USCC (leave your axe outside)

[chernaudi]

Then that's the issue. All I know is that Gainsco asked for more subsidy money, or at the least for GA to bump up the race purses, though most of what I've read is subsidy money.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Then that's the issue. All I know is that Gainsco asked for more subsidy money, or at the least for GA to bump up the race purses, though most of what I've read is subsidy money.

The GAINSCO subsidies started after their Corvette GT1 test.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

The GAINSCO subsidies started after their Corvette GT1 test.

Wasn't that right about the time Pacific Coast was getting into GT1? Having problems remembering specifics.

[Maelochs]

Re: Gainsco: Bob Stallings races for Gainsco Insurance but apparently isn't a company officer, and even if he was it is a corporation--he'd have to answer to a board of directors. I;d imagine that when the economy crashed, the company decided the race team didn't need so much cash, but Bob Stallings felt otherwise.


Re: Sabates v Sabates: I know nothing about the facts but I have some imagination.

I’d imagine Felix Sabates would say or do almost anything to not have to pay his ex-wife. I am sure he would devalue Telmex-Ganassi and downplay his role in order to deny his ex any portion of the value.

Is the team broke? “Trying to close the doors without embarrassing ourselves, the France family and embarrassing (the) Grand American Series”? Seems unlikely—Chip Ganassi is a businessman.

Maybe Carlos Slim funds the whole thing (he could fund the whole series easily) and maybe Chip and Felix started with just NASCAR money, but come on—the team has won five driver championships, won the team title this year, owns at least two chassis, and somehow funds eight or nine top-tier drivers at several races. One would have to think the team had both funds and assets—two chassis and all the spares and pit equipment if nothing else.

I really doubt Felix Sabates’ presence or absence determines the fate of Telmex-Ganassi—I doubt NASCAR dollars do either. Carlos Slim could buy NASCAR if he wanted.

What this article revealed to me was the degree to which the France family funded even the biggest teams. As to whether it has topped—Gainsco held out for extra funding a couple seasons back … I guess not so many folks will deny that now.

Anyway, while all this is interesting, it is over. NASCAR might pay for some of the conversion kits, but I don’t see any way it can keep up a major subsidy program—the other teams would likely object strongly, plus NASCAR is not raking it in like they were a few years ago.

The question hinted at in the article is, can sports car racing make money in North America? Are there enough sponsors willing to foot the bills, and enough fans willing to tune in?

Regardless of why and how ALMS and Rolex did and didn’t succeed, it is the success or failure of TUSCC that concerns me.

[jeast]

Random I know but I hear a car on the track(Daytona) sounds like it's running the road corse. I called the speedway and they claim nothing is going on. Its hard to make out what it might be but could it be the Aston?

[FstrthnU]

Originally Posted by jeast

Random I know but I hear a car on the track(Daytona) sounds like it's running the road corse. I called the speedway and they claim nothing is going on. Its hard to make out what it might be but could it be the Aston?

Well, the 5th V8 Vantage is staying behind in the USA for testing. If nobody is racing at Daytona then they could presumably use it for testing.

[David Land]

Remember Chip has fielded a couple of the 'ratings booster' NASCAR All-Star DP teams on Grand Am's behalf before.

I scratch your back, you scratch mine...

Subsidies for Chip's team may have not been as frequent as they have been for say, Action Express, but surely something persuaded him to come Grand Am racing in the early 2000's. As soon as Rojas and the Telmex money came in I can't believe that they needed subsidy money to continue, but that does not mean they didn't still receive it.

As an ALMS fan it really just sinks my heart, that the poor series handling during the series boom in 2007-2008 and the crash in 2009 killed what IMO was the best series in the world since CART. Lack of promotion and foresight is what truly killed the ALMS not NASCAR's checkbook...

...and then there was the Coke thing. Anyone got the full story on that? I have only heard rumors.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by jeast

Random I know but I hear a car on the track(Daytona) sounds like it's running the road corse. I called the speedway and they claim nothing is going on. Its hard to make out what it might be but could it be the Aston?

Maybe Dragonspeed got in early. They were supposed to be testing there Monday and Tuesday.

[BullMan]

Action Express was one of the NASCAR-funded teams, and in their first race they go out and win the Daytona 24. Whoops.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by jeast

Random I know but I hear a car on the track(Daytona) sounds like it's running the road corse. I called the speedway and they claim nothing is going on. Its hard to make out what it might be but could it be the Aston?

