ALMS 2012 Discussion

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by FalkenALMS

We'll see what we can do! It's definitely a goal of ours to make it there soon!

Thanks everyone for all the feedback! All the feedback we get from this forum as well as twitter is taken directly to the Team Managers and Falken Tire Corporate each week. We want to be sure the projects we do for the fans are relevant, and it also helps us shape future endeavors as well!

- A stand up company with real enthusiasts and really good people from the top to the bottom.

For what it's worth I know Mark & Nick from Falken from some ride and drive stuff a while back, and both are truly passionate about what they do, the Falken brand, and their ALMS program. Truly good people.

[ep16]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Oh , while your fixing that , fix it so Falken apear on 2013 Le Mans entry list too .

Love to see ye in action on this side of the pond , smart lookin machine , as well as being a Porsche of course .

+1 to that! Would be awesome to see Falken at the big one!

[FstrthnU]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...sday-notebook/

More speculation that the Deltawing will be racing at Petit Le Mans...

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by FalkenALMS

We'll see what we can do! It's definitely a goal of ours to make it there soon!

Thanks everyone for all the feedback! All the feedback we get from this forum as well as twitter is taken directly to the Team Managers and Falken Tire Corporate each week. We want to be sure the projects we do for the fans are relevant, and it also helps us shape future endeavors as well!

Well ..... what better place to showcase your product than the biggest race in the world ?

Yaknow , the 3 biggest are Indy 500 , Monaco Gp ..... but the biggest which has been said by many famous people in the know , is Le Mans .

So , managers and Falken tire corp , get listenin , and get the car here in 2013 ..... you know it makes sense , and you know you have an excellant and popular team ..... with pedigree !!! ..... and thats hard to find .

[FalkenALMS]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Well ..... what better place to showcase your product than the biggest race in the world ?

Yaknow , the 3 biggest are Indy 500 , Monaco Gp ..... but the biggest which has been said by many famous people in the know , is Le Mans .

So , managers and Falken tire corp , get listenin , and get the car here in 2013 ..... you know it makes sense , and you know you have an excellant and popular team ..... with pedigree !!! ..... and thats hard to find .

Thanks, Badger! Does that mean you're paying for it? For explanation on why Falken is not at Le Mans yet, you can check out our post on another thread. Believe me, it's from no lack of desire!

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...sday-notebook/

More speculation that the Deltawing will be racing at Petit Le Mans...

"But certainly for Petit Le Mans, where Don [Panoz] has the ability to make his own rules, I think it's pretty definite that you'll see it run there.”

Yeah, not a surprise. I think it's a very safe bet it will be there, in all of it's ugliness.

[Maelochs]

Well, seeing as there aren't any more AMR-1 tubs left, I guess maybe we won't see a spec class to replace PC ... unless AAR can build them out of old Orecas.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

... unless AAR can build them out of old Orecas.

It won't be AAR making the tubs.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Well, seeing as there aren't any more AMR-1 tubs left, I guess maybe we won't see a spec class to replace PC ... unless AAR can build them out of old Orecas.

I thought that AAR/Highcroft had actually acquired two AMR-One tubs.

[Purist]

Looking at the testing times from VIR, I think they must be using the 3.27-mile, original layout, which is the one I think they ought to be racing on anyway.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by Purist

Looking at the testing times from VIR, I think they must be using the 3.27-mile, original layout, which is the one I think they ought to be racing on anyway.

Indeed. The test last week that had BMW and Dyson amongst others appeared to be on the normal course. (BMWNA has an on board from Dirk's car.)

Who is doing the driving duties for the 27 car? Only Dempsey and Foster?

Also, interesting to see two TrueSpeed GTC cars. They're getting in on the GTC game a little late and will need to change one of their race numbers (45) but I look forward to their presence, if any, they're a good team.

Chris

[Speed-King]

ALMS-twitter confirmed this morning that they'd be running the 'full' rather than the 'Grand Course', so that is what everybody else used to run and a much better track at that.

Not sure how much to read into Truspeed being at the test yet, they might just have seen this as a cost effective way to get some seat time without any intentions to enter ALMS GTC any time soon.

And then, there's this piece of info from TRG-driver Mike Hedlund:

Scott Atherton says "all of the current ALMS GT teams were opposed to moving to FIA GT3 regulations". #sigh

Edit: Here's where Hedlund has his info from.

Regarding the future rules and regulations, he said that all of the current ALMS GT teams were opposed to moving to FIA GT3 regulations, and although he felt that class produced good racing, it would have no place in the ALMS as long as the teams involved weren't interested. New teams and cars are always welcomed to the series and with the BMW M3 coming out of homologation at the end of 2012, a question mark hangs over the German company's entry in 2013.

