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?

Flying Lizards to Daytona

Before Seth Neiman and Flying Lizard Motorsports leased a Daytona Prototype from Brumos, he talked to Penske about one of the Captain’s cars. Near term, it was decided a lease was more attractive than an outright purchase. Seth will be one of at least two ALMS stalwarts we’ll see at the Rolex 24; what happens after that is still unknown.

Chip to Ford

It’s possible that Chip Ganassi will go with Ford in NASCAR. If he does, it’s likely his DP’s will also be powered by Ford. (Edit: Murphy tweeted an update on November 2: At a team celebration this week, it was announced Ganassi will stay with GM motors. Presumably, that will mean the BMW power in Grand Am continues also.)

Peugeot Power

The test of Peugeot’s new prototype exclusively reported by Autosport was sans engine – the new one, that is. Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director, claims it hasn’t even made that decision yet. A hybrid power unit has been rumored, and one of the Bear’s correspondents was convinced of it by the new roof air intake. “A new-rules 2 liter turbo, with KERS,” he wrote. One of Murphy’s technical wizards acknowledged the air intake but pointed out the 90X also has the fender intakes used with the turbo diesel. “They’ll stick with the diesel,” he said. “It still makes better technical and marketing sense.” The Bear has decided it will be one or the other. (Edit: One of the Bear’s favorite tech gurus points out that a diesel/KERS combination remains in the mix, and might even be likely. Whoops! Murphy now believes it will be one of those three. Any other ideas?)

Television and Alternative Media

The American Le Mans Series still doesn’t have a “broadcast” (obsolete word, isn’t it?) package it can announce. What gives? The Bear heard at Petit that the “traditional broadcast” (and its on-air talent) would be history, that 2011 would be docudramas on Versus with live coverage via web streaming. Murphy knows some will cheer that, but he’s not one of them.

So do we get Hindy and crew? Probably, but the Bear hears sponsorship and contract issues remain. (If that is “unhelpful,” Radio Show Limited can issue a statement – again. Murphy’s not in the “helpful” business; plenty in the media have accepted that charter.) A SpeedTV deal is crippled – in terms of value, at least – by the ACO’s grab of the rights to Sebring and Petit. A professional sport needs the revenue that’s possible only with “big league” television coverage. It’s not certain that’s going to happen. Among teams and drivers in the paddock who race for a living, this is a topic of great concern.

Japan to Join GT Ranks?

That’s what the world’s leading sports car racing blog wrote, admitting it was a “rumour.”  (What’s with all the poaching on the Bear’s territory lately?) Two manufacturers mentioned – Toyota and Honda – have had on-again-off-again programs over the past couple of years; nothing new there.

Honda told the ALMS two years ago it would like to field an NSX-based GT1/2, but only after the then-planned new model was introduced – soon after, they cancelled the new car. That would seem to have ended the idea, except that Honda got special permission to race the not-to-be-produced design as the HSV-010 GT and promptly won the Super GT championship in the GT500 class. Since the ACO is similarly perfectly willing to wink at its rules when it suits (see, for reference, the magic homologation of the Abuzzi), don’t be surprised to see an “NSX-something” somewhere in ACO racing.

Toyota might be working on something with the LFA – then again they might not. Old story again.

There is nothing ACO-oriented going on at Nissan that either NISMO or NA knows anything about.

The 2011 ALMS Prototype GridMurphy summarizes what he is hearing around the paddock about the likely 2011 entry for races not part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

LMP1
Highcroft – Expect Duncan to continue with HPD for another season, but don’t take his dalliance with IRL too lightly.
Dyson – Not happy being let down by Mazda just weeks before the 2010 Sebring Winter Test, Dyson will start 2011 with “a foot in each camp.” Though they repeatedly say they want to be in the American Le Mans Series, where the team goes from here is largely funding-dependent.
Cytosport – If no good hardware option is found (Porsche is out of the picture), Cytosport could stay on the sidelines. For now, at least, they aren’t happy with the options.
Intersport – We don’t know why, but someone will come up with just enough cash for Intersport to run about half the season’s miles. In a tough 2010, they had to finish Petit to get near that magic “halfway.”
Drayson –  If the announced ILMC full schedule becomes certain in 2011, this team is much more likely to contest that than a full ALMS schedule.
Autocon – Zytek is likely not an option. If the only thing on the table is a return to the Lola AER, will Autocon race, take some time off, or drop to P2?
ARES (nee Corsa) – No activity on facebook, nor in a race shop, since April.

