team might easily be gone before the end of 2013. Pratt & Miller’s contract extends through the 2013 season, but the company’s work can easily be directed into pursuits other than the American Le Mans Series if GM believes that would be advantageous.

So why go to the ACO, since the ALMS has announced a separation of rule-setting from the ACO the ‘Vettes are an ALMS program? At least one source says the ALMS so-called “declaration of independence” from ACO rules is largely window-dressing, mostly concerned with the Sporting Regulations, not so much the Technical Regulations. Then there’s the fact that Chebby has always said that the most important part of the Corvette Racing program is Le Mans, not the ALMS.

Far more ominous to the American Le Mans Series is the obvious budding romance between Chebby and Grand Am. That shouldn’t come as a surprise.  The General moved last season to make the NASCAR sports car series the place it would establish a performance resume for its new Camaro, while it discouraged Corvette GT entries, preparing to move ”the American Sports Car” into a prominent place in Daytona Prototypes, where it was designing and funding a Corvette body for the new “DP 3.”

At the end of the season the Bear was told Chevrolet would substantially strengthen its Grand Am factory driver program, abandoning the use of part-time ALMS drivers in favor of an expanded full-time Grand Am group. In fact look for considerable “restructuring” across the board, with drivers being assigned and re-assigned to different series, with movement in all directions between ALMS, Grand Am, and Pirelli World Challenge.

A new IndyCar engine program, a continued strong relationship with NASCAR (despite the rants of a Detroit pundit), and now the title sponsorship of Grand Am’s first race in the Motor City means at least a relative reduction of the prominence in the Division of Corvette’s American Le Mans Series program.

Ferrari

The Bear won’t be surprised if you’re at least a little confused at Corvette’s ACO complaints, since he’s written that a Ferrari team is unhappy about the same tinkering, and “the straw” was an advantage given mid season to (wait for it) – Corvette. So much so that the “pause and review button” was punched for the ALMS racing program.

A move to Grand Am seemed  a slam-dunk just a few weeks ago (the toe is already in the water via a little noticed partnership) until Maranello signaled it was getting cold feet. Backtracking a bit, when Ferrari committed its 458, it was generally supposed that Mazda would not return in 2012. Now it appears the RX8 is back.

Why would Ferrari expose its 458, (MSRP $247,000) to regular losses to Mazda’s RX8 (MSRP $26,795)? The simple answer is they don’t want to, and Grand Am’s reversal of its early decision to let the RX8’s homologation lapse has caused Maranello to review its commitment to support full-season Grand Am entries. It’s bad enough they’ve had to suffer through a season of losses to the BMW M3 (MSRP $58,900), but that car at least has some racing history and a performance cachet, as does the Porsche 911  (MSRP GT3 $103,100). Murphy’s certain zoom-zoom doesn’t count Maranello among its fans.

For manufacturers the attraction of racing is the establish your performance creds – or in Ferrari’s case, reinforce them. If you are Ferrari – or more recently, Audi  – the last thing you want to do is damage a hard-won performance reputation.

So what are the 2012 choices for Murphy’s favorite Ferrari team in the whole wide world? (1) Take the year off (2) Race in the WEC – including Le Mans (3) a Grand Am campaign (4) an ALMS campaign, with or without Le Mans. The Bear’s betting that’s pretty much the order of probability, too.

Jaguar

In its second full season, RSR’s Jaguars completed just 44% of ALMS GT laps. In 18 entries, had one top-ten finish.  The kitty cats averaged a 13th place finish in a field that averaged 15 entries. Is there any doubt this is the worst GT team ever? It certainly is among those that raced for so long. Others in history this bad had the sense to be embarrassed – and quit. When will Tata realize what a great advertisement this is for its competitors in America, providing reasons at every event not to purchase a Jaguar?

Fun with Numbers

The Braselburgers – led by “Two-T” Scott – continue to have a problem with numbers. During the Silverstone round of the LMS, on-line viewing reportedly peaked at 2,500. We’re told that ESPN3 routinely draws 100 times that for ALMS races.

Or try this from the 2011 State of the Series: “Attendance is up 12%,” reflecting in large part the substitution of Baltimore for Salt Lake City. To which Murphy says, “duh!” In 2009, Miller was reported to have attracted 35,000 fans willing to drive around the Oquirrh Mountains from Salt Lake City. That number – already “ambitious” – fell further in 2010 before the northern Rockies were abandoned in 2011. Given that Baltimore was claimed to be on the far side of 100K, it’s not just a “large part” of a 12% increase, but rather likely all of it, and perhaps more.

The funniest numbers faux pas was by Boss Scott, again in the State of the Series. “In addition to our already extensive international distribution through Motors TV in Europe (50 internationally-recognized nation-states), Fox Sports Latin America (33), Fox Sports Middle East (19) and Rogers Sports Net in Canada (1), we are now fully distributed through ESPN International which represents an additional 149 countries…” The ALMS is seen in 252 countries? Better tell Hillary, her Department only recognizes 195 (Taiwan not included).

ALMS Twitter followers nearly doubled from 3900 to 7500. Meanwhile, Murphy attracted over 800 followers (Twits?), even after winnowing out the pole dancers not already close friends.

The Other Jaguar

As soon as Ian Dawson (Taurus, ECO, etc.) was identified as the boss of an oddly ambitious out-of-nowhere Lotus racing program, the Bear knew something was up (or down). Now that shoe has dropped, with the thud we’ve come to know and love from Dawson’s racing adventures. The thud this time was the sound of the Lotus LMP2 program’s hitting the trash bin. After watching the Evoras at PLM, it wasn’t hard to imagine another Jaguar Racing program in the making.

Abruzzi: a cousin to the Norwegian Blue?

Dissembling again, Boss Scott said the Abruzzi was “on hiatus.” Unless “hiatus” no longer means “a pause, or break in continuity,” that was wrong when he said it. The Abruzzi was dead, gone, is no more, a former Abruzzi, very much like a Norwegian Blue.

Losing Count

…of the departures. This time, Lynda Polk, long time timer/scoring chief for IMSA will not be returning next year. Murphy expects her position to be filled by a needy Champ Car refugee.

Bathurst

Murphy sent Crocodile McFly  – the Down Under Mole – from Hendry’s Beach to Australia to report on the Bathurst 1000. The Croc called with his impressions on Monday. “Wow! A great event. Good, close racing. The fly-over was so low, I had to duck. Great crowd at a track “you aught to see.” Crocodile thinks this would be a better show than DTM. They have the right idea on so-called “gentleman drivers,” he says. They simply refer to them as “Co-drivers.” Simple, and without the negative (to some) connotation. Now that the FIA has approved the Supercars as an international sanctioning body, we’ll undoubtedly see more of them, including at Texas in 2013. Supercars, F1, and DTM – can USA racing get any more crowded?

The Bear understands there are new Supercar rules coming. That’s good, since the current technical regulations are compromised by as many adjustments as the infamous ACO homologations, and for just two cars. Perhaps they’ll provide little more exhaust noise, the only thing our mole thought should be tweaked.

