USCC (leave your axe outside)

[Canada ALMS fan]

I continue to be amazed at the level of incompetence of the management of GA and ALMS. And they have set the bar pretty high... How can we have a plan for 2016 when they can't even deal with what they have now? Surely the machinations of a merger would been discussed BEFORE the deal was completed, no? Their customers, the owners, do not have the info to make decisions or raise funds. Their customers, the fans, feel marginalized and have been presented no vision to at least buy in to through the difficult transition period. Look at the banter all over the 'net regarding the series - it is for the most part toxic. Manufacturer programs don't happen overnight. If the series wants new cars for 2016 then the manufacturers need to know the rule set NOW.

[Chris Draper]

The GT teams don't need to complain, USCR and everybody involved knows what needs to be done. They just need to do it sooner rather than later.

[Mal]

unfortunately 2014 & 2015 are yet more of the now familiar interim years.The reality is that they are just trying to keep everyone happy for a couple of years until 2016 when there will be a new P2/DP class developed that will have one new type of car that will be eligible for LeMans. It may even be just a restricted version of the 2014 P1 car














l

[Maelochs]

Thing is, the teams they Really need to keep happy for the next two years are Corvette racing and probably SRT/Dodge. BMW RLL woudl be another good team to keep happy, because the strength of the new series will rest for the next two years (and for a large part always has and always will) on the LMGT class (whatever it was/is/will be called.)

Manufacturer dollars and the presence of immediately identifiable fan base/marketing opportunities are two pillars of the class, and the class is the only pole in a sagging tent right now.

I am a big prototype fan but I know without a doubt if USCR loses the American manufacturers it loses, period. No one in the world will bother to watch---because they will be watching whatever series has Corvette, and to a lesser extent Viper, BMW, and real prototypes.

USCR is maybe being a little too gentle in its ego-massaging/cat-herding. Or ... maybe it just donesn't give a flop what the DP/P2 teams do, so long as Corvette Racing is still on board.

Maybe the Scotts et al are moving slowly with DP/P2 because they don't care if the prototype teams strangle themselves. Why should they? ALMS has already proved that fans will watch a two-prototype grid, and it is beacked uop by the intense GT racing ALMS fans have loved for a decade, the new series might bwe better off with most of the prototype teams sulking on the sidelines due to their own intransigence.

That was USCR can present the 2106 rules and say, "Look, it isn't our fault you couldn't get your team ready in time---we did our best but you blocked our efforts. Here's the next set of regs---please feel free to participate if you so desire."

Except I sincerely doubt anyone at USCR could plan that far ahead.

[dangerousdave79]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Except I sincerely doubt anyone at USCR could plan that far ahead.

It doesn't appear that anyone is doing anything related to planning.

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Originally Posted by dangerousdave79

It doesn't appear that anyone is doing anything related to planning.

The longer this nonsense continues the less likely I'll be planning to make the trip to any races. This whole merger is becoming more and more of a farce and is quickly becoming the death of North American sportscar racing. The DP/LMP2 issues aside there's been no talk of anything else either, tire suppliers, support series, scheduling. It's all just a joke!

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Starworks just posted a Q&A with Peter Baron and he had this to say about the Road Atlanta DP meeting:

"To be honest I felt like I was on an island in that meeting. Many of the owners were stating the Daytona Prototype formula is perfect and everybody else should be slowed down."

LOL. Just LOL.

Bubble of self-delusion at its finest.

If the DP formula is perfect, then keep everyone the same speed. DP owners will change their tune real quick when LMP2s and LMPCs run away from them and the GTE cars are beating on their bumpers in the turns.

[hsttob]

Originally Posted by sheshnwoody

This ^

This is what Grand-Sham was built on....... Dummy everything down so our prototurles look quicker.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

The longer this nonsense continues the less likely I'll be planning to make the trip to any races. This whole merger is becoming more and more of a farce and is quickly becoming the death of North American sportscar racing. The DP/LMP2 issues aside there's been no talk of anything else either, tire suppliers, support series, scheduling. It's all just a joke!

