USCC (leave your axe outside)

[ttdriver2009]

It makes sense. You can build a great racecar but it will be slowed down below a DP. Why go with that failed business plan? If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd buy one of those 1970's tech cars. They might cost much more than a P2 car but at least the car will win and can do it with rudimentary technology. Winning is what sponsors want to see. So price your program around a DP and at least give that sponsor some time on TV.

Once the sponsor finds out that all of us will refuse to go to races, then they will demand that the teams go toward high tech and teams being able to make their car go faster through hard work.

[TF110]

They were slower for a lot of the Sebring race. Slower at Daytona, now probably slower again this weekend. Thats not even.

[Danske]

Originally Posted by Salamus

Why are people commenting as if the P2s have been obliterated by the DPs. We are dealing with a very small sample size: 2 races.

Sebring was the first race with the high-downforce configurations on the cars, so it's really just one race after which all the P2 teams are threatening to leave if they're not guaranteed a win.

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by Danathar

The WEC has developed as the premier series for international sports car racing. Before the WEC came on strong, the ALMS had that role (except for LeMans).

If only we had better coverage of the WEC in the U.S.

It feels like a throwback to the times before ALMS. All the cool cars are running elsewhere and we have to scramble to find coverage.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

It feels like a throwback to the times before ALMS. All the cool cars are running elsewhere and we have to scramble to find coverage.

We have great coverage of the WEC in the US. A commercial-free stream in HD.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by TF110

They were slower for a lot of the Sebring race. Slower at Daytona, now probably slower again this weekend. Thats not even.

Might want to check you speed info from Sebring. The gt-eins site would be a good place to start. Also one of the cool things about endurance races is you never know how things are going to play out. 3 p2's in top 5 at Sebring all on lead lap seems pretty good to me.

It also seems that a lot of folks in this thread are more than happy to write off this series after 2 races and one practice. I'm still willing to give it a shot. No it isn't perfect but it is still early.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by joeb

Might want to check you speed info from Sebring. The gt-eins site would be a good place to start. Also one of the cool things about endurance races is you never know how things are going to play out. 3 p2's in top 5 at Sebring all on lead lap seems pretty good to me.

It also seems that a lot of folks in this thread are more than happy to write off this series after 2 races and one practice. I'm still willing to give it a shot. No it isn't perfect but it is still early.

This is not an endurance race. It's a 100 minute sprint race at a circuit that heavily favors a DP. Sprinkle in the inevitable 25-minute FCY and you have even less time.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by BullMan

This is not an endurance race. It's a 100 minute sprint race at a circuit that heavily favors a DP. Sprinkle in the inevitable 25-minute FCY and you have even less time.

I was responding to a comment about Sebring. And i was making a comment that it is getting old hearing the same old negative diatribe time and time again.

[Christian Mogami]

Originally Posted by joeb

I was responding to a comment about Sebring. And i was making a comment that it is getting old hearing the same old negative diatribe time and time again.

But it is the truth and nothing but the truth judge!

It looks like TUSCC will only be DP pretty soon until the new cars in 2016/17.

Why would you race if you can't win,some American teams will use it to test their new P2 Coupes to get ready for WEC thats it.

[David Land]

These session times have pretty much killed my interest in TUSCC.

I will have a hard time dragging myself to the event at Indy and certainly won't be going to Petit this year.

This is a real shame. Hope someday I can really love American sportscar racing again.

[Maelochs]

I did not repeat a tired old diatribe. I pointed out that there seems always to be a one-second difference in laptimes between the two types of prototypes and that given that DPs have 150 more bhp and who knows how much more torque, it is hard to imagine how a p2 could beat them--All of them--givent eh simple facts of physics--including the bit where two masses cannot occupy the same space.

I am not writing off the series but I--a race fan for years who thinks he knows at least a little--don't see where a car which cannot keep up on the fast or the slow tracks, is going to win. Any slow corner, long straight, or restart gives the DPs the edge.

P2s Might have a chance in endurance races--but once the DP teams figure out how to run their cars in changing conditions (and with the Honda and Ford turbos getting stronger in cooling night conditions, as the ESM motor did) then it is hard to see where the P2s will make up the difference.

What we saw at Daytona is the same thing we might see at any track with a long straight--the P2s rule in the mid- and fast corners, and the DPs make it up on the straights.

I cannot blame any of the old ALMS/ crew, or really any racing fan, for being disappointed when it does seem that at every track DPs have a second in speed over the P2s, and no a lot of tracks which favor the P2s ... but I am not giving up on the series yet.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by David Land

These session times have pretty much killed my interest in TUSCC.

I will have a hard time dragging myself to the event at Indy and certainly won't be going to Petit this year.

This is a real shame. Hope someday I can really love American sportscar racing again.

+1
I'm regretting having already bought my tickets to the Road America race.

I have committed myself to following the New IMSA for the first year, however this is really feeling more like a burden rather than something that I enjoy.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by joeb

Might want to check you speed info from Sebring. The gt-eins site would be a good place to start. Also one of the cool things about endurance races is you never know how things are going to play out. 3 p2's in top 5 at Sebring all on lead lap seems pretty good to me.