Crocodile is going to stay over for the Gold Coast race this weekend. Check back with Murphy for that report.

Andy Lally Challenge

Andy’s had four races since Murphy last updated the Challenge, Chicagoland (28th, $95,100), New Hampshire (34th, $80,300), Dover (33rd, $78,925), and Kansas (37th, 85,250). That added $339,575 to his season earnings, bringing the total to $2,618,856. He’s also captured and maintained the 35th place in owner’s points for Kevin Buckler, so is ensured a spot on the starting grid.

The American Le Mans Series field closed out its season with races at Laguna Seca, where the field earned $148,000, and Petit Le Mans, which paid them $135,000. With that $283,000, the entire ALMS field was happy to claim total season winnings and bonuses of $1,795,000 including estimated privateer bonuses that Murphy added at the beginning of the Challenge.

Six races remain on Andy’s 2011 schedule.

Murphy knows many of his readers aren’t buying it, but that New Jersey F1 proposal is very, very real. Those who have seen the details say this is a “street course that works,” meaning, as the Bear understands it, that it’s not a typical “point-and-shoot, see-the-tops-of –the-cars” race track, but rather a good driver’s and spectator’s track. Baltimore has turned out much better than anticipated – so far, anyway – and that will certain add some impetus to the New Jersey street course idea.

Chris Pook and Leo Hindery, Jr. are among those involved in this deal. It also has the support of key local politicians, and with the skyline of Midtown Manhattan as a backdrop (the south end of the course that runs along JFK Boulevard and Port Imperial Boulevard is across the river from the north end of Times Square, with the north extremity of the circuit at about the mid-point of Central Park), it has Big Apple cachet without directly impacting NYC streets.

The two things required for any F1 seem to be present: cash and political clout.

Busting at the National Press Club

You read the announcement of the big press event at the National Press Club on August 30. This was to be a big deal – continental breakfast, panel discussion, Q&A, photo op – but in the end it wasn’t.

Though there were a few reprints of the ALMS post-conference press release, you read more about the event before than after. There’s a simple reason; the room was nearly empty. The Bear hears some automotive industry participants were not amused by the tepid response.

In France

The Don and The Boss flew off to France on Labor Day for meetings with the gnomes of the ACO. On the table? The way the Bear sees it, nothing less than the future of the American Le Mans Series. With the FIA/ACO-sponsored WEC on the verge of putting the last nail in the fast-declining American sports car racing series, the contract between the ALMS and the ACO lapses at the end of this season, is less than a month.

Weak marketing and poor media exposure began taking their toll on the American Le Mans Series after its 2007/2008 peak, and the inability of the series to appropriately respond to external challenges has left its teams bereft of sponsors, without external funding. To put it simply, if you can’t fund your team on your own, you’ll have to move on to another pastime, a state of affairs of which the Robertsons and Duncan Dayton are now painfully aware.

The problem is, Murphy can’t think of an outcome of the visit with the Frogs that will provide any relief. Not only has the ACO refused to consider supporting its regional series by encouraging participation by its WEC entrants, while Don and Scott were in the hallowed club house ACO officials were leaking the word they’ll take away the Petit Le Mans round of the WEC in favor of Bahrain (or, less likely, Montreal), and if Sebring is retained, no ALMS-only entrants will be allowed from 2013 forward.

Then the ACO goes on the record at Silverstone blathering about how they “need” the “feeder series” (ALMS, LMS, and Asian Le Mans – never mind that there is no Asian Le Mans Series), and that the LMS is “on the block.” The Bear’s told you the ALMS has been for sale for a long time, and he was told just this morning there was a serious discussion recently with the Evil Empire. Those fell apart when The Don threw properties unrelated to racing into the deal.  Does the WEC really need “feeders?” What’s the historical precedent for that? Do drivers move up a “ladder?”  Hardly; most drivers in the “real” classes get there after success in equal or higher level racing, and after climbing other ladders (F1, IndyCar, etc.). Teams? No. For example, if you want to hire a Challenge team, hire AJR. WEC pro GT team? Schnitzer. A world-class prototype team? Joest. No “development ladder” there.

Will The Don and The Boss come back with an extension? We’ll only know at Petit Le Mans, but Murphy is guessing yes. Why? First, The Don is a Francophile of the first order; whatever the Frogs want is ok with The Don. Second, the Braselburgers don’t seem to have the imagination to create a series appropriate to its own American sports car racing constituency or heritage. Unable to think of anything else, they’ll go along for another ride with the ACO.

Unlimited What?

The Unlimited Racing Championship. What the hell is this about? The Bear and a few of his forest creature friends have been digging. The law firm (but not the attorney) that filed the trademark for the title is also the firm employed by Patrick Dempsey. The PR person for the new “championship” is the same one employed by Tracy Krohn. Southwest Performance Technology, the company that holds the rights to the “Unlimited Racing Championship” is in Santa Ana, California. AAR, building the DeltaWing, is in Santa Ana. Mazda USA is almost in Santa Ana (ok, next door in Irvine, California). So we can conclude that the URC is a series to be launched by Tracy Krohn and Patrick Dempsey to accommodate new technology entries like a DeltaWing powered by the new Mazda Skyactiv-G 1.3 engine? Fun, huh?

Of more substance, the owner of Southwest Performance is listed as Richard S. Neuart, who Murphy’s been told has dabbled in various kinds of racing endeavors, often in the background. A good source stated categorically that this is a new racing series. Another rumor has Tracy Krohn behind a Can Am revival. This afternoon, the Bear got a call from a trusted source who – considering the players and other rumblings – believes the most likely announcement is a spec support series for the McLaren MP4-12c similar to the Ferrari Challenge.

If, as indicated in the media alert, Scott Atherton will preside over this announcement, you can bet there’s nothing here that will change the character of the American Le Mans Series. This will be a separate endeavor of IMSA.  Otherwise, you’d see The Don up front with a microphone, and the presser would be at Petit Le Mans, not in California.

Going Public

In his August 25th Paddock Poop, Murphy published this description of a meeting between the ALMS’ two top prototype teams and  IMSA COO Scot Elkins:

“Rob Dyson and Greg Pickett – among the last surviving racers of their era – requested and got a meeting with Scott Elkins before Mid-Ohio. The Bear hears the message was two part: we’re going to enter the 50th Anniversary Rolex and January, and also Sebring. We expect to be capable of competitive times – with all the LMP1 entries – in March. Then we will decide what to do for the remainder of the 2012 season. “

Today the story – in detail – made it into speedtv.com under John Dagys byline here: http://gourl.gr/k84 John points to the upcoming 14th Petit Le Mans in his first paragraph, perhaps implying Pickett and Dyson expect to be competitive with the diesels not just at Sebring in 2012, but at Petit this year (even though they are “most concerned going into next year”). Unfortunately, Elkins wiggles off the hook by hiding behind the ACO again, referring to next season’s as-yet unreleased and unknown rules. If they had any guts in Braselburg, they’d cut weight and increase breathing on the ALMS prototypes immediately. The Bear is not holding his breath.