LMP2
CORE – More likely to be an LMPC entry.
HVM – Broke and looking for funded drivers.
Level 5 – ILMC is likely, ALMS less so.
Libra (nee Taurus, nee ECO) – Libra, Ian Dawson’s act 3, is on track to be as successful as acts 1 and 2.
Signature – The team’s own hope is only for the second half of 2011. This reality show won’t make prime time.

LMPC
Dick Barbour – Katherine Legge? Not likely.  Terri O’Connell (nee J.T. Hayes)? The Bear likes real girls. Too much hype, too little substance (or cash). Reminds Murphy of DBM in 2001: Elford, Panoz, Mugen, Holt, Duno, Graham, de Radigues. Sounded good, didn’t it?
Green Earth Team Gunnar – The real 2010 LMPC champs say they’ll be back.
Intersport – The Ohio team’s cash cow.
Performance Tech, Genoa, and Mathiasen – All possible
CORE – They’ll be here if anywhere.

Once again, the series will struggle to field a dozen prototypes in three classes outside of the two ILMC events.

AC

1. Name PTG’s drivers in the 2001 American Le Mans Series season. (1 point for each)
Trick question, they ran Grand-Am that year.
2. What is the significance of Portola Road in sports car racing history? (5 points)
That’s the road Junior Johnson’s moonshine still was located just off of.
3. Who is Mel Hawkins? (5 points)
He invented the “lucky dog.”
4. What progenitor of a famous racing family was proud to be on Richard Nixon’s ‘Enemies List’? (5 points)
 Bill France, Sr.
5. Who was the winner of the first Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950? (5 points)
Typo you idiot: It should be Daytona Beach, NOT Pebble Beach.
6. When and where did seven time World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher last race in North America? (5 points)
Who the hell is Michael Schumacher?
7. Who was the last driver to qualify and race a front engine car in the Indianapolis 500? What year was it? (5 points)
Richard Petty
8. Identify the driver and the car. (3 points for each)
Scott Pruett with Smokey Yannick’s Chebby Special

9. What North American racing incident involved the driver in the photograph? (5 points)
Scott pulled an 8-year old girl out of a burning motorhome he spotted in the infield while driving during the Rolex 24. After saving her and putting out the fire, he jumped back in the car and won by a 32-lap margin of victory.
10. Name the ‘Odd Couple,’ a Silicon Valley CEO and a former college tennis player who combined to launch a sports car racing team, then drove to a podium finish at Le Mans. (5 points)
Hurley Haywood and Willy T. Ribbs.
11. The werks John Wyer and Porsche Salzburg (1970) and Martini (1971) teams won all but four races in which they entered the 917 in the FIA Group 5 World Championship of Makes. Name the four races in which the werks 917’s were beaten, whether points-paying or not, and the car that won in each instance. (8 points, 1 for venue, 1 for car in each instance)
Daytona 500 (1970) – Plymouth Superbird, Southern 500 (1970) – Ford Galaxie, Bristol 500 (1970) – Chebby Monte Carlo , Talladega 500 (1971) – Ford Torino
12. What Le Mans winner won a race in a Scarab?  (5 points)
Benny Parsons won a race in a taxi cab, is that what you mean?
13. What driver finished second overall in NASCAR points in his rookie season (year 1), then the next year third overall at Le Mans (year 2) and finally third in points in the following NASCAR season (year 3)? (5 points)
Tim Richmond.
14. Who celebrated a milestone birthday at Sonoma, California in July, 2000. (5 points)
J.C. France.
15. What do TWR USA/Jaguar, Nissan Performance Technology, Risi Competizione, and Tafel Racing have in common? (5 points)
They never raced a Daytona Prototype.
16. Which team won the biggest ever sports car purse, what was the race and year? (5 points)
Who the hell drives with a big purse?  Danica?
17. What driver called a GT1 a “real race car” when asked to contrast it to the car he usually raced. (5 points)
Who makes up this crap?
18. What driver competed in six ALMS seasons with an artificial heart valve? (5 points)
The Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.
19. Murphy the Bear’s office is located in what institution on Monterey’s Wave Street? (5 points)
The zoo.
20. Who completed a cross county motorcycle ride between ALMS races at Lime Rock and Infineon. (5 points)
Someone with too much time on their hands.

