ALMS 2012 Discussion - Page 13

AGD · 28 Sep 2011, 00:22 (Ref:2961963)

I'm not so sure if returning to the days of headlight stickers, rear wheel drive Celicas, and two-door Olds Auroras is the direction most fans want sports car racing to move towards.

Jonerz · 28 Sep 2011, 01:47 (Ref:2961980)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

If built to accepted standards, I don't really know that there would be any issue. The GTO/GTU cars were lower, had pronounced flares and aero, which was very unlike the Nascar stuff.

Look at Grand-Am GT for reference. Hopefully, if IMSA adopted tubers there would be more freedom to allow the cars to have bigger tires (and more power) because either they would be in the top class or would be allowed to be quicker given the pace of the prototypes or higher GT classes.

I for one want prototypes to remain, but hell if tubers are added to the mix, so be it.

@ AGD: speaking of headlight stickers, I'd like the cartoon headlight-cover stickers to return for the 2h 45m races - give the teams and cars some personality.

Chris

Matt · 28 Sep 2011, 05:17 (Ref:2962002)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

I'm not so sure if returning to the days of headlight stickers, rear wheel drive Celicas, and two-door Olds Auroras is the direction most fans want sports car racing to move towards.

Most fans just care about good racing.

Plus, how can you NOT love this?

..or maybe the hatchback was more your taste?

Jonerz · 28 Sep 2011, 05:23 (Ref:2962005)

Good racing doesn't mean everything. Grand-Am produces fabulous racing but has taken a long time in gaining any kind of following. Fans love to have their breath taken away by spectacular looking and sounding machinery. Not saying that fire-breathing Celica isn't spectacular, but I'm just saying the average punter won't appreciate solid racecraft and a formula that promotes close racing with the advantage of long brake zones and less reliance on clean air for downforce.

Chris

AGD · 28 Sep 2011, 05:49 (Ref:2962010)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Most fans just care about good racing.

Plus, how can you NOT love this?

..or maybe the hatchback was more your taste?

That was a fine racing machine that competed in a fine series, but they did not really represent any similarity to the road going models. Where could I buy a late 90s Celica with RWD? The Cunningham 300ZXs were spectacular, but where could I buy a V8 300ZX? Where could I buy a 2 door Oldsmobile Aurora?

Anyway, I just don't think there is much interest in seeing a GT series with a tube framed 2 door Chevrolet Impala with a small block V8 and headlight stickers. I think most GT fans are now conditioned to seeing something a little more believable even if the race car is quite different from the street car.

Having said that, I would not be opposed to adding a "pony car" (as well as 370Zs, G37s, M3s, etc.) class to the ALMS with a more restricted cost structure. I would not want it to replace having prototypes and stuff. The multiclass aspect of these series, especially with vastly different classes, makes for spectacular racing.

Deleted · 28 Sep 2011, 22:44 (Ref:2962324)

Apparently there's been rumours that the Laguna Seca weekend could be moved back to the earlier part of the season. I liked the spring format last year, and it would also reduce the silent period between Long Beach (or it's replacement) and post Le Mans races.

FordCosworthPanoz · 28 Sep 2011, 23:37 (Ref:2962340)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

Apparently there's been rumours that the Laguna Seca weekend could be moved back to the earlier part of the season. I liked the spring format last year, and it would also reduce the silent period between Long Beach (or it's replacement) and post Le Mans races.

Atherton said the reason for poor attendance at Laguna last year was its Spring date, so they moved it back to a more traditional date but judging by the *crowd* that attended this year I guess that didnt work.

Bob Riebe · 29 Sep 2011, 04:14 (Ref:2962380)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

As much as I might like the theory of that, I'll have to pass on it in practice.

Entries NEED to meet minimum crash-test standards, and you can't really crash-test, and then race, a one-off you built in your shop. You also need to make sure any entry can meet some reasonable minimum speed, so it's not a ridiculous hazard to the other competitors.

Also, mid '80s GTO/GTU cars looked too similar to Trans-Am and/or NASCAR cars of that period. I do NOT want any ALMS GTs to look like NASCAR, or CTSCC econoboxes. I just find vehicles with those more significant vertical proportions to look ungainly, and often downright ugly, and not the least bit suited to being on any racetrack.

The IMSA and SCCA cars were interchangeble.

You are thinking of late eighties at the earliest, as the mid-83-85 cars were still evolving into the tube-frame total farce they became.
Mid eighties stock cars looked like the production cars and even still had homologation production rules to qualify to race.

By the nineties they were production based only to the very gullible which I imagine is one reason the Trans-Am and IMSA series went PFFFT.

Bob Riebe · 29 Sep 2011, 04:25 (Ref:2962381)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

If built to accepted standards, I don't really know that there would be any issue. The GTO/GTU cars were lower, had pronounced flares and aero, which was very unlike the Nascar stuff.

The modified production cars that preceded the tube-frame crap were lower had huge fender flares and were extremely fast for the tires of the day.(The rear-ends, but especially transmissions were the weak link for Detroit cars.)
I would much rather see car similar to the original Trans-Am rules as today too many safety chicken-littles run around crying the sky is falling at todays horse power levels.
As I wrote at Atlas forum if one wants true strange-brew series take the current NASCAR engines, reduce them to no more than four inch bore and three inch stroke, let them run what ever non blown fuel system they want and put then into current pony cars built to original Trans-Am rules standards.
A sort of Trans-CAR.