Remember Rand

Gregory Keith Rand, aka “Greg Rand,” 46, and William Nicholas Rand, aka “Bill Rand,” 41, both of Dallas, were sentenced on July 27th to federal prison terms of 18 years and 14 years, respectively, for fraud. Their father, William Anthony Rand, aka “Tony Rand,” 69, of Plano, was sentenced to five and one-half years in federal prison. In addition, the defendants were ordered to pay $99,707,758 in restitution and forfeit numerous pieces of personal property to the government, including real estate, boats and other personal water craft, luxury vehicles, artwork, including an original Picasso, furniture, antiques, musical instruments, jade, expensive jewelry and wine. Greg Rand was remanded into custody; the others will be allowed to report to the Bureau of Prisons at a later date. The forfeited property will be sold by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Rand Racing contested Grand Am in 2001 and 2002 in SRP II. And yes, some who worked for them were screwed, even after winning judgments against the crooks, when the Rands stripped the assets out of Rand Racing. Among many who worked for this criminal family were Thomas Blam, Risi Competizione, Jeff Braun, Anthony Lazzaro, Nic Johnson, Marino Franchitti, and Ralf Kelleners. How many were stiffed? One for sure, who told Murphy “ I sued and won, but Bill mothballed the team until the statute of limitations ran out, so no restitution here.”

This little note from Murphy is for the superfans who want their heroes to be left alone. The moral of this story is, “sooner or later the Feds will get you,” and, the crooks in our sport hurt real people. Ever since John Dillinger, we can believe if the IRS is in the hunt, something is not right. And what if the next felony will be the third?

Updating Signature

When the Bear last checked on the Tarletons, he wrote this in Paddock Poop 190 on May 19th.

Murphy’s sees 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.

In response (just a guess that he was referring to the Bear), on May 23rd, Matt wrote on the team’s facebook page, “Someone asked for a picture of A car so I figured I would oblige,”  posting a rendering of a Norma prototype. One of his fans asked, “are you actively talking to Norma? or just messing with the bear?”

Matt didn’t answer that, but of course the Bear knows the Tarletons have been talking to Norma since soon after the Riley came to naught. In August, Matt cranked up the excitement by writing, “All I have to say is “Wow”…If we spilled the beans on everything we are doing and leave no secrets, would we be more respected for our work?” (If you knew what I know

He didn’t “spill the beans,” but the Bear suspects the “talks” with Norma have been going like this: “When will you have the money?” “Soon.” “Do you have the money yet?” “Not yet.” “Now?” “There will be a little delay.”

Of course Murphy just speculating irresponsibly, but since there’s no evidence of a car, an engine, or a team, he concludes there’s been a “temporary setback.” Maybe there will be a big announcement in October. Or maybe not.

The Andy Lally Challenge

Since Murphy’s last report, Andy Lally has driven to  25th at Bristol, 30th at Atlanta, and 32nd at Richmond, earning $279,400. Andy and team owner Kevin Buckler have now won $2,279,281 in the 2011 Sprint Cup season.

Meanwhile, the American Le Mans Series field was competing at Baltimore, the bunch of them winning a total of $147,000. Added to the season’s previous haul, all the entries of the ALMS have earned $1,512,000. It’s a rout, but the Bear’s going to play it out.

The Flying [redacted in the interest of good taste]

Murphy doesn’t like the whole idea – he can’t believe anyone can call this thing a sports car or grand touring car with a straight face – but neither does he revel in the failure of important participants in his favorite sport. The Bear can’t think of anything The Don has done right in quite a while – really, Mr.  Panunzio has no feel for this sport at all – but if you’re going to get into something like this you need to do it with both feet. (That’s been the problem for a long time, hasn’t it? Tepid support for the race team, the series, and most recently, the Abruzzi.)

So Murphy was hoping that the participants in this project would demonstrate some commitment. The news of massive layoffs (11 people) at Highcroft Racing this week says otherwise. There’s really no way the DeltaWing can be prepared for the track, tested and developed with two mechanics and a truck driver – not coincidentally the staff needed to maintain Duncan’s extensive collection of historic F1 cars.

Unfortunately, the Bear hears other disquieting things: the car is not expected to start testing until December, problematical for a Le Mans start in June.  But worse than that, no engine choice yet, and for a car that needs highly specialized tires, no manufacturer has stepped up to supply them. None of the partners in the venture have shown the inclination to provide the funding needed to bring it to fruition, and the appearance at this late date of an outside sponsor seems unlikely.

The latest story may give the clearest idea of where this project is headed. In addition to cranking up the PR machine (there’s a release today from Santa Ana from Highcroft’s PR chief), Murphy’s been told the first chassis will not go to the test track, but rather be sent on the show circuit. The hope seems to be that by trucking it around to car shows – and what else, county fairs? – someone sill step up with the cash the principals can’t – or won’t – provide.

Since New Hampshire, after which his season’s winnings totaled $1,608,881, Andy has since raced four times (the Brickyard, Pocono, the Glen, and Michigan) and won $391,000 for himself and Kevin Buckler.

The American Le Mans field through Lime Rock totaled $1,046,000. Since Lime Rock, the thirty-odd ALMS entries have raced three times (Mosport, Mid-Ohio, and Road America) winning between them $319,000, and bringing their total earnings in the 2011 season to $1,365,000. With Andy’s total now $1,999,881, the American Le Mans Series field now trails Sprint Cup’s Street Luger by over $600 thousand dollars. Time is not on the ALMS’ side, since Andy has 13 races remaining; North America’s premier sports car road racing series has just three.

The Market

Forget real estate. The market for racing series/sanctioning bodies has really taken it in the shorts. A few years ago, The Don turned down an offer rumored to be on the far side of sixty grand. A year later, he would have made the deal for a mere thirty, but those same folks had lost interest.

Nobody’s put up a “For Sale” sign on the lawn at 1394 Broadway Avenue, Braselburg yet, but they’ve been “willing to listen to offers,” since some time in 2007. And there have been “extended discussions” with one or more “interested parties.” What happened? Well, the auto business went south – that slammed now-moribund Panoz Auto Development. At about the same time, the real estate market went in the dumper. Most of the value Panoz assigned to his racing empire derived from the real estate valuation of Road Atlanta, that having nothing at all to do with its current use as a race track.

Despairing of selling the whole, The Don spun off Mosport first. What will follow is hard to say. Sebring is a lease, and the leasehold is saddled with debt for a hotel and other (relative to debt) cash-flow-poor property. The series itself? “Circling the drain,” is how Murphy’s friend Miles Geauxbye put it. (The Bear won’t go quite that far, but he does believe that a string of lousy decisions have put IMSA at risk once again.)

The hot rumor at Road America was a story that Duncan Dayton was leading a group of buyers that was (is?) close to an agreement for IMSA and the series. One source indicated that intense talks continue. Only Duncan has been named in this rumor, but it’s nothing he’d do on his own, and insiders agreed others are involved. The belief in Wisconsin was that it was IMSA/ALMS “in play.”

