Pratt & Miller is in pre-build engineering a Caddy for GM. What effect on other GM programs, if any? Seemingly nothing for ALMS fans, since Murphy’s been told that Corvette Racing (the Pratt & Miller American Le Mans Series program in its entirety, he believes) has been approved/funded by GM to race through the 2013 season.

Over at Grand Am it’s different, where GM is pressuring teams to ditch their Corvettes in favor of Camaros – or Camaro look-alikes. So where does the Caddy go? We’ve seen a CTS-V running around the Nurburgring lately…not sayin’…just sayin’…

Grand Am Help Wanted?

A well-known native New Yorker, laid off in recent major Daytona Prototype Grand Am team “reorganization” was  seen at lunch will ALMS team owner. Did he come away with a job offer to help with the new Grand Am program?

BMW  Turbulence

It’s rumored in Europe that BMW will radically cut racing programs in 2011, most pushed aside for 2012 DTM. Less affected (whatever that means) will be the American Le Mans Series program, which has separate, North American, funding. Murphy hopes that means the Rahal cars will be on the track for the entirety of the 2011 schedule – however many events that turns out to be.

Retirement – or Not

Long-time ALMS driver Chris McMurry retired after the 2009 season. Now – in the fine tradition of Michael Jordan and Brett Favre – he’s itching to go racing again and almost certainly will be back in ALMS next year. Sure enough, McMurry has shown up listed as a driver on the LNT Zytek at Silverstone. Does that mean Autocon will swap the Lola for the Zytek in 2011? Or is that driver independent of Autocon and of future plans?

Lizards Live, and Cats, too

Contrary to rumors reported earlier by Murphy, the demise of the Flying Lizards has been much exaggerated. He hears they’re committed to a 2011 return.

Rocket Sports Racing Jaguar will also be back for another go in 2011. That sound you hear is a sigh of relief from David, Ed, and Seth.

 Mosport

The facilities at Mosport are a long-running joke in the ALMS community, and nothing draws more ire than the media center. It’s run-down, cramped, and in a communications black hole. But don’t bother expressing your displeasure. You just might be told if you don’t like it, you don’t have to come back.

With the IT guy unavailable because he was moonlighting in track security, the Bear grudginly has to give credit to management for keeping close watch on the Don’s Loonies and Toonies.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and Petit Le Mans.

It appears that the new world championship won’t contribute much to Petit Le Mans this season. First, in some some classes, there’s no need for teams to travel between continents. For instance, in GT2 it’s a manufacturer’s championship, to which a combination of teams can contribute. So, for Ferrari there’s no point in sending a European team to Road Atlanta; Risi Competizione and Extreme Speed can carry Maranello’s banner. It’s the same for BMW (Schnitzer at Silverstone, RLR at Road Atlanta), and Porsche. Petit will get the Peugeot and Audi diesels, but it’s always gotten those anyway, and might have this year with or without the cup. There’s a chance we’ll see a couple of LMP2 entries, a pair of Saleens for the otherwise empty GT1, and maybe the Signature Aston Martin. That’s the maximum, according to Murphy’s sources – four diesels and five other entries.

Other additions include second cars for Robinson Racing and Rocket Sports, an Abruzzi (maybe), and an electric Porsche (the Bear likes to call it that), Libra Racing’s Radical. Will Add the 34 ALMS “regulars” to that, and total entries are 48. The ACO in its ILMC page also predicts there will be 48. Are Murphy and the Frogs missing someone?

Schedule Follies

After a decade of announcing its schedule at a multi-media Friday event at Petit Le Mans, the Braselburg Brain Trust tossed it out over a month ahead at a hastily-called Road America presser with the Big Boss sitting alone in front of a Road America banner with a hand-held mike. The Bear’s invite got lost in the mail, so he had to depend on his friends for the poop.

The thing turned out to be as fictional as many of the paddock rumors Murphy writes about. Miller’s “out,” as the paddock expected, and Baltimore is “in.” It was a bit ominous to some of the Bear’s woodland friends that the release tagged a race as TBD (determined), than the far more certain TBA (announced). That worry was well placed. Baltimore (the TBA) came through (Murphy had reported that Baltimore insiders were anxious for its announcement weeks ago) but Oklahoma City (the TBD) cratered. Neither outcome was a surprise.

Road America is back, after rumor (and speculation) to the contrary. That’s a mild surprise because the sports car event is now likely no better than 5th in drawing fans to the picturesque Kettle Moraine region track, after the Nationwide stockers, AMA Superbikes, Brian Redman’s little cook-out, and the SCCA National Championship run-offs. Did a sanction fee cut keep one of Murphy’s favorite race courses on the schedule?

But why the early announcement? It’s good Murphy’s Braselburg Mole is on the job. The sleeper agent’s bugs in a conference room on Broadway were able to catch this:

(background noise unintelligible)
Unidentified Voice: …that stupid bear thinks Road America will drop off the schedule. (laughter)
Media Honcho:  He got the Baltimore thing, though. (silence)
TV Guy:  Hasn’t everybody? (laughter)
Media Honcho:  But the Bear reported the Baltimore committee is waiting for us.
Big Boss:  I refuse to read that stupid stuffed animal. What does he say about Oklahoma City?
Media Honcho:  He doesn’t believe it will happen.
Big Boss:  Well, we’ve got him there, then, don’t we?
(Here there’s a long pause; has there been a bug failure?)
TV Guy: (quietly, breaking into the silence)  He says Miller will not be back.
Big Boss: (angry or frustrated)   I wish we could keep something secret around here. I thought we had that damned mole, but he’s still lurking around here somewhere. I want him found! (bangs table). (more quietly) Sorry, it just makes me so mad.
Chief Sycophant:   They still think we’re going to have a bigger schedule on the forums. One “best guess” was 12 races.
Big Boss:   So?
Chief Sycophant: (sputtering)   Well, I thought…ah…that, well…that would be good…that you’d like that, Big Boss…(trails off)
Big Boss: (with determination)  We’ll have ten, that’s more than this year. And that damnable Bear thinks it will be just eight. Let’s announce it and stop all this stuff. Besides, the stuffed one will be wrong, then, won’t he?
TV Guy:  But…but…it’s not final yet.
Big Boss: Close enough. Have you check arranged the TV stuff?
TV Guy:  Do we have to announce that?
Big Boss: I suppose we can do that later…
IMSA VP Guy: I’ve been working on the schedule this year.
Big Boss: (irritated)  You have?
IMSA VP Guy: (tentatively) You asked me to…
Big Boss: Ah, yes, I guess I did. So?
IMSA VP Guy:  There might be changes after the announcement.
Big Boss: It wouldn’t be the first time, would it?
IMSA VP Guy: I suppose not….
Big Boss: That’s it then. The announcement will be in Wisconsin, we’ll say we’re doing it early for the teams, sponsors, yadda, yadda, and act like it’s all set. If it has to change later, then so be it.
Sycophant Guy: (eagerly)  Yes, boss.
Media Hondo: Yes, boss.
IMSA VP Guy: Yes, boss.
TV Guy:  Yes, boss.
Big Boss: That’s what I like to hear.

The Bear has absolutely no idea who those guys on that audio are, nor whether it has anything to do with the American Le Mans Series. It’s probably fiction and likely just coincidental that at Road America the Big Boss announced a schedule of ten races later reduced to nine, with an 11 week gap in the middle which later changed to 12, with a date for PLM that later changed, and a date for Mosport that later changed, too. Of the ten race dates announced at Road America, six will actually happen as announced – so far.

