ALMS 2012 Discussion

[Coach Ep]

Sounds like a partial ALMS season to me.

Didn´t OAK ran Judd re-batched as Mazda engines a couple of years ago in P2 in LMS?

Thought I read somewhere Dempsey´s contract with ABC will not be renewed after this year. Would this free him to race an open car in 2013?

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

Think there's another one to come after that too!

Another one that isn't Black Swan?

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Good to see the P2 class, especially in the WEC, is becoming popular, last year I was worried the new LMP2 rules would be a disaster. Certainly makes a hell of a lot more sense for a privateer (no matter the funds) to enter LMP2 instead of LMP1.

If I were Dempsey I would do some ALMS races, including PLM (with significantly smaller field this year it should be easy and if Dyson/Muscle Milk have major problems like last year they could even contend for the overall victory) and then set up for either a full WEC or ALMS schedule in 2012. Especially since the RX-8 is coming to the end of it's life in Rolex.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by DeathOrGlory

A Dyson link up would be a help for Dempsey but yes, with Dyson only doing LMP1 it does not make sense for McDreamy, despite the Mazda sponsorship. Oh well, If you want to do a good job then do it yourself!

I'm going to bet the Dyson/Mazda partnership is towards of it's years and Mazda going towards the future will focus their sports car programs on grassroots racing and LMP2.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I agree that the whole "confirmation" is very vague. At some point this year and Le Mans depends upon receiving an invitation.

Would he get accepted even if he does not do a full season anywhere just because he is Dempsey? I'm not sure if the French are so impressed by his stardom, but maybe they are. Who knows. If he does get an entry just because he is Dempsey, it would be a major blow to the teams that are either left out in the cold or who had to spend a lot of money to go WEC racing just to guarantee themselves of a spot.

Of course, if Peugeot scales back, it could help at least one privateer team get an entry.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by AGD

Would he get accepted even if he does not do a full season anywhere just because he is Dempsey? I'm not sure if the French are so impressed by his stardom, but maybe they are. Who knows. If he does get an entry just because he is Dempsey, it would be a major blow to the teams that are either left out in the cold or who had to spend a lot of money to go WEC racing just to guarantee themselves of a spot.

Of course, if Peugeot scales back, it could help at least one privateer team get an entry.

They seemed to be pretty sweet on Dempsey last year. It can't have hurt that he was a guest of Mazda who must surely be looking at a return. With the selection criteria so vague there's every chance he could get in.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by AGD

I'm not sure if the French are so impressed by his stardom, but maybe they are.

I seem to remember somewhere the list of criteria for selection includes, as minor points, things like "likelihood of raising awareness of the sport and competition" and "charitable or noteworthy causes" or something to that effect. I think those were the ones given last time he had a Le Mans entry.

[lms]

will we see a drayson lmp1 lola next year?

http://gas2.org/2011/12/19/all-elect...e-mans-series/

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by lms

will we see a drayson lmp1 lola next year?

http://gas2.org/2011/12/19/all-elect...e-mans-series/

That story is a complete fiction. It is not going to happen. See http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...32#post3003232

[lms]

some more info on the project
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...-electric-lmp/

So I guess this wont race in alms/wec/lm24 although I would rather see this car (with headlights) at le mans than the dw

[JHamilton]

I saw on Good Morning America today that McDreamy says he will continue to be on Greys Anatomy as long as it does not interfere with his racing. If it does, he will leave the show.

How the hell much do these people make? I've never even seen the show.

[NightStalk3r]

He already said the next season of greys will be his last.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I saw on Good Morning America today that McDreamy says he will continue to be on Greys Anatomy as long as it does not interfere with his racing. If it does, he will leave the show.

How the hell much do these people make? I've never even seen the show.

I've never seen it either. I'm not really into fictional drama or comedy.

Apparently he makes $225,000 an episode and I am sure he has a big chunk of the syndication rights which can make these actors tens of millions over the years. The main key is getting a series up to about 100 episodes to make it a syndication package. It is said that these production companies make most of their money on syndication rights as it is basically an off the shelf product they can resell all around the world for decades(if it's a popular show).

[Nologo]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

That story is a complete fiction. It is not going to happen. See http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...32#post3003232

It is going to happen...

[rich07]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I saw on Good Morning America today that McDreamy says he will continue to be on Greys Anatomy as long as it does not interfere with his racing. If it does, he will leave the show.

Priorities, some people have the right ones. Always thought Greys was quite overrated as a show and not a massive fan of McDreamy either but thats a good attitude he has regarding his racing. I thought it wouldve been the other way round.

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by rich07

Priorities, some people have the right ones. Always thought Greys was quite overrated as a show and not a massive fan of McDreamy either but thats a good attitude he has regarding his racing. I thought it wouldve been the other way round.

Seems like a pretty brave statement on his part.
He must have some other lucrative ventures going, if this is the case.

[ronnie peterson]

Sebring has apparently been expanding its pit lane facilities.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...&type=1&ref=nf

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Nologo

It is going to happen...

The car will happen, but it actually doing races is complete fiction.

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by ALMS Twitter page

News from the @Autosport_Show - #ALMS, #IMSA partnering with Quimera for electric racing championship - http://www.americanlemans.com/primar...cat=news|16459

Source: https://twitter.com/#!/almsnotes/sta...77950588071936

Originally Posted by Article

Working strategically, both IMSA and Quimera have immediately begun to define their objective of organizing a global, non-fossil fuel based championship.

__

Initial categories under consideration:
GT
AEGT(525 kw – 700bhp)
Touring GT (300kw – 390bhp)
NB
OPEN WHEEL
F3 type (300kw – 390bhp)

OTHER
LMP type: Currently in discussion with two potential partners. Specifications to be finalized.

Drifting (170 kW-220bhp)
TTXGP

Wondering if this is related to Drayson's announcement/showcase yesterday.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by R4z3rw33n

Seems like a pretty brave statement on his part.
He must have some other lucrative ventures going, if this is the case.

He can always do a Paul Newman and only do movies in the off season.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

He can always do a Paul Newman and only do movies in the off season.

Well yes that might be doable with flicks but TV does not work like that, series take serious time and effort to make

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by R4z3rw33n

Source: https://twitter.com/#!/almsnotes/sta...77950588071936

Maybe they ought to focus on getting their main series fixed, before wasting time on this kind of crap.

[KA]

True- Right now ALMS needs to be asking itself three questions about any potential partnership it gets into- 'Will it put competitive cars on the grid?', 'Will it bring any real benefits in TV and media coverage?', and 'Will it attract any proper sponsorship money into the series?'. I suspect we already know the answer to all three in this case....

Does ALMS really need another slightly off-the-wall support category? First replica CanAm cars, and now an EV series that apparently won't even happen before 2013...?

[JAG]

Autosport say Dyson have purchased two 2012 Lola's to replace their 2008 models.

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Maybe they ought to focus on getting their main series fixed, before wasting time on this kind of crap.

x1,000,000 - I have to say I'm a little bit speechless. It's like they are taking literally every idea, suggestion and possibility and just throwing it against the wall to see if it will stick. I don't have much to add beyond what has been said by myself and 1000 other people as to how to fix the series. But I will say that this is (literally) the first time since 2002 that I've been interested in the Rolex 24 and I'm at least as excited for the Grand Am GT season as I am the ALMS 2012 season.

If things don't change I can only see the ALMS sliding further into irrelevance. When we as fans say that IMSA needs to distance themselves from the ACO, I think I can speak for everyone that this is not the way to do it.