However, since Murphy returned home, he’s heard the discussion now (perhaps always) revolves around the Sebring lease, not the series. That scenario would have The Don retaining Road Atlanta and the American Le Mans Series, the latter as a place to race what? The Abruzzi is dead. If Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans loses it’s WEC date (see below), is The Don hanging on for its underlying residential real estate value?  And unless there’s something after the Abruzzi, will The Don keep his sandbox after he’s no longer got a toy with which to play in it?

We’ve been here a number of times before and it all came to nothing. But stay tuned.

Corvette

Chevrolet isn’t happy with the performance of its American Le Mans Series road racing adventures. It’s believed that Corvette Racing is on a two-year “watch.” That may seem like an oddly long period of time – it certainly does to the Bear – but if true it indicates “official” concern for the first time since the auto industry melt-down. Is another driver turnover likely? A Dane and a Monegasque have been mentioned. Though locked in close contests for manufacturer and team titles in both classes over in Grand Am, the Bowtie is concerned about its program there, particularly since the competition – particularly in GT – is expected to stiffen considerably in 2012. One change widely expected is the assignment of factory drivers to more Chebby Grand Am teams full time rather than this season’s part time loans on ALMS open weeks.

It’s even rumored that a Corvette Racing regular will be subbed for at Laguna Seca so he can join Autohaus at Grand Am’s final event. The Bear thought that was a non-starter for a whole raft of reasons, including the fact that the Autohouse drivers lead the GT championship. But since it’s possible to use three drivers in a Grand Am sprint race because each needs only a minimum of 30 minutes, a driver could be added to “save” the GT championships, now down to a scant three-point lead. In any case, It seems there will be a significant reshuffling of Chevrolet’s road racing “assets” before the 2012 season.

Will Corvette move to the WEC? Some say that’s unlikely, since the racing program is supported solely by the North American sales division. But what happens if the competition goes away? Will Corvette be willing to go down that road again?

The Last Petit

Is it already “The Last Harrah” for Petit Le Mans? Murphy’s hearing that although the 2012 WEC schedule will “be based on” (a meaningful choice of words) the 2011 ILMC schedule, only Sebring will be retained. A Japan round at the Tilke-redesigned Fuji Speedway will replace Road Atlanta.

If Sebring is spun off by the Braselburgers, that leaves the series with no “hard” connection to the ACO. Might that be part of the plan? Does that reinforce the rumor that the IMSA of the future will diverge substantially from ACO rules, including even an “open” class?

Robertson on the Ropes?

Robertson Racing is said to be missing from the Baltimore entry. In a Facebook entry, the team says it’s because they skipped Long Beach and don’t have a “baseline” setup for a street course. The rumor mill suggests there’s also a “cash shortage.”

Intersport on the Edge?

They’ve been down this road before, avoiding a significant hit on their racing, but will Intersport be able to shrug off this latest legal trouble for its principal? Yes, Clint is the “owner,” but the IRS has a history of piercing that shield with little trouble.

Jersey Shore

Another F1 race for the United States took a big step forward last week at a meeting in Trenton, New Jersey. The venue will be a street course across form Manhattan (no, not the Meadowlands).

Charm City

Will the Baltimore Grand Prix be “charmed?” An August 13 feeature in the Baltimore Sun was largely positive, but raises the familiar questions about cost/benefit, and doubts about St. Pete’s event.

Is that a Threat?

Rob Dyson and Greg Pickett – among the last surviving racers of their era – requested and got a meeting with Scott Elkins before Mid-Ohio. The Bear hears the message was two part: we’re going to enter the 50th Anniversary Rolex and January, and also Sebring. We expect to be capable of competitive times – with all the LMP1 entries – in March. Then we will decide what to do for the remainder of the 2012 season.  (Murphy suspects lap times the Acura posted in 2009, and those by Lola-Aston Martin in 2010 might be sufficient – but he doesn’t know.)

50th Anniversary GT Entries

Daytona’s 50th will see a much-expanded GT field.  Look for Mercedes, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, and Audi to join.

More Series On the Block

Trans Am will soon be sold to  an investor group headed by Jim Derhaag of Shakopee, Minnesota.   Simon Gregg is said to be the financial power behind the acquisition.

A revitalized Trans Am owned by a group of amateur racers, poses the same threat “from the bottom” (skimming off the wealthy amateur racers) that the WEC presents from the top (skimming off the factory teams).

A rumor of layoffs in Baltimore Grand Prix, LLC. circulated last week but proved to be false. The Bear suspects it was an “echo rumor,” (that’s a story based on an earlier – but different – set of facts) of the February dual firing of the public relations and advertising firms.  Ad firm GKV, was  replaced by the Leffler Agency, Mobtown’s big agency. Baseball-focused Maroon PR, (the Cal Ripken baseball empire is their cash cow) bowed out, in favor of Edie Brown is the doyen of Baltimore PR.

Almost simultaneously with the lay-offs rumor, BGP announced a clutch of sponsors, an “official airline,” (something Murphy’s never heard of) “official auto insurance” (GEICO, who else?), the “official gasoline” (Sonoco, of course), a bevy of hotels. Small potatoes. The Bear expects this race to take the green this season; after that remains in doubt.

The mea culpa

Signature’s principals went ballistic over Murphy’s doubt they will have an LMP on the Lime Rock grid. In fact, the Bear got a love letter from Reg and Matt reading in part “the responsibility is upon you to correct and/or retract statements which are misinformation, slanderous, libelous and defamatory both on this forum (that would be americanlemansfans.com) and on the blog Murphy the Bear.”

Murphy went back and checked. According to Matt, the Bear omitted Reg’s 1980’s Formula Ford Performance Driving Academy at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and wrote that Signature’s plans included two prototypes, when it’s just one. Murphy regrets those two errors.

Murphy would like nothing more than to see another prototype in the ALMS, so whenever Reg and Matt can confirm they have a binding contract to buy or build a prototype or a motor to put in it, the Bear will take that to be good news, indeed.

Grand Am Update

The rumor that Mercedes and Audi will contest the 50th 24 Hours of Daytona was greeted by the Cogs with a “ho-hum, we knew that.” Anything from the Bear will get that response, but though there’s been no official announcement, those additions, particularly if they turn into full-season entries, will likely be just part of the story coming out of Grand Am this summer that will keep the American Le Mans Series in the hole it’s dug itself into.

Look for more GT announcements as the field for 2012 is filled with Audis, Mercedes, Porsches, Ferraris and others. The Bear’s been told there have been some upper management personnel changes following a winter in which development of new rules “bogged down.” On the positive side, one of those changes – a sideways move by Dave Spitzer – would seem to have increased the series focus on its “international alliances,” important to the nascent alliance with DTM. If Grand Am is smart (and Murphy thinks the new management over there is) they’ll announce new DP rules before mid-summer. Having hung onto the current rule set for a decade, they surely won’t get themselves into the same “late to the party” fix that’s become standard for the ACO, will they?

