IMSA Race TUSC Round 9: Indy

[HJJ]

Sage Karam in for Rojas.

Sage Karam will make an unexpected fill-in appearance at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for this weekend’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Brickyard Grand Prix, as he’ll sub for the injured Memo Rojas in the team’s No. 01 Ford EcoBoost Riley.

The team said Rojas was ruled out of action due to a nagging back issue.

“I couldn’t have been happier to get the call to come drive again with the team in the No. 01 car in Indianapolis,” Karam said. “It’s an unfortunate situation for Memo, and I hope he recovers quickly, but I’m happy to step up and contribute any way I can.”

Rojas anticipates he will be back in the car at Road America.

“I spoke to the team after our last race at Mosport and let them know that I didn’t feel that I was 100 percent,” he said. “I discussed the situation with our managing director Mike Hull and we agreed that it would be best for me to rest my back this weekend. I know Sage will do a great job filling in and I’m already looking forward to the race at Road America after a few weekends off.”

Karam, the Ganassi development driver, will make his third start in the No. 01 (Daytona, Watkins Glen) and fourth overall with Ganassi this season. This will mark the first time just he’ll be in the car alongside Scott Pruett.

Additionally, Karam will be making his second start at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this season. He made his IndyCar debut in the Indianapolis 500, qualifying 31st and finishing ninth.

.

[joeb]

Looks like the 01 just got a bit racier!

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by joeb

Well since you served that one up there like that I guess I will answer. In general people are using forums less as the popularity of facebook and twitter has increased. In addition the members we do have are getting pretty sick of the tone of conversation being so negative over the past two years. We have had many long time members specifically tell us they no longer check the forum everyday because of the general negative tone.

It is also summer and people are pretty busy here so it could just be that the race being during the week and people being at work and on vacation and such could lead to the numbers.

JB, it sounds like you are blaming the messengers instead of the message (product).

Some people predicted that if certain actions were taken that certain results would occur. If I understand the situation correctly, these people were not intending to be negative but, instead, were attempting to make suggestions that would lead to success and a superior product.

When those suggestions were not implemented and rather dismal results occurred, it is not the fault of those attempting to provide positive advice but, those who did not know or understand the advice and suggestions given.

None of this was negative, it was all positive in attempting to make sure that the future was going in the right direction.

JoeB, please don't blame the messengers and misinterpret their attempts to provide positive input.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

JB, it sounds like you are blaming the messengers instead of the message (product).

Some people predicted that if certain actions were taken that certain results would occur. If I understand the situation correctly, these people were not intending to be negative but, instead, were attempting to make suggestions that would lead to success and a superior product.

When those suggestions were not implemented and rather dismal results occurred, it is not the fault of those attempting to provide positive advice but, those who did not know or understand the advice and suggestions given.

None of this was negative, it was all positive in attempting to make sure that the future was going in the right direction.

JoeB, please don't blame the messengers and misinterpret their attempts to provide positive input.

Trying to put lipstick on it does not change the facts!










L.P.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

JB, it sounds like you are blaming the messengers instead of the message (product).

Some people predicted that if certain actions were taken that certain results would occur. If I understand the situation correctly, these people were not intending to be negative but, instead, were attempting to make suggestions that would lead to success and a superior product.

When those suggestions were not implemented and rather dismal results occurred, it is not the fault of those attempting to provide positive advice but, those who did not know or understand the advice and suggestions given.

None of this was negative, it was all positive in attempting to make sure that the future was going in the right direction.

JoeB, please don't blame the messengers and misinterpret their attempts to provide positive input.

There is quite a big difference between constructive criticism and constantly whining about the same thing for years. I have no problem with people trying to be positive and offer solutions, but that isn't what i was referring to and i think you know the difference. I was just telling what I have heard from forum members.

The sport needs fans in the US at the moment and I count myself as one of them. I count you as one too, you haven't been one of the members with a sour outlook. Yes most of us enjoyed the alms, and previous sports car series, but those days aren't coming back. I don't feel betrayed or angry by the merger of alms and grandam, it is what it is. Is TUSC perfect of course not, but it is a start. The future can't improve if all the fans are angry about the past.

