Mont Tremblant thread - Page 2

Danske · 23 May 2004, 16:19 (Ref:980141)

It is a new rule to grid all the DPs at the front, although only the #81 without a time would have been slower than the GT pole this race. Since all points are awarded by position in class the GTs don't lose any points by doing that, though.

Ah, looks like the #2 got a lap back under yellow (which looked legitimate as the Porsche did scatter tires across the track and runoff).

BobN · 23 May 2004, 18:03 (Ref:980237)

Quote:

Originally posted by Danske
Ah, looks like the #2 got a lap back under yellow (which looked legitimate as the Porsche did scatter tires across the track and runoff).

Are you implying that some yellows are not legitimate?

Danske · 23 May 2004, 18:19 (Ref:980251)

I was just launching a pre-emptive strike against those who seem to think every yellow in a GA race is illegitimate.

Cadete · 23 May 2004, 18:44 (Ref:980272)

The Maserati is in second in GT

if any of you are watching is it due to luck or skill?

Patrick B · 23 May 2004, 18:48 (Ref:980276)

Barbosa

Actually the car looks to be handeling much beter after the chassis changes.

Cadete · 23 May 2004, 18:54 (Ref:980279)

I think I will send an e-mail to every news program on the Portuguese TV, we have a great driver in endurance races and you don't hear a thing about him! and then they wonder why people here in Portugal don't get excited with motorsport as much as they did in past times...

Danske · 23 May 2004, 20:31 (Ref:980371)

Oops, the #33 spewed all its water out in the pits.

JAG · 23 May 2004, 22:58 (Ref:980518)

Admittedly I've not watched, or even followed the race, but EIGHT full course cautions!!!!

Was there a monsoon during the race or something?

Danske · 23 May 2004, 23:24 (Ref:980548)

Over half the cautions, IIRC, were from cars stranded in suspect positions. The rest were for "debris on track". I can't vouch for all of them, but on TV I did see that the #10 had an off which resulted in it losing its nose and depositing a rather substantial amount of dirt on track. Boris Said also left bodywork and a battered Porsche in his wake at one point.

In a somewhat related note, apparently there was a big problem with marbles. I think it was Magnussen who pitted repeatedly, not believing that the problem he was experiencing with the car was just build-up on the tires.

Oh, and Mags! Despite the coloration Target is not a title sponsor of the CGR cars; that would be CompUSA.

Fogelhund · 24 May 2004, 00:07 (Ref:980581)

Quote:

Originally posted by JAG
Admittedly I've not watched, or even followed the race, but EIGHT full course cautions!!!!

Was there a monsoon during the race or something?

It would seem that anytime a car stops offcourse, they throw a yellow.

Patrick B · 24 May 2004, 02:06 (Ref:980658)

Id have to admit half the cautions should have been local yellows at most. Plus the track crew couldn't have been any slower.

Ending under caution was a real anti-climax, still it was a very exciting race overall and we got the 4th different winner in 4 races

Chevyguy · 24 May 2004, 06:18 (Ref:980801)

I guess I'll stand corrected on the Caddy GAC win. Apparently, their fuel tank was just a little too big.

Three differant makes in the top three in GT. While the GT class remains under attack, at least GA has some parity in the class.

I guess they couldn't keep Ganassi winless forever. Great job by the #58 team, until Donohue ran out of room. Six cars on the lead lap is a great example of why this class works. Cautions will happen, but I do think that a few could have been local. I don't think any of them really affected the outcome of the race except for the result in GT. Very cool race with alot of action between the guys we love to see go at it. Looking forward to the Glen!

Tim Northcutt · 24 May 2004, 14:21 (Ref:981371)

Quote:

Originally posted by Danske
It is a new rule to grid all the DPs at the front, although only the #81 without a time would have been slower than the GT pole this race. Since all points are awarded by position in class the GTs don't lose any points by doing that, though.

Ah, looks like the #2 got a lap back under yellow (which looked legitimate as the Porsche did scatter tires across the track and runoff).

They did that in the first 24 Hrs of Daytona that featured the DPs when they were brand new....got away from it due to a lot of flak over it.....so it's not all that "new"....

I hate the whole notion of "contrived" competition, or cosmetically-altered line-ups, or changing rules like they did last year to handicap the AGTs after a Mustang on steroids won the Pole at Watkins Glen....

For these reasons above, I do not like the product that GARRA puts on the track...and it also is why I don't watch NASCAR....

