IMSA Race 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Rcz

I'm not going to defend TUSC terrible way of using yellows, but I do remember the last years of ALMS having obnoxiously long cautions.

Seems like nether side really learned to me.

We saw a lot of weird and dumb crap happen in ALMS in 2013 that wasn't there beforehand. Paul Walter was an idiot. So was their new for 2013 policy of not changing the race results post-race because the fans are too stupid to understand.

[Gulf]

Originally Posted by BullMan

We saw a lot of weird and dumb crap happen in ALMS in 2013 that wasn't there beforehand. Paul Walter was an idiot. So was their new for 2013 policy of not changing the race results post-race because the fans are too stupid to understand.

Nascar still owned them in 2013.

[CyberMotor]

I'm going to start with a clean slate and let's see what happens. I've stated what I would like to see and many have stated what they would not like to see. Let's see what happens now.

Clean slate. It's 2015.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by wdave0

True - but they didn't do it that way in ALMS, Grand AM did - so where do the paychecks and orders come from?

Actually, last years officiating (and series-to-teams relationships from what I gather) were much worse than anything ever seen in GA. Sure, GA had it's share of problems there as well, but not nearly to that degree.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by BullMan

We saw a lot of weird and dumb crap happen in ALMS in 2013 that wasn't there beforehand. Paul Walter was an idiot. So was their new for 2013 policy of not changing the race results post-race because the fans are too stupid to understand.

That stupid Grand-Am copycat-rule didn't come to force until Lime Rock 2013 when they started influencing the regs for #thefuture.

Anyway the billion year long cautions were there already in ALMS 2012 (maybe even in 2011 I don't remember) which was annoyance of course, but at least the same free lap lucky dog crap + phantom cautions for orchestrated finishes wasn't there yet

[Gulf]

Originally Posted by Chiana

That stupid Grand-Am copycat-rule didn't come to force until Lime Rock 2013 when they started influencing the regs for #thefuture.

Anyway the billion year long cautions were there already in ALMS 2012 (maybe even in 2011 I don't remember) which was annoyance of course, but at least the same free lap lucky dog crap + phantom cautions for orchestrated finishes wasn't there yet

The yellows were never as bad as they were last year. I've never seen the 12 spend almost half the race under FCY.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

I'm going to start with a clean slate and let's see what happens. I've stated what I would like to see and many have stated what they would not like to see. Let's see what happens now.

Clean slate. It's 2015.

I am so starved for a good race suffering through another offseason,
the 24 hr could run lawnmowers and I would be watching. Daytona was fun in person last year with all the inaugural buzz. Moved that budget
over to the PWC at Barber this year so I can also scratch an Indy itch.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Gulf

The yellows were never as bad as they were last year. I've never seen the 12 spend almost half the race under FCY.

Indeed

Sebring cautions this century

2000 - 02x for ???
2001 - no cautions
2002 - 03x for ???
2003 - 01x for 08L
2004 - 05x for 26L
2005 - 04x for 17L
2006 - 05x for 22L
2007 - 04x for 16L
2008 - 05x for 38L
2009 - 03x for 13L
2010 - 04x for 21L
2011 - 09x for 53L
2012 - 11x for 55L
2013 - 04x for 20L
2014 - 11x for 73L

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

Was that the year that the race was red-flagged due to standing water? That was probably longer but would only show up as 1 FCY?

I believe so. Dismal experience.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by skycafe

The 2004 statistic does not seem correct. That was the last time I went to a 24, and it seemed like it rained most of the race, and they were actually running out of rain tires. It seemed perpetually under caution.

It makes sense.

Same amount of yellows as 02, but over double the amount of yellow laps.

[Ephaeton]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

The current officials (at least those that do the officiating) are from the ALMS side...

The officials might be, the officiating clearly is not.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

I am so starved for a good race suffering through another offseason,
the 24 hr could run lawnmowers and I would be watching. Daytona was fun in person last year with all the inaugural buzz. Moved that budget
over to the PWC at Barber this year so I can also scratch an Indy itch.

These are my sentiments minus Indy , even though I am considering Barber for PWC.

Looking forward to the race but curious to see how the roar turns out first.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

These are my sentiments minus Indy , even though I am considering Barber for PWC.

Looking forward to the race but curious to see how the roar turns out first.

Doing the usual debate myself since they manage to always get the same weekend for the Mitty and Indy/PWC at Barber. Combine that with a Barber trip costing about twice as much and I'm back leaning toward the Mitty and the usual old cars again.