It seems that Braselburg isn’t done adding to the 2011 schedule yet. Not all of you frequent the independent American Le Mans Series fan forum (Murphy recommends it), so the Bear got permission to post this item  about an expected 2011 ALMS event.

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

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.”

Will Mid-Ohio be history?

The American Le Mans Series could lose its Mid-Ohio round next season. Murphy previously heard the sale of the track is possible – there have been discussions, and a  price has been named – and recently when directly asked, the IRL’s boss was non-committal about a return. That might mean the Honda company picnic is headed for the dustbin. If so, will a Mid-Ohio management that’s paying close attention to its balance sheet and P&L risk the rather large ALMS sanction fee absent the open wheel guys and the built-in Honda crowd?

Grand Am goes to Indy

Meanwhile, it seems certain that Grand Am is going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2011. So was the chatter around the Lime Rock paddock, anyway.

Corvette to get some love

In keeping with its “rolling rule revisions” policy (greasing the latest squeaky wheel), expect a bulletin giving a little love to the Corvettes as early as tomorrow (June 10). So far, the machinations of the Grand Am rule mill have left America’s sports car right where it started the season, while Porsche’s gotten major breaks, including a whole new motor. (That hasn’t brought the Porkers back, though, has it?) Mazda’s “support has been appreciated.”

Are the gnomes pissed off, or what?

The gnomes who inhabit the overstuffed chairs at de l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest seem to like Bavarians not better more than they did Count von Bismarck and Erich Ludendorff, and for sure Dietrich von Choltitz is a comparative favorite, especially in Paris. When the Bimmers showed up, the frogs hit them with a restrictor reduction. That seems to have put the designated German fall-guys 6 seconds off the GT2 pole (so far) instead of just 4. Our frog friends never have gotten over being jilted in 2001, have they? Besides, if you’re “appreciative of the support” of  the other two Deutsche builders, national pride requires you beat up on  ‘the other Boche”.

This morning the Bear woke up

To the end of GT1 (finally, it’s been “dead man walking” for years). Then there’s the much awaited ”other” GT class. The ACO has added a Used Car Class. Same as GT2, with one year old (and older) cars, and old drivers – well, amateur drivers who tend to be old, anyway, having made a pile of cash (too often in various ponze schemes, and in the the agricultural importing business). Great, another class that adds no new cars (without building a GT first, and waiting a year, a make can’t have a GT-amateur entry), and that’s entirely head-scratching for spectators (who cares about them anyway). Is IMSA going to follow this nonsense? Meanwhile, the market for GT1 cars is now exactly four.

How about an Excalibur? (Abruzzi II)

Well, now you’ve seen the Abruzzi. Murphy gave you the dirty little secret in Paddock Poop 167 – that it’s the ultimate (well, not really that good) kit car, built on an old Esperante GTLM chassis developed in Toronto, not Georgia. Throw on new body panels (bang on them ‘til they fit), and presto. The problem is, there’s nothing about this car that can be certified by US DOT, so make it “exclusive,” and maybe some sand box sheikdom with more oil money than good sense will buy a few. Well, at least Tom Milner (if he gets the race work) will recognize the chassis, won’t he? A prominent race engineer asked the Bear, “Can you imagine a wing on that thing?” Murphy would much rather have an Excalibur SS if he has to have a kit car – or maybe a faux 550 Spyder on a VW.

Farewell to the oil burners

There’s a good chance this is not just the end of the line for the 908 and the R15, but for diesel prototypes, and any prototypes from Peugeot or Audi. That rumble is so load it’s a roar.

Prognostications

A snake says anyone could do Murphy’s predictions in the ALMS. Probably true, but that’s a pretty sad commentary on the state of that series, isn’t it? Of course his point is that that LMPC and GT Challenge aren’t so predictable. That’s true, too…but neither is Nord Stern’s “Last Fling” at Brainerd. That doesn’t turn the Bear’s crank, either.

Here’s what Murphy thinks will happen at the little track in Le Sarthe:

A diesel will win LMP1.

Something with an HPD motor will win LMP2.

Murphy doesn’t care what wins GT1.

A Ferrari will win GT2.

Yearbook Awards, Class of 2010

Most likely to succeed: Peugeot, of course.

Most likely to be “first out”: Tie, JLOC Lambo and RSR Jag. (Dis)honorable Mention: Spyker Squadron

Fast Driver, LMP: Simon Pagenaud

Fast Driver, GT2: Jaime Melo

Slow Driver, LMP: Someone in a Norma (Shrek, you’re off the hook.)

Slow Driver, GT2: Way too many candidates, including at least one in a Ferrari, and a few in Porsches, a Spyker pilot. (This is a real contest!)

Worst Team Name (non-descriptive category): Young Driver AMR

USF1 closed the doors without paying its employees at noon today. Ken Anderson slunk out the back door without a word to those headed for North Carolina’s unemployment office…but that could be problematical.

The staff was told this was a “furlough while a reorganization” could take place. So, don’t pay the staff? Strikes the Bear as the same kind of manure Anderson and company’s been shoveling all along. Windsor was also nowhere to be found around the Charlotte facility when the staff was given the bad news. Perhaps we’ve seen the end of both of them?

Consider this: Murphy believes that by putting its employees on “unpaid leave,” while claiming they are “technically employed” USF1 makes them unable to collect unemployment compensation from North Carolina. It also saves USF1 from being responsible for those payments. The Bear’s waiting to hear how those applications for compensation are treated.

Murphy was quiet after his comments February 23, mostly because this train was on the tracks. The short version is that Charlie would report complete disarray in Charlotte (hell, he might just have read the Bear and saved the airfare), and the FIA would pull the entry, with only a glimmer of hope that a bond might secure the team’s grid spot for 2010. Now that latter seems to be the “official story” – that the staff is only being furloughed, and will be called back. Murphy really believes that’s true – he’s got friends in Charlotte – but doesn’t believe it will work out that way.

During the Bear’s holiday from this story, he was entertained by F1 bloggers who claimed all kinds of nonsense, the best of which was that “Hurley was being blocked by Anderson.” Murphy’s just a stuffed animal, but he knows enough math to know that 1 vote doesn’t beat 4. The same bloggers cooked up a long list of “agreements” to  merge with Campos, or Stefan F1. It’s always been hard to make sense of those things. Possible? Maybe, since Campos is still looking for a way to cure its default on the Dallara. But none of it likely. Deck chairs on the Titanic.

 There’s an assumption, it seems,  that dreaming up an idea to put video on the web makes one a competent businessman. It clearly doesn’t. The principal dithered, sending his friend hither and yon when action to fix the core problem was long overdue. The time to fix this was in October, and was long since past by December. Sending poor Parris to Italy and Spain in February didn’t even have the advantage of nice Mediterranean weather – the time for that was October.

Murphy made the case for the major management change public in February, but it was already a forlorn hope. There was no Obi-Wan waiting in the wings.

 Complicating whatever comes next is that Frank Williams and his friends in the middle of the grid are as likely to invite the left-over Toyota program join them as chickens are to invite the cat into the henhouse. A little understanding of the concorde – short version again, money is distributed on the basis of the season’s total points scored – is all that’s needed to know that Stefan F1 might cost Frank tens of millions of dollars.

Fiction: Where is T-Mobile?

