by A.C. Guillermo

 The storm clouds are gathering. 2012 is shaping-up as a showdown year between the NASCAR Rolex Grand-Am Series presented by Chip Ganassi and the floundering American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron.  

I know 2011 has barely started, but already the stage is set for a battle next year between Daytona and Braselton. If you only knew what I don’t know! (Editor’s note – AC must have consulted Yogi Behra on that one).   Each sanctioning organization is set to embark on an aggressive expansion, and you can put your money on the ALMS coming out the first loser when it is all said and done.

Let’s check the scoreboard.   Next year the Daytona Rolex 24 will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, while Sebring will its mark its 60th anniversary. Although Sebring has a better history, a more exciting circuit, more fans, a much better entry list, and a far better anniversary celebration, they still don’t have a Hooter’s in Sebring. Grand-Am 1, ALMS 0.

Scott Pruett won’t be entered at Sebring. So make that Grand-Am 2, ALMS 0.  

Next year the ALMS will again host two rounds of the ILMC, and will likely expand into at least three new markets by 2013.  Meanwhile, Grand-Am will continue with its non-spectator concept, using Homestead as a model.  Expect to hear about races in 2012 that were held at five new venues nobody will know about, adding to the allure and mystique of Grand-Am racing.  Grand-Am 3, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will be the feature race at the Austin F1 weekend, and each DP will have an F1 pilot as a co-driver. You heard it here first.  Grand-Am 4, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will begin to field a huge variety of GT3 entries in 2012, including Audi, Audi, Audi and Audi.  Grand-Am 5, ALMS 0.  

Grand-Am will run a version of the DTM (see my previous columns for details) and will somehow manage to make all the cars look alike. Grand-Am 6, ALMS 0. 

Chip Ganassi will not be allowed to race in that series. Grand-Am 7, ALMS 0.  

ALMS will continue with its internet broadcast concept, while Grand-Am continues broadcasting on the NASCAR Network (new name for  SPEEDTV to be announced soon).  Grand-Am 8, ALMS 0.  

The new DP bodywork will be stunning, sleek, ground-breaking and evocative (thanks for that word, Godwin). Even though they may still make your eyes bleed, Wayne Taylor will love them, and so will you. Grand-Am 9, ALMS 0.  

The ALMS Green racing initiative will be countered by a far more effective Grand-Am marketing program touting the Rolex Series’ lack of fans, meaning far less fuel is consumed by people coming to Grand-Am races than ALMS events. Absolutely genius.  The “Less fans. More Fuel” slogan will first appear on the Spirit of Daytona entry.  Grand-Am 10, ALMS 0.  

Mark R. has assured me Grand-Am “Competition yellows” will continue in 2012, and will be supplemented by “Competition Timing & Scoring,” that will add and subtract laps from various teams as needed. Grand-Am 11, ALMS 0.  

Finally, the big one. I know you won’t believe this, but it is going to happen. At least one round of the Rolex Series (and maybe two), will be on an oval next year. Yes! An oval race for sports cars. Why not! Its going to be wild. You think that will be too hard on equipment? Ever seen a street race?  Grand-Am 12, ALMS 0.  

A shutout.   I think my track record is pretty solid in reporting on the NASCAR Grand-Am Series. If you checked back at my previous columns, you would not find one single true thing I reported was not true considering the truth is what happened and the untruth didn’t, unless the truth was falsely reported as untrue.  

Grand-Am Notes 

• At Barber, J.C. France was sporting one of his new “Don’t You Know Who I am?” shirts, part of a new apparel line he designed exclusively for wealthy offspring who frequently get pulled over by the police… 
• A 17-foot tall statue of Scott Pruett will be erected in front of the NASCAR offices later this year, joining statues of Ann & Bill France, Dale Earnhardt and Tim Richmond …. 
• Yours truly was not a bit surprised to find out an ALMS Media Guide was found at the Bin Laden compound in Pakistan …
• Since nobody showed up for the Grand-Am Fan Club meeting at Barber, any future meetings will be held in Hurley Haywood’s office at the Brumos dealership in Jacksonville .…
• Although the same team wins every Rolex Series race, I am told that will change in 2012.  Suntrust has already purchased three victories, and the Gainesco Team is seeking financing to purchase two others …
• NASCAR and SPEEDTV issued a joint statement vehemently denying there was collusion between the two parties to prevent the ALMS from being on that network. SPEEDTV also explained that it was a “technical problem” that resulted in Scott Pruett only talking about Grand-Am cars while commentating at Le Mans last year…
• Daytona officials were devastated when the State of Florida recently voted down permission to have fans buried at the speedway.  I’m told the Daytona Security Department was especially disappointed. …
• Heads-up for ALMS fans and IMSA staff: Baltimore has the highest VD rate in North America …
• Rumors still persist there is a supporting series sanctioned by Grand-Am; I’ll let you know what I find out…
• More details to come, but I have to get back to my hobby of posting anti-ALMS rants on the Grand-Am forum.

 

 A.C.

I missed the Mid-Ohio race, but I am primed and ready for my favorite series to return home to the World Center of Racing. It is going to be awesome, with Grand-Am and the Cup cars running on the same day!

