Grand am at VIR Oct 7-9

billnchristy · 5 Oct 2005, 23:05 (Ref:1424851)

entry list:
http://www.grandamerican.com/Events/...asp?EventID=91

50 cars right now, even split 25/25

event page:
http://www.grandamerican.com/Events/Event.asp?ID=91

Schedule:
P1 10/07 9:20 AM
P2 10/07 2:00 PM
P3 10/08 9:45 AM
Q 10/08 12:45 PM
P4 10/09 9:00 AM
R 10/09 1:00 PM

Debut race for #13 BMW M3 for Matt Conolly motorsports (GAC team)
Debut race for #40 Picchio
Return of Margraf #31 Riley

Should be a heck of a race.

Schedule for 06 should be released also.

Danske · 5 Oct 2005, 23:48 (Ref:1424865)

Some championship scenarios:

If the Picchio finishes 16th or better it will overtake the Multimatic in the manufacturers' championship, dropping Multimatic to last. The Picchio would need at least a 10th-place finish and the Chase to not start the race to leap over them. If the Chase finishes at least 3rd they'll sew-up fifth place in the manufacturers' championship for the year, and a 15th place to insure they'll take sixth. That's assuming the Multimatic were to enter and win at Mexico.

The only realistic scenario is if the Picchio does manage to finish sixteenth or better, in which case the bottom three of the championship will be Chase/Picchio/Multimatic, in that order, assuming that none of them make it to Mexico. So if they're sixteenth they're beating Multimatic in the championship. Watch for it!

19dodge · 6 Oct 2005, 01:39 (Ref:1424929)

Paul Metzger-Oke's Race Preview

50 cars is a lot for sure. Especially with 25 DP's! Its going to be one hell of a race!

Shady#30 · 6 Oct 2005, 02:03 (Ref:1424938)

I might go if all else fails

richmini99 · 6 Oct 2005, 02:25 (Ref:1424946)

That is a strong entry list for sure. I can't wait to see what sort of pace the Chase and Picccio show. ADI has made a bunch of improvements on the Picchio, and the BMW powerplant they are using now is much better than the one in the G&W/Synergy version. Chase has also made a number of improvemnts as well (I'm sure the windtunnel test helped). If the car can show some real pace (and reliability), maybe they can find a taker for next season?
It's also going to be interesting to see how the Pontiac-powered DPs react to the new fuel pressure mandated by GA due to the fuelrail fires this season.
And lets not forget GT either. After the last round things have really tightened up.

kbeech · 6 Oct 2005, 07:35 (Ref:1425069)

VIR is the nearest track to me. Someday I may have to take the 4-5 hour drive and check it out. I hope the Picchio does well. Inspite of my better judgement, I like it.

Shady#30 · 6 Oct 2005, 14:17 (Ref:1425378)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbeech

VIR is the nearest track to me. Someday I may have to take the 4-5 hour drive and check it out. I hope the Picchio does well. Inspite of my better judgement, I like it.

Is it really like 4 hours? Nevermind...I'm not driving THAT far for prototurtles.

richmini99 · 6 Oct 2005, 15:53 (Ref:1425458)

Your loss. 50 cars on a great circuit; and 65 cars for GA Cup: more than worth a 4 hour drive in my book.

billnchristy · 6 Oct 2005, 16:05 (Ref:1425475)

Yeah I would go if I could, maybe since im going to skip Petit next year I can make this one!

Danske · 6 Oct 2005, 16:20 (Ref:1425490)

Quote:

Originally Posted by richmini99

Chase has also made a number of improvemnts as well (I'm sure the windtunnel test helped).

They changed the tail lights too. I'll miss the Corvette lights.

It's also interesting how the Crawford has evolved to a shorter, higher rear end from the initial "longtail", while the latest Chase changes put the rear bodywork right down to the minimum ground-clearance and extended back.

Bill King did a couple of articles about VIR a little while ago. We have a ride-along with Andy Wallace, and lap accounts from both Ed Lowther (1964) and EFR (2005):

http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...895&FS=GRANDAM
http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...745&FS=GRANDAM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EFR

It's just such a tough course to get right that I struggle with it. And then there's the straightaway. Now there I'm very good and I get it right almost every lap.

Heh.

Shady#30 · 6 Oct 2005, 16:43 (Ref:1425504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by richmini99

Your loss. 50 cars on a great circuit; and 65 cars for GA Cup: more than worth a 4 hour drive in my book.

Maybe if I hadnt just got home from PLM. Plus, for me its quality > quantity. Id really only be going to check out the track and see the PTG cars, and I can wait for a BMWCCA trip to their shop for that.

viperada · 7 Oct 2005, 02:25 (Ref:1425900)

its a 1.5-2 hour drive for me. i am defentily going. get to ride in the GTO pace car for a few flying laps around the track.

richmini99 · 7 Oct 2005, 03:34 (Ref:1425915)

Quote:

Maybe if I hadnt just got home from PLM. Plus, for me its quality > quantity. Id really only be going to check out the track and see the PTG cars, and I can wait for a BMWCCA trip to their shop for that.