So far no VICI for Sebring. The so-called “T-Mobile deal,” never made much sense to stuffed animals, even if it was popular in forums as an excuse for VICI “no-shows.”  Whether or not VISI shows up, with or without T-Mobile, corporations budget for the immediately following fiscal year, normally in a cycle that begins will submissions no later than September and decisions early in the fourth quarter.

Irrelevance: Audi disses ‘the platform’

Since we’re on the subject of Sebring, Audi will test for four days immediately following the 12 Hours. Not with a ‘transition’ car, but with an R15 version that’s fully compliant with 2010 ACO rules. So the ‘blame’ (Murphy did his share) on Peugeot for blocking a transition car at Sebring seems to have been overtaken by events. The fact is that during the week when the American Le Mans Series in on the track at Sebring, a pair of fully functional, shaken-down, brand new, ready-to-race R15’s will be sitting inside a transporter nearby. Now Braselburg looks stupid, or irrelevant, or both. In any case, Audi doesn’t give a flying eff to show up for the biggest race on the ALMS schedule. Some ‘platform.’ Explain that, Braselburgers.

‘Whatever’ Department

In response to a forum assertion that a friend of the Bear’s was a “good friend” of the Braselburg boss, the Bear’s been told that “Through the 2006 season, perhaps it was ‘friendly acquaintances.’ If memory serves, the last thing Mr. Atherton said to me, at the 2006 awards banquet, was ‘Are those real, or are they just for looks, like a doorman?’ (About United States military medal miniatures properly worn on a tux lapel.) It’s been pretty much downhill since then.”

Grand Larceny: Loles

United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware has published the list of creditors of now-defunct Farnbacher Loles Partners, LLC, including dollar amounts for the ‘20 largest.’ Here are the ‘highlights’ of the 88 total unsecured creditors:

As reported here before, Pratt & Miller, $930,000. Others of note, Christian Zugel, $390,000; Dick (sic) Werner $120,500; Jon (sic) Tancredi $350,000; PMNA (whoops, they’ve done it again, does Solo Al ring a bell, guys?) $190,000; Christopher Lux $500,000, Michael Marsal, $175,000. Good grief, when would-be drivers want to go racing they park all their business sense at the door, don’t they?

Citibank is out a quarter million on a line of credit, and $120,000 on a credit card, of all things! Even the Porsche Club of America gave this turkey credit. He owes poor Marion for his meals, and Murphy’s friend Sylvia for his 2008 PR work (he could use a bit of that, now, couldn’t he? Even Sylvia, the best in the business, couldn’t do much with this crook).  The top twenty creditors sum to the far side of $4 million.

Hype: Patrón

Nineteen days to Sebring. Any sign of life from that ‘presenting sponsorship?’ The Bear’s just askin’.

Then grab a beer, take a sip, and wait for the Aston Martin. After that, take a little roll on the air mattress with the Significant Other, have a brat, open another beer, take a hit (of the beer or something else), count to ten, and here comes the third “pod,” Autocon, Intersport, and Drayson. (If you didn’t bring a S.O. – or rent one – have another brew, or maybe some of Gus the Gator’s Sebring Hooch Juice.) Really, since they’re creating new classes, ALMS ought to award three trophies in LMP1.

Murphy’s not sure LMP2 will be behind LMP1; actually, you’ll probably miss the LMP2 parade on the mattress, if not during that first beer. Highcroft, Cytosport, and Dyson promise to give us a pretty good race. Here’s hoping some “C”doesn’t take one or more out. If so, use it as an excuse for another trip to the mattress.

The Bear has no idea where the “C” protos will end up. A tire barrier? The paddock? One of his elves says these cars haven’t been run on anything like Sebring (Euro tracks are smoother and slipperier than…oh, never mind) so don’t assume they’ll be all that bullet proof. Six seem to be “official,” and “ready” (meaning they’ve got a car, drivers, and cash) – Primetime, Intersport, Genoa, Level 5, Green Earth Team Gunnar, and PR1.

Others might have a car – or not. Drivers – or not. Cash – or not. (The cash would be related mostly to the driver thing.) Those include Alex Job Racing, rumored to have a car in the shop and Comprent, which went fishing for funded drivers a while back (no sign they’ve landed one).

GT2 is as good as it’s ever been (in Bear memory, anyway). That would be in large part because this is the first Sebring for Corvette Racing, and pair of BMW’s with a season of development. They join Risi Competizione Ferraris (Tracey Krohn might be there with a Merc, instead, but Murphy thinks the odds are that’s later in the season), one of which will compete at the sharp end, and Flying Lizard Porsches – again, one will compete, one will drive around. AF Corse will contribute a competitive Ferrari.

Then it gets a little dicey. The Bear doesn’t think Extreme Speed’s Ferraris are good enough to be in the mix at the front; they may mix it up with the Jag for as long as the Cat lasts. In some order, Robertson, Black Swan, and Falken will bring up the rear.

Murphy knows Alex and Holly will be on hand with a pair of “C” class Cup cars. Expect single entries for P7, GMG (the Bear did a double-take, thinking maybe a ‘professional grade’ truck), Kelly-Moss, and Velox. There’s hope Melanie and Martin will be on hand, but they didn’t participate in support series testing, nor are they on the ALMS winter test entry. Of course, they’re pretty good on this track, having won (among other races) GT1 in the 1999 Florida debut of the American Le Mans Series. With six already accounted for, Murphy thinks you can count on eight GT Challenge entries.

In terms of total entries, the Bear accepts that the two Challenge classes have rescued the ALMS from embarrassingly small grids. They’ll account for 14 of 38 Sebring entries, if Murphy’s right. Attendance slipped last season – worse as the season went on – leaving the Bear to wonder how a field heavily dependent on spec cars will ‘sell.’ It seems contrary to the interests of ‘traditional sports car fans.’ Murphy remembers Roger using that phrase introducing Daytona Prototypes.

What will the entry look like in the rest of the season? With no unexpected losses, there will be six prototypes after Long Beach (Aston Martin stays for that one). The Bear’s not yet convinced that there will be two Jags, but he’ll count two here. He also hears Krohn will be around for the whole season – in something. So add a Jag and subtract the AF Corse Ferrari – it stays at 15 after Sebring, and likely through the remainder of the season. Add fourteen challenge entries; expect a grid of 35 at Laguna Seca and beyond. That’s exactly the number that Atherton’s been using in interviews. If that doesn’t turn your crank, there’s Petit Le Mans, where you can expect a substantially better entry for a designated Intercontinental Cup stop.

To help you get kill time between prototypes at Sebring Murphy’s passing along this little recipe from his friend Gus.

Gus the Gator’s Sebring Hooch Juice

1 gal cut-up fruit – apple, pineapple, watermelon, pear, peaches – anything you want, fresh or canned
4 oranges (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
4 lemons (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
4 limes squeezed (quarter, squeeze, put peels in hooch)
1 jar maraschino cherries w/o stems
1 Liter Bacardi 151 rum
1 Liter Everclear (ethanol, if you want to be official)
1 Liter Vodka – any flavor
1 46 oz. can or 2 liter bottle of fruit punch
2 2 liter bottles lemon-lime soda (sprite, 7up, etc.)
1 bag – or block – ice

Mix in large cooler, wash tub or anything else that will hold about five gallons.

Gus recommends that some fruit gets into each cup. He admits he missed the race and a lady friend embarked on a new career. The Bear thinks this is a great way for the gals to get warmed up to go out and collect a few beads. Neither Gus nor Murphy assume any responsibility for blindness, getting run over by a Sebring buggy, drowning in a mosh pit, or anything else.

