IMSA USCC in 2016 and 2017

[Coach Ep]

What a joy to read all these creative contributions!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Why is it even still called "Petit Le Mans"? Soon it'll be called "shorter than daytona". There's almost nothing related to LM about it except one class. Next year especially so with dpi's.

Federate Auto Parts BMW Performance 1000 at the Little Daytona of Atlanta for 10 Hours

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Federate Auto Parts BMW Performance 1000 at the Little Daytona of Atlanta for 10 Hours

you forgot "...Presented by WeatherTech"

[MaskedRacer]

Do you really think there will be a lot of DPI cars in 2017? I not so sure if there will be. Next could be a primary GT dominated field as well. And I dont even know about LMPC in 2017, I hope it goes away and those teams go to GT3 like Rocketsports. But I'm not sure.

[Coach Ep]

A handful I suppose. Plus another handful (?) of the grandfathered, current P2 coupes (think Shank, ESM, 1 or 2 euro guest entries???). And perhaps a couple of old DPs if IMSA changes its mind. Plus possibly the D-wing.

New 2017 ACO P2s won't be ready for the Rolex I'm afraid.

PC will continue in its current form until the end of the 2017 season, after that, who knows.

We'll be lucky to see 15 'prototypes' (incl. PC) on the grid at Daytona next year.

[Rcz]

I predict around 5 DPis and the rest be upgraded LMP2s, and maybe some new Aco P2s
for Daytona and Sebring races.
DPis could become like the LMP900s of old if it all plays out. Those cars had some brand specific details remember? The Audi R8, BMW V12, Panoz, and Caddillic.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Rcz

DPis could become like the LMP900s of old if it all plays out. Those cars had some brand specific details remember? The Audi R8, BMW V12, Panoz, and Caddillic.

Hardly unless you count the grille on the BMW and the Caddy.

[Rcz]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Hardly unless you count the grille on the BMW and the Caddy.

It still counts.

[Coach Ep]

You mean: it still looked good! And I agree!

Btw, Cadillac's first race was in Grand-Am, not ALMS. Here's Wayne at Daytona, 2000.

Hope this livery will be back next year!

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Hope this livery will be back next year!

Me too.

[TF110]

I look at it like this, the teams that are running PLM and LM are mostly factory GTE. But those guys already have their entry into LM. So what does IMSA gain by calling it PLM anymore? I don't have a problem with the name, I just expect it to be renamed soon because they're better off playing up their own series and no DPi team will be at LM with the same car it seems. Imo, DPi should be lmp1-L. That'd be great, but it's too logical so it'll never happen

[Matt]

They've got equity in the name.

Pointless to change it after tradition has been set.

Kinda like the Dakar.

[Deleted]

Dakar used to be called Paris-Dakar...

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Dakar used to be called Paris-Dakar...

Stop with the facts.

[JoestEver]

Well even the Caddy LMP1 have more branding traits than Ford DP.

[Rcz]

Hopefully the new cars will give us a new era comparable to the early days of the ALMS. And allow the series to control its own destiny.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by TF110

I look at it like this, the teams that are running PLM and LM are mostly factory GTE. But those guys already have their entry into LM. So what does IMSA gain by calling it PLM anymore? I don't have a problem with the name, I just expect it to be renamed soon because they're better off playing up their own series and no DPi team will be at LM with the same car it seems. Imo, DPi should be lmp1-L. That'd be great, but it's too logical so it'll never happen

With nearly twenty years of name recognition and the fact that the ACO is one day gonna let in GT3 cars or variants of them into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I wouldn't bother changing the name. What's the point of it?

[Deleted]

Funny how some people immediately dismiss the things I said in post #2990, and then go on about "you can't break tradition" when it comes to the event title.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Funny how some people immediately dismiss the things I said in post #2990, and then go on about "you can't break tradition" when it comes to the event title.

The name can be traded on. Most of the details such as exact race distance cannot be.

You can make the Monaco GP 50 miles shorter and nobody will care, despite the tradition. But if you then rename it to the Mediterranean GP, then you start losing the money and press associated with the event.

[Deleted]

Ya all remember how Grand Prix of Mosport totally lost it's track in eyes of public when it got renamed Mobil1 Sportscar Grand Prix?

Or when Spa 1000km, historically recognized of course, morphed into "WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps"

I would normally opppose any stupid title changes and ignorance of history, but the fact is this race has little (no pun intended) Petit Le Mans about it anymore. The title is now just ceremonial, unfortunately. Road Atlanta website still says in 2016 "--uses rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete". Yeah right...

Not to mention, from third most important sportscar race in the world to 10th or 15th or something in just couple years timeframe.

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Originally Posted by Chiana

I would normally opppose any stupid title changes and ignorance of history, but the fact is this race has little (no pun intended) Petit Le Mans about it anymore. The title is now just ceremonial, unfortunately. Road Atlanta website still says in 2016 "--uses rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete". Yeah right...

Not to mention, from third most important sportscar race in the world to 10th or 15th or something in just couple years timeframe.

I agree with everything you've said. I have gone to every Petit since the first one I attended in 2008. For the past few years though I have had a hard time referring to it as Petit Le Mans, I say it in hushed tones. After having been to Le Mans a few times myself and now seeing what PLM has become lately it is comical to attempt to compare the two.

I mean for one, there is a real, true, undeniable excitement for all of Le Mans week. There is this convivial attitude amongst the spectators and a feeling that history is about to be witnessed, that something important is going on. Sure, I used to get that feeling for PLM, but honestly all of that part of it is completely gone now. Don't get me wrong, I love a day spent at Road Atlanta, but that feeling of excitement or importance is completely devoid now.

[BSchneiderFan]

For me, Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans should all be rounds of the WEC. But that dream is gone, I fear.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Ya all remember how Grand Prix of Mosport totally lost it's track in eyes of public when it got renamed Mobil1 Sportscar Grand Prix?

Or when Spa 1000km, historically recognized of course, morphed into "WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps"

I would normally opppose any stupid title changes and ignorance of history, but the fact is this race has little (no pun intended) Petit Le Mans about it anymore. The title is now just ceremonial, unfortunately. Road Atlanta website still says in 2016 "--uses rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete". Yeah right...

Not to mention, from third most important sportscar race in the world to 10th or 15th or something in just couple years timeframe.

Totally agree, Motorsport always struggles with building visibility, why risk potentially damaging awareness for an event by renaming it because it doesn't fit some theoretical rule set.

Petit Le Mans started as a name to symbolise its relevance and connection to LM itself but now PLM is its own heritage brand and is visible as such so why change?

Besides, as long as IMSA runs endurance races, that have multiple classes, there's a pretty solid connection to Le Mans.

So what if through some technicalities DPIs couldn't actually run at Le Mans, and so what GT3 doesn't run at Le Mans.

Multi class racing is often awesome racing, anything that builds a brand presence and heritage to a race series is a good thing, no need to get so technical on it.

[Deleted]

After reading your post, you might wish to add "dis" in front of that agree word

[Rodger Davies]

I always had an issue with the PLM name, would much rather it was the Road Atlanta 10 Hours or 1000 Miles or whatever. Works for Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Spa, Bathurst, Dubai or whatever (whilst we're at it, Gulf 12 Hours? Pfft).

Can understand they've built a brand and it works for them though, so if they decide the licencing costs are worth the value to their event, who am I to argue, so long as I get to enjoy many hours of racing at my favourite US circuit each year?

After all, it and the Spa 24 Hours are the only 'big' enduros after June.