Rolex Series/Continental Tire SCC 2012 Discussion

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ng-at-daytona/


Older DP's faster than new DP's in the first day of tests.
Fastest Ferrari 458 was 2 seconds off the pace, of fastest GT car, TRG Pumpelly
Audi R8 5 seconds off the pace

I'm guessing if nothing is done until the "Roar" test, we'll see serious BoP changes to suite the Ferraris and Audis after it. 6 tenths doesn't seem that big of a deal for the DPs. I guess Peter DeLorenzo was wrong (shock horror!) about the Corvette DP.

[skycafe]

I am not an aero person, but this iteration looks like it would have less frontal downforce then the wedge type nose of the Riley, and at the same time would flow more or better air to the rear deck, slot and wing, seemingy like you would have to run less rear downforce to balance the car, and I have an overall loss of downforce? Also, how have these things escaped BHF's? I do not follow grandam so I don't know, but I guess they have escaped having the side-on lifting seen in LMP's?

The R8 is an Audi, which means they are sandbagging

[Jonerz]

One thing is, so far (and we're a long way away from really quick times from the DPG3s) but they aren't all that much faster than DPG2. Of course, on the day, everything else equal, they were quicker today. Should be interesting to see how the aero changes affect the cars.

Chris

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ng-at-daytona/


Older DP's faster than new DP's in the first day of tests.
Fastest Ferrari 458 was 2 seconds off the pace, of fastest GT car, TRG Pumpelly
Audi R8 5 seconds off the pace

With all the new cars (DP and GT) the teams are still learning about setup on their cars so I would expect the new cars to get faster with more running time.

[Danske]

Also, how have these things escaped BHF's? I do not follow grandam so I don't know, but I guess they have escaped having the side-on lifting seen in LMP's?

A few years ago a DP did get turned sideways going through the Daytona trioval headed to turn one and shook up the SPEED pit reporter by flying past the pits ten feet (so he said) off the ground. It wasn't caught on camera and the car landed on its wheels, so there wasn't that much to remember for the world at large. They do actually go fast enough to catch air if turned sideways at max speed at Daytona, but that doesn't happen too often.

[joeb]

The Daytona entry list has been updated with quite a few GT cars on it now, including an Alex Job car with Collard and Leitzinger. Can't wait to see the full list, have a feeling it will be bloated!

[trahsub]

Originally Posted by joeb

The Daytona entry list has been updated with quite a few GT cars on it now, including an Alex Job car with Collard and Leitzinger. Can't wait to see the full list, have a feeling it will be bloated!

Mark Thomas from Azerbaijanis (? #1) is running the race on his own (?#2)

[Speed-King]

He's actually an Englishmen (I believe) and a higher up in some oil company that has a lot of business over there. And as always, GA-entrylists are works in progress, I am certain more drivers will be added over the next seven weeks!

[Danske]

Originally Posted by skycafe

I am not an aero person, but this iteration looks like it would have less frontal downforce then the wedge type nose of the Riley, and at the same time would flow more or better air to the rear deck, slot and wing, seemingy like you would have to run less rear downforce to balance the car, and I have an overall loss of downforce?

Oh, and one more thing I had noticed before but then forgotten about till looking at the photos of the test: there do appear to be actual functional air vents behind the front wheels on the Corvette DP along the floor of the sidepods, which I presume would help with front downforce. However, the driver comments do seem to indicate the anticipation of being at a downforce disadvantage at the higher downforce tracks. Aha, now I'm anticipating multiple front winglets on the Corvette DPs.

[joeb]

Not too much changed in the times on day 2 of testing at Daytona, but Dagys had an interesting line about the Sun Trust VetteDP. He said they "struggled with bodywork issues." I'm not used to a car having bodywork issues other than maybe panels coming off or rubbing on a tire or something. Anybody have any ideas what this was about?

[NightStalk3r]

I thought the whole point of the new style DP was to get more variety in the bodywork appearance, yet it seems everyone has switched to the Corvette DP, seems a bit pointless to me.

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

I thought the whole point of the new style DP was to get more variety in the bodywork appearance, yet it seems everyone has switched to the Corvette DP, seems a bit pointless to me.

If by "everyone" you mean "the 4 cars running chevy powerplants", then yes, "everyone" has switched. Ganassi won't have a vette, MSR won't, Starworks won't, as well as there's still a large number of teams running prior gen cars.

[Danske]

Originally Posted by joeb

Dagys had an interesting line[/URL] about the Sun Trust VetteDP. He said they "struggled with bodywork issues." I'm not used to a car having bodywork issues other than maybe panels coming off or rubbing on a tire or something. Anybody have any ideas what this was about?

Just from that the first thing that comes to mind is fixing the P&M/Coyote Corvette bodywork to their Dallara chassis, but that's just a guess.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

If by "everyone" you mean "the 4 cars running chevy powerplants", then yes, "everyone" has switched. Ganassi won't have a vette, MSR won't, Starworks won't, as well as there's still a large number of teams running prior gen cars.

