USCC (leave your axe outside)

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Also takes away from strategizing, why short fill,or double/triple stint tires to gain an advantage or time?when now you can fuel and change tires at the same time and go out on fresh tires,no time gained or lost now.

[Dodge_Swinger]

I'm not a fan of the current pit stops, either. I wish they would return to mandatory engine shutdown, no work on the car during refueling, etc. Now there's no double-stinting tires, no drama when the car won't re-start, etc. It doesn't cost any money and it might make the P2s a bit more competitive.

Won't happen with the NASCAR mindset at the helm.

[Maelochs]

"If we are gonna get nuts on pitstops, then lets get nuts."

$$$$

I'd prefer something like ACO-style stops, maybe four guys, two guns, fuel and driver change only ... And I'd bet teams would rather pay for four guys as opposed to fourteen.

[wdave0]

The problem comes when you consider the pit stops an element of the show rather than part of the racing and safety and the perception that US spectators (note - not fans) like the NASCAR style better. I'm actually surprised they haven't gone from hoses to cans.

[Maelochs]

Everyone likes everything NASCAR better than everything else--NASCAR knows that.

There is no "part of the show" vs. "part of racing." There is the show; it is race-based.

Also, as wdave0 notes, there are no "race fans." There are "spectators," and NASCAR is certain that it can apply its formula to any sport and increase spectators. After all, it worked with both AMA and Rolex ...

[wdave0]

Worked for NASCAR too, that's why their millions of dollar track renovations strangely result in less seats!

[jasonjessica09]

MRN has a live sportcar show. At 1 pm eastern time today (tuesday 4/29). I don't beleive it is archived (not 100% on that). So I'd try to catch it at the time advertised.

http://www.mrn.com/MRN-Radio/Shows/S...r-Insider.aspx

[Dimension]

I don't buy into the "less spectacle" argument leveled against a seperation of driver change + fuel and tire changes. since tires have to be changed after fuel, there's more pressure to be fast with the tires. The way it currently is, there is no spectacle at all because the whole pit stop lasts as long as the refueling. Besides, the strategies enabled with a split stop adds another layer to the race that the spectator can get behind.

I just don't see a downside here, except conti selling a few less tires. But seein how they actually had problems getting enough tires to the track in the big events, they might actually welcome this change as well.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by Dimension

I don't buy into the "less spectacle" argument leveled against a seperation of driver change + fuel and tire changes. since tires have to be changed after fuel, there's more pressure to be fast with the tires. The way it currently is, there is no spectacle at all because the whole pit stop lasts as long as the refueling. Besides, the strategies enabled with a split stop adds another layer to the race that the spectator can get behind.

I just don't see a downside here, except conti selling a few less tires. But seein how they actually had problems getting enough tires to the track in the big events, they might actually welcome this change as well.

I agree and preferred the separation in ALMS but the new owners of the show think the GA, NASCAR, INDYCAR (murrican?) way is better. As I say, I'm waiting for dump cans to come and 'spice up' the show. With exhausts right under fuel fillers all the spillage would spectacular - especially at night!

[Dodge_Swinger]

FIRE BAD! (Unless it's a pit stop.)

[Danathar]

Originally Posted by wdave0

I agree and preferred the separation in ALMS but the new owners of the show think the GA, NASCAR, INDYCAR (murrican?) way is better. As I say, I'm waiting for dump cans to come and 'spice up' the show. With exhausts right under fuel fillers all the spillage would spectacular - especially at night!

Hey! That would be COOL. How about mandated lit sparklers mounted on each car that have to be replaced and lit on each pit stop?

[Gulf]

Originally Posted by Danathar

Hey! That would be COOL. How about mandated lit sparklers mounted on each car that have to be replaced and lit on each pit stop?

That's a good idea. I would really like to see metal fold up chairs in each pit box so crew man can hit an others teams crew man over the head with it. They could even sell sponsorship on the chairs.

[Dodge_Swinger]

Originally Posted by Gulf

That's a good idea. I would really like to see metal fold up chairs in each pit box so crew man can hit an others teams crew man over the head with it. They could even sell sponsorship on the chairs.