The Bear hears a draft of the 2012 DP rules was circulated a week ago. Do they include a shrunken green house? Murphy hears that’s the case, and sure as hell hopes so.

Media Failure

Data and analysis keeps trickling in on the Sebring viewer count. Last Turn Clubhouse’s Mediterranean correspondent  Chuck Farrell broke it down, and AutoWeek followed. Between them, they pretty much blew up the fiction that Sebring represented any better  – or more valuable – exposure for the series and it’s entrants. Murphy did, however, enjoy the irony of ESPN PR guy Andy Hall (unconvincingly)  keeping the wraps on the detail of the ALMS media disaster.

The On-line Fan Experience

Since the recent dust-up between American Le Mans Series management and certain of its teams over its putrid media presence, the Bear’s dug up an items or two.

First, looking backward (though Murphy doesn’t really want to, there’s the matter of context) there was an extensive but unsuccessful effort to land a “traditional” television contract. Regardless of self-congratulation, the Series’ brave new leap into the future of media, right or wrong, was very much under duress.

Looking ahead, the Bear’s been told the channel is fixed for the remainder of the year, likely longer; that is, live delivery will be to your computer – period. While accepting that – as they must – some in the series have demanded at least an upgrade of that delivery, using the resources of the teams, plus a more robust platform technology, to improve the fan experience. Murphy can’t share details, but if the series – they could simply ignore it – accepts this challenge, fans should expect some exciting additions to the on-line coverage beginning with the New England Grand Prix in July.

Given the magnitude of the undertaking, Braselburg will find it necessary to launch a project using at least some outside resources. So far, there is no indication they have done so. Along with that, on the table is a request for the series to allow its teams to use race video without the current fee of thousands of dollars. The Bear intends to follow progress – if any – over the next three months.

Abruzzi Adios

The Don’s Abruzzi is gone until Mosport or later. Sebring failure was paddle shift, then “internal engine” (likely due to a missed-shift over-rev). Did someone say “$5 million rat hole?”

Andy Lally update

Andy spent Martinsville on the bench. Kevin decided to start Hermie Sadler, for whom Martinville’s “home track,” and who tested well there for TRG. Hermie garnered a finish of 29th, putting TRG (listed as “Richard Petty” in the owner’s column…don’t ask) in a tie for the all-important qualifying-exempt 35th place on the season. Not sure if the tied teams both get the exemption, neither does, or whether there is a tie-breaker. Hermie and Kevin won $81,325, but that’s just an FYI from the Bear, since Andy’s DNS leaves his earnings at $654,911 to the ALMS field’s $844,000 (the latter including credit for its privateer bonus program. Murphy’s now updated the Challenge for Andy’s result at Texas Motor Speedway, in which he finished 32nd (again) and earned $96,150. That makes his earnings total $751,061. Owner’s points are 36th, so he’ll have to qualify to make the field in upcoming races. Here’s the table.

Press Releases

Most of the motorsports press is little more than a daily repository of unedited team, manufacturer , and driver press releases. If anyone needed evidence, they got it this week when one such site published an “article” with this lead-in sentence: “Level 5 Motorsports hopes to maintain its momentum coming into round two of the American Le Mans Series this weekend on the Streets of Long Beach, California.”

Hopes? The rest of the article tells us how great a challenge it is for Level 5 to compete against….no one?

Anyway, Andy started in karting, and after various driving adventures in ALMS, Grand Am (a three-time series champion), NASCAR

NASCAR driver Andy Lally

pick-ups, and Nationwide, has finally landed a whole season ride with Kevin Buckler’s TRG, and filed to compete for Rookie of the Year honors. Since Andy is a friend of many in the American Le Mans Series paddock, Murphy thought it would be interesting to track how he does this year versus the entire field of a series in which he has been a popular, but decidedly part-time driver.

We’re going to keep track of Andy’s – and Kevin’s – earnings (we don’t know what the driver’s share is) versus the entire earnings of the American Le Mans Series field. We’ll report as Andy – and the ALMS – complete each event. Photo courtesy Martin Spetz.

Some of you know how this is going to turn out; for a few, it might be an eye-opener.

As of today, Andy has driven five Sprint Car races, plus the “Dual” before Daytona. He usually finishes 32^nd and only varies from that – so far – by one place (excepting the Dual, which has a smaller field). Andy has officially earned $654,911.

With one event in the bag, the American Le Mans Series field has earned a total – in all classes – of $284,000, with one even, Sebring, in ledger. We’re not going to calculate in detail the peanuts distributed in the “privateer bonus” program. That will add another half-million or so to the ALMS total after the end of the season. We’ll just put in $560,000 up front for 20 entries times about $3,500 per race.

As of today, through Bristol for Sprint Cup and Sebring for the American Le Mans Series, Andy trails the ALMS field by $189,089. Here’s the table over at LTC. (Murphy’s blog doesn’t do very well with tables.)
(The Andy Lally Challenge is not endorsed by Andy Lally.)

Grand Am had a team owner’s meeting and cocktail reception on the 8th floor of the new ISC/NASCAR digs on International Speedway Boulevard last Thursday afternoonand evening. It’s probably where A.C. saw FIA chief Jean Todt accompanied by fiancé Bond Girl (Wai Lin, Tomorrow Never Dies) Michelle Yeow (right, at Cannes, credit Georges Baird). Todt is heading an FIA delegation, including American Nick Craw, on a “good will” tour – shoring up support amongst racing series and motoring club after AAA’s recent resignation.

With Bernie’s payments for F1 rights about to end with 89 years of exclusivity left (what dumbo wrote that contract?) the Frogs are facing a big ($35 million) hole in the budget. If others follow AAA out the door, things will be dire indeed.

As if to illustrate how dire, Grand Am told the assembled dignitaries they are in negotiations with DTM for a tie-up that will bring DTM to the USA. Some think a NASCAR-DTM alliance could get along quite well without the FIA.

Will the tube-frame silhouettes replace the ungainly DP’s at the top Grand Am, just be added to the field, or run in joint weekends? We are getting to the end of the DP’s  “10 year guarantee,” aren’t we?

The good will tour is expected to continue to Georgia (or perhaps Miller) and Indianapolis, among other stops.

Peugeot’s Relief

Peugeot Sport took apart its three failed diesels and were relieved to find they had not been shot by an Audi ray gun, as was suggested by a regular contributor on americanlemansfans.com. The best news for the rest of us (including Murphy, who has his plane ticket) is that the French announced they’d contest the remaining races of the Intercontinental Le Mans Challenge, including a two-car entry at Petit Le Mans.

Ingolstadt on Hold 

After Herr Doktor Ulrich told a respected radio personality earlier in the spring that a GT program in the American Le Mans Series is “probably the way to go,” Ingolstadt won at Le Mans and continued to talk about the R18 as if there were such a thing. Though a few parts and pieces and some engine development can go forward on whatever “slush funds” Ulrich can tap, major advancement of the program depends on funding approval by Volkswagen’s Management Committee. Dr. Ulrich can’t even ask the board until he has a rule set to build to. The ACO hasn’t yet provided one, and that’s the problem, of course, just as it was in 2008 and 2009. 