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by joeb

There is quite a big difference between constructive criticism and constantly whining about the same thing for years. I have no problem with people trying to be positive and offer solutions, but that isn't what i was referring to and i think you know the difference. I was just telling what I have heard from forum members.

The sport needs fans in the US at the moment and I count myself as one of them. I count you as one too, you haven't been one of the members with a sour outlook. Yes most of us enjoyed the alms, and previous sports car series, but those days aren't coming back. I don't feel betrayed or angry by the merger of alms and grandam, it is what it is. Is TUSC perfect of course not, but it is a start. The future can't improve if all the fans are angry about the past.

Perfectly stated.

Personally I'm looking forward to Indy same as I look forward to every race of the sports car series which I follow. (namely TUSC and World Challenge).

If you can't see the golden age of sportscar racing that is the current TUSC GTLM and GTD classes, then you're missing out.

If it's more the P class parity that's a concern think of this like 1985, when the 962 became brutaly dominant, or 88+ when it was all Nissan, and then Toyota.

it is, as the Talking Heads say 'same as it ever was'

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by WolfsburgRS

Perfectly stated.

Personally I'm looking forward to Indy same as I look forward to every race of the sports car series which I follow. (namely TUSC and World Challenge).

If you can't see the golden age of sportscar racing that is the current TUSC GTLM and GTD classes, then you're missing out.

If it's more the P class parity that's a concern think of this like 1985, when the 962 became brutaly dominant, or 88+ when it was all Nissan, and then Toyota.

it is, as the Talking Heads say 'same as it ever was'

The 962, Nissan, and Toyota won because they were the best cars, not because they were given power and speed advantages by the series itself.

[Articus]

Very eager to see how the Porsche and Ferrari do. This could be one of the closest GTLM races yet. I'm predicting a photo finish in that class. With 3 cars. Tails first.

[JLGarcia]

Originally Posted by BullMan

The 962, Nissan, and Toyota won because they were the best cars, not because they were given power and speed advantages by the series itself.

The 962, Nissan and Toyota won because they had no serious competitors. 962 was at least available to anyone with a checkbook. Nissan & Toyota? Yeah, not so much.

[seanyb505]

If I may add another perspective:

I wasn't the most frequent poster in the ALMS days, though I did generally partake in the race threads and attend races. I did none of this for GA, because I didn't care. The product (race, practice, discussion, etc.) wasn't compelling.

Nowadays I do try to be unbiased and take a step back to really think about my preconceived notions about NASCAR's ownership of the only professional sport I follow. I don't want to add to what some people see as venting (You lose something that is a huge part of your life, then examine your emotions. Not fun, is it?) and others see as tireless adolescent whining.

At the end of the day, some people are tired of the whining, I for one don't find TUSC as compelling as previous products. It makes perfect sense to me the TUSC race threads are less active. Just another perspective.

If you build it, they will come. Well they aren't coming, what should that tell you?

[Maelochs]

If you can't see the golden age of sportscar racing that is the current TUSC GTLM and GTD classes, then you're missing out.

Well ... seems to me that that "Golden Age" in those classes has been going on for quite a while, and simply hasn't yet been tarnished.

If it's more the P class parity that's a concern think of this like 1985, when the 962 became brutaly dominant, or 88+ when it was all Nissan, and then Toyota.

Except that in those cases, the cars in question weren't winning because the rules gave them as huge edge.

When I was a little younger (1972, I think) the Miami Dolphins (Jim Kiick, Larry Czonka, Mercury Morris, Nick Buonocante) won every game—regular season, playoffs, Super Bowl.

It was special because the rules were the same for every team. if the Dolphins had been allowed twelve players, or the opposition only ten, it wouldn't have meant anything.

I think seanyb505 says it all pretty well and without much rancor—just cold, ugly facts.

I can still hope TUSC gets it right, but it really doesn't seem like their zeal to improve is where it was early on.