Shaddy,
I'm not trying to pick on you man, but if you look at the drivers on the entry list, the field has quality and depth in spades. I can understand if you don't like the DP or GT formulas in the Rolex Series, but there are quite a few quality teams and drivers (many of which also drive in the ALMS) racing this weekend. Going the PLM and VIR in back to back weeks is a tall order though. If you get the chance next season you should check out a Rolex weekend. They still turn left and right like they do in the ALMS.

Shady#30 · 7 Oct 2005, 03:43 (Ref:1425920)

Quote:

Originally Posted by richmini99

Shaddy,
I'm not trying to pick on you man, but if you look at the drivers on the entry list, the field has quality and depth in spades. I can understand if you don't like the DP or GT formulas in the Rolex Series, but there are quite a few quality teams and drivers (many of which also drive in the ALMS) racing this weekend. Going the PLM and VIR in back to back weeks is a tall order though. If you get the chance next season you should check out a Rolex weekend. They still turn left and right like they do in the ALMS.

Yes yes I know its alot of the same drivers and sure theres great teams involved, but I just dont like the DPs nor the way GT is set up. Im not a hater - I watch it on tv when theres nothing else. Just cant justify the trip in my mind. And dont worry, you can pick all you want, but I'm not a man lol.

CorvetteC6R · 7 Oct 2005, 04:15 (Ref:1425936)

I'm excited about the TRG Pontiac GTO kicking some butt! Kinda sucks they got a weight penalty..kinda stupid to me....I don't much watch or care about the DP cars, but the GTO-R is exciting me for the race!

Danske · 7 Oct 2005, 05:02 (Ref:1425965)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorvetteC6R

I'm excited about the TRG Pontiac GTO kicking some butt! Kinda sucks they got a weight penalty..kinda stupid to me....I don't much watch or care about the DP cars, but the GTO-R is exciting me for the race!

Heh, the TRG press release doesn't mention that the reason they've gotten an increase is because the rules were amended giving all GT cars with DP transaxles a 4% increase in weight.

Fab · 7 Oct 2005, 09:08 (Ref:1426162)

I stuck the thread for the week-end...

Danske · 7 Oct 2005, 13:39 (Ref:1426443)

...thus cunningly hiding it at the top of the page where no one expects to find it.

Danske · 7 Oct 2005, 13:54 (Ref:1426464)

T&S reports rain and a very wet track. It looks like only three GT cars are on the track, assuming T&S isn't waterlogged and lying.

richmini99 · 7 Oct 2005, 15:42 (Ref:1426577)

10 cars actually ventured out. 3 DPs and 7 GTs. Word from the track is the rain is "coming down in buckets". Lets hope the weather breaks at some point today.

Danske · 7 Oct 2005, 16:35 (Ref:1426626)

One of those "seven" GT cars had a best lap of 13:22, so that hardly counts as going out.

Two others gave up ten minutes into the session, and three more after thirty minutes. So when I wrote that there were indeed only three GT cars on the track there were only three on the track. That was also before the DPs were scheduled, and two of those three put in only four laps. Tuttle led the lap count at 21 by staying out for an entire hour. Your numbers are artificially inflated, you lying Grand-Am bootlick!

Technically off-topic, but just to keep to our own little ghetto (and it was announced at VIR):
Factory-supported Porsche Program for Synergy Racing's 2006 Daytona Prototype Effort

Quote:

Synergy Racing announced today it has reached an agreement with Porsche Motorsports North America to campaign a factory-supported, Porsche-powered Daytona Prototype in the 2006 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. The team will receive factory assistance from Porsche Motorsports North America with engine technology.

richmini99 · 7 Oct 2005, 16:49 (Ref:1426636)

Quote:

Your numbers are artificially inflated, you lying Grand-Am bootlick!

Tim Northcutt · 7 Oct 2005, 17:57 (Ref:1426695)

I'm assuming the weather is from the remnant of Tropical Storm Tammy????

That could spell a very wet day in southern Virginia...

richmini99 · 7 Oct 2005, 18:40 (Ref:1426729)

yeah; and i'm hearing things should be pretty wet for qualifying and the the Cup race tomorrow. Sunday shouldn't be too bad.........I hope.

extramundane · 7 Oct 2005, 19:01 (Ref:1426741)

I was actually going to spend my first Saturday off in almost 3 months there watching GAC, but not in this weather. It's supposed to rain straight through Monday and the last thing I need is 2 hours of crappy backroads in the pouring rain. Oh well.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Grand Prix Manager : French Grand Prix results	Wrex	Formula One	4	10 Jul 2003 10:25
Grand Prix Manager : French Grand Prix	Asp	Formula One	6	3 Jul 2003 10:31
Grand Prix 4 ... Why didn't they call it Grand Prix 2.5?	DNQ	Virtual Racers	18	27 Oct 2002 17:09