Sebring and Petit Le Mans will  be different, not just in degree, but in kind, from the other races on the American Le Mans Series schedule in that they will run ACO classes to ACO class rules. That means that LMP-1 and 2, and GT-1 and 2 entrants will be required to adhere to the French club’s weight, restrictor, and aerodynamic rools for Le Mans, the Le Mans Series, and the Intercontinental Cup. The principle impact is to keep the prototype classes – such as they are – separated.

The new IMSA spec classes – LMP-C, and GT-C – will be allowed to compete alongside the “official” ACO-recognized racers (a version of LMP-C will also be allowed by the LMS this season).

Murphy has been given the best thinking, speculation, and inside knowledge of all his elves. That still leaves more than one ‘gap,’ but for now, here is the consensus of the Bear’s forest creature friends (aka elves).

LMP-P (Peugeot Class) – Barring a change of heart because of a lack of competition, Peugeot is in. Given they are the cause of no competition, having vetoed an ACO-accepted “interim” Audi, the Bear expects the Frogs to show. This is worse than Audi’s diesel domination, occurring years after the diesel advantage should have been resolved, and in a race in which competition (Audi) was possible, but rejected due to Peugeot’s narrow self-interest and the lack of balls in Georgia. The Frogs will score a meaningless – perhaps Pyrrhic – victory. One of the Bear’s elves took exception to that, writing “There are no meaningless wins at Sebring.” Murphy sees his point, and agrees given Sebring’s historic place in racing, so he’ll put it this way: If the political leverage of an entrant could render Sebring less than it should be, this is it. If the current care-takers of this race – ALMS/IMSA – had a sense of its importance (much greater than their own) they’d at least strongly protest. Audi could seize the moral high ground here, of course, by “facilitating” a Kolles entry (or two) of the R10 – a driver or two, a bit of engineering, etc., etc. – things they did with Champion.

LMP-1 – With the French diesels in their own race, LMP-1 is mostly left to privateers, three of which are confirmed or certain (Intersport, Drayson, and Autocon) one “maybe” (Corsa), and two “when hell freezes over”: Creation and an unidentified, but rumored, Lola Aston Martin (the latter having gone to a collector, according to the Bear’s best sources). Murphy leans toward expecting only the three currently “confirmed” privateer entries to make the Sebring grid. The Bear’s heard that Oreca may return to North America with a Sebring entry of its AIM-powered 01. What? Not the Peugeot 908 they have agreed to race in the LMS and alongside the factory entries at Le Mans? Not according to Murphy’s source, leaving the Bear scratching his furry head. He’ll rate this one just “possible.” That still leaves his likely LMP-1 (exclusive of diesels) entry at three.

LMP-2 – These will be the best of then non-diesel entries (again proving that absent artificially slowing these guys down, the prototype world is upside down). Highcroft, Dyson, and Cytosport will enter an Acura, Lola-Mazda, and Porsche Spyder each. Any or all of the three could enter a second car; Murphy’s odds on that are Highcroft 4-1 against, Dyson 2-1 (an elf rates this probable), and Cytosport 3-2, the latter’s better odds based on rumor of a direct interest by Porsche in adding a Spyder to a race they could well win overall (if the Peugeots find trouble along the way). A rumored OAK Racing Pescarolo falls into the Bear’s infamous “when hell freezes over,” category. On balance then, Murphy thinks we might end up with (figuring, in his usual optimistic way, that one of the “big three” will be able to field a second car) four total LMP-2 entries.

Total “legitimate” prototypes on the grid will be nine.

GT-1 – Won’t be any.

GT-2 – (Except for Sebring and Petit, just “GT”) Corvette will be there, as will BMW, Porsche and Ferrari, each represented by a sort-of-quasi-more-or-less-factory team, Pratt & Miller for Corvette, Rahal Letterman Racing for BMW, Flying Lizards for Porsche, and Risi Competizione for Ferrari. Of those the “less” in terms of factory participation/support Ferrari, and the “more” is Corvette. Those “premier” teams account for 7 entries, and are “confirmed.” Also certain-to-be on hand are three more Ferraris (2 Sharp’s Extreme team, and 1 AF Corse), a Falken Porsche, and a Robertson Ford. Some of the elves count Rocket Sport’s Cat as a sure thing, but the Bear isn’t entirely convinced. There have been rumors of significant (and expensive) homologation problems. He’ll call it “probable.” The Black Swan Porsche is a “maybe” – Murphy thinks there’s an even chance they’ll land in GT Challenge instead. There’s rumor of an unidentified Porsche floating around, too ephemeral to get above “doubtful” in the Bear’s pantheon. Twelve, then, one probable, two less likely. Taken together, perhaps 13 starters?

So, before we get to the spec/club racer specials, the Sebring field totals just 22.

The field filler doesn’t add much – aesthetically or numerically. In LMP Challenge, four are “possible,” but only one (Intersport) is “confirmed” thus far, and even in that case the Bear’s waiting for the Ohio team to name a second driver-with-a-budget. (Murphy’s heard Richard Berry has finally sold his Lola and assorted parts to the Fields, however.) None of the others (Comprent, Genoa, and Gunnar) can be considered to be firm entries; two of three would seem likely. Three on the grid, then.

GT Challenge? That’s an interesting question. Remember this class is made up of racers that originally set out to do a few short sprints in a one-driver, one-make series. Sebring’s 12 hours is a huge jump. Murphy’s been told to expect something closer to the low side of an entry rumored to be between 5 and 9. Other imput – from an “insider” – says the self imposed limit of 10 will be fully subscribed. Professional prevaricator he is, the Bear will go with 7.

So there you have it. Twenty-two cars based on last year’s classes – the structure we’ve had for about a decade. Add the “new stuff,” (field filler of little interest, at least to Bears) and you’ve got 32; just one more than the Bear predicted about this time in 2009. Only 26 actually started that 2009 race – Murphy told you he’s the eternal optimist. Whether the “filler” keeps the 58th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring from being a disaster is an individual judgment. The Bear knows what he thinks.

Around the Paddock

With a lousy ALMS entry anticipated, the potential for a strong LMS entry is striking. What gives? Is the economy worse here than in Europe? (Not really.) Is the ALMS’ “green” initiative hurting rather than helping (Their European cousins are still promoting great racing, so probably.) Does the North American sports car endurance “split” continue to hurt? (Undoubtedly, according to European Car’s motorsport editor in its January issue, “Something’s gotta give, as the saying goes. As CART and the IRL have shown, nothing lasts forever. Both GA and the ALMS have seen their grid numbers fall considerably… Insiders expect both series to chug along but eventually the bottom line will force the issue.”)

The Bear hears rumblings of infighting amongst the Braselburgers, undoubtedly symptomatic of declining fields and finances, particularly in critical television-related revenues (including “wrap-around” contracts with manufacturers).

The new guy in charge of IMSA rools side of things is riling teams and others over what’s to be done with/to prototypes in 2010. Not just disagreement with content, but failure to consider teams’ input, and now delay in getting the rools settled.

There’s growing disaffection amongst Sebring fans with the stewardship of Sebring in recent years. The ACO marginalized its importance in regard to Le Mans by selecting its field before the Florida classic’s green flag. With its preoccupation with being green, logos, and cute lights in the sides of cars, the ALMS has presided over a steady decline in Sebring fields. That will be just one of the things that bites its butt in this and coming seasons.