[Deleted]

Golden age of sportscar racing in GTLM and GTD?




No.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Golden age of sportscar racing in GTLM and GTD?

No.

Not again Chiana, please..... (sigh)

[Maelochs]

Well, it's good racing ... I really enjoy it. On the other hand ... I long for the day when the rules were published and teams built cars to the rules ... and BoP had no meaning.

Good racing? Yes. Exciting, enjoyable, entertaining, absorbing? Sure.

Golden Age? Not at all. Things can be good enough, even really good, without being the best, and so long as every car is being "adjusted" to every other car, one has to suspect that often the winner is the team which got the luckiest break.

Great times, sure. Golden Age? We all have different standards.

just to be clear here: I will watch practice (it if it is on FansChoice.tv) and the race, and will enjoy it ... but sadly, probably not nearly as much as past races.

Not because i don't want to, but because it is harder to get enthused about the way the series runs right now.

But ... the race could surprise me. I am open to seeing and enjoying the best race of my life. Whether it is or isn't, I won't pretend about it afterwards.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Not again Chiana, please..... (sigh)

I'm not going to.

And Maelochs already expressed it rather nicely

[Articus]

Can we go without a yellow this race?

[TheMightyM]

Indy was suppose to favor DP. So far that hasn’t actually been the case in Free Practice 1, with three of the top for cars being P2s.

And 5th so far is the… #31 Marsh Racing DP (!).

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Articus

Can we go without a yellow this race?

Do we need to ask this question (even rhetorically)?

[brico]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

If I may add another perspective:

I wasn't the most frequent poster in the ALMS days, though I did generally partake in the race threads and attend races. I did none of this for GA, because I didn't care. The product (race, practice, discussion, etc.) wasn't compelling.

Nowadays I do try to be unbiased and take a step back to really think about my preconceived notions about NASCAR's ownership of the only professional sport I follow. I don't want to add to what some people see as venting (You lose something that is a huge part of your life, then examine your emotions. Not fun, is it?) and others see as tireless adolescent whining.

At the end of the day, some people are tired of the whining, I for one don't find TUSC as compelling as previous products. It makes perfect sense to me the TUSC race threads are less active. Just another perspective.

If you build it, they will come. Well they aren't coming, what should that tell you?

Nicely stated. The second to last paragraph sums it up well. I used the loss of the ALMS as "justification" to attend Le Mans for the first time this year - I'm also following the WEC.

I've watched a few TUDOR races this year, not in their entirety mind you, and the 'product' doesn't appeal to me in the least. I wish them well and will re-engage with professional North American sports car racing when their product interests me.

I wish the current series the best of luck.

[TheMightyM]

Pretty clean looking timing sheet:
P2s 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Corvette DPs 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Ford DPs 8th, 9th

And in GTLM, the Risi Competizione was second in class — been awhile since we've seen that.

[Articus]

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

Pretty clean looking timing sheet:
P2s 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Corvette DPs 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Ford DPs 8th, 9th

And in GTLM, the Risi Competizione was second in class — been awhile since we've seen that.

Risi was second and look who was driving. It's all fun and games until Fisico finds his groove...

[Maelochs]

Fast in practice is not fast in the race. Let's see what happens when the wide hips come into play.

[Rodger Davies]

Not to mention, you'd expect the Ferrari to be more competitive with the BoP changes.

P2 dominance is really surprising to me, was thoroughly expecting them to be beaten here. They still have the massive disadvantage here at starts, more so than at the Glen, but I guess the change to track config had really benefitted their lap times.

[andy_b]

IMSA Viewing Guide incorporating the TUDOR (TUSCC) and CTSCC Spotter Guides has been updated with latest driver changes including Sage Karam, Paul Dalla Lana and Matt Bell. Also, Dan Clarke in CTSCC

http://www.spotterguides.com/portfol...viewing-guide/

[Rodger Davies]

Didn't realise Dalla Lana was back, that's good news. Forgot that it would clash for Palttala.