Mid-Ohio was another fantastically officiated race.  All the team owners I talked with last week were absolutely thrilled with the event, and hopefully next year spectators will be allowed.  Although the entry list has been steadily shrinking to ALMS levels, the close competition gave me goose bumps! I don’t know about you, but that race made me want to go out and buy a Rolex and get a car loan at Sun Trust!  Not so sure about Kevin’s wine, however.

There’s no doubt this year is going great. I just saw a NASCAR press release that confirmed the Grand-Am Series is growing by leaps and bounds.  I was very impressed to see Grand-Am merchandise sales up 41%.  I think Wayne Taylor buying those 10 t-shirts at New Jersey might have had something to do with that.

While Grand-Am’s Riley Rolex Series is booming, all you hear out of Braselton are words like ‘homologation” (isn’t that what certain people do in San Francisco?), “green racing” and “relevance.” 

I almost feel sorry for the ALMS. Once NASCAR officially took over my beloved Rolex Series, game over. The experts at Daytona are proving NASCAR will indeed rule the road racing world. Jim F. and Roger E. have penciled in Sebring and Road Atlanta on the 2010 Rolex schedule (which will be Grand-Am’s first races with spectators!). Of course, Petit Le Mans will have to change its name to Petit Daytona. And the DIS Security Department will have to go to Sebring to straighten out those Green Park people (I’ve been told the fine folks at DIS Security have been watching videos of the Iranian police’s suppression of protesters as a model for crowd control).

The transition from ALMS to Grand-Am should be relatively painless for ALMS fans. Other than the NASCAR loyalty oath, a ban on all technology developed in the last 20 years, and mystery debris yellow flags, they probably won’t notice anything different other than bigger fields of Porsche Cup cars and those beautiful DPs!

And yes, Le Mans was another yawner this year. Until Peugeot and Audi prove they can beat Rileys, Coyotes and Crawfish, they haven’t proven anything.

In closing, I can’t wait for the season-ending banquet after Homestead.  I have heard the entertainment lineup will again include Kevin Buckler doing his mime routine again, Mark Raffauf’s band “Mark and the Scale Calibrators,” plus special guest Tony George will join Roger E. in an emotional tribute to Michael Jackson.

A.C.

Aretha Franklin’s classic should be our theme song here at the World Center of Racing’s Road Racing and Motorcycle Department.

Grand-Am certainly deserves respect, but they just can’t get it.  Other than us very knowledgeable Daytona and Charlotte-based experts, other motor racing journalists around the world regard Grand-Am as a rather pathetic, contrived and NASCARized. series. Some say Daytona’s 24-hour race has lost all its significance.

Grand-Am just held a highly successful Winter Test, showcasing the 30 cars that will start the 2009 Rolex 24 (plus 18 Porsche GT3 Cup cars). Why doesn’t the motor racing fraternity recognize Grand-Am’s stunning success over the past five years?  Wayne Taylor is every bit the driver Tom Kristensen is, and a Riley could certainly hold its own against an Audi or Peugeot.

So what is the real reason Grand-Am gets no respect (other than from the News-Journal)?

Well, I’m not going to get into all that name calling, “ALMS sucks because…” nonsense, but I will say that Dr. P has successfully implanted this arrogant, elitist, ‘Le Mans is superior’ mentality throughout the motor racing media.  These journalists probably drink wine, watch A&E, and have a country club membership.  Not me, my friend.  I am not falling into that trap.  Ole’ A.C. ain’t subscribing to GQ, nor is he going to shop at Nordstrom. I am a journalist of the people, damn it. I respect Grand-Am.

GRAND-AM ECONOMICS 101

The economy may be tanking everywhere, but not at 1801 International Speedway Boulvevard. In fact, they are down right bullish. Jim F. continues to fund the Jacksonvillle team, among others, and he will subsidize the whole field if he has to! 

The furry one emailed me an article on his friend’s website about the cost of racing. As any DP competitor can tell you, having Ganassi and Penske in the series will drastically reduce the cost of racing in the series. In fact, most teams will show a significant profit. Racing a DP doesn’t cost- it pays! My good friend Bernie Madoff is currently writing an article on how that is possible, and you should see that on the internet soon. 

FAN FRIENDLY

In preparation for the Daytona 24 Hours, the ever-friendly Daytona International Speedway Security Department staff has undergone a massive sensitivity program.  Beginning January 23, all gate guards will wear a “smiley face” button and say “please” and “thank you” before and after insulting you, threatening to kick you out, and making you park two miles further away than you need to. In addition, the phrase “Hell no, you can come in this way” will be replaced by “What do you think this is, Sebring?”

THEY ARE JUST JEALOUS

The Daytona 24 attracts a stellar lineup of drivers from all types of racing. But get this: I read where one of the elitist journalists referred to above said all the guest drivers are a feeble effort to dress-up a lame race. Do I detect a hint of jealousy?

Grand-Am and NASCAR are working to make the entry list even more spectacular. I know for a fact some others soon to appear on the Daytona 24 entry list include Terrell Owens, Lance Armstrong, Usain Bolt, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Charlie Chan, Nelson Mandela, Cloris Leachman and Stevie Wonder.

A.C.