Murphy hears the ACO’s in some disarray over the 2011 rules, with raging internal conflicts over details and the potential impact on the 2011 Le Mans entry. They’ve told teams one thing, then released drafts that did something quite different, and, ironically the on-going confusion is doing just what the Frogs fear – impacting the 2011 field. At least one project has been stopped dead in its tracks by the release of the most recent draft.

The GT comment was a bit offhand, a general kind of comment that didn’t necessarily represent a “program in being.” However, continuing rules prevarication from the ACO has caused a GT program to become a much more attractive option to Audi. One source says that the R18 – if it does go ahead – is now a “Le Mans only” car; not LMS, not ALMS, not LMIC – Le Mans ONLY.

Against that background, Murphy heard (and tweeted), “A familiar team is said to be currently setting up shop in Braselton from which it will soon begin preparing an Audi R8 for GT2 in 2011.” The rumor said the ‘familiar team” was Champion Racing, but the Bear decided to dig a little deeper, and discovered the ex-Farnbacher Loles shop is now occupied by Eric Barrett, formerly of Miller –Barrett Racing, and for now it’s all quiet in those digs. Barrett is in Europe; it’s believed he’s trying to lay his hands on one of Zak Brown’s GT3 Audi R8’s. What will he do with it is anyone’s guess. Mild it back to GTC? (Edit: A friend of the Bear’s passed on this note from Eric Barrett:”Please tell Murphy I was on vacation (not on an Audi R8 quest). I retired four months ago.” Consider it done, Eric. The same friend clarifies that Barrett is the owner of the building in which Farnbacher Loles was once a tenant. Murphy hopes that business relationship worked out better for Eric than many deals did for others.

No one in the business who Murphy talks to thinks Volkswagen will eagerly field a competitor in the middle of Porsche’s very profitable 911 GT3 Cup business at a time when Porsche is working to expand those sales. Especially one so expensive as to have to be subsidized by its Audi brand.

If Audi decides on an ALMS GT campaign, it won’t be with an “independent” design. Not that they need to, but Audi sees the Jaguar disaster (and the Chrysler disaster before it) just  as clearly as stuffed animals do.

Murphy doubts Zak Brown will ever end up in the ALMS, anyway. Ol’ Zak’s a NASCAR and Grand Am guy through and through. If you don’t believe him, just ask; John Dagys, of Speedtv.com did. In an interview, Brown said (about racing in FIA GT), that he enjoys being with “the big boys.” In racing, an admitted sycophant will always kiss up to a France and ignore a Panoz, and Zak pretty much laid it out that way. If he races GT cars in the US, it will be in Grand Am, “where there are commercial advantages.” Period.

Zak  would get along just fine with Kevin Buckler, who sidled over the table at which execs for Cort Wagner’s sponsor New Century Mortgage were sitting during the 2004 ALMS Banquet. “You want to play on the big tracks with the big boys next year?” he asked, pitching a Grand Am program with Wagner. They took him up on it. That was just two and a half years before the sub-prime mortgage mill, the subject of numerous Cease and Desist orders from states Attorneys General and a US Justice Department criminal investigation, went broke and was liquidated. The Bear remembers the ALMS New Century “FastQual Awards.” “Fast Qualifying” is pretty easy on liar loans, of course.

Kinetic Motorsports

Murphy was told the Russell Smith and Nic Jonsson racing shop laid off five employees last week. The Kinetic Kia Koup deal apparently isn’t enough to keep everyone gainfully employed

Speaking of Koups

The Bear hears it’s decided. The new Audi R18 will be a closed cockpit.

Nissan iie

Though it’s been quietly considered, no North American Nissan GT racing program for 2011.

Riley the Cat?

There was some sniffing around RSR’s shop by parties interested in fielding a Jag-powered DP, odd to say the least, since the direct injection motor will require significant modification to be Grand Am legal. It’s understood any Cat motor has come from Paul Gentilossi’s shop, so the Indians haven’t thrown Rocket Sports under the bus yet. No interest yet from anyone who would run it in ALMS. Folks following that series has probably seen enough.

The Jag’s electrical problems at Le Mans are being blamed by the team on the Zytek-built (edit: not Zytek, “Stack,” apologies) box the ACO installs on each entry as an engine monitor. According the rumor around Indianapolis, the Jag’s Motec system and the Zytek box couldn’t be made to work together.

The New Indy Car

The IRL’s ICONIC  committee responsible for recommending the new Indy Car have been more secret than an Elk’s Lodge, but Murphy’s heard there will be more than one chassis maker chosen, or perhaps a common tub/undertray chassis that other builders will be able to construct their cars onto. 

The Bear heard Robin Miller knows what has been decided but is keeping his mouth shut. (Since when has that ever happened?) Allegedly, one of the seven ICONIC members told him. Cottman? Long?

X Games

Murphy supposes it was just a matter of time with drifting and all, but Rallycross will be part of the Summer X Games in LA, with Subaru a participant.

Hoosiers Suck

No, not the UI (edit: ”IU” not UI, thanks to Privateer Motorsports) football team (on second thought…), or the whole state, but the tire soon to be rebranded Continental and become the Grand Am spec shoe.

Weekend tests after Daytona at Homestead for the Grand Am teams were a disaster. One prominent team went home early and very dissatisfied. A pro driver did a couple of laps and pronounced the rubber “a good way to kill myself.” Best times were 5 seconds off the March pole. In a long run test, a prominent Mazda pilot ran 1:22/1:23 for 16 laps – about a half stint – before the tires fell off by seven seconds and he finally spun.

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

The Bear decided to delay Paddock Poop 170 for this important and extremely timely A. C. column.-Murphy-

Bad luck? Hardly. According to the Bear’s sources, the Keystone Kops routine was on display all week, from an embarrassing rented transporter that ultimately had to be covered up, to an empty hospitality suite for Jaguar executives and their guests  – no furniture, not even a cup of coffee.

Even the mainstream press had serious doubts about the program continuing once they saw it at Le Mans. The Daily Telegraph, UK’s largest circulation broadsheet newspaper, noted Jaguar’s “approval (of RSR’s official support) became rather strained” at Le Mans. Twenty years after the Tony Dowe-managed XJR-12 win, the Gentilozzi Jag went just 18 minutes 30 seconds into the 24-hour race before expiring. Murphy hears now that Jaguar will likely end its support for the RSR program before the American Le Mans Series gets to Miller. Will Jaguar continue with some other arrangement? Perhaps, but not immediately. Meanwhile, some suggest that since it’s been largely a privateer effort anyway, Gentilozzi may try to continue.

Bavarians aren’t thrilled, either

Jaguar wasn’t the only famous make that had a troubled Le Mans. insiders admit Schnitzer was an embarrassment to BMW, too. The betting is that the Bavarians will – or have – express their unhappiness, but won’t “changing horses.” For now Schnitzer will continue as BMW’s most important racing partner.