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

I thought the whole point of the new style DP was to get more variety in the bodywork appearance, yet it seems everyone has switched to the Corvette DP, seems a bit pointless to me.

Unless Starworks keeps the Porsche they were running at the end of last season. (Which I hope they do, because it is far and away the best sounding and most interesting engine in DP. *sneezeIamaPorschefile*) we did lose Action Express' LBP Porsche V8s. Although, it means we lost the Lozano Brothers as Porsche didn't support the Cayenne V8 program. But without Starworks, we have no Porsches in DP.

I will however point out this is year one of at least a five year lifespan for this style of bodywork. The engine makes that were in the back of DPs in 2003 were different from the brands that were in the back of DPs in 2008, which differ slightly from today.

Corvette bought into the DPG3 thing because they already had so many teams out there running Chevrolet power. Right now Grand-Am has lost the factory DP blessing of Lexus and Porsche, the two more recent factory-supported teams. Ford is stingy in everything they run and BMW doesn't want to take their involvement in DP beyond blessing Ganassi and giving them the occasional Joey Hand.

That said, BMW bodywork for me is most likely the next bodywork to appear. The rumor has been pretty consistent that Chipster and his guys are working on BMW-looking bodywork for their DPG3 Riley. Add that to the generic Riley and there is three different types of bodywork likely on the grid, and possibly four with a generic Dallara kit.

Furthermore, changes to the DP engine list could be on the way "Turbos in 2013" being a phrase that has been thrown around. Who knows if Mazda or Ford with their Ecoboost could build "manufacturer specific" bodywork with the appearance of turbos.

Chris

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

He's actually an Englishmen (I believe) and a higher up in some oil company that has a lot of business over there. And as always, GA-entrylists are works in progress, I am certain more drivers will be added over the next seven weeks!

He's Canadian actually, if memory serves.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by cmk

He's Canadian actually, if memory serves.

http://www.grand-am.com/drivers/driv...ies=r&did=3507

Birthplace: St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan

[skycafe]

Turbos?

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by skycafe

Turbos?

Apparently on their way as early as 2013. (Having trouble locating the article, it was was an interview with Tom Bledsoe from early-summer IIRC.)

Chris

[Danske]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

That said, BMW bodywork for me is most likely the next bodywork to appear. The rumor has been pretty consistent that Chipster and his guys are working on BMW-looking bodywork for their DPG3 Riley.

His cars are listed as "BMW Dinan" in the car number list right now, whereas another BMW Riley is listed as such. Now whether that means anything beyond mis-entered information on the form is anyone's guess. (As an aside, the chassis for the Corvette DPs was listed previously but is now removed.)

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Apparently on their way as early as 2013. (Having trouble locating the article, it was was an interview with Tom Bledsoe from early-summer IIRC.)

Chris

wow....they HATE turbos because of the equivalency issue. Or, does that mean they will go over to all turbos then, like the generic world engine, all the same? Are they going to do the same with the GT cars?

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by Danske

His cars are listed as "BMW Dinan" in the car number list right now, whereas another BMW Riley is listed as such. Now whether that means anything beyond mis-entered information on the form is anyone's guess. (As an aside, the chassis for the Corvette DPs was listed previously but is now removed.)

BMW Dinan is the new 4.5L V8. Whereas the other car will be the 5.0L lump methinks.

Originally Posted by skycafe

wow....they HATE turbos because of the equivalency issue. Or, does that mean they will go over to all turbos then, like the generic world engine, all the same? Are they going to do the same with the GT cars?

Unclear, people "in the Grand-Am paddock" that I've talked to have said that the "days of the V8 are numbered". Not sure if they meant in general or if DPs would be going all turbo.

Chris

[JAG]

Amusing interview with Brian Johnson.

http://community.evo.co.uk/users/Rog...nson-interview

[DistortedSmile]

Originally Posted by JAG

Amusing interview with Brian Johnson.

http://community.evo.co.uk/users/Rog...nson-interview

That article says he's getting a 918 RSR, is that a mistake and they mean the roadcar? Because I don't think Porsche would sell that car to customers.

[Spyderman]

A mistake.

[Danske]

Originally Posted by Danske

Oh, and one more thing I had noticed before but then forgotten about till looking at the photos of the test: there do appear to be actual functional air vents behind the front wheels on the Corvette DP along the floor of the sidepods, which I presume would help with front downforce. However, the driver comments do seem to indicate the anticipation of being at a downforce disadvantage at the higher downforce tracks. Aha, now I'm anticipating multiple front winglets on the Corvette DPs.

Well, other driver comments now contradict that assessment:

An All-New Game For Action Express

“I’m pretty happy with the handling,” Law said. “It's more of a chassis difference, Riley to Coyote, than anything. This bodywork definitely produces more downforce, so we have a little bit of work to do.

“We haven't had time [to make adjustments to] the louvers and tunnels under the splitter. So it has a lot of play aerodynamically. I'm sure we can be quicker but we're not there yet. In time, we'll be there.”