Get Hulk Hogan, Rick Flair, etc as crew chiefs, add in some WWE Divas, get George Miller (Mad Max director) in Scott Elkins seat, and I probably wouldn't miss an event. It wouldn't be racing, but it would be a spectacle.

[TF110]

Sure would, BROTHER!

[Maelochs]

We can joke all we want, but I'll bet WWE and its ilk as a whole outdraw NASCAR ratings, and I'd bet most Monster Trucks events sell more one-day tickets than any Tudor race ever will.

Only downside there is that wrasslin' disgusts me and Monster Trucks were old after the third time I saw one crush a car.

IndyCar is fighting to keep from going down the same slippeery slope, with more people saying that races shouldn't end under yellow. No one wants GWC, but it that's the only way ...

The management at PWC must be loving it. One by one America's top racing series bleed themselves to death or distort themselves into racing parodies, while PWC just gains fans.

[joeb]

Monster trucks do not out draw nascar (TV or box office). I went to an event a couple months ago in an indoor arena and there were maybe 7 or 8000 people there. Granted there was more than 1 monster truck event happening at the same time around the country but the total would not have been more than 30,000.

[Breitling24]

Tires... and more rumours on the horizon?

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup...with-michelin/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Breitling24

Tires... and more rumours on the horizon?

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup...with-michelin/

Interesting, the sprint cup tire failures are curious, should be easy to get a spec tire right for very similar cars on the same tracks the series go to year after year. Will Michelin get the next Tudor contract? Perhaps, but can they out bid conti with all their other commitments?

[Dyson Mazda]

How ticked would people be if TUSC went to a spec Michelin tire in every class but GTLM?

[PointDSM]

As we've learned over the past year, "spec" is a special word. People only hate the Continental tires because they made one tire for everyone, and it's crap. If Michelin does the same, people won't like it. If Michelin makes different tires for different types of platforms, then we're good. If Michelin makes a spec tire and its awesome (like Pirelli and their PWC tire), then we're also good.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by PointDSM

As we've learned over the past year, "spec" is a special word. People only hate the Continental tires because they made one tire for everyone, and it's crap. If Michelin does the same, people won't like it. If Michelin makes different tires for different types of platforms, then we're good. If Michelin makes a spec tire and its awesome (like Pirelli and their PWC tire), then we're also good.

Michelin made a spec tire for LMPC, that wasn't very good.

[Dimension]

nascar tire failures are due to the new suspension geometry regulations not to any change in the tires. Basically teams are now allowed to put amounts of camber in there, that along with the stupid-low air pressures they insist to run make sure that the tire walls are taxed a lot more than they were yesteryear. you could argue that GoodYear should develop new tires, but tires are expensive enough as they are, so imo its the team's responsibility not to overtax their equipment.

[Rodger Davies]

Yes, but it is also a spec car, so everyone has the same package regardless - no advantage to be gained.

I think calling the spec Continentals 'crap' is a gross oversimplification of the issue. What they are, is tyres developed for a certain type of car over many years, and that car is a heavy, powerful one. I'm not blaming anyone with that, just wondering if the differences in reactions to the tyres/car specs are one thing that took them by surprise.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Michelin made a spec tire for LMPC, that wasn't very good.

Was it a compound/construction issue caused by Michelin alone? (No)

Or was it that the series forced them to build a tire harder than what was necessary? (Yes)

It's not any different than what we see now with Hoosier-nental

In general, an open formula is needed, a spec tire that doesn't work across all cars is generally just bad for the series.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by PointDSM

As we've learned over the past year, "spec" is a special word. People only hate the Continental tires because they made one tire for everyone, and it's crap. If Michelin does the same, people won't like it. If Michelin makes different tires for different types of platforms, then we're good. If Michelin makes a spec tire and its awesome (like Pirelli and their PWC tire), then we're also good.

Calling the Conti tire "crap" is unfair. It is a safe, consistent and driveable tire on the car it was designed for. The series decided that part of the handicap for the P2s they feared would be to make them use the same tire rather than develop a Continental for them - there was never consideration of the showcase class of the series having non-Continental tires. Sure the Contis may be slower than bespoke Michelins but speed wasn't one of the design criteria.