[seanyb505]

Off topic:
Throughout the morning I've been planning in my head about Barber. The Greenville contingent (3, maybe 5) is likely to do Mitty Saturday, spend the night in ATL and head to Barber for Sunday only. ATSV-R, Bentley, McLaren, maybe Nissan...not going to wait for TUSC to adopt GT3 rules and then wait to see who shows up at Petit in 22 month's time.

Aren't Saturday and Sunday usually the same cars anyway, just different format? (Which last year's felt terrible compared to previous years, btw.) It always feels like entries only fall off from the start of the weekend, and don't return to track. Saturday runners may not doing anything Sunday.

On topic:
Any timing for Roar shenanigans? Or do we just wait for various teams to come out and say "We're super happy with the car, the tires, the engine, the team, the sponsors, the tires, the dirt, the car, the windshield, the car, the last Hobbit movie, the car, the sponsors, the stickers, the car, etc, etc."?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Off topic:
Throughout the morning I've been planning in my head about Barber. The Greenville contingent (3, maybe 5) is likely to do Mitty Saturday, spend the night in ATL and head to Barber for Sunday only. ATSV-R, Bentley, McLaren, maybe Nissan...not going to wait for TUSC to adopt GT3 rules and then wait to see who shows up at Petit in 22 month's time.

On topic:
Any timing for Roar shenanigans? Or do we just wait for various teams to come out and say "We're super happy with the car, the tires, the engine, the team, the sponsors, the tires, the dirt, the car, the windshield, the car, the last Hobbit movie, the car, the sponsors, the stickers, the car, etc, etc."?

Only when Drissi gets out of the car, or whatever superhero movie he's promoting this week.

[seanyb505]

Seriously though can we follow it in any way?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Seriously though can we follow it in any way?

Not sure about timing, but there will be daily reports on Radio Le Mans.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Doing the usual debate myself since they manage to always get the same weekend for the Mitty and Indy/PWC at Barber. Combine that with a Barber trip costing about twice as much and I'm back leaning toward the Mitty and the usual old cars again.

I too find it hard skip my favorite event, at my favorite track to go to a track that i can't stand and is too expensive and further away.

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Off topic:
Throughout the morning I've been planning in my head about Barber. The Greenville contingent (3, maybe 5) is likely to do Mitty Saturday, spend the night in ATL and head to Barber for Sunday only. ATSV-R, Bentley, McLaren, maybe Nissan...not going to wait for TUSC to adopt GT3 rules and then wait to see who shows up at Petit in 22 month's time.

That's not a bad idea.

Aren't Saturday and Sunday usually the same cars anyway, just different format? (Which last year's felt terrible compared to previous years, btw.) It always feels like entries only fall off from the start of the weekend, and don't return to track. Saturday runners may not doing anything Sunday.

Pretty much. Longer races, and less of them due to the Sunday morning "quiet time".

On topic:
Any timing for Roar shenanigans? Or do we just wait for various teams to come out and say "We're super happy with the car, the tires, the engine, the team, the sponsors, the tires, the dirt, the car, the windshield, the car, the last Hobbit movie, the car, the sponsors, the stickers, the car, etc, etc."?

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Not sure about timing, but there will be daily reports on Radio Le Mans.

Showing a "day 1 highlights" on the RLM calendar, but thought i heard on MWM that Shea Adam and someone will be there covering. I'd assume they will be "present" and not broadcasting, per se.

Looks like a Twitter follow it will be!

[Dodge_Swinger]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

This is the 'pack racing' that NASCAR has successfully built an empire upon. I admit that it works there. I do not think that it belongs in endurance racing.

In endurance racing, particularly in the old days, you just needed to outlast the other cars and didn't, necessarily, have to be the fastest. It required tremendous planning, strategies, quick decisions, some luck, better designs, better drivers and if you got all or most of it right, you had a chance of winning, whether it was by 20 laps or 20 seconds. Both are admirable.

I think the 'pack racing' does not fit well with endurance racing and erases many of tactical and strategic plans and moves that teams and drivers make. It erases too many good decisions and replaces them with a pack and everyone is wondering how they got where they are.

The brains are probably thinking they can still implement their philosophy and the new fans will love it. I'm sure they are thinking that the reason sports car racing has never been as popular in the US as NASCAR is because they didn't do this before. I hope not.

The new assignments in the race management and other technical areas bodes well for the series, I think. We'll see.

Bottom line, they need to run an endurance sports car series with all of its nuances. The automobile fleet is currently undergoing revolutionary changes. These cars and the series needs to understand this and be at the forefront of this and not on the sidelines.

