Rate the race: Rolex 24 at Daytona (TUSC)

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by wdave0

I too am in the minority and sadly agree with you about the majority. If you realize how many fans NASCAR and WWE carry it becomes clear that most of our complaints are irrelevant to the majority who just want a flashy entertainment event, and are the people the sanctioning body seeks to please. The only part that bothers those people is the poor TV coverage.
Unfortunately the US has become the land of the lowest common denominator and we loose.

Yeah mediocrity is ok now. All the talk about "income inequality" is funny. Everybody will be equally poor perhaps. The scary thing about someof the terrible officiating that went down at Daytona is that it just might be ignored and not treated as any big deal whatsoever. I guess we'll find out what happens the rest of the season.

Also, I really miss the days where Daytona was won by a car with 10-20 lap margins of victory.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Also, I really miss the days where Daytona was won by a car with 10-20 lap margins of victory.

Daytona was a real race before Grand AM but sometimes even when races are allowed to progress naturally there are very close finishes - note the many last lap battles and changes in ALMS GTLM races for example, last year 1,2,3 all changed in the last two laps of Sebring. It is exciting when it happens because of good racing, boring when it is manipulated but sadly many spectators don't know or care about the difference.

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by wdave0

Daytona was a real race before Grand AM but sometimes even when races are allowed to progress naturally there are very close finishes - note the many last lap battles and changes in ALMS GTLM races for example, last year 1,2,3 all changed in the last two laps of Sebring. It is exciting when it happens because of good racing, boring when it is manipulated but sadly many spectators don't know or care about the difference.

Agreed, and that same group would call that 10-20 lap victory a boring race, because a team dominated, not appreciating what goes into the occasional 10-20 lap dominating performance.

[Maelochs]

What is interesting to me, is how Real endurance races play out. There hasn't been a serious blow-out at Sebring, Petit, Le Mans, or any of the WEC rounds, nor at any of the Creventic races ... in quite some time.

Two laps is a pretty huge margin for an endurance race lately.

Often the races come down to the final stint, or even closer to the checker, before a winner is pretty certain (because anything can happen at any time.)

The freaking 2014 Rolex had two cars 15 seconds apart with 20 minutes to go---how much closer does it have to be?

TUSC management ought to watch Bathurst this weekend---see how a proper endurance race can be popular and profitable.

[Scooter185]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

What is interesting to me, is how Real endurance races play out. There hasn't been a serious blow-out at Sebring, Petit, Le Mans, or any of the WEC rounds, nor at any of the Creventic races ... in quite some time.

Two laps is a pretty huge margin for an endurance race lately.

Often the races come down to the final stint, or even closer to the checker, before a winner is pretty certain (because anything can happen at any time.)

The freaking 2014 Rolex had two cars 15 seconds apart with 20 minutes to go---how much closer does it have to be?

TUSC management ought to watch Bathurst this weekend---see how a proper endurance race can be popular and profitable.

There's certainly plenty of enduro races on the calendar each year for them to take note of.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

What is interesting to me, is how Real endurance races play out. There hasn't been a serious blow-out at Sebring, Petit, Le Mans, or any of the WEC rounds, nor at any of the Creventic races ... in quite some time.

Two laps is a pretty huge margin for an endurance race .

Actually, the (Creventic)Barcelona 24 hours last September was quite the blow out...

[Rodger Davies]

Spa 24 often is too, and that's one reason for it being one of my favourites. For me, the last hour or two are usually a nervous affair, getting a combination of more nervous and more optimistic, watching the team biting their nails, hoping for the car to hold just 20 minutes longer, then the emotional outpouring once it does cross the line has been properly built up. This is part of endurance racing to me, the processional finish at Le Mans with the flag marshals waving all the flags is one of my highlights and often makes me well up inside a little, as has the end of the N24 a few times.

Once or twice drifting from this script for an action packed finish, one that isn't manufactured, makes those races special, memorable - If they all end the same way, the individual races and performances are diminished in memory and lost in history.

[Maelochs]

You made me look it up ... An A6 Merc (GTS) won by ten laps over a 997-class Porsche, with a diesel (not a misprint) BMW third, another 15 laps back. Nearest A6 was 50 laps back.

