Grand-Am Rnd 1: Rolex 24 24-27 Jan 2008

[Justin Moran]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

I understand.

Mid Ohio is a good place to compare too.

The new Pirelli tires are 2-3 secs a lap faster then the old Hoosier Grand am tires. Should be closer to P2 times this year.

and yes it is Dallara. IIRC also makes the Audi R8 and R10s under contract with Audi

AN, I wasnt being unkind, just clarification as it may have been a chassis manufacturer I hadnt heard of! Brilliant race, thoroughly enjoyed it and good luck for the year ahead!

[J-C]

Well done once again to the 01 crew, great jobs in particular by JPM and Pruett but credit to all 4 drivers for keeping out of trouble and looking after the car. How about the hat-trick for the Pruett/Montoya combo in 2009?! Great start to the season for all concerned.

[Down F0rce]

Originally Posted by rdjones

As he just said in his post race interview he thinks that might be little bit harder.

A LOT harder no doubt, but he is on the crest of a wave right now. Never say never...

[TheSuicideKing]

I gave in and went back and read this thread, now that the race is complete, and I'm once again, reminded why I avoid this place like the plague during a GA race.

The whining and bashing that is allowed to go on is ridiculous, so much so that even a moderator took part in it.

I'll check in during LeMans, the ACO never does anything wrong in the eyes of Ten-Tenths.

[Adam43]

Yes, some of this thread was occassionally sidetracked by the usual. However I think it is clear that most in this thread enjoyed it.

I have just PMed you to invite you to expand your thoughts on this (via PM). Can I asked everyone who would like to express thoughts on that contact one of us mods via PM. Discussion on this in the public forum will ruin this thread (which is part of the complaint) and would be impossible (as I am sure you can imagine).

Thanks.

And now back to The Daytona 24 hours!

[SebringMG]

Race was fairly good on the whole! While i may not like the tech regs and the yellow flags it does not detract from what is a good spectacle!!

Well done the Ganassi boys oh and the Mazda too

[Mal]

Yes, I watched the Eurosport coverage, and whilst the racing was good at times, it didnt stir me in the way ACO racing does. However my overriding feeling was how fantastic that race would be if it were to return top ACO rules again.

A pipe dream, I know

[Boro]

Easy on the alcohol DJ

[Bob Riebe]

Well, I kinda like the Billy Mays commercials, they are genuine just like GARRA.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Seemed like a semi-interesting race from Eurosport's patchy coverage. Still don't like the look of the DP's though. And weren't we a bit down on real "stars" this year?

[marcosgt]

Sure someone's already said it, but I'd like to say how pleased I was to see the Mazda team scoop GT.

After the "Yeah, so what" (almost) attitude of Ganassi and his professional superstar drivers (and I guess the expectation WAS on them, so they just delivered), it was great to see the engine builder/driver almost in tears at having won GT - That's what sportscar racing's all about - The little guys taking on the Porsche/TRG giant and winning now and then

And a 20K car beating a 100K one? (in road trim anyway).

Kudos, too, to Eurosport for covering a considerable amount of the race live - Could've done with a bit more pre-race promotion, though, I only found it by accident.

Mark

[Adam43]

The aggressive unfriendly posts have been removed.

A couple of other threads have been created too:
Ganassi Le Mans posts have been moved to here. http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103620
The cost of Daytona/GA posts moved to here: http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103621

This will hopefully help the discussion of the race which can take place here.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Mal

Yes, I watched the Eurosport coverage, and whilst the racing was good at times, it didnt stir me in the way ACO racing does. However my overriding feeling was how fantastic that race would be if it were to return top ACO rules again.

A pipe dream, I know

My overiding feelings were caution, lack of spectacle, caution, uninspiring GT field, caution.

The Mazda RX-8's were the only cars that gave you that tingle down the spine.

[Adam43]

So much so that you have no thoughts on how the race went?

General observation to all:
Remember this is the race thread. For all that you might not like it, there were people here trying to discuss the race and the entrants performance in the race. There are plenty of other threads for us to keep repeating ourselves in.

There is enough room in this forum to discuss many topic, so why do we have to make every thread into the same topic? It is not like we haven't mentioned this before.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

So much so that you have no thoughts on how the race went?

General observation to all:
Remember this is the race thread. For all that you might not like it, there were people here trying to discuss the race and the entrants performance in the race. There are plenty of other threads for us to keep repeating ourselves in.

There is enough room in this forum to discuss many topic, so why do we have to make every thread into the same topic? It is not like we haven't mentioned this before.

With respect those comments are about his feelings of the race. Discussion can involve considered critiscm as well as compliments and as long as it is not done in an inflammatory way, it should not be taken as such and therefore not reacted too in an inflammetory or defensive way.

For many people in Europe this was our first oppurtunity to watch a Grand Am race live and therefore it is very relavent to the thread to discuss how we felt about it that includes overall impressions as well as race facts - providing it is done as a considered discussion and not an argument.

[eddsc]

Hmm, heavy-handed moderating can in itself be inflammatory..

I know what you mean about the howl of the Mazda engines - and the quickest car won in GT, but will G-A hand out some ballast soon, or is Daytona just a good track for the RX-8s?

My brief summary would be that 66 cars started, but only two went through without significant delay, which is a reflection of the reliability of the cars and the nature of the crowded racetrack - hence some of the 24 cautions.

[Adam43]

Mal, this is not trying to stop any discussion, quite the opposite. All these other points have been raised before and can be again. However it was getting in the way of other discussion.

Originally Posted by eddsc

Hmm, heavy-handed moderating can in itself be inflammatory..

You must have missed all the build up to that. How many times do we need to ask?


It is easy to not disrupt threads. Let us not have every thread be about the same topic.

The point stands. If you wish to have input (which is welcomed) please contact a mod or admin, rather than continue to detract from the thread.

[ss_collins]

Honestly, I can really care less about the technological level of the cars. If it puts on good racing, that's all that matters.

It is motor racing not driver racing - technology is an essential part of it. This was the first time I'd watched the Daytona 24 live and it left me a bit cold. Good racing is created by open technology - just look at the ALMS last year - I think the DP's are really too restricted in design and construction. But I'm becoming a bit of a monster fan - is there anything he can't win?

But just look at the driver line up at Daytona - is there any other race in the world like that? incredible. Would be amazing as an ALMS round I reckon - with proper cars.

Now lets wait and see what happens when Dallara turns up.

[Jonerz]

Yeah, this season will be quite an interesting one. Many story lines to follow, mainly however, can Riley be knocked of their position at the top? As restrictive as some would argue GARRA rules are, this is some real competition we could be seeing this year; a dominant car being challenged. (Post #123 hehe!