USCC 2014 Entry List & Schedule ONLY

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

I would rather they run ALL classes at every race. That is not realistic at some of the current venues. The ALL classes racing provides more action via class interaction than the 2 class format does, which I enjoy. The 2 class format is not bad, but...

L.P.

Yeah, that.

[PointDSM]

http://racer.com/imsa/item/103616-im...oses-its-doors

Muscle Milk Pickett Racing officially closes it's doors. Greg Pickett to concentrate on business operations instead (Muscle Milk).

[Simmi]

Real shame to see a quality outfit disappear.

Seems like we've had a lot of mixed signals from the team over the last few years. Seemingly huge intent to do Le Mans and nothing coming of it. Messy exit from TUSC.

Would be interesting to hear Greg's side.

[Ephaeton]

D'oh

[J Jay]

I was hoping it wasn't going to come to this. Looks like the TUSC pullout was more than a "protest".

[rich07]

Was hoping to see them return but wasn't expecting to close things down like this.

[TheMightyM]

Kansas race format and entry list for PC is out (all 11 PC cars that have participated thus far are listed as of now). Per John Dagys:

IMSA confirmed Friday the format of the combined PC and Cooper Tires Prototype Lites event, which will see a pair of aggregate 45-minute sprint races on the 2.37-mile oval/road course.

Per the event’s Supplemental Regulations, a Bronze or Silver-rated driver must qualify and drive the entire first race segment.

While no points are awarded at the end of the first segment, the finishing order determines the starting grid for the points-paying second segment, which is open to any rated driver.

According to IMSA’s VP of Competition and Technical Regulations, Scot Elkins, the number of laps completed in the first segment carries over to the second segment, but with margins being neutralized for cars finishing on the same lap.

Note that the bronze or silver driver that ran the first segment could also do the second segment if they wanted to. Dagys’ article, with additional information, is here.

[FstrthnU]

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/...rday-notebook/
TDS was considering attending Petit Le Mans with their Ligier JS P2 they will be getting this year, but they couldn't make it work with ELMS schedule conflicts.

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/...rday-notebook/
TDS was considering attending Petit Le Mans with their Ligier JS P2 they will be getting this year, but they couldn't make it work with ELMS schedule conflicts.

Surely it would be easier to partner with 8Star and provide finance and a driver or two?

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by PointDSM

http://racer.com/imsa/item/103616-im...oses-its-doors

Muscle Milk Pickett Racing officially closes it's doors. Greg Pickett to concentrate on business operations instead (Muscle Milk).

This is huge shame.
Truly one of the best privateer sports car racing teams in the world. Absolutely legendary.

Feel really sorry for all the folks who lost their jobs.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

This is huge shame.
Truly one of the best privateer sports car racing teams in the world. Absolutely legendary.

Feel really sorry for all the folks who lost their jobs.

I'm going to dispute that claim considering their 'competition' and their same "we'll enter Le Mans THIS year" every single year but yes, it is a shame to see American racing team members lose jobs. Finding good jobs in Indianapolis won't be easy as most Indycar teams usually fire their rank and file and replace them at the end of each year to save money.

A sad loss.

[TF110]

I posted on the sportscar rumor thread, but on twitter they say they hope to race again in the future (not tusc it seems).

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by TF110

I posted on the sportscar rumor thread, but on twitter they say they hope to race again in the future (not tusc it seems).

Unfortunately, that was posted April 17th, quite a while before they officially closed the team down.

[Hendrix]

They were going to race again but unfortunately they couldn't find a series with only one other team racing in the top class.

[Mechanic Z]

MMPR split races 50/50 with Europe's best privateer proto team, Rebellion in the four ALMS races that the latter ran in 2013.
They took the fight to Audi pretty well at Sebring 2012, running only one lap behind the lead Audis, and on the podium for the majority of the race, until a flaw in the Honda's fueling system in the final hour dropped them back.

They had a significant speed advantage on the rest of the gas P1 cars from Oak, Pescarolo, Dyson, JRM, Strakka and Rebellion. It's worth noting that their Qualifying time was nearly a second quicker than the nearest team running the same car, JRM.
(1:47.536 vs. 1:48.439)



So quite frankly, the idea that MMPR ran from competition, or was somehow not as good as their results looked, is utter nonsense.

I repeat, Muscle Milk was one of the best privateer sports car racing teams in the world.

[Matt]

Split 50/50 with Rebellion on Rebellion's first time going to the tracks. Rebellion would have made them look stupid if they ran more than one year, much like they did at PLM in 2012.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Loved and will miss muscle milk, Luhr and Graf.