If you’d like to enter Murphy’s contest, answer the following questions in an email by numbering your answers the same as the questions are numbered here, and send to mhbearesq@gmail.com  You must submit your answers no later than Midnight, Eastern Standard Time, 14 December, 2009.

“So am I, buddy, so am I. Sure. But not over the phone. Can you meet me?” was the response from NASCAR’s favorite local scribe.

“Sure, where?” asked the Bear.

“I hear you’re in town on business, I’m near Hooter’s on International Speedway…across the street, actually. Can you meet me there?” asked A.C.

“I’m close,” said the Bear, with a grin (Hooter’s in Daytona Beach is one of Murphy’s favorite places.) “When?”

A.C.: “About 15 minutes.”

Murphy: ‘You’re on, my friend.”

The Bear got there first, renewing acquaintances – and getting hugs. By the time he’d ordered a Warsteiner and some wings (Murphy’s been a Warsteiner fan since the “German Budweiser” sponsored the GT1 championship in the late ’90′s), a shadowy figure with a turned-up collar and a turned-down hat was sidling up to the table. It was A.C.

“What the hell…” blurted the Bear.

“Shhhhh…” from the muffled figure.

Murphy: “A.C?”

“Yes. Hold it down…if someone sees me…” whispered A.C.

“Hell, A.C., you’re right across the street from the World Center of Racing in a trench coat, talking to a stuffed animal, and you think no one will notice?” asked Murphy.

“You might be right, Murphy, but they’re used to odd characters around here…I mean, there’s J.C.,” the Daytona Beach News-Journal’s crack scribe let his voice trail off, aware he’d said something that could, well…cost him his media pass, the key to the executive wash room at the World Center, and frequent luncheon spreads…life is good, he thought to himself. Murphy’s voice brought him out of his reverie.

“So, about the stories I’m hearing…” asked the Bear, leaving the question hanging.

A.C.: “Ah yes. Well it’s true. The Miller thing, that is.”

Murphy was aghast. “What, why, how…” he sputtered. He’d already written that such a thing was unlikely.

“One question at a time, old friend,” retorted A.C.

“First, what: They haven’t done it yet, but it’s serious…hot and heavy, you might say. They’re talking to the Don about grabbing the whole shebang. It really is a mess over there – as I’ve been trying to tell you ALMS Cool Aid drinkers for over a year.” A.C. had that ‘I-know-more-than-you’ look on his face, like you get from big-time print scribes, from Miller, and over at motorsport.com.

“So, if Miller was right, how come he’s kind of backed off it now? asked Murphy.

“Geez, you are a dense bear, aren’t you?! Miller sometimes engages mouth just a little bit before brain. He knew this time he was risking the gravy train, so he clammed up. But this is a good as the ‘Tony-on-the-bricks’ thing, trust me,” explained A.C.

“Why, then?” asked the Bear.