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

With Le Mans behind us – an perhaps too much time on everyone’s hands – the rumors of a Grand Am-ALMS merger/acquisition came roaring back. A.C. surreptitiously met with Murphy at a Daytona watering hole, dutifully reported by the Bear in  130. Shocking news at a Clandestine Meeting.

Soon after, Grand Am sources added even more information, even as Miller abandoned the story. Finally, ALMS reacted, a source telling the Bear the whole thing was a disinformation campaign floated from Daytona, something the Braselburgers claimed was a regular tactic of their Florida antagonists. 

All that blew over by mid-month (except for SA’s “We’re Not For Sale” button at Lime Rock), so Murphy turned to the soap opera in F1 with a story about Bernie’s ouster. That was, it seems, premature.

At Lime Rock a rumor surfaced of an “equivalency” formula for DP’s, reported in Murphy’s after-Lime Rock Paddock Poop 132. Ultimately that went nowhere, but the real story behind it was likely the addition to the ALMS field of the spec LMPC’s. Just about the same thing for many endurance sports car fans. They look better than DP’s but are just as much – no, more – outside the historical spirit of the sport.

There was also a great deal of “background noise” about ALMS finally dropping GT1 (which had already been “a dead man walking” for years) and re-combining LMP (they’d achieved that finally in a 2008 season that will likely go down as the high water mark of the series before (stupidly) abandoning it in 2009. The two-class thing turned out to be correct, of course, but Panoz, chasing revenue rather than racing, screwed it up by adding two spec classes back in.

The race wasn’t bad, but the highlight of Murphy’s Lime Rock trip was Red Molly at Bodle’s Opera House in Chester, New York.

At the end of the month in 133. PLM prospects. What next for BMW? the Bear considered the likelihood that Audi would finally join Peugeot at Petit Le Mans – he thought they would, but ominously also wrote that, “More important, Audi is by no means committed to the ALMS in 2010, but an improving economy and settling the “Mouse and Elephant thing” with Porsche clears the decks for a return. Unfortunately, some are saying that full ALMS seasons will come to an end if a seven race (with Le Mans) “world championship” of sorts happens. Manufacturers will get as much – or more - value from two appearances each in Europe, North America, and Asia, plus Le Mans. That’s the reasoning the Bear is hearing, anyway.”

Sadly, the Intercontinental Cup has since become reality, as has exactly what Murphy predicted based on what he was hearing. Audi has announced a PLM-only 2010 ALMS schedule, likely a permanent change for them and for any Porsche LMP that might come along, too. ALMS fans will need to resign themselves to a few “big” races, with the rest of them being decidedly “national” in character, their fields populated by mostly spec-racers.

Paddock Poop 133 brought the first news of a trash can for BMW’s F1 program, continuing delays for Rocketsport’s Jag, Farnbacher Loles hiring better mechanical talent (with other people’s money, of course), and a 1,000,000 visit milestone for Murphy and LTC.

August

On the 6th, in Paddock Poop 134. Murphy spilled the beans on Atherton’s upcoming confab at Road America:

“What he Knows (that you didn’t – until now)

“The American Le Mans Series will add a prototype class based on the ACO’s nascent Courage-Ford V-8 series. The prototypes, selling for $345,000 complete, will be built by EMT in Braselton. To control costs, engines will be sealed (and available only from EMT), only two sets of gears can be used (long and short circuit), and only a “small range” of springs can be used to modify set-up.”
Thus, in a stroke, and for PMG’s short term gain, the ALMS created the class that will kill it.

A few days later, the Bear told you Audi would be at Petit Le Mans (you had to think a little bit on that one…but just a little). Drayson’s purchase of a Judd-powered Lola coupe was in the same Poop, and Murphy told you the idea that de Ferran would field an ALMS team (along with an IRL team) was fanciful, to say the least.

Over two different columns the Bear (who’s not particularly technically inclined) garbled the Porsche weight “penalty.” In part, that was because he had a hard time believing that Porsche had the ACO so completely by the short hairs that it would do something so completely meaningless for a blatant and serious rule violation.

A.C. brought us up to date on the Evil Empire in “AntiTRUST Me,” reminding us that Henri Zogaib beat Greg Loles to the Ponzi Punch. Though the NASCAR crowd did pretty well keeping that one relatively quiet (so, too, is ALMS, Porsche and the ACO on Loles) it was likely a bigger cash take for the Daytona crook. Our erstwhile NASCAR correspondent backed off his earlier prediction that Grand Am would devour the ALMS in 2010 (but not much) when he wrote:

“I guess I ruffled a few feathers about NASCAR taking over Sebring and Road Atlanta next year (they don’t want Mosport because its too hard to learn to speak Canadian).  As mentioned above, NASCAR believes in fair competition, so instead of taking over Sebring and Road Atlanta, NASCAR will just wait for Darwin to finish the job, if you know what I mean.” Not sure about the rest of it, but the reason not to include Mosport in the deal rings true to Murphy.

A.C. told us a bit about the topics he’d deal with on his radio show (2-4 am on WZQU Ormond Beach, 1850 AM): “I am happy to talk about how Scott Pruett freed those journalists held in North Korea, or why the Riley DP is the most technically advanced prototype in the world, or how the Rolex Series has record crowds everywhere it races, or whether Enzyte really works.”

August brought word that the ALMS would be exclusively on Speed in the coming year; that changed later with the announcement of two CBS dates. Inexplicably, one is the 6-hour Monterey endure, delayed a week, an event uniquely suited to Speed. Are you going to hope they’ll do some quality editing? Murphy rates that chance slim and none.

The Bear told you Greg Loles would have Pratt & Miller build a pair of BMW’s for Grand Am, but he got the model wrong. He told you Farnbacher would split to concentrate on Ferraris in Europe. Horst knew something the rest of us didn’t. He told you St. Pete would be missing from the 2010 schedule, but also reported that Infineon was rumored to be back: 50%, then. He told you that Audi would not go on to Laguna Seca after Petit Le Mans.

Midweek Motorsport called Lord Drayson’s Lola Judd “a major new LMP effort.” For the Bear, who reported it a week earlier, it was still just a one-eyed old guy, but in faster hardware. It couldn’t be worse than blowing an engine a day in an Aston Martin GT2,, but it wouldn’t be much better, either.

Murphy thought the remaining Japan round of the Asian Le Mans Series would be cancelled. That was wishful thinking. It survived, morphing into a stop on the upcoming (and ill-advised) Intercontinental Cup.

Following leaks, interviews, and rumors to the contrary, the Bear was finally able to tell you, that “the on-again, off-again Panoz LMP is finally dead…including a recent Frankenstein-like reincarnation of the original 01.  Undeniably and reliably dead. Not only merely dead. Really, most sincerely dead! (Murphy’s thanks to his friends the Munchkins.)”

He plugged his friends over at sportscarpros.com in Paddock Poop 137, currently on another of its not-infrequent hiatuses. He’s told, however, that “Rumours of demise may be greatly exaggerated.” We all hope so.

September

On the 3rd of the month, Murphy took his first shot at the Petit Le Mans field, figuring the grid would fall between 29 and 33, with 31 likely starters.

He reported rumors that Grand Am’s DP fields would be depleted in 2010, including the departure of Brumos (though he included the contrarian rumor that Brumos would continue with a single Riley powered by the Cayenne V8). Also in Grand Am, he wrote that the Krohn-Lola dispute had hit a wall, and “…the big-time racing car builder and its oil magnate partner may be headed to court.”
The Bear got Camaros and Corvettes mixed up in a Grand Am GT story about a switch from Pontiac in 2010. Well, hell, it’s the same tuber chassis, anyway.