But I agree,rebellion had them at long beach and laguna but just lacked expierance.and MMPR were steamrolled all season by dyson and highcroft back when they were the ones running the honda.and in 2011 highcroft was the one who finished ahead of the factory Audi and peugeots just seconds behind the winning oreca Peugeot,all this only days after highcroft received and built the arx earlier in the week.highcroft also won races against the best p2 field the alms ever saw.

Just sayin'

[Accident]

This is part of why I'm disappointed to see them go. There was always a bit of this "yeah but they didn't have opponents" stuff being said, and now they have closed up shop before doing anything to silence the doubts. The way they left doesn't help much either.

I had really hoped they would show up in GTE with a semi-factory Aston or two. Only GTE car not being raced in the US so they wouldn't have to worry about AMR hobbling them to keep the factory cars looking good, Klaus and Lucas both have GT experience, the Astons would look great in the Muscle Milk livery I think, and it would have meant they were playing with the big boys.

[TF110]

Maybe theyll be back with the NSX? Thats what Im hoping for tbh, that is if they do go racing again in the future.

[Simmi]

Same as when Peugeot left the sport - letting everyone go means you don't have any short-to-mid-term goals. It's not like these teams are The Avengers and can just reunite.

[TheMightyM]

Starworks is now targeting Road America for the return of its Honda DP:

Development of the new-for-2014 package, based around HPD’s 3.5-liter V6 turbo, continues in what’s turned into a joint project between the California-based manufacturer and chassis/bodywork constructor Riley Technologies, according to team owner Peter Baron.


“Honda and HPD are plugging away; Everybody is putting their undivided resources on it,” Baron told Sportscar365. “Unfortunately one of the things that is delaying it a little bit is the Month of May for HPD. With two races at Indy, it’s obviously a big aero event for them and takes up a lot of their aerodynamic resources.”

More of John Dagys' story here.

[WolfsburgRS]

Also keep in mind that Pickett sold Muscle Milk, and as he's no longer a sole owner (along with his son) deciding where to spend those marketing dollars, the ROI needs to be much more substantial than "because this is what I like to spend money on."

Pickett, also being a shrewd business man, is not dumb enough to spend his own money (as compared to company money) to try and keep up a team of that caliber. See also: Duncan Dayton, etc etc.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...58081793361254

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by Matt

Split 50/50 with Rebellion on Rebellion's first time going to the tracks. Rebellion would have made them look stupid if they ran more than one year, much like they did at PLM in 2012.

That's a pretty big "IF". MMPR was running competitively at both PLMs.
Leading when they wrecked in 2012, and leading again when they broke in 2013. Admittedly, this was a part of the sport, but one which no team, even Audi and Corvette, is immune to.


"Rebellion would have made them look stupid"? Do you have some axe to grind against MMPR or something?

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

But I agree,rebellion had them at long beach and laguna but just lacked expierance.

MMPR simply outfoxed Rebellion. Strategy is a rather major element in racing. Pickett Racing being able to defeat a high-quality team like Rebellion, even though the #6 HPD was slower, kinda goes to show how good MMPR really was.

and MMPR were steamrolled all season by dyson and highcroft back when they were the ones running the honda.and in 2011 highcroft was the one who finished ahead of the factory Audi and peugeots just seconds behind the winning oreca Peugeot,all this only days after highcroft received and built the arx earlier in the week.highcroft also won races against the best p2 field the alms ever saw.

Several things to recall here:
1: You are referring to the 2010 season? Recall that until his scary wreck (at Mid-Ohio, IIRC) Greg Pickett himself co-drove the #6 Porsche with Klaus Graf. And not meaning to knock Greg's talents, it did slow their lineup a bit compared to the other teams.
And "steamrolled"? They took wins at Sebring, Lime Rock and Mosport.

2: Highcroft was another quality effort. Their impressive list of accomplishments does nothing to diminish Muscle Milk's.


On a related note; here's a nice tribute by DSC:

http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=30509

[Christian Mogami]

Also at the moment the business is more important than racing. CytoSport had management changes last year to expand the company and raise money.They put Muscle Milk up for sale for $500 million and by mid April there was only two companies left in the bidding but the rumor(private company doesn't have to share info)is their bids are lower than $500 million and TSG Consumer Partner will not budge from $500 million.

So until this business is taking care of..no racing!

At the moment it's a waste of money to race in TUSCC on your own dime!

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Same as when Peugeot left the sport - letting everyone go means you don't have any short-to-mid-term goals. It's not like these teams are The Avengers and can just reunite.

Where was Tony Stark when we needed more LMP1 teams!?