ALMS Round 2: The Grand Prix of Long Beach - Page 3

fieldodreams79 · 16 Apr 2011, 00:54 (Ref:2864064)

Rough start to q-ing and a hard lick for the Performance Tech LMPC.

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 01:02 (Ref:2864065)

The ESPN3 guys just interviewed Bouchut. He sure was pining for an LMPC, haha. It sounded like he was holding his tongue! I think he wanted to say "ACO! You eeediots...give me bigger restrictors!"

Deleted · 16 Apr 2011, 01:03 (Ref:2864066)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

they (Porsche) did lose 25kg for this race too.

Hence the reason for my fears

Bouchut summarised pretty perfectly the reasons for LMP2's suckiness this year.

Dead-Eye · 16 Apr 2011, 01:12 (Ref:2864068)

Level 5 not bothering to qualify...well, why should they to be honest?

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 01:12 (Ref:2864069)

Level 5 is protesting?

Deleted · 16 Apr 2011, 01:13 (Ref:2864070)

Haha... Level 5 aka entire LMP2 field won't even attempt to qualify! This is just getting better and better.

NightStalk3r · 16 Apr 2011, 01:13 (Ref:2864071)

Looks like level 5 are ready to throw in the towel until IMSA/ACO adjust the BOP.

**joeb** · 16 Apr 2011, 01:17 (Ref:2864072)

a 2 car qualifying session - pitiful.

isynge · 16 Apr 2011, 01:18 (Ref:2864073)

First off - no problems at all with the stream - perfectly happy with this as a means of delivery.

Also struck that the Muscle Milk Lola Aston Martin, which is obviously getting plenty of billing, really doesn't do it for me in terms of the way it looks. Not sure if this is something to do with the way TV messes ever so slightly with perspective etc, but the combination of colours on the car doesn't look beautiful.

Level 5? Fair enough you may not like the rules but not running laps for those that have paid / stayed up to watch you? Probably other ways of making that point. Does reinforce though the need for more than one team in LMP2 - ALMS should be rueing the spat with Van Der Steur over tickets a couple of years back...

isynge · 16 Apr 2011, 01:22 (Ref:2864074)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

a 2 car qualifying session - pitiful.

Hear absolutely what you're saying, but a head-to-head like this actually works surprisingly well - a lot like single lap qualifying a la Indy, or DTM and F1 a few years back.

Straight fight, open track, and limited time - could work as a concept and given circumstances it could be talked up a bit as a bit of qualifying interest.

Deleted · 16 Apr 2011, 01:23 (Ref:2864076)

Well it was certainly worth sticking around for 4:20 AM to follow this THRILLING LMP qualifying!

No seriously, GT2 was great and we can expect a good fight tomorrow. I hope Level 5 continues their boycott and doesn't show up tomorrow, that would show IMSA!

Pandamasque · 16 Apr 2011, 01:25 (Ref:2864077)

I agree. That duel looked quite spectacular.

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 01:25 (Ref:2864078)

Double pole (LMP1 and GTE) for Dunlop. Great job. That was a great LMP1 battle for the pole. 2 cars isn't good, but at least the battle for the win should be good.

hoppelemine · 16 Apr 2011, 01:28 (Ref:2864079)

I'm disappointed with myself for being disappointed with qualifying. It struggled to keep my attention. ALMS Q'ing isn't what it used to be. And the ESPN 3 stream is poor quality for me, as it was at Sebring.