A.C. was off to Vegas, hoping to “recoup from the Zogaib debacle.” It didn’t help. He also wrote, “One day, fans will return to the Rolex 24. We don’t care about technology, or green racing, or Le Mans … Braselton will never defeat Daytona. That is a sure bet.” Though both are weak, could we see some trends in that direction in 2010? For the first time in a decade, Murphy thinks so.

The Don made one more “run,” trying to raise money for his “supercar,” the one we thought was “truly dead.” Mercifully, it went nowhere – again.

The Bear “took a shot” at the 2010 ALMS schedule; it was off the mark, with Monterey staying at the end, and Sonoma in May. Turns out of course that Sonoma was a no, and Monterey went to May. Perhaps the Don needs the party income at the Chateau?

NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter was the designated attack dog on the American Le Mans Series for its proposed “Challenge Class” rules. In a lengthy blog, he called the ALMS’ new rules, “misguided,” and “counter-productive,” while accusing the Braselton-based race series of circulating “calculated misinformation and propaganda” to “undermine Grand Am’s success.” Pretty frantic stuff.

With the ACO floating new aero rules for 2010 that would make the R15 obsolete, and incur costs for others, Murphy opined that IMSA shouldn’t “commit hiri kuri with the French.” It did, of course. ACO/IMSA rules then exempted everyone else from the aero changes, making the net effect just the whacking of Audi from ALMS/LMS grids. A fine thank-you for decade of support – including millions of Ingolstadt cash into ALMS coffers.

At the end of the month, it was off to the North Georgia Mud Bowl (red mud at that). It not only rained Cats and Dogs, they were also seen celebrating in Paddy’s.
Murphy was the first to tell you that Mercedes would dump McLaren in favor of Brawn, and reviewed the rumors that would “rationalize” the VW-Audi-Porsche product line and racing programs. Time will tell.

The Bear said “the other Japanese F1 team” (that would be Toyota) would soon exit F1, but for a sports car program to follow, “don’t hold  your breath.”

October

The test of the new LMPC after Petit was a success, and clearly disturbing to the Empire on International Speedway Boulevard. The Lola-Krohn fight heated up. Murphy observed that the ALMS’ crack PR machine couldn’t even get Scott Sharp’s Sebring crash on Sports Center. NASCAR got a routine barrel roll on at the top of the show, though. Braselton was trying to dump most of the operating cost of Sebring on its biggest tenant, Central Florida SCCA, while keeping the lion’s share of the revenue. Another sign that things are dire in Georgia, the Bear thinks.

Murphy said Audi’s return to the ALMS was unlikely, and Acura was certainly gone. (Since then, privateer Duncan Dayton might have saved the series by deciding to field an old Acura P2 with leased engines.)

A.C. wrote about a little incident on the Florida coast in Daytona Vice.

Mid-month the Bear reported on his return to his favorite place (and former home) the Monterey Peninsula. He dropped in to see David (Mike was on vacation) at the Sardine Factory and Gannady over at Clint’s place. He partied below the hairpin with friends of Enzo (and of the Bear, of course).

After the race it was off to the Mucky Duck, band in the back and friends from Poughkeepsie, England, and a few other places in the front. The Bear agreed if Mazda were to “step up” in the coming season, the Lola AER just might turn into a nice little package. It seems clear that they have not, likely making that entry one more disappointment of 2010. If – as is rumored – two drivers do not return, it will be a disappointment to Murphy whatever else happens.

Murphy told you about a Ferrari being prepared to Grand Am Prep 1 rules for competition in the coming season. The cat was having some homologation troubles. Momentarily there was a rumor of two more BMW’s, but it turned out they are for Europe. The Bear noted a press release was issued by “Farnbacher Loles” about a pair of KONI M3’s (it seems KONI is no longer the sponsor of that Grand Am series, by the way), but pointed out, “Murphy has more than once reported rumors they would split.” Of course they had. We’re reminded once again that press releases are as often as fictional as paddock rumors.

The Bear went over 25,000 readers for the month.

November

November included rumors of Penske testing “something from Aichi in Spain.” No legs. Likewise, stories of a Duncan Dayton Peugeot; about those Murphy wrote, “If you take winning Le Mans out of the picture, the Peugeot rumor fades into oblivion, and you take Dayton at face value that another Acura season is in the cards – completely independent of Acura.” That’s pretty much how it’s turned out. The Acura “support” amounts to little more than keeping the engines running.

A Dinan-built Ferrari motor was slated to power a DP at Daytona and after, run by Scott Tucker. Murphy thought the F430 Prep 1 GT would make the Daytona grid, too, but it will not.

The Bear threw out a few ALMS and Sebring possibilities and dismissed a few, too. In the latter category was Creation, about which Murphy wrote (again), “Creation advertised (via another of those “interviews” in which nothing new is revealed) for a funded driver (déjà vu).” He reported three Ferraris were probable, one Risi and two Sharps.

Murphy planned a trip to see Michael in Las Vegas, but a deadline for his second recipe book and work on his inaugural Christmas quiz derailed that plan.

Comprent, tagged for an LMPC entry, was still looking for funded drivers. Mercedes dumped McLaren in favor of Brawn, just as the Bear said it would.

December

Murphy started the month “Sweeping out the Bear Cave,” a few odds and ends heard around the paddock. The Bear bade farewell to PTG and any Panoz race car. (They really hadn’t been any good since the Tony Dowe-engineered Reynard-based GT1/LMP01, had they?)
Risi Competizione was “in again, out again,” as a full season entry. Murphy stayed skeptical. In Grand Am DP, the Bear heard – and passed on – that Ganassi would switch from Lexus to BMW power.

One of those “odds and ends” was this little item entitled “No Farnbacher, No Loles, “The Bear’s repeatedly reported rumors that pointed to the termination of the Farnbacher and Loles partnership – that’s happened now, of course. Lately he’s questioned whether Greg Loles would continue in ALMS, or even be able to bring his ambitious Grand Am plans to fruition. This week the mill has been churning. That includes a medical event earlier in the week, chattels in the Georgia shop packed for shipping to Connecticut, missed payments, and an RSR of disputed ownership.” Little did the Bear know that just a few days later, one day after announcing his 1st Annual Christmas Quiz, the crap would hit the fan for Greg Loles…or Loles would be the crap…

Loles invented another way to finance his racing; steal from a church (and its members). Is that one better than Grand Am’s Henri Zogaib, who stole from his fellow racers? Two crooks. One in each sports car series. Talk about competing with each other!

The same day, Murphy reported that Dyson Racing would likely field just a single car and Audi would contest just one ALMS race – Petit Le Mans. As if that wasn’t enough, Lou was selling his ALMS Corvette and heading for Grand Am. It wasn’t a good day for anyone in sports car endurance racing.

Cytosport was rumored to be planning a bigger ALMS program and to have a “secret project” after Muscle Milk dumped its SCCA Trans Am sponsorship. Would they run a second Spyder for Porsche and for Bernhard and Dumas?

Murphy published, scored, and announced the winners of his Christmas Quiz.

Paddock Poop 148 fittingly closed out a lousy year, with stories of massive pay cuts in two of North America’s leading racing teams. Greg Loles was in the slammer with scant chance of getting out any time soon. Papers filed with a Michigan court concerning Loles’ Grand Am GT project revealed that GT costs in Grand Am aren’t substantially different than they are in ALMS. Of course we knew that already, didn’t we?