Now That's an old-school endurance race. Attrition must have been massive.

Don't know why I didn't watch it---must have been a schedule conflict.

overall, though ... Creventic is still doing well and putting nothing but 12- and 24-hour races---with no artificial anything (now that A6 doesn't have target times.)

[jasonjessica09]

Look how epic the end of the 2000 Daytona 24 was with the Viper beating the Corvette by about 40 seconds. Now fast forward: Every finish in about 7 of the last 8 years I think was closer than that but you know what...yawn. Because it was all contrived with wave around rules and frequent and carefully timed full course yellows.

I now realize the fix has been in since 2004 when Grand Am threw so much red flag with the heavy rain as an excuse to keep all of the DP cars from breaking down because if the race went any longer than it did a GT car would have won overall again..

[Speed-King]

Another thought: I can accept big margins of victory in a development driven series. I won't disagree that the engineers doing the best job should be rewarded for that. In theory, that is. Since all major sportscar racing is dependent on some form of BoP these days, a blow out will always raise the question of a BoP failure, though. Take last year's BES 1000K at the Ring: a dominant performance by B . Schneider or just whacky BoP? In the end, there's no way we can know, but while I had a good time at the track that Sunday, not knowing if that was a deserved victory or a BoP fluke kind if spoiled the whole thing for me.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

I now realize the fix has been in since 2004 when Grand Am threw so much red flag with the heavy rain as an excuse to keep all of the DP cars from breaking down because if the race went any longer than it did a GT car would have won overall again..

or you know, as a safety precaution.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

I now realize the fix has been in since 2004 when Grand Am threw so much red flag with the heavy rain as an excuse to keep all of the DP cars from breaking down because if the race went any longer than it did a GT car would have won overall again..

That was a miserable weekend, and the last time I went to Daytona for the 24 Hours. Another problem they had was running out of rain tires, which really can't happen in a running race.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by extramundane

Peter DeLorenzo is a visionary with an impeccable track record. It was a sad time when, true to his predictions, GM neutered Corvette Racing to free up cash to get Tony Stewart back in the Chevy family, cut motorsports advertising severely then pulled out of NASCAR entirely after the 2008 season.

He really should charge for his columns, or at least adopt a stuffed animal mascot.

From his blog...

Peter M. De Lorenzo has been in and around racing since the age of ten. Because of his extensive background and deep interest in the sport he advised clients on racing and motorsports marketing throughout his 22-year advertising career. Since the creation of Autoextremist.com, he has continued to advise corporations, racing organizations and marketers on racing and the business of motorsports. He is considered to be one of the most knowledgeable, influential and visionary voices commenting on the sport today.

Rule #1 in non-NASCAR American Motorsport: If you have a blog you're for some reason important. Too bad even the worst Tumblr Feminist and Fanfiction blogs are better written.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Breitling24

Yeah, because he was 100% correct...

I actually miss Murphy the Bear and while it's evident that Kjos was pulling a lot of stuff out of his rear end especially in his final years he was at least a generally good and entertaining writer. His full-parody and comedy stories were clearly the best part of the blog.

Can't say I blame Tom Kjos for leaving the sport all together, and he had realized correctly that the ALMS was essentially on it's deathbed since 2009.

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Finally got a reply to my email from IMSA:

Thanks for taking the time to provide your thoughts and for supporting the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Regarding the radio coverage, we are continuing to work with MRN to improve the broadcast and will continue to do so. Our goal is to provide the best coverage possible through TV, Radio and Online.

In terms of BoP, our competition team will continue to evaluate changes needed and we do have plans for a revised BoP prior to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Our team wants to provide the best and most fair racing possible and we will continue to work to achieve this.

Thanks

Brian Beierwaltes | Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing | IMSA

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Finally got a reply to my email from IMSA:

Thanks for taking the time to provide your thoughts and for supporting the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Regarding the radio coverage, we are continuing to work with MRN to improve the broadcast and will continue to do so. Our goal is to provide the best coverage possible through TV, Radio and Online.