Porsche wins Le Mans GT2 – maybe

Le Mans GT2 winners – or not? What could possibly be in doubt about the winning Porsche’s motor that would take until “early next month” to sort out. Some wag wondered if the timing was dependent on “the check clearing.” Meanwhile, any marketing value in having won Le Mans is frittering away – except, of course, Porsche has been happy to claim its 98th class win anyway. Since the runner up Ferrari is also under review, perhaps Porsche feels secure because the third place car is another Porker?

A Dane Sprints – and Likes it

Jan Magnussen had his Sprint Cup series debut and loved it. He called it “fantastic; unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”
“They go two wide and three wide. That’ll never happen in ALMS…here (in NASCAR), they allow you to race and to be two and three wide. Fantastic.”  Yuppers, Jan, the ALMS will pull you into the pits for “avoidable contact.”

Kevin to “Start and Park”

Given the instruction by cash-strapped Kevin Buckler’s TRG to “start and park,” 2000 Cup champion Bobby Labonte decided to walk. Andy Lally will get the opportunity to try to make the field, then park for the cash. That’s good for Andy, who gets a chance to show his skills to the Cup paddock.

Murphy told you about Buckler’s plans for new digs at New Jersey – and his sponsorship troubles – last August. Any chance Buckler’s fancy new shop will progress beyond this photo appears to be fading fast.

Mid-Ohio still “on” for IRL

Murphy’s been sorting through the comments on the 2011 schedule by IndyCar VP Terry Angstadt. Of most import to ALMS fans is his confirmation that Mid-Ohio will remain on the IRL schedule, albeit on a different date, the current one having now been committed to the new-in-2011 Baltimore street race.

With Baltimore and Loudon added, two current events will necessarily be dumped to achieve the series’ preferred 17 events. There could be more, but two seem certain according to Angstadt’s latest comments. Also implied in his remarks to the Elmira (NY) Star Gazette is that any “drops” will be within the events that occur before August on this year’s schedule. Since Long Beach is sacrosanct, it seems certain the only impact on the American Le Mans Series is the changed date for Mid-Ohio. Still to be answered, of course, is whether the ALMS will “follow” the IRL to the new date.

Prototypes Prospects

Expect Highcroft to return as Honda’s “Semi-Official Foot-in-the-Door” entry in Le Mans-style sports car racing. Although there have been statements of interest in an LMP1 engine under the new rules (since that would be a 3.4 liter NA designed-for-racing V8 they actually already have one, don’t they?) what they do will be determined by analysis of the final 2011 IMSA rules (if it and the ACO ever actually get around to publishing those). There’s no way there will be enough prototype entries for the series to restore its LMP1/LMP2 structure, so that class distinction is irrelevant and whichever engine appears to have the best chance to win will be the way this goes.

Murphy similarly thinks you can count on Dyson Racing to return, even though both Mazda money (cut this season) and BP petrodollars (other obligations to worry about) are “problematic” at best. Will Dyson stick to the so-called “little four-banger?” Yes, if the redesigned-for-2010 engine proves to be good over the remainder of this season, and the feeling on the team is it’s off to a pretty good start. As with HPD and Highcroft, the idea of a Dyson “class change” is moot as long as IMSA stays with a single LMP class – which it will do if it isn’t planning seppuku (though it does seem to be working on that).

Autocon’s LMP1 entry depends on Bryan Willman’s largess. He loves to race, but sooner or later will “hit the wall” (see Tom Weickardt). How does the Le Mans disappointment figure in that? Will the team be able to replace Shrek if it needs to? The Bear will score a 2011 return as “probably not.”

Intersport likewise needs one or more Sugar Daddies. Futility got old for Richard Berry, and the new Beverly Hills mark (er, driver) has hardly turned a wheel with a third of the season already gone. It’s a crap shoot to predict a top-class LMP entry for this team the rest of this year, say nothing of next, though the Bear expects continuation of its LMPC and IMSA Lites programs.

There’s some speculation that rule changes could end Cytosport’s Porsche run. Some of that appears to be rooted in an idea that a Porsche LMP1 (not just a modification of the RS Spyder) is imminent. Murphy doesn’t believe it is. So, will Cytosport continue? The team is not (like Highcroft or Dyson) an  ALMS competitor of many years. Greg Pickett is “getting on in years” (his lap times show it). Porsche doesn’t seem eager to support the Spyder (though they will continue to do so if adequately paid). Murphy thinks there’s no more than an “even chance” Pickett and his team will return.

Will Audi return? Yes and no. The “no” first. The R18 is about as substantial as any other video game, meaning it hasn’t made it off the hard drive of the design computer, and won’t until Audi’s board says “jawohl.” 

If it does, Murphy expects to see the new prototype in the Intercontinental Cup events and nowhere else. Herr Doktor Ulrich told a respected radio personality earlier in the spring  that a GT program in the American Le Mans Series is probably the way to go. Murphy would be disappointed if an Audi GT effort was wasted on a GTC entry, but it’s not clear which of those directions (GTC or GT), if any, Audi will finally take.

Everything the Bear hears about Corsa/ARES screams “dead on arrival.” Even the most recent team Facebook update couldn’t find anything more positive to say than “we are in a bit of a holding pattern,” and though they “want to race this year,” the “main concern” is 2011. Murphy puts the odds of even that happening about equal to those he gives to full seasons from Creation and ECO Racing. Both of those are slim and none, hoping in vain for one (or more) of those “sugar daddies,” so much in short supply. It’s a measure of the dearth of interest in racing in the American Le Mans Series that beyond ARES and ECO, Murphy can’t even find a good rumor about 2011 prototype entrants.

Drayson Racing is the one entrant for whom prospects for next season (and this one) have actually improved, due to Labour’s UK election loss. That left Lord Drayson “unemployed,” but now free to take on partners and sponsors. His current Judd V10 will be obsolete by the rules in 2011, and his enthusiasm for losing will be tested at some point (See Bryan Willman), but for now the Bear expect’s the Lord to return.

Unless there’s something out there completely under the radar, the American Le Mans Series top class will include no more than the six entries on this year’s grids with “bumps” in the two Intercontinental Cup races at Sebring and Road Atlanta.

LMP2 Kit Car

Kit car builder Bailey Edwards Cars claims it has six people working on a new-rules LMP2 to be built entirely in South Africa. Nearly two years into the project, there’s nothing to show but Greg Bailey’s chatter about testing in October and some artists drawings. To the Bear it looks like a small-scale US F1. Speaking of whom, they auctioned off US F1’s assets the other day, getting about a million dollars for tools, desks, parts and pieces, the largest of which, one tub, brought a mere $8,000. The You Tube guy, who’s turned out to be more big mouth than big money, seems perfectly happy to let his employees get stiffed on the pay due them. Class.