In yesterday's race, there were many, many accidents (especially the final two) that should have been "Local" yellows instead of Full-Course yellows....but the full-course cautions were put out for ONLY ONE reason....

Ganassi was running away from the other competitors, and the incidents gave them the excuse to bunch up the field to try to make the race for the lead and (hopefully) the finish more exciting....

It backfired on them when the crews couldn't get to the final wreck in time to get that car outside of the retaining barriers and they finished under a yellow, when they could have continued the racing action for 2nd-4th places that had been going on for more than a few laps...

billnchristy · 24 May 2004, 16:07 (Ref:981482)

First id like to state that is a big load of....

While I do sort of agree that every caution need not be full course...we are talking about peoples lives here. I remember a R&S driving under a flatbed last year at Petit and a certain corvette driver just walking around his broken car with only a local yellow at Sebring...these are dangerous situations...you dont have to slow for local yellows, just not pass...there was a local yellow at Monza during last years F1 race for the entire race...what does that solve?

Mt. tremblant has trucks in the paddock area and one in the area between the north south loop...either way you have to drive around 50% of the track to reach any incident...that is one reason it takes so long...2nd you have to drive on track, there really isnt much room to drive anywhere else unless you want the truck to track gravel everywhere too...

Next, all the cars that hit something or went off did so in areas that another person already had gone off at...so there was obviously a chance for disaster there...good call on the yellows.

Im not big on the calling yellows for debris, but once again...why complain about safety?

Lastly, ending under the yellow sucked but it wouldnt have changed anything if they did another lap...Pruett would have ran away....2nd and 3rd might have switched but i doubt it!!

Tim Northcutt · 24 May 2004, 16:29 (Ref:981502)

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion....

But GARRA races seem to have A LOT more full-course cautions than other forms of road racing, and I've been watching a lot of road racing for many years....

and its cousin, NASCAR, has more "debris" cautions in late stages of races than its oval track counterparts....

I don't think that is a coincidence...

But that's my opinion....

It also seemed to be Team Ganassi's opinion yesterday, as they held their heads and/or arms up in disbelief when those last full-course cautions were issued....

Sorry, but I felt that both were better suited for "local" cautions....

BTW....I absolutely loved to watch them run at Mt. Tremblant!!!!!!

What a gorgeous race circuit!!!!

Questions:

1. How did the DP times there this year compare with last year's times, and

2. How do this year's times compare with other similar forms of racing that have competed at the circuit???

Why I ask:

THe DPs still look to be rather SLOW to me when they are running....

Maybe it's just me.....even the in-car stuff doesn't look like they are really "on it" when they are racing when it comes to speed...

I'd be interested in knowing this....I'm not trying to bash them...but that was my perception when I watched yesterday...

Danske · 24 May 2004, 18:18 (Ref:981642)

Fast lap this year was 1:29.308/106.821mph and last year was 1:31.176/104.633mph. There were a lot of comments about the slipperiness of the track this year and the difficulty in finding the right tire compound, with speculation that this was from running the race in May instead of September.

Tim Northcutt · 24 May 2004, 18:40 (Ref:981679)

Quote:

Originally posted by Danske
Fast lap this year was 1:29.308/106.821mph and last year was 1:31.176/104.633mph. There were a lot of comments about the slipperiness of the track this year and the difficulty in finding the right tire compound, with speculation that this was from running the race in May instead of September.

Thanks for that info, Danske...I appreciate it...

billnchristy · 24 May 2004, 19:15 (Ref:981734)

They DO have a lot more full course cautions I wholly agree with that but I think its a philosophy difference more than a manipulation thing...but who knows you might be right!!

yeah about 2 seconds faster on average...and yeah they do seem pretty slow, though they are getting away from GTs a lot easier than in the past...

Mt. Tremblant was beautiful, in sept. it didnt look so good, still nice, but much less green!!

Nothing else really runs there except vintage and motos so you cant really compare...

billnchristy · 24 May 2004, 19:43 (Ref:981770)

Just to give you an idea how much faster they are this year:

Last year 5 cautions for 20 laps total, race laps-200

This year 8 cautions for 30 laps total,
race laps-200

Tim Northcutt · 24 May 2004, 20:02 (Ref:981794)

Quote:

Originally posted by billnchristy
They DO have a lot more full course cautions I wholly agree with that but I think its a philosophy difference more than a manipulation thing...but who knows you might be right!!

yeah about 2 seconds faster on average...and yeah they do seem pretty slow, though they are getting away from GTs a lot easier than in the past...