In terms of BoP, our competition team will continue to evaluate changes needed and we do have plans for a revised BoP prior to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Our team wants to provide the best and most fair racing possible and we will continue to work to achieve this.

Thanks

Brian Beierwaltes | Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing | IMSA

Better reply than I recieved from Long Beach when I said that the race was getting harder to walk around and watch because of the advert banners blocking past great viewing areas. Their reply was, "...we have a great life style show in the convention center..."

[Rodger Davies]

Very good reply actually, for an organisation who are presumably as busy as they are, getting a personalised reply strikes a good accord with me.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Finally got a reply to my email from IMSA:

Thanks for taking the time to provide your thoughts and for supporting the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Regarding the radio coverage, we are continuing to work with MRN to improve the broadcast and will continue to do so. Our goal is to provide the best coverage possible through TV, Radio and Online.

In terms of BoP, our competition team will continue to evaluate changes needed and we do have plans for a revised BoP prior to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Our team wants to provide the best and most fair racing possible and we will continue to work to achieve this.

Thanks

Brian Beierwaltes | Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing | IMSA

That does look remarkably like the reply someone else got in the other thread - even if the paragraphs are switched around

[GT-Eins]

Sorry for asking but have someone seen any spectator-figures for the D24 this year? Didn´t find them on a fast look.

[Brownj]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Finally got a reply to my email from IMSA:

Thanks for taking the time to provide your thoughts and for supporting the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Regarding the radio coverage, we are continuing to work with MRN to improve the broadcast and will continue to do so. Our goal is to provide the best coverage possible through TV, Radio and Online.

In terms of BoP, our competition team will continue to evaluate changes needed and we do have plans for a revised BoP prior to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Our team wants to provide the best and most fair racing possible and we will continue to work to achieve this.

Thanks

Brian Beierwaltes | Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing | IMSA

I got a response as well. Looks like it is fairly similar to others and a somewhat canned response, but at least we are getting a response. He at least noticed my points and responded to them in order. Here is what I received:

Jeremy

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I will try to address each of your thoughts separately below.

In terms of BoP, our competition team will continue to evaluate changes needed and we do have plans for a revised BoP prior to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Our team wants to provide the best and most fair racing possible and we will continue to work to achieve this.


Regarding the broadcast coverage, we are continuing to work with FOX & MRN to improve the broadcast coverage for all TUDOR United SportsCar Championship events. Please know that we are committed to providing the best coverage possible and will continue to work hard to improve the options available.

Finally, regarding race control, unfortunately that is not something I have much insight on but please know that our competition team is focused on providing the best and most fair on track action possible.

As you stated, we will continue to work hard to improve the racing and fan experience. As such, what we have today will not necessarily be what we have tomorrow. We continue to evaluate everything and are taking fan feedback very seriously as we look to make changes.

Thanks

Brian Beierwaltes | Director, Brand & Consumer Marketing | IMSA

[Maelochs]

Okay, so some intern has three or four stock replies, and he takes the time to change the order and the connecting wording. Better than some intern just hitting "Reply" and shooting off a form letter--not much, but somewhat.

We can hope the guy is tracking the nature of complaints and someone will actually ask him what the fans say they want.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by Scooter185

There's certainly plenty of enduro races on the calendar each year for them to take note of.

Only if you consider a 500 mile oval "race" with a gwc finish endurance racing they wouldn't recognize the others.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Okay, so some intern has three or four stock replies, and he takes the time to change the order and the connecting wording. Better than some intern just hitting "Reply" and shooting off a form letter--not much, but somewhat.

We can hope the guy is tracking the nature of complaints and someone will actually ask him what the fans say they want.

I am actually impressed they are taking the time to respond to the emails. Even if they are pre-written to an extent, they series is at least taking the time to address concerns. I hope they are equally keen to listen to competitors concerns.

[Danske]

As if every complaint they're getting is a unique snowflake.

[Maelochs]

While I never counted snowflakes, I have had to shovel them when they piled up a few feet high. The deal with snowflakes isn't that they are unique, but the opposite---they tend to travel in storm-loads.

I'd hope a storm-loads of complaints about fake yellows and free laps might pile up enough that management would have to do something about them.