THIS is what the late Carl Shafer did to one of the Chaparral Trans-Am Camaros.

Matt · 29 Sep 2011, 04:39 (Ref:2962384)

That looks like total crap. Awkward proportions abound.

Much better.

Bob Riebe · 29 Sep 2011, 04:43 (Ref:2962385)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

That looks like total crap. Awkward proportions abound.

Well speed is not always pretty as todays P cars mostly look like cockroaches, still plenty quick.

Matt · 29 Sep 2011, 04:44 (Ref:2962386)

I hate the modern cars too.

Bob Riebe · 29 Sep 2011, 04:45 (Ref:2962387)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

That looks like total crap. Awkward proportions abound.

Much better.

In your opinion.

Mal · 29 Sep 2011, 07:29 (Ref:2962414)

So who will be Muscle Milks third driver? Brabs?

AGD · 29 Sep 2011, 07:34 (Ref:2962416)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

So who will be Muscle Milks third driver? Brabs?

Greg Pickett

Fogelhund · 29 Sep 2011, 11:01 (Ref:2962478)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

So who will be Muscle Milks third driver? Brabs?

Although a recent release suggested they would be going with just two drivers.

lms · 29 Sep 2011, 11:28 (Ref:2962491)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Perhaps Dagys is Thinking about the best case for 2012 ALMS LMP1: ie Autocon, Intersport, Signature, Audi returns, AMR, 3rd Dyson car and the worst for 2012 WEC: ie OAK and Rebellion with 1 car, forgetting about Pescarolo ect, no ORECA

no autocon next year it seems
http://twitter.com/#!/Murphythebear/...55728429367297

FordCosworthPanoz · 29 Sep 2011, 11:36 (Ref:2962493)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lms

no autocon next year it seems
http://twitter.com/#!/Murphythebear/...55728429367297

Exactly, and Im betting out of Intersport, Signature, Audi returns

, AMR and the 3rd Dyson car, none of those actually happen.

About Muscle Milk, I can see why, Pickett hasnt driven since Sebring, and they really have no chance at a victory. Not to mention Dyson will have their slow drivers as well. As for the Dyson weight ballast:

The Badger · 29 Sep 2011, 11:51 (Ref:2962497)

Autosport suggesting that Rebellion could go ALMS in 2012 .

I hope they do . As the only championship they can compete in next year is ILMC , and until there is BoP its pointless for them to challange in the ILMC .

ACO's fault .

The Badger · 29 Sep 2011, 11:54 (Ref:2962498)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

Greg Pickett

Not if their looking for a good result . AMR should lend them a couple of drivers .

extramundane · 29 Sep 2011, 12:10 (Ref:2962507)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Not if their looking for a good result . AMR should lend them a couple of drivers .

Barring all 5 diesels having major issues or some 11th-hour IMSA sack-growing (

), they're not going to get a good result regardless of drivers. May as well let Pickett have some fun in the Aston's final race.

FordCosworthPanoz · 29 Sep 2011, 12:34 (Ref:2962521)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Autosport suggesting that Rebellion could go ALMS in 2012 .

I hope they do . As the only championship they can compete in next year is ILMC , and until there is BoP its pointless for them to challange in the ILMC .

ACO's fault .

This would be good for the ALMS, especially if Pickett goes to Grand Am,

R4z3rw33n · 29 Sep 2011, 12:35 (Ref:2962522)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Autosport suggesting that Rebellion could go ALMS in 2012 .

I hope they do . As the only championship they can compete in next year is ILMC , and until there is BoP its pointless for them to challange in the ILMC .

ACO's fault .

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...s-in-wec-alms/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart Hayden

It is [leaning] more towards World Endurance. Just from an evolution of where we are today, that’s the option that makes the most sense. But we don’t want to be there making up the numbers. We want to know that we at least have a chance.

It sounds as if they expect to be on the WEC grid next year. They're just attempting to gain additional leverage (which is reasonable).

As much as I'd like the WEC to succeed, I'd really enjoy seeing Rebellion take on MuscleMilk/Dyson over a full season in the US.

FordCosworthPanoz · 29 Sep 2011, 12:42 (Ref:2962525)

With OAK, and Pescarolo (Pescarolo Sport/Team) headed to the WEC next year, looks like Dagys is assuming Dyson will get a third car, AMR will join full time, Muscle Milk wont go to Grand Am, Autocon will actually be back and Rebellion will have two cars. Good luck ALMS on getting a higher LMP1 car count than the WEC.

FordCosworthPanoz · 29 Sep 2011, 12:43 (Ref:2962526)

Quote:

Originally Posted by R4z3rw33n

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...s-in-wec-alms/

It sounds as if they expect to be on the WEC grid next year. They're just attempting to gain additional leverage (which is reasonable).

As much as I'd like the WEC to succeed, I'd really enjoy seeing Rebellion take on MuscleMilk/Dyson over a full season in the US.

If Muscle Milk returns, hopefully they get a car other than a Lola.

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