Mt. Tremblant was beautiful, in sept. it didnt look so good, still nice, but much less green!!

Nothing else really runs there except vintage and motos so you cant really compare...

To be honest with you, billnchristy, I really don't know for sure on the yellows........

Personally, I would HOPE that they wouldn't do it to manipulate the results.....

The other France Family-related series sure seem to do it...at least it SEEMS like they do....

Maybe it IS a philosphy thing.....but in many cases, a "local" yellow would serve to provide the "caution" entering the area of the track where they problem is, and still allow racing in other unafected parts of the road circuit...and in similar instances in other series, I've seen local yellows used for situations that were like the ones that were thrown as Full-Course ones in previous GARRA races...including yesterday

Now for a few more Questions....

Mt. Tremblant is an FIA-specs circuit, isn't it???

If YES, why don't we see other forms of racing there???
(most notably, ALMS???? This would be a lot better than Trois-Rivieres was IMO...)

What a nice-looking track...and from other posts here, plus quotes from drivers like Jan Lammers, the drivers must really like it a lot, too....

Fogelhund · 24 May 2004, 20:39 (Ref:981811)

The ALMS had an agreement to race there a few years ago, but the race had to be cancelled, as the track didn't get the safety concerns corrected in time.

I can't really comment as to whether the track has addressed those areas need to host an ALMS race.

We used to go for the Canadian Runoffs there, when it actually meant something, and I believe they were held in early September. The leaves were in their full glory, and the area was simply beautiful.

One must keep in mind that this track is very much in a fight to keep open, as the NIMBY's are fighting to close this "noise problem". The tracks efforts have been good so far, lets hope they stay open.

The Tremblant Express is filled with complaints and discussions of the track.

http://www.tremblantexpress.com/mai0...itorial-e.html

Tim Northcutt · 24 May 2004, 21:07 (Ref:981841)

A Few Notes:

Maybe every race fan should take it upon himself/herself to escort one NIMBY person as their guest to a race at the nearby race course (especially one as nice at Mt. Tremblant) as a way of "introducing them" to why we are such loyal fans of this sport....who knows, maybe they will "get it" and become fans themselves....

BTW....Many, many people in Speedway, Indiana, LOVE what racing does for their town and their neighborhood, and they welcome people to park in their front yards (for a fee of course), they put up "Welcome Race Fans" signs, etc....sit out on their front porches to watch the crowds come into the facility....ad many enjoy meeting the out-of-towners whom they happen to meet....

Racing is BIG $$$ to a local economy....surely they can stand the noise for 3-4 days if it means Millions in Revenue for the local economy....you would think that the local politicians would "get it" when it comes to tourist revenue that a race track can generate.....

**skycafe** · 24 May 2004, 23:59 (Ref:982023)

Daytona embraces the Bike Week crowd after it was pointed out how much money it brings into the local economy, and that is a crowd that is far noisier then the goings on at the race track.

billnchristy, who was in the Sun Trust car at the end? I think it was Angelelli, but whoever, they were flying. Too bad they tossed it off earlier and had a long stop to afix a new nose.

If you want to talk about things being manipulated, the broadcast makes huge efforts to avoid showing something like the Sun Trust car, way behind after repairs, but flying up through the group fighting for top five places. As soon as they caught up to the back of that pack the camera went to other groups for a while. Too bad, as that car went through second through fifth pretty well. I don't really like the design of the Riley, but I do like the Sun Trust color scheme.

billnchristy · 25 May 2004, 00:09 (Ref:982030)

Mt. Tremblant is not an FIA spec track. It is more on the level of Lime Rock(actually a bit below). It has gravel/dirt paddocks and no cross over bridge, no PA and no leaderboard...

it is however, a very smooth track...driving my daughters stroller over it last year across to and from the paddock you wouldnt believe how smooth it was...glass like.

Bob Riebe · 25 May 2004, 04:49 (Ref:982147)

Quote:

Originally posted by billnchristy
Mt. Tremblant is not an FIA spec track. It is more on the level of Lime Rock(actually a bit below). It has gravel/dirt paddocks and no cross over bridge, no PA and no leaderboard...

it is however, a very smooth track...driving my daughters stroller over it last year across to and from the paddock you wouldnt believe how smooth it was...glass like.

I love it, it is a track like the Can-Am and most major races ran on in the sixties and seventies. Gotta love it.
I still remember racers dropping oil onto the ground at a certain race track.

I have wanted to get to Mt.Tremblant since I first read about it in 1966. One of these days I will head on up.
Bob

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