Grand Am/ALMS Friday Press Conf.
01-05-2013, 09:42 AM
#31
Rennlist
Basic Site Sponsor
Basic Site Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Posts: 18,684
Received 2,837 Likes
on
1,671 Posts
__________________
-Peter Krause
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
-Peter Krause
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
01-05-2013, 09:58 AM
#32
Basic Sponsor
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
__________________
Bob Saville
Getting You On Track!
www.naroescapemotorsports.com
704-395-2975
'07 SPC
'71 914/6 Huey
'04 GT3
Bob Saville
Getting You On Track!
www.naroescapemotorsports.com
704-395-2975
- Data Analysis & Coaching
- Drivers Gear
- Crew Gear
- Car Gear
'07 SPC
'71 914/6 Huey
'04 GT3
01-05-2013, 10:15 AM
#33
Rennlist
Basic Site Sponsor
Basic Site Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Posts: 18,684
Received 2,837 Likes
on
1,671 Posts
IMO, grand am was (is) a parody of ALMS. So you were right, originally!
01-05-2013, 10:38 AM
#34
Burning Brakes
ALMS was all about advancing technology - if you can't compete, step UP your game and make your car better!
Grand Am was all about parity - if you can't compete, the faster cars will be handicapped to bring everyone DOWN to the lowest common denominator.
The series is now in the hands of Obama people...."Everybody pays their fair share. Everybody gets a fair shot."
Grand Am was all about parity - if you can't compete, the faster cars will be handicapped to bring everyone DOWN to the lowest common denominator.
The series is now in the hands of Obama people...."Everybody pays their fair share. Everybody gets a fair shot."
Last edited by CCA; 01-05-2013 at 09:43 PM.
01-05-2013, 12:48 PM
#35
Rennlist Member
I find it laughable that they are saying the GTC cars will be rolled into Rolex GT. That's like asking a 997 Carrera to go race against Cup Cars. GTC Cups are way different than Rolex GT class Cups. A GTC car needs another $100k of work put into it to make it on par with a Rolex car.
01-05-2013, 07:00 PM
#37
It took them all this time to announce that everyone gets invited to the party except P1? What a joke. Can you imagine being at the track and trying to figure out who is leading GT? Its that 911, no wait, that one, err, wait, maybe that Ferrari. I dont see the point of GTC at all, nor those spec prototypes.
01-05-2013, 08:35 PM
#38
Drifting
I see this class structure as a transition meant to keep as many teams racing in GrandAM as possible. In time they will be losing classes like LMPC and P2.
Last edited by Cory M; 01-07-2013 at 06:45 PM.
01-06-2013, 03:58 PM
#40
01-06-2013, 04:13 PM
#41
Basic Sponsor
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
To be honest, I enjoy watching GA racing - especially GT class. There are a lot more of the guys we know running there (RL members) we're fans of TRG as we've become friends with team (Kevin, Martin, Bob, etc. though I'm going to miss Spencer on the team), we know a lot of Conti Challenge drivers and teams and it's pretty darn competitive
Sure, the DP cars are not the most attractive. But it's still usually pretty good racing. and since many of us haven't been able to watch ALMS for years....its MUCH better than NASCAR circle track racing!
Plus, with only one series, there will be much better overall talent behind the wheels. I see consolidation as a good thing ....as long as it doesn't become NASCAR on road courses...
Sure, the DP cars are not the most attractive. But it's still usually pretty good racing. and since many of us haven't been able to watch ALMS for years....its MUCH better than NASCAR circle track racing!
Plus, with only one series, there will be much better overall talent behind the wheels. I see consolidation as a good thing ....as long as it doesn't become NASCAR on road courses...
01-06-2013, 05:26 PM
#42
Drifting
Too many classes. This is what ruined ALMS. Even an avid fan couldnt tell the classes apart. When you have to go to color coding on the TV screen to differentiate the classes you know you have a problem. No one was watching ALMS, look at the lack of TV coverage to prove that point. Keep it simple.
Grand Am won this battle of the brands because they kept it simple. It was easy to watch. DP cars and GT cars. Easy on the eyes.
ALMS top prototype class had two cars and the LMP classes were Indistinguishable.
I hope they reconsider and can come up with a format of no more than three classes.
Grand Am won this battle of the brands because they kept it simple. It was easy to watch. DP cars and GT cars. Easy on the eyes.
ALMS top prototype class had two cars and the LMP classes were Indistinguishable.
I hope they reconsider and can come up with a format of no more than three classes.
+1
I sincerely hope this unified mess does not fu**up sports car racing in the U.S.
01-07-2013, 05:37 PM
#43
Former Vendor
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is fundamentally the structure I expected.
Any structure will leave room for complaint, but I can explain the reasoning behind some of the less popular choices.
A successful series MUST have good car count. I believe that is absolutely the most critical variable in a series. The trade-off is too many classes. As the new series matures, I expect one or more classes will be dissolved. Grand Am had 5 classes in 2001, IIRC, and by 2005, they had 2.
ALMS GT is a huge, popular class with huge manufacturer support. No brainer.
LPMC was the biggest class after GT in ALMS, retaining it makes sense.
DP has been Grand Am's premier class, and to dump it or make it not the premier class would alienate the teams running them horribly, and those teams have supported the series for years. DP cars are heavily handicapped with restricted engines, spec tires and tiny wings. Making them faster will be easy.
LMP is the fan favorite, but dropping P1 with 2 cars is no loss. They did not fit well either - too fast. Retaining P2 is good enough, and mixing them with DP strengthens the class if balanced well.
Grand Am GT and GTC are very dissimilar now, but the 991 cup is perfectly timed to fix this. Something like a restrictor and/or weight penalty on the Grand Am 997 cup will put them in line with a stock/GTC 991 cup.
Any structure will leave room for complaint, but I can explain the reasoning behind some of the less popular choices.
A successful series MUST have good car count. I believe that is absolutely the most critical variable in a series. The trade-off is too many classes. As the new series matures, I expect one or more classes will be dissolved. Grand Am had 5 classes in 2001, IIRC, and by 2005, they had 2.
ALMS GT is a huge, popular class with huge manufacturer support. No brainer.
LPMC was the biggest class after GT in ALMS, retaining it makes sense.
DP has been Grand Am's premier class, and to dump it or make it not the premier class would alienate the teams running them horribly, and those teams have supported the series for years. DP cars are heavily handicapped with restricted engines, spec tires and tiny wings. Making them faster will be easy.
LMP is the fan favorite, but dropping P1 with 2 cars is no loss. They did not fit well either - too fast. Retaining P2 is good enough, and mixing them with DP strengthens the class if balanced well.
Grand Am GT and GTC are very dissimilar now, but the 991 cup is perfectly timed to fix this. Something like a restrictor and/or weight penalty on the Grand Am 997 cup will put them in line with a stock/GTC 991 cup.
