Ed Hughes

The 'net and media have been rife with the rumors the last several days. As expected, the announcement was made this morning.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...mpaign=awAlert

It'll be interesting to watch this unfold, to say the least.

race911

And yet the typical attendee hanging out in the infields of either the Daytona or Sebring events will hardly notice.................

Anyway, I say bring back the silhouette cars (modern day 935s) as the top act and be done with it.

TMc993

There's a winner and a loser in every merger. So, who "won" in this one?

I noticed that the NASCAR honcho went first in the press conference and Dr. Panos was second. Did NASCAR acquire ALMS?

If so, I predict that the ACO will quickly terminate its relationship with ALMS and we'll all end up (not) watching the Grand-Am kits cars masquerading as prototypes in NASCAR's version of "sports car" racing.

I respectfully disagree with race911 regarding the "typical attendee." Even though we sit on the calm side of the track fence, there are plenty of us who know what's what when it come to sports car racing. It's been proven over and over that if the racing isn't competitive, exciting, and extreme, we will not attend in droves.

At the same time, I agree with race911 in terms of silhouette cars and true prototypes. ***** out, no holds barred prototypes and silhouettes make for the best racing that has ever been run.

Let's hope NASCAR didn't win in this deal.

race911

Please note I said typical attendee at DAYTONA and SEBRING. While I've not been to Sebring and am only going by stories told, I have been to Daytona three times, '93-'00'-'09. So basically three very different stages of the event, under two different sanctions.

The typical attendee, from what I've observed, is basically looking for a place to hang out and party for the weekend. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I'm not sure they really care if there's anything other than "fast cars that kinda look neat" circulating the track while another beer is consumed.

The rest of the series? Whole 'nother deal. But then this weekend at Laguna, will there even be 5K full-retail paid through the gate on race day? Contrast that with Rennsport Reunion, where people gathered in near-overflow to look at up-to 60 year old cars compete for not much more than fun track time.

race911

Grrrr........posted before I finished.

Now onto the competitive v. attendance. When year was your first race? Mine was IMSA Sears '80. IMSA was kinda competitive during that time, and the hills were full at both Sears and Laguna. Close in qualifying, but with the mechanicals you'd have easy wins for the most part.

Step back further down memory lane from friends who are a bit older than me, and they tell stories of massive crowds for the glory years of Can-Am. Some of the most lopsided competition, ever.

Nurburger

Well said.

The Brewmeister

There's a lengthy thread over in the Perf. & Comp.-Racing right now with the some interesting perspective from some inside the sport.

Cemoto

Yes, but it was more like a festival of speed back then. People from all walks attended and not really for the racing.

I was brought to the Glen as a 10 year old by my older brother who wanted to use my motorcycle as a pit bike, and got to see the the 908's, the 917's, the Bruce and Denny show, , the Chaparral suction car..

Every year someone would "toast" a stolen car in the infield.

It was one big party.

TMc993

As a kid I was involved with drag racing in the early 60's and also hung out at Bobby and Donnie Allison's garage in Hueytown, Alabama before they went big in NASCAR. I was vaguely aware of sports car racing and do remember the Foyt Gurney victory at LeMans.

My first live sports car race was Sebring in '72...Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood won in a yellow 911 RSR (I think)...And I went out the following Monday and bought a silver over black 356 S90.

I'm still in the South, which is possibly the least enthusiastic area in the country when it comes to any road racing, but I too can remember the IMSA days in the 80's at Road Atlanta. I remember once race on a Labor Day weekend when 63 cars started the race....Everything from the latest Porsche down to lowly Mazda RX3s on the track at the same time...It was really exciting (and insane).

MarkD

As Alan said, long thread in perf and comp forum

GA is acquiring ALMS
My. 02c
Sports car racing in North America will take a hit
ALMS is/was (relatively) high quality compared to GA
But GA has better sponsorship and TV coverage

Result ... GA wins.
They say GT class will be better.... but ALMS GT is far better than GA, IMO

Flying Finn

NASCAR/Grand-Am


Basically, yes.


ACO has been consulted and based on what they (G-A & ALMS guys) are saying, is onboard with this. Everything is early of course but still, seems there's hope. The rest you're predicting is the fear many of us have and only time will tell...

Unfortunately it seems they're the ones who won and will be the ones calling the shots.

My fear is with NASCAR/Grand-Am running (at least the majority) of the show, it will further dumb down the sportscar racing in US and don't have the real interest for rest of the World & Le Mans which really would be a shame.
Many of the ALMS teams (especially the GT) want/demand the Le Mans connection with cars that would need no changes in order to run there so I'm pretty confident ALMS GT class will remain as-is for that reason alone and the fact that the racing in it & interest of teams & manufacturers has been growing.

My take?

GT will be two classes: ALMS GT as "GT1" (or whatever the name) and ALMS GTC & G-A GT as "GT2".
Prototypes will be also two classes: ALMS P2 as "P1" (or whatever the name) and G-A DP as "P2". P1 will be gone. It would be IMO better if it was P2 and PC would become the lower class instead of DP (killing DP) but that won't happen.

But I remain positive and hope in the end it will be good for sportscar racing but only time will tell...

cmat

I am a regular reader of AutoExtremist.com. Yesterday's issue claims to have some of the details of the merger. Check it out here:

http://www.autoextremist.com/fumes1/

One is that P1 will go away in the merged series which will start in 2014. If true, this means that the Penske run Porsche P1 team that I was hoping for can't happen. Not good.