[ALMS] ALMS 2012 Discussion

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Scott Tucker is a convicted felon (of this sort of exact thing prior) and has been under investigation for this current case for years. It's one of the reasons he didn't attend any of the Canada rounds. None of this is exactly "breaking news", the guy is pretty much a scumbag all around.

Business ethics aside, this is the same guy that ran himself in two LMPC cars the entire season in 2010 so he could take the points of the higher finishing car, to guarentee a championship..in a class with 3 full time entries. This is the guy bringing a 400k Porsche GT3 cup car and full pro rig to the SCCA runoffs, an amatuer event, to win a 2 car class. The same guy and team who entered the minimum number of events last year in the ALMS to qualify for the championship, ran the 70% distance to qualify for points, so he could win the LMP2 title..in a class with no other entrants.

Yea, huge loss.

I find it interesting that the write ups about him list his occupation as 'race car driver.'

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by ubrben

Was Dempsey buying a new car?

Ben

I don't know. I suspect Dagys would know. Seems to be some confusion as to whether Black Swans car is leased, or purchased.

Doors have been padlocked at Level 5.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by ubrben

Was Dempsey buying a new car?

Ben

Dempsey are buying a 2012-spec Lola-Judd as far as I'm aware, Level 5 never ran that kind of car.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Dempsey are buying a 2012-spec Lola-Judd as far as I'm aware, Level 5 never ran that kind of car.

Does Dempsey still proceed, given the drop in entries in class?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Does Dempsey still proceed, given the drop in entries in class?

That's the major question now, we'll probably have to wait for Laguna (since that's where they said they'd debut). If (and that's a big if) the Radical-Roush Yates materializes and Dempsey decide to join in, we'll only still be at 4 cars.

[merlot brougham]

It has been hard for me to stomach Tucker and Level 5 all along. Picchiofan put it very, very well as far as the competition aspect goes. The guy is gutless, doing a bait and switch on people who are already in financial dire straits. Then he competes in motorsports the most unfair and dishonorable fashion possible.

I go to Sebring and PLM every year and his pit setup is just crazy. And all the guys he employs look like they are getting paid back for protection they gave him in his previous stint in the clink. In the short term I hope ALMS can absorb this hit to the P2 ranks. In the long term I hope someone with more credibility and honor can buy his stuff at gov't auction and go racing with it. But overall I think this happening and Level 5 being gone gives the series more credibility.

[Fogelhund]

..and to think it has been suggested that Tucker was in talks to actually buy the series last year...

[merlot brougham]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

..and to think it has been suggested that Tucker was in talks to actually buy the series last year...

Oh man, I never heard that one....

[joeb]

I have to imagine that Mr Tucker knew this day was coming at some point. So I am a bit surprised he didn't divert his assets to somebody else or some other entity that would protect them from when the feds come a knockin.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by joeb

I have to imagine that Mr Tucker knew this day was coming at some point. So I am a bit surprised he didn't divert his assets to somebody else or some other entity that would protect them from when the feds come a knockin.

If you read through the court documents, you will see that he was diverting money out of companies. $40 million to Level 5, millions to his wife, brother, and a number of other people whom ended up becoming defendents in this as well. All of the entities were targeted for seizure in the court document.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

If you read through the court documents, you will see that he was diverting money out of companies. $40 million to Level 5, millions to his wife, brother, and a number of other people whom ended up becoming defendents in this as well. All of the entities were targeted for seizure in the court document.

Too bad he didn't hand out money to race fans during the ALMS autograph sessions too!

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by joeb

Too bad he didn't hand out money to race fans during the ALMS autograph sessions too!

Except then we might all be defendants.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

If you read through the court documents, you will see that he was diverting money out of companies. $40 million to Level 5, millions to his wife, brother, and a number of other people whom ended up becoming defendents in this as well. All of the entities were targeted for seizure in the court document.

Hopefully none of the other drivers were involved. Things could have got SO messy for the ALMS if Tucker had taken the reigns.

[Jonerz]

Apparently on the individual level he is a bit of an SOB if that wasn't obvious from his, shall we say, sporting tendencies. That is second hand information as I avoided contact with him when I was in the paddock.

And to picchiofan, I thought his SCCA Porsche was a Turbo (ex-WC). He does have an 09 GT3 Cup too. Damn shame for the load of good people he employed as they will have to search for new opportunities (of which there are few).

Chris

[speeddemon787]

33 cars will be at the ALMS Long Beach race minus the two Level 5 LMP2 cars.