The Bear went over 30,000 readers for the month.

Happy New Year, every one of you.

Murphy, A.C., and Katrina Flood brought you right into the action at the Daytona 24, as AC calls it, “the World’s Greatest Race.” This time it almost was, with the Bear (a “Daytona Denier”) on the edge of his seat (with the rest of you – admit it), over the final hour and last laps.

A.C. gave ya’ll ten rools in “How to Enjoy the Rolex 24”

As he did for the previous year, Murphy listed the five entries most likely to win and contend for the win. In 2008, first, second, and third were from his top five. This year he had 1 and 2, and all five of his picks were in the first seven.

There was an interesting exchange with wrestlerrob in Paddock Poop 109 after the race. Wrestler wondered if the Bear would stick to his “Riley only” rool for his 2010 picks. Murphy answered he didn’t see any change, writing that, “Seriously, there’s no challenge in sight to Riley’s dominance. Certainly not Lola, in a partnership of which they are not enamored…or so the Bear hears.” There was your first clue that Lola and Krohn weren’t getting along, nearly a year ago. That “relationship” has now landed in court; if Krohn runs those cars (he’s entered them) it won’t be with any help from Lola.

Murphy mentioned another prototype – of much greater interest – on January 15, “There are multiple hints that there is a Porsche LMP1 in the wings that could debut as early as 2010 – if Herr Dr. Wiedeking will allow it.” Now that Wiedeking is gone his successor is talking openly of the prospect, though a 2011 debut seems most likely.

A.C. proudly declared, “I am A.C. Guillermo, and I’m a Grand-Am Writer.” In his race review, “The Grassy Knoll 24” A.C. ridiculed the conspiracy buffs, with his usual insightful expert analysis, observing, “I was watching the TV coverage of the race today and I saw no evidence of any cheating, aside from all those male enhancement product commercials (that stuff doesn’t work, trust me).”

On January 21, in Paddock Poop 108. “Murphy on Sebring’s Likely Starters,” the Bear wrote, “When the flag flies at Sebring on March 21, 30 entries will thunder into the old airbase’s Turn 1. It’s a different mix, but nearly the same number (31) Murphy gave you on December 10. If Sebring starts the Bear’s 30, it will have done well, indeed, in tough times for racing, losing only 10% from last year’s 33.”

The next day the Bear revised that, summarizing in Paddock Poop 109, “For now, those changes will cut his likely P1 starters to seven. Murphy’s going to keep his expected GT starters at 17, making Sebring’s total grid 29.” Contrary to his reputation in some quarters, in the event, the Bear would prove to be far too optimistic.

February

On February 3rd , the Bear reported that negotiations to bring back “Radio Le Mans,” seemed stalled; that the coverage could end in the new season. “Your favorite internet audio coverage will be gone in the 2009 season unless funding from Braselton is replaced from some other source. Perhaps Murphy’s will have to send what he’d budgeted for a forum hat to England to help out. Time to register your displeasure?  It’s said that the at-track-PA coverage by Mr. H. will be back – if the offer is accepted.”

The content of that was never questioned, though there eventually was an agreement, and much ado about the stuffed animal having written “Radio Le Mans,” rather than “ALMS Radio Web.” He said he was very, very sorry. Roll this story a year forward, and that’s exactly what has happened: It’s been announced ALMS Radio Web will not be funded by the American Le Mans Series. The good news is that Hindy and company at Radio Show Limited seem optimistic the needed sponsorship will be forthcoming.

The other item in Paddock Poop 110 was this:

“The Bear’s  been told that as of yesterday an enterprise in a small Northeastern Georgia town will have across-the-board pay cuts.”
That one leaked so fast that phone calls from Braselton to Murphy’s acquaintances quickly followed, trying to ferret (cute little things, aren’t they?) out the Bear’s source. The Great Georgia Mole Hunt was on! Later in the year, when this or that Braselburger head would roll, it would be rumored that the mole had been excised. But Murphy continues to report what goes on in the Broadway Avenue puzzle palace, doesn’t he?

Murphy’s optimism about the Sebring entry (if 30 can be characterized that way) faded quickly. On Valentine’s Day he wrote, “In mid February, there are 25 Sebring entries (P1 = 7, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 13). Though more – as many as 35 – are possible, Murphy thinks the grid will grow by only two net (P1 = 7, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 15) to 27.” The entry dated February 19 totaled exactly that, in a bit different class mix. There finally were 26 on the grid in March (P1 = 8, P2 = 3, GT1 = 2, GT2 = 13).

Not on that grid was VICI Racing. On the 24th of February, the Bear wrote, “In GT2, VICI has added two Porsches to the entry, oddly with drivers TBA. Murphy says “oddly” because it seemed clear that the VICI program was very much dependent on drivers with budgets, so if the entries are firm, the drivers should already be “on board.” Other opinion from the paddock (shared with the Bear yesterday) remained doubtful about at least the second of the two entries, and dismissed any possibility of a third.”

VICI stories continue to this day, with the Pollyannas convinced that the telephone sponsorship on the car last year would actually be funded in 2010. As if corporate budgeting worked that way. Might happen, likely won’t.

March

An Audi R8 was rumored early in the month. That came to nothing, of course. Now it’s rumored for GT Challenge – a “future maybe.” It would be a pretty expensive way to go, about twice the cost of the 911’s that likely would beat it like a redheaded stepchild.
The Riley-Lou-Pratt & Miller-Corvette Racing-GM soap opera continued with a Riley, left standing at the alter, filing lawsuit charging GM with “breach of promise.”

Murphy’s Prototype Punter’s Guide made the two Audi R15s the co-favorites, with the two Peugeots right behind. Big deal,  you say? OK, it wasn’t hard, given the rest of the field was pretty much helpless against the diesels. Those four were all in the top five, with Fernandez’ Acura P2 sneaking into fourth ahead of a broken-down Peugeot. It was a field worth traveling to Florida for. 2010? No Audi, no Acura P1, just two Peugeots to crush a sorry lot of non-contenders. Murphy knows (it’s that mole again) Braselton takes Sebring for granted, believing the rubes will show up no matter what junk is on the grid. Are they right?

In his GT Punter’s Guide, Flying Lizard’s Bergmeister and Long (lang und kurz – having nothing to do with their names) were the Bear’s 3-2 favorites, followed by Risi Competizione’s Melo and Kaffer (3-1). The Ferrari won it, the Lizards falling to 4th . He still had VICI as a “player,” since they were claiming factory pilots, a load of bull droppings, as usual.

At Sebring, the Bear tipped a few with friends away from the track.
And at.
Cruised the paddock for stories – and found a few.
Under the heading of “Fantasyland,” he wrote, “Saleens, ECO Racing, Creations, Zyteks, Jaguars…well that last one might be possible, but the silence is ominous.” The Cat finally came straggling in – remindful of a tabby that’s fallen into the cattle watering trough – at Laguna Seca. That bull crap (the bull is a friend of the Bear’s) at Petit Le Mans was an embarrassment.

Murphy closed out the month with a rare single-topic Poop: “Acura Rumor Review – Smoke or Fire?”

The Bear opined that “…there is usually some fire under such a large volume of smoke.” In retrospect we were hearing the first rumblings of the complete shutdown of the Honda/Acura racing program.