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 01:35 (Ref:2864080)

This has to be an embarrassing situation for HPD. This is their home race. They have to watch their engines get beat by LMPC cars. Meanwhile, they have to watch Mazda get all the accolades when they have an LMP1 car sitting in a garage that can shame the Mazda. It's a tough situation. I wonder what is going on with Level 5 and HPD.

porsche91722 · 16 Apr 2011, 01:43 (Ref:2864081)

Issues with the Ferrari aside, Seth Neiman should have this enlarged, framed and hang it on his office wall -
Qualifying Long Beach 2011
#44 GT Seth Neiman Porsche 911GT3RSR 1:25.543
#62 GT Jaime Melo Ferrari 458 Italia 1:48.071

fieldodreams79 · 16 Apr 2011, 01:47 (Ref:2864083)

I rather enjoyed the two car duel; love both cars, teams and drivers but there should be a rule that you cannot have more guys in the booth than cars on track. Between the three, there was constant babbling the entire time. Love Johnny O as a driver, but I am not sure how many more times I can stand to hear "an...an...an...and, you know..."

rich07 · 16 Apr 2011, 02:49 (Ref:2864089)

Level 5 planning to withdraw one car according to John Dagys.

FordCosworthPanoz · 16 Apr 2011, 02:52 (Ref:2864090)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich07

Level 5 planning to withdraw one car according to John Dagys.

It will probably be the #55 with Luis Diaz sine I believe Tucker nominated the #33 Coupe with Bouchut for 2011 championship driver points.

What a sad situation.

rich07 · 16 Apr 2011, 02:56 (Ref:2864092)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

It will probably be the #55 with Luis Diaz sine I believe Tucker nominated the #33 Coupe with Bouchut for 2011 championship driver points.

What a sad situation.

Its pretty much what I was thinking too, very disappointing but apparently Lvl 5 in talks with IMSA right now.

FordCosworthPanoz · 16 Apr 2011, 03:03 (Ref:2864093)

Now, this:

They want to preserve the Coupe since it's headed straight to Le Mans for the Test next week
2 minutes ago via TweetDeck .Trying to get him switched over to open-top. If not, Coupe will run 20 laps (the min to score points) then be parked
3 minutes ago via TweetDeck .Level 5 will run either Coupe or Open-Top. Waiting on ruling from IMSA, as they already nominated Tucker in Coupe

FordCosworthPanoz · 16 Apr 2011, 03:06 (Ref:2864094)

But wait, if Level Five wanted to “preserve the coupe” then why would they nominate that car for Scott Tuckers championship points, or why did they even bother to bring it to Long Beach?

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 03:10 (Ref:2864095)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

But wait, if Level Five wanted to “preserve the coupe” then why would they nominate that car for Scott Tuckers championship points, or why did they even bother to bring it to Long Beach?

I was just about to post that. This does not make a lot of sense. Perhaps they know they don't have speed and don't want to risk being stuck in big packs of aggressive GT cars and such? I'm thinking the engine power situation has something to do with it it as well. Appearently the Level 5 cars are already running the larger restrictors (approx. 8-9% larger according to Dagys).

The LMP2 podium is going to be real fun tomorrow, eh?

NightStalk3r · 16 Apr 2011, 03:12 (Ref:2864096)

I thought the Coupe was only for ILMC and Le Mans anyway?

AGD · 16 Apr 2011, 03:50 (Ref:2864101)

Quote:

“The reason we didn’t qualify was really based on the performance of the car,” Stone explained. “We didn’t want to put them in the mix right up at the front at the start with a bunch of other cars that are faster or are faster than us than they shouldn’t be and risk it.”

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...beach-gt-pole/

Ok, does that make sense? I guess IMSA will make a decision tomorrow about whether Tucker can switch to the open top car. It sounds like Level 5 is saying "let us run Tucker in the open top car or else we'll make a mockery of your show by pulling the coupe off after 20 laps and not even start the open top."

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach	DanicaFan	Indycar Series	61	24 Apr 2011 05:22
FRC 2011 - Round 3: Grand Prix of Long Beach	joeb	Predictions Competitions	35	20 Apr 2011 20:19
Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach	DanicaFan	Indycar Series	66	19 Apr 2010 15:40
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach	DanicaFan	Indycar Series	67	28 Apr 2009 23:57
Long Beach Grand Prix on deck	DaPix	ChampCar World Series	3	5 Apr 2007 02:55