Atherton maintains BMW USA management are very keen to continue racing and marketing the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ in North America. There is currently no way for the current GT3-spec BMW Z4 to enter, as this car is fitted with the V8 engine from the M3. That combination not currently available as a roadgoing Z4 from the showroom, which is a no-no under GTE rules

[Purist]

It's understandable. I guess they need to make a road-going Z4 with the V8. I'm a bit surprised that they haven't done so already.

Glad to hear it more officially that they're going for the original layout at VIR. And on a related note, does anybody else think that the people who laid out Road Atlanta took a good look at VIR beforehand?

[arakis]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

ALMS-twitter confirmed this morning that they'd be running the 'full' rather than the 'Grand Course', so that is what everybody else used to run and a much better track at that.

Not sure how much to read into Truspeed being at the test yet, they might just have seen this as a cost effective way to get some seat time without any intentions to enter ALMS GTC any time soon.

And then, there's this piece of info from TRG-driver Mike Hedlund:



Edit: Here's where Hedlund has his info from.

Haha, that last comment s laughable, the whole M3 GTR is a no-no in the rulebooks(when it started racing), but it still raced, If BMW wants to push, the Z4 will race...

[TF110]

I hope they make a Z4 V8 just to race. Be a throw back to the M3GTR days.

[FstrthnU]

http://www.alms.com/articles/that%E2...uscle-milk-vir
Interesting report from the VIR test, Muscle Milk set a fastest lap just .3 seconds off the overall record set by an ex-Formula One car. Top speed of about 175 MPH (on the Full course)

[MagVanisher]

So wait a minute... Existing teams are opposed to change their cars to GT3 specs, but new teams can field a GT3 car into ALMS (in the GTC class) for the remaining rounds or next year?

[MitchZ06]

No GT3 AT ALL by the looks of it, tho that's up to IMSA's discretion (hoping that someone with deep pockets asks to run a MP4-12C GT3...).

[gregtummer]

We don't have an ALMS 2014 thread yet, so I'll post this here.

It would be a good idea for ALMS in 2014 to let all the obsolete prototypes in WEC race. It may really improve their prototype car count.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

We don't have an ALMS 2014 thread yet, so I'll post this here.

It would be a good idea for ALMS in 2014 to let all the obsolete prototypes in WEC race. It may really improve their prototype car count.

Thats not a bad idea at all , as long as it is realised that no Le Mans invite comes along with policy . But , it would be a great way for WEC teams to salvage some cash , and also a great way for ALMS to get a good , reasonably priced car ..... everyone wins .

[arakis]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Thats not a bad idea at all , as long as it is realised that no Le Mans invite comes along with policy . But , it would be a great way for WEC teams to salvage some cash , and also a great way for ALMS to get a good , reasonably priced car ..... everyone wins .

A invite could come, as it is not fixed to the car, but to the team...They can win the ALMS with an old car, but buy a new one for Le Mans

[TF110]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.alms.com/articles/that%E2...uscle-milk-vir
Interesting report from the VIR test, Muscle Milk set a fastest lap just .3 seconds off the overall record set by an ex-Formula One car. Top speed of about 175 MPH (on the Full course)

That's crazy fast. On F1 pace? That HPD must be one good LMP. I think Honda need to look at the MM guys for their factory car with the skills they have. Graf and Luhr in particular.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.alms.com/articles/that%E2...uscle-milk-vir
Interesting report from the VIR test, Muscle Milk set a fastest lap just .3 seconds off the overall record set by an ex-Formula One car. Top speed of about 175 MPH (on the Full course)

WHAT??? I find this VERY hard to be true. Only .3 seconds off the 2004 Benetton? Were they running the same course? Was the Benetton just cruising? Was it raining?

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by arakis

A invite could come, as it is not fixed to the car, but to the team...They can win the ALMS with an old car, but buy a new one for Le Mans

I dont think that sounds fair ..... If you gain an entry with an illegal (ACO) car , you shoudnt be able to qualify for an invite .

Much like Dyson a few years back , running the full width rear wing , he didnt get an invite because of this .

[haribo]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

WHAT??? I find this VERY hard to be true. Only .3 seconds off the 2004 Benetton? Were they running the same course? Was the Benetton just cruising? Was it raining?

Yeah I think that can be filed under "PR BS" from ALMS. From what I can tell, that lap was done by a 54 year old Larry Connor running his B194 ex-Schumacher car. I can guess it wasn't been driven at 100% of its capable speed.