It also seems that a lot of folks in this thread are more than happy to write off this series after 2 races and one practice. I'm still willing to give it a shot. No it isn't perfect but it is still early.

I dont need to check anything. I watched the race through. Only at certain times were select lmp2 cars setting faster laps. That didn't matter much when they were SLOWER than the dp's, as in speed. The huge deciding factor is power, which dp's have an abundance of. Im not writing off the series, Im saying their bop is off. How are they going to be better in the future if they cant get it right now? Just seems like favortism is going on, thats my opinion.

[FstrthnU]

I'm thinking that IMSA is wary of the DP teams complaining, "you told us to buy >$100,000 worth of upgrades and now you want us to take some of it off? Why did we even spend that money in the first place!"

It probably wouldn't be exactly like that, but I can imagine at least a few teams complaining. Even if the change might help the credibility of the series.

[Matt]

What IMSA should do it buy the parts back from the teams.

[belt driven]

Originally Posted by Christian Mogami

But it is the truth and nothing but the truth judge!

...some American teams will use it to test their new P2 Coupes to get ready for WEC thats it.

EUROPEAN teams did exactly that at Sebring and Petit under ALMS; leaving the rest of the season as "The Audi Show" until even Audi got bored with it. ALMS eventually had to pad skimpy fields with spec GTC and the spec class everybody here loves to hate, PC.

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by joeb

It also seems that a lot of folks in this thread are more than happy to write off this series after 2 races and one practice. I'm still willing to give it a shot. No it isn't perfect but it is still early.

A lot of us realized there was a tremendous opportunity to combine the marketing strength and deep pockets of NASCAR with the ability of ALMS to attract the top teams, cars and drivers in the world and have them race in America on a regular basis.

If, and that's a huge if, the powers and money behind the new series were interested in continuing this trend then they had a chance to be the best in the world. They decided otherwise and the results have become very obvious. Instead of BOP, they decided to follow a script and manipulate outcomes rather than running with the opportunity. A lot of us happened to notice that.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Well we made it in time, for practice 2 and qualifying. Gotta say i am not impressed and really disappointed with the P qualifying and top two fords just seems fishy. gtlm oddly felt different. Not super excited for tomorrow thinking about just going home.and I have laguna booked too, feeling very disappoints.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

I'm thinking that IMSA is wary of the DP teams complaining, "you told us to buy >$100,000 worth of upgrades and now you want us to take some of it off? Why did we even spend that money in the first place!"

It probably wouldn't be exactly like that, but I can imagine at least a few teams complaining. Even if the change might help the credibility of the series.

The problem is that they PROMISED the DP teams they would be competitive in the 'merged' series, they ALLOWED the P2s in.

[Rodger Davies]

In reference to the 'competing watch manufacturers not allowed' discussions from last year, no Breitling logos on Bentleys in BES this weekend.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by wdave0

The problem is that they PROMISED the DP teams they would be competitive in the 'merged' series, they ALLOWED the P2s in.

And that's why DPs are so overpowered in any ways... Even more with bad officiating.

On the other hand, I'm worried that Porsche could win Long Beach. I want someone other than Porsche to win.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

And that's why DPs are so overpowered in any ways... Even more with bad officiating.

On the other hand, I'm worried that Porsche could win Long Beach. I want someone other than Porsche to win.

It takes a fair bit of skill to officiate the winner of choice.

Sadly, Porsche was a favored manufacturer of both ALMS and Grand-Am, pretty likely of the 'merged' series too.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by joeb

It also seems that a lot of folks in this thread are more than happy to write off this series after 2 races and one practice. I'm still willing to give it a shot. No it isn't perfect but it is still early.

Most were happy to write it off in 2013 and have only sought affirmation in 2014. To their credit, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the positives so far, but that sentiment can be applied to just about ALL forms of motor racing these days and only gets exacerbated with all the negative waves in here and other threads. However, their are plenty of positives that I can still focus on in TUSC and elsewhere. Spot on MrB, 2.25 races in and I am not jumping ship just yet.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Most were happy to write it off in 2013 and have only sought affirmation in 2014. To their credit, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the positives so far, but that sentiment can be applied to just about ALL forms of motor racing these days and only gets exacerbated with all the negative waves in here and other threads. However, their are plenty of positives that I can still focus on in TUSC and elsewhere. Spot on MrB, 2.25 races in and I am not jumping ship just yet.

I'll admit that I had low expectations but was optimistic enough to go Sebring anyway. So, one of the few good green flag periods was during the Bikini contest so I missed the contest and then they screwed up the rest of the race. I feel that the current incarnation of IMSA is operating well beneath my previous low expectations and their halfway solutions aren't enough to get me past the DVR, even though the racers are doing a great job in spite of the organizers

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Not super excited for tomorrow thinking about just going home...

But they have "the best life style expo," as Jim Michaelian once told me when I expressed concern about the yearly expansion of advert banners covering previously good track viewing areas. Also the continuous comparison of LB to Monaco cracks me up.
Stay and enjoy the atmosphere. Or stay and go across the harbour to San Pedro Brewing.