A.C. looked at Murphy like he had couch stuffing for brains. “Because it’s there,” he said (quoting Sir Edmond). “Look. Who went after NHRA? Who bought bike racing? Who created Grand Am?” A.C. put up his hand to quiet the sputtering bear. “Who?” Jim-Bob. Brian-Bob. J.C.-Bob. Control. They want it all. Besides, ALMS and that Elan thing are pretty much in the poor house. The Don doesn’t own a big chuck of the Irish drug biz any more, so today’s J & J thing doesn’t do anything big for his cash flow, either.”

“But what does NASCAR get they want?” asked the Bear. “I mean, they won’t run P1 and P2 against their protoguppies, will they?”

“Of course not….and it’s prototurtles, not guppies,  you stuffing-for-brains-bear,” the famous scribe said, endearingly, to his old friend. “But think of the other stuff: three tracks, Sebring being the prize that Jim-Bob’s always wanted. Star Mazda, the little BMW’s. Control of sports car racing. They’ll cherry-pick the events for the gup…er ah, turtle…damn, now you’ve got me doing it…those beautiful Daytona Prototypes. The rest gets dumped. Including that dump in the Georgia hills…ever see Deliverance, Murphy?”

“But A.C., no one goes to Grand Am races,” exclaimed the Bear.

“So what?” responded A.C. “They will when that’s all there is, won’t they?”

“OK, how, then?” asked the Bear.

“Cash,” said A.C., “something the Don needs right now.”

“But, I hear Grand Am isn’t doing all that well either,” said Murphy.”

“Ah, do I have to educate you all the time? chided A.C. “At the risk of repeating myself…’So what?’ Haven’t I told you to look out when NASCAR grabbed the reins at Grand Am over the winter? More money than god, of course. If they want to spend it on keeping Chip in Grand Am rather than keeping Richard in Cup, well, then that’s their business, ain’t it. And ol’ A.C. ain’t got no doubt of Brian-Bob and Jim-Bob’s business sense. No siree!”

“Ganassi gets…?” Murphy sputtered.

“Second car, the one with Kyle Busch in it this weekend,” smiled A.C. “How – or why – does that happen on Chip’s nickel? It doesn’t, that’s what. It does prove Jim-Bob and Brian-Bob are serious about all this, though.”

“How serious?” interjected the Bear.

“Big money serious, said A.C, “as in over half of DP regulars get some cash-type, ah, incentive, to keep going.”

“Geez,” murmured Murphy, “that’s kind-of “T.G.-like. Who else?”

“Ever wonder how nice guys in a little Daytona Beach race shop go from a single ancient tube frame crapping out on lap ten once a year in February to a pair of full-schedule DP’s? It ain’t because they’ve been cultivating “grass roots motorsports,” A.C. said, chortling over his own joke, “although Florida’s a good place for that kind of importing business, isn’t it? Hey, getting those Coyotes from Cheever, paying Pratt & Miller for development, that takes serious scratch, ya know?”

“I’ll take that as good news,” said Murphy, wryly.

“Brumos doing it all alone? That’s more J.C. than the Porsche dealer, for sure. I know a rent-a-ride driver who’s come up short for this season. Jim-Bob kicked in. Team owner’s not really happy, says ‘If he’s going to put out money, then send it my way and I’ll hire the driver I want.’

“But if the Cup teams are suffering, aren’t they pissed off at money going to Grand Am?” asked the Bear.

“Of course they are,” said A.C. “But what are they going to say? They’ve been on a gravy train, and they aren’t going to upset that apple cart. There’s some trouble, though. I hear a couple of Grand Am teams – one “biggie” included – may be on the way out anyway. At the end of the season it could get pretty nasty, but of course if ALMS is gone…see? They’re business geniuses across the street…”

A.C. suddenly remembered where he was, gave the Bear a quick – but manly – squeeze, said, “one more thing, “If – as is possible – the Nationwide taxi race gets rained out, then it clears, the DP’s just might have to go home without turning a wheel. You didn’t hear anything here,” then quietly slipped out the door. A moment later the Bear heard the rumbling tones of a V8 – but a V8 rarely heard in this World Center of Racing.

“What’s with the wheels?” wondered Murphy.

(to be continued)