April

Off we went to St. Pete. Well, everyone but Murphy, who gets to burned out partying at Sebring to go up the road 90 minutes for a pale imitation of road racing. We’re all spared that monumental waste of time this year, aren’t we? The Bear feels sorry for his pal Huge, but hey, how many “home events” do you need? Seventeen cars started on Tampa Bay, twelve in three classes were running at the finish. Even a stuffed animal knows how to spell J-O-K-E. Who wants to pay real money for that?

A.C. returned from a well-earned vacation at Dollywood to a full mailbag, which he dutifully dug into, treating the rest of us to the best snippets.

VICI was floating bull crap again, this time about a Long Beach entry. A couple of guys were promising a second Aston Martin GT entry. Never happened, just more hot air.

The grid was marginally better at Long Beach – 21, of which 18 were running at the end. Murphy was there. Shockingly, the ALMS drew very well compared to the IRL. That’s more an  indictment of the latter than anything particularly good about the former.

May

Tim Mayer left IMSA/ALMS. Murphy published a “quick” Poop the day before the announcement. The Bear always thought Mayer was the best of the bunch. That may sound like “faint praise” in some quarters, but Tim stood out as a good guy and a competent manager.

The Honda rumors continued, the Bear reporting that “Honda’s is taking financial steps to facilitate a Yankee team’s move to IRL next season. It’s widely believed that Acura will only return if there is major manufacturer competition, and that it currently assumes that will not be the case.” The first part of that wasn’t the case (rather than helping anyone, Honda’s thrown them all under the bus), but the second part was sadly quite true. Been nice knowin’ ya.

Endurance-info got into the “Creation promotion business” with DSC, printing what some of the cool aid drinkers called a “confirmation” that Creation will be on the ALMS grid soon. “We plan to return to the ALMS Series, when we are ready,” said Andy Woolgar. Murphy wrote, “‘when we are ready’ will not likely be sooner than 2010.” At least dailysportscar gets its bad information from the chief rather than a North Carolina-based minion. The Bear’s pretty sure pigs will fly before a Creation chassis graces an ALMS grid. What has Creation accomplished lately other than the periodic trashing of Bicks and the Bear? (In a theater near y0u soon?)

A.C. was back with a column about Grand Am at Thunderbolt in New Jersey. He reported that Scott Pruett invented the internet without Al Gore’s help. Now he working on some investigative journalism stuff about global warming.

There was a race somewhere in Utah. No one went. Corsa was there not running its hybrid gear. Good place for such shenanigans.

Murphy’s elf inside F1 was keeping him (and you) abreast of those sordid happenings. Murphy reported that de Ferran was negotiating to acquire the cars, engines, tools, transporters, and pit equipment of a part time IRL team.

When Robin Miller was roasted for reporting that TG would be out at the brickyard, tossed by his mother and sisters, Murphy was one of just a few that knew he was right, and said so. So much for blood…  The Bear wrote at the time, “What the Tony kerfuffle is really about is creating separation between the finances of IMS (which Tony’s sisters and mother care about) and the IRL (which they do not)…” Having created that separation, the IRL is truly in dire straights according to Murphy’s best inside sources. There are more than just a few that wonder whether it can survive the 2010 season.

In Braselton, the layoffs and a fire sale were underway. Haas was looking the place over, and though a sale wasn’t closed then, some agreement leading to a joint venture in the coming year was put in place.

June

The Bear led the month off with his Le Mans Prototype Punter’s Guide, published jointly with Last Turn Clubhouse. If there are any punters out there that pay any attention to a stuffed animal, they deserve to be broke – and probably are. Murphy gave the nod to Audi again. Ah, well…

Later he thought D.R. should “give it a rest,” a rather common sentiment in the sport, and told “A Medieval Bear’s Fable.” 

The “Grand Am buying ALMS” rumor was floated by that same IRL scribe (Murphy doesn’t have to tell you who, does he?). Murphy reviewed the evidence and wrote, “Some might sum all that and come up with an imminent sale. Murphy doesn’t.” It was roundly denied, and nothing came of it, other than SA walking around with a button at Lime Rock that read “We are not for sale.” Funny.

The Boss was dealing with important things like planting trees in public parks (can someone send those guys to Miller Motorsports Park?) and organic T shirts. Then he (SA) told us we should, “Look for an announcement of a major new licensing deal in the third quarter that will greatly enhance our product position and global exposure.” Murphy thinks he missed that announcement. Was it the LMP Challenge? Naw, that doesn’t do any of that stuff.

A.C. closed out the first half of the 2009 season with his usual insightful ruminations about NASCAR and Grand Am.

Next: Murphy’s Year in Review, Part 2

More turbulence  for the Braselburgers?

Chief amongst those rumors is that a Braselton executive is about to move on. Since this one surfaced early in the week, rumblings have been heard from four states. Would such an event portend a change of direction, or more of the same? A significant change in management personnel is rumored to be imminent; Murphy will leave it at that.

No Farnbacher, No Loles

The Bear’s repeatedly reported rumors that pointed to the termination of the Farnbacher and Loles partnership – that’s happened now, of course. Lately he’s questioned whether Greg Loles would continue in ALMS, or even be able to bring his ambitious Grand Am plans to fruition. This week the mill has been churning. That includes a medical event earlier in the week, chattels in the Georgia shop packed for shipping to Connecticut, missed payments, and an RSR of disputed ownership.

Ganassi’s Change?

 The Bear hears Ganassi will replace his Lexus power in favor of BMW  for the 2010 Grand Am DP season. Is that another indication that Toyota will take a really big motorsport pause after dumping its Formula 1 team? 500 are being laid off in the company’s European racing headquarters (‘shop’ doesn’t seem like an adequate description for an operation of that scale).

Anderson Moves On

Completing the dissolution of Lowes Fernandez Racing, founding partner Tom Anderson has moved to Andretti Autosport as Senior VP of Racing Operations.

Downsizing Drivers

Murphy hears that two Porsche factory drivers will be tossed overboard for 2010. To be honest, he’ll be surprised if it’s just two of the ten contracted for 2009. Not that such machinations should be a shock or even mean something bad. Remember when Jörg was tossed a few Christmases ago? The next year he won two championships, added a wife and a little one, and was rehired by Weissach. Patrick’s been doing regional stock car events, for fun or…?

Farewell to PTG and Panoz Racing

As the Bear recently observed, this isn’t an economy in which you put up all your racing equipment in order to “upgrade.” So it was no surprise to read that PTG will not be racing in the ALMS in 2010. That includes the news that Panoz has “suspended” its racing operations.

Sebring, this is Houston

Murphy’s heard no reason to backtrack on his doubt that the Houston Ferrari dealer will field a full-season GT2 entry, but he does believe the team’s quite likely to contest Sebring and Petit Le Mans, as they try to contain the costs of a “transition” season against a desire to keep the core of the team together for a new Ferrari and revised rules in 2011.

Our Ford GT will Soldier on

Having raised doubts about Robertson Racing’s plans, Murphy was told that they are a certain return to the ALMS in 2010. Look for an announcement that could include some interesting development news.

Fuel Logistics Simplified for Sebring

Are some of Sebring’s safety vehicles diesel powered? If so, they’ll need to order some distillate fuel – otherwise, not so much. If there’s no Audi, there will likely be no Pug, announcement or not.

The Bear’s First Annual Christmas Quiz

Murphy and his elves are working on it, hopeful of a December 7th launch. This Paddock Poop supplement is to “clear the decks.”  Just a few more details to work out.  About twenty questions and something around 100 points (Murphy has trouble with being very orderly, so you could see some odd numbers) should be in this space early next week.