Peugeot’s Plan

Peugeot’s plan to participate in Petit – or in any of the remaining Intercontinental Cup and Le Mans Series races remains in some doubt. At the start of the season, it was Sebring oui, and PLM non. Then they said PLM ( and China) ouah! (Murphy dutifully booked his trip.) Following the Le Mans debacle, though, reports spread that it was now ah non Petit! (At least.) “Directly from the boss,” wrote one of the Bear’s trusted sources. Whatever. Girls and Frogs reserve the right to change their minds – often. As long as Paddy’s is open, Murphy will be happy.

Where’s T-Mobile?

 An article appearing in “Wall Street 24/7” lists the “10 Brands Most Likely to Disappear” T-Mobile, Kia, BP, Blockbuster, RadioShack, Moody’s, Merrill Lynch. Murphy had to laugh when he saw T-Mobile on that list. The chuckleheads ripping the poor Bear lately are the same ones who were touting VICI Racing’s Porsche T-Mobile sponsorship as “all set for 2010.” Murphy’s still looking for it…maybe later? Hey, corporate budget cycles don’t work like that – approving 2010 money in early 2009. What you saw in 2009 was all that was committed. 2010 was just hope – or hooey. The Bear told you as much.

Abruzzi

Le Mans was something short of a complete success for Don, Danny and the rest of the Braselburg gang. The Abruzzi made it across the Atlantic, but worries it might not make it around cancelled its scheduled demo laps. After a run up and down a nearby airport runway revealed a little problem or two (including wrong-length pushrods – “hey, we were in a hurry”), the Italian-inspired automotive sculpture became a static display at Le Mans, and remains in Europe. Parts packages are headed to Winchester, Virginia, so it’s now up to Tom Milner to see if he can build a racer. According to an observer, “It’s 75-1 on making PLM…against.”

A friend of Murphy’s asked, “Is Jaguar an endangered species? At Sebring, the car smoked more than a hookah in Istanbul. This is not doing the Jaguar reputation for reliability any good.” The Bear asks, “What reputation?” Ok, there were the Castrol/Silk Cut and D types. But any more of this…

The Bear has heard not a few in the paddock are wondering how large a check Tata wrote to the ACO for the Rocketsports’ Le Mans invitation. Now Bill Riley is on board to do what he can before June. Murphy hears several team owners from the ALMS, GA, and IRL have made contact with Jag about taking over the program. The smart money is on a European operation that’s been talking to Tata HQ in India. The car will have to get to Le Mans, and then perform substantially better that it has thus far, or it will be a very quick exit for Rocketsports.

I’m Daniel Orr, and I’m a Grand Am Driver

Before Momentum Race Group’s transporter had even returned from Daytona, Daniel Orr and Jordon Musser had put together a contract that would see them in the AmSource Capital/Monster Graphix #06 Camaro GS.R for the entire 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race schedule. So wrote Momentum’s press flack in February.

That all ended in another one of those spectacular race-driver-arrested stories. Daniel J. Orr, 40, went into the Space Coast Credit Union branch in Palm Coast, Florida and tried to open an account with a $63,000 check, Flagler County sheriff’s spokeswoman Debra Johnson said.

A hold was put on the account until the check cleared, but it never did because officials from Wells Fargo Bank, where the check supposedly was issued, said the account number wasn’t valid.

Orr claimed the problem occurred because the account was dormant for a while, and returned a few days later with a second check for $65,000. When another hold was placed on the account, an unknown woman called and claimed to be the branch manager. She ordered the hold to be lifted, the report states.

Orr then cashed two checks, $400 each, before bank officials noticed the hold was lifted. “The investigation indicates that Mr. Orr has done this in other states and other areas in South Florida,” Sheriff Donald Fleming said in a statement. “He told bank officials that he had a significant amount of money in that account and wanted to move it to a local account so he could live off it, until he got his new found racing career going.”

 Orr was charged with two counts of grand theft and two counts of organized fraud to scheme. He remained at the Flagler County Inmate Facility on Wednesday on $45,000 bail.

Trophies by El Cheapo, Inc.

The Bear is hearing that the ALMS’ 2010 trophies are el cheapo specials of the kind your nine-year-old might get for Pinewood Derby “participation.” Another observer called them “a workshop project.” In one of the dumbest excuses for penury the Bear’s heard yet, someone at the series said they had to be “downsized so the Tequila girls could handle them.” So, get bigger and stronger girls. Besides, the girls don’t need to hand you the trophy; a hug and kiss will do. Let Hindy handle the hardware.

What’s Big Mac doin’?

The Bear hears McLaren and the ACO are in talks about something or other.

Abruzzi Explained

Tom Milner is designing – and will build – the race car in Winchester, Virginia. Danny and the boys at Elan will build some road cars so the race car meets homologation requirements. Elan Motorsports Technology is manufacturing some tooling and perhaps a bit of bodywork. Meanwhile, It’s the classic race car first strategy.

Where is Miller Barrett?

Miller Barrett Racing announced it would skip Grand Am’s Barber round – and perhaps more – because Grand Am rules, even with recent revisions, leave Porsche’s iconic 911 uncompetitive in its Cup form. Kevin Buckler’s TRG quickly followed suit, leaving just two second-tier-team 911’s in the Barber GT field. None of this will surprise the Bear’s readers, of course, since he told you last year that Porsche was cutting its support for Grand Am, and teams would naturally follow Weissach out the door.

However, that’s still not the whole story. As Murphy advised over Twitter last week, “Miller Barrett Racing won’t do Barber with its Porsche; read the Bear next week for where they’ll be and what they’ll be doing instead.” The clue to that (if Murphy’s sources are correct, of course) was in a little noticed line in the same Miller Barrett presser: “We understand that other rule adjustments are under consideration, and we respectfully await those decisions.”

While the rest of the Grand Am gang is at Barber, Miller Barrett will be at Road Atlanta testing a Porsche 911 Cup with a 3.8 liter RSR motor, the Bear’s been told. Rumor has it that Greg Loles snuck a 3.8 through tech at least twice last season, and TRG may have done so another time.

Why all the sturm und drang? Another line in that press release is telling: (Along with the unibody “Prep 1” Porsches , Grand Am allows) “modified production or tube-frame chassis (Prep 2). Although series rules attempt to equalize the different manufacturers’ cars, the Porsche has been uncompetitive against the new Prep 2 cars.”

Note the reference to “modified production…chassis.” Murphy bets y’all thought Prep 2 meant “tube frame.” It’s not that simple. It’s not against just the Mazda, but also the Corvette – a Prep 2 tube frame – on the pole at Homestead, and new “modified production chassis” waiting in the wings that Porsche teams know they will struggle with the engine-hanging-in-the-back 911, unless they get a “game changer.” The 3.8 RSR engine (and its transmission) is rumored to be that game changing “other rule adjustment under consideration.” Even if it is “a bit expensive,” Murphy said, with characteristic understatement.

Sebring Quote of the Year

A GT2 driver, “What is up with Jaguar?  Did Gentilozzi pack the car in the transporter following the Laguna Seca finale and then simply unload at Sebring in March of 2010?”

Sebring Quote of the Year, Runner-up

“What’s Don been spending his money on? Certainly not this track.”

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