I think Ford has the bug big-time and with their record-breaking run last year in the Ecoboost started it off. Going to be interesting to hear what Ford has planned. Hopefully, they will have a spot at the table with Audi, Toyota, Porsche, Honda and Nissan.

Daytona should be a main show in the circus and not a side show.

Here's hoping.

Well said, sir!

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

This is the 'pack racing' that NASCAR has successfully built an empire upon. I admit that it works there. I do not think that it belongs in endurance racing.

In endurance racing, particularly in the old days, you just needed to outlast the other cars and didn't, necessarily, have to be the fastest. It required tremendous planning, strategies, quick decisions, some luck, better designs, better drivers and if you got all or most of it right, you had a chance of winning, whether it was by 20 laps or 20 seconds. Both are admirable.

I think the 'pack racing' does not fit well with endurance racing and erases many of tactical and strategic plans and moves that teams and drivers make. It erases too many good decisions and replaces them with a pack and everyone is wondering how they got where they are.

The brains are probably thinking they can still implement their philosophy and the new fans will love it. I'm sure they are thinking that the reason sports car racing has never been as popular in the US as NASCAR is because they didn't do this before. I hope not.

The new assignments in the race management and other technical areas bodes well for the series, I think. We'll see.

Bottom line, they need to run an endurance sports car series with all of its nuances. The automobile fleet is currently undergoing revolutionary changes. These cars and the series needs to understand this and be at the forefront of this and not on the sidelines.

I think Ford has the bug big-time and with their record-breaking run last year in the Ecoboost started it off. Going to be interesting to hear what Ford has planned. Hopefully, they will have a spot at the table with Audi, Toyota, Porsche, Honda and Nissan.

Daytona should be a main show in the circus and not a side show.

Here's hoping.

Course that's when cars actually broke too, feels like in the last 10 years just making it run 24 hours has become almost easy. Feel like the failures come more from contact than equipment failure any more. Even the P2s run almost flat-out all race, instead of the old 675s that had to limp along or garaged it for a few hours before coming back up to be running and classified at the finish.

Think we'll see Ford drag their new GTE toy or a mock-up down from NAIAS? Any idea what day of the show it should be unveiled, press only days Jan 12-13. They've been damn good at hiding it so far. Think they said it will be the race car revealed first and the street car sometime this summer.

[MagVanisher]

Off-Topic Rant:
Come to think of it, how come some teams didn't use those good'ol "rubbin' is racing" tactics like bump and run and the like?

If I'm a jerk team manager who ordered my drivers to bump the opposition for the lulz, I'm sure that it'll penalize me for doing it despite the fact that the organizers wanted "pack racing" to begin with!

On-Topic:
While I'm looking forward for RLM on covering this race (with devoid of commercials), I was wondering if *ahem* Motorsport Racing Network will cover this event as well?

If not, I can fully rejoice myself!

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Off-Topic Rant:
Come to think of it, how come some teams didn't use those good'ol "rubbin' is racing" tactics like bump and run and the like?

If I'm a jerk team manager who ordered my drivers to bump the opposition for the lulz, I'm sure that it'll penalize me for doing it despite the fact that the organizers wanted "pack racing" to begin with!

On-Topic:
While I'm looking forward for RLM on covering this race (with devoid of commercials), I was wondering if *ahem* Motorsport Racing Network will cover this event as well?

If not, I can fully rejoice myself!

I do not believe MRN will be there. If they are, it's just to beam the RLM guys out to the airwaves.

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Off-Topic Rant:
Come to think of it, how come some teams didn't use those good'ol "rubbin' is racing" tactics like bump and run and the like?

If I'm a jerk team manager who ordered my drivers to bump the opposition for the lulz, I'm sure that it'll penalize me for doing it despite the fact that the organizers wanted "pack racing" to begin with!

Using your car as a weapon is so uncouth. As a fan of non-NASCAR shenanigans and being above the low bar set by the mindset of "rubbin is racing", I submit the 2009 ALMS Laguna Seca race thread which you will see is full of outrage as well as NASCAR denouncing. It's good that in the better days of sportscar racing we could all come together to say how disgusting this race turned out.

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...a+seca&page=13

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by DeezPutz

Using your car as a weapon is so uncouth. As a fan of non-NASCAR shenanigans and being above the low bar set by the mindset of "rubbin is racing", I submit the 2009 ALMS Laguna Seca race thread which you will see is full of outrage as well as NASCAR denouncing. It's good that in the better days of sportscar racing we could all come together to say how disgusting this race turned out.

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...a+seca&page=13

Vintage kneejerk Corvette apologists in there.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Vintage kneejerk Corvette apologists in there.

But of course.