hacker-pschorr

How can anyone picture the Audi's dominating Daytona 24 as a bad thing?

uscarrera

If GA takes over I am always concerned with any affiliation with NASCAR not only would I be scared to see lucky dogs and competition yellows not sure anyone with allegiance to NASCAR has sports car racing best interests at heart, they don't like competition for fans especially with their attendance going in the wrong direction, just saying......
Rich

analogmike

I like both but there are a few Grand Am things I hate, like not changing the results after the winner sprays champagne so as not to confuse viewers, and allowing car to car contact with no penalty to the (usually DP) car which knocks you out of the race.

uscarrera

Just wanted to add no matter what the future brings I would like to give credit to Dr. Don Panos he spent a lot of money and effort keeping the ALMS alive, old classic 12 hrs. of Sebring and a new classic the Petite Leman's at Road Atlanta
Thanks
Rich

67King

Here, here! The Panoz family has done much more for sports car racing than 99% of the populatoin will ever know.

Fishey

The chassis is based on Oreca's LC75 LMP2 , All it will take is simple rule changes to change the cars to be competitive.

GuyIncognito

+1

would be a shame to see the Panoz family no longer involved in the sport. hopefully they hold on to Road Atlanta and all their other various businesses in the sport.

only issue there might be ACO going to closed cockpit prototypes in 2014. otherwise I agree, ditch the Katech LS motor for a P2 motor and off you go.

Racerrob

This guy seems legit and he says it was a cash deal, GA buying ALMS including Road Atlanta and Sebring:
http://www.sportscarinsider.com/the-...am-merger.html

I dont see this as a good thing.

J richard

Yep there ya go...

We'll see which way this goes... I'm really hoping for the best but I just don't see NASCAR thinking anyone can do it better than they can...

+1 for Panoz, it's a shame that Indycar didn't go with the Panoz platform, would have been a much better series. The Dallara sucks....

GuyIncognito

I'm not sure I'd describe Peter DeLorenzo as "legit" (crabby old has-been might be closer to the truth); but he does raise some good points.

Nordschleife

NASCAR is exciting because its theatre or circus and gets a TV audience on a few sports channels around the world. I like the punch-ups in the pits, a bit like Mexican wrestling. Of course there will be some manufacturers who want to run in the series, it sells cars in the US, which is still a huge car market.

Grand-Am, on the other hand has a minuscule interest outside the US. I have just made a quick scan of the driver standings and I don't recognise many of the drivers, but I have no doubt that it is of critical importance to those marketing cars. I do recall an interesting series of conversations with an engineer working on ESP for 'novice/team owner' drivers and wireless signalling options, which were at state of the art levels.

A very important part of ALM's attraction is the way it delivers entry to Le Mans itself, mucking around with car specifications so that they no longer comply with ACO regulations would be the kiss of death.


R+C

Fishey

The US series does not need to be involved with Le-mans to survive. They have been doing it for years without the ties to Le-mans completely with Grand-am. There were very few teams traveling to Europe from the ALMS. The only thing it got us in the USA was 2 times a year the big time euro teams would come over and dominate races as they were part of the normal lemans series schedule. I mean even Porsche didn't travel the top RS team (Penske) to Europe. So, I don't see meeting ACO regulations as a requirement for the series to be relevant or successful. A look at the Continental challenge series will show that NASCAR (Grand-Am) can make an exciting diverse roadcar/race series and regulate it themselves. The number and level of teams in that part of Grand-Am has been improving every year.

Nordschleife

And I expect it will be called a World Championship too.

You have to decide if you want international racing or just local racing, what you are talking about is local racing, nice for participants and friends, but of zero significance.

It may be successful in terms of local spectators, but it won't be relevant. Just look at the current drivers. It the existing GA series was really relevant there would be more International drivers.

R+C

Fishey

Well, if an American Series can capture the American crowd it will be far better success then ALMS has been or Grand-Am has been to this point. The ALMS series is not relevant based on 2 races a year. No one in europe gives 2 craps about ALMS racing outside of those events. I am pretty sure going by the foundation of Grand-Am who will be the controlling body. It will continue to be an Grand-American Series not a world based series. Also, how is that ELMS doing? From what I can see who do they have running P1? Seems like P1 is done for even in Europe.

http://www.europeanlemansseries.com/....php?news=2203

So yea, that series sounds relevent.

67King

From the DeLorenzo article:

"First of all, this is anything but a merger. In fact Grand-Am is buying the ALMS lock, stock and barrel in a straight-up cash deal (I know the number but I’m choosing not to reveal it now),including Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway, the two road racing facilities the ALMS owns."