Porsche Club of America Octoberfast Club races Oct 3-6

[jeast]

Originally Posted by skycafe

Porsche Club of America Octoberfast Club races Oct 3-6

Ohh thanks! I wonder why the sob on their phone wouldn't tell me that.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by jeast

I wonder why the sob on their phone wouldn't tell me that.

You answered yourself there-"the sob on their phone"

It isn't on the DIS website (I looked and public note, I don't have a hidden agenda), so I think it is like tests, not publicized to avoid crowds showing up and being turned away. These aren't general admission events, which allows a much lower insurance cover and also reduces payroll costs by not having spectator handling staff. I don't think the track informs about who is testing when that occurs.

[canciaro]

Any update yet on when these Prototype regs are going to be out?? I mean jesus its almost Petit Le Mans for god sakes

[MoMedic9019]

Sometime in the next three weeks. I'd say with 99.9999% certainty it will be at Petit.

[JoeMaters]

Any idea if FS1 is in HD? One thing I enjoyed so much was watching ALMS in HD on ESPNHD/ESPN3 so gonna suck to watch now the new series on SD like they always did on SPEED with Grand-Am

[joeb]

Originally Posted by JoeMaters

Any idea if FS1 is in HD? One thing I enjoyed so much was watching ALMS in HD on ESPNHD/ESPN3 so gonna suck to watch now the new series on SD like they always did on SPEED with Grand-Am

It is HD.

[JoeMaters]

Originally Posted by joeb

It is HD.

Sadly, not where I live. Is in SD...

[Danske]

Originally Posted by JoeMaters

Any idea if FS1 is in HD? One thing I enjoyed so much was watching ALMS in HD on ESPNHD/ESPN3 so gonna suck to watch now the new series on SD like they always did on SPEED with Grand-Am

I had SPEED in HD and now get both FS1 and FS2 in HD (and don't have access to ESPN3). Here, let me give you my DirecTV account # to get money from the referral.

[jasonjessica09]

Ideally for us I'm sure we agree that GTD should be full fledged FIA GT3 cars. But I guess what we will get is still a huge improvement from Grand Am GT nonetheless. I think GTD is setting to be a Porsche-Ferrari battleground with the occasional SRT or Aston Martin thrown in there.

I'm feeling better about this class. It looks like the Porsche 911 America is going to be an appealing car for current small teams to transition. It could bring new teams into the series too. I look for GTD to have the largest grid numbers of any of the classes. I think the pole time for Grand Am GT at Daytona last year was about 118 mph? Perhaps GTD will be a few mph faster in 2014.

[Nick Woodbury]

Originally Posted by Danske

I had SPEED in HD and now get both FS1 and FS2 in HD (and don't have access to ESPN3). Here, let me give you my DirecTV account # to get money from the referral.

Yeah, I only got SPEED in HD for at least 3 weeks before it swapped to Fox Sports 1 in August. And I have had SPEED for about 7+ years prior to that in Standard Definition.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Ideally for us I'm sure we agree that GTD should be full fledged FIA GT3 cars. But I guess what we will get is still a huge improvement from Grand Am GT nonetheless. I think GTD is setting to be a Porsche-Ferrari battleground with the occasional SRT or Aston Martin thrown in there.

Why would you want GTD to be full fledged FIA GT3 cars? How would it look to have the GTD cars beating the factory versions of the cars at some tracks?

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Why would you want GTD to be full fledged FIA GT3 cars? How would it look to have the GTD cars beating the factory versions of the cars at some tracks?

If they're on the Conti rocks they would probably be behind most of the GTE cars.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by BullMan

If they're on the Conti rocks they would probably be behind most of the GTE cars.

So how much would rocks cost them? Enough to only be mixing it up with the GTE... still not enough separation.

[jasonjessica09]

First of all these are GT classes. The speed separation does not need to be by much. GTD with full FIA GT3 cars needs to have just continental spec tires, pro-am drivers and limited size fuel tank with limited flow to help make safe pit stops and allow for smaller pit crews to help alleviate costs.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Re: Gainsco: Bob Stallings races for Gainsco Insurance but apparently isn't a company officer, and even if he was it is a corporation--he'd have to answer to a board of directors. I;d imagine that when the economy crashed, the company decided the race team didn't need so much cash, but Bob Stallings felt otherwise.

Stallings is the Chairman and Chief Strategic Officer of Gainsco.
http://www.gainsco.com/node/29