No USCR races for the foreseeable future here either. Thankfully we have CoTA and Montreal to get our F1 and WEC fix. Indycar is getting better again too and are opening up the aero regs next year to get away from spec.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

No USCR races for the foreseeable future here either. Thankfully we have CoTA and Montreal to get our F1 and WEC fix.

We need another WEC race in North America.

Either Mosport, Watkins Glen, or Road America.

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

Bubble of self-delusion at its finest.

If the DP formula is perfect, then keep everyone the same speed. DP owners will change their tune real quick when LMP2s and LMPCs run away from them and the GTE cars are beating on their bumpers in the turns.

Unless they protest that those vehicles should be slowed...

[supermario21]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

We need another WEC race in North America.

Either Mosport, Watkins Glen, or Road America.

I would love to see the WEC expand in America. They can have a summertime post-Le Mans swing if they want with 2 or 3 races in America to keep the travel budgets low. Something needs to undercut the USCR and put it out of business if they keep up with these shenanigans.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Breitling24

Unless they protest that those vehicles should be slowed...

If they do, Bill Riley and Doug Fehan would probably beat them over the heads with some big-block exhaust headers.

[gregtummer]

In the history of auto racing, every driver and team has always wanted to go faster.

Except in Grand Am.

[hsttob]

Originally Posted by dangerousdave79

It doesn't appear that anyone is doing anything related to planning.

Isnt that the sad truth?

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

The longer this nonsense continues the less likely I'll be planning to make the trip to any races. This whole merger is becoming more and more of a farce and is quickly becoming the death of North American sportscar racing. The DP/LMP2 issues aside there's been no talk of anything else either, tire suppliers, support series, scheduling. It's all just a joke!

I think this statement is rushing to judgement still. I think USCR does have a few months to work things out still personally. I am not making any predictions of doom unless they impose any regulation on GTLM, which hopefully they are smart enough to not do.

I predict that there will be a compromise with P2 and PC slowing down and DP speeding up. I think there will be more slowing of P2/PC than speeding of DP though. GTLM remains as is. You have a nice bunched grid with 4 classes (P2/PC/DP/GTLM) all close together in lap speeds. Perhaps about a 4 second a lap gap at Daytona. Between 1 min 39 and 1 min 43.

And I complelty disagree that you have to have speed gaps between classes. Intra class racing is quite exciting I think! Remember Le Mans in the late 90's? I would love to see GTLM in there. Maybe USCR can even be given a break on fuel or fuel flow or something like that to allow a GTLM car to compete for overall victory.

[gregtummer]

This mess is easy to clean up. Eliminate the DPs.

[Canada ALMS fan]

And PC HAS to go for 2016. Any prototype class after the compromise years must be open and feature speed to succeed. Slow and spec is not acceptable.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

And PC HAS to go for 2016. Any prototype class after the compromise years must be open and feature speed to succeed. Slow and spec is not acceptable.

No it doesn't.








L.P.

[fanta4]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

And PC HAS to go for 2016. Any prototype class after the compromise years must be open and feature speed to succeed. Slow and spec is not acceptable.

Except they aren't slow. It's been a great class showcasing some great talent we may not have otherwise have seen in the series.

[nkoske]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

I predict that there will be a compromise with P2 and PC slowing down and DP speeding up. I think there will be more slowing of P2/PC than speeding of DP though.

That could make 2003 happen all over again...and we all know what happened to GA GT cars after that.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by nkoske

That could make 2003 happen all over again...and we all know what happened to GA GT cars after that.

The DPs' problem in 03 wasn't speed but reliability and they should have sorted that out by now...

[Lanky Turtle]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

The DPs' problem in 03 wasn't speed but reliability and they should have sorted that out by now...

I think the problem was speed AND reliability. They run about a 9 second faster lap time at Daytona now than they did the first year.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

I think the problem was speed AND reliability. They run about a 9 second faster lap time at Daytona now than they did the first year.

And still about 7 seconds slower than the Eagle MK III

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

And still about 7 seconds slower than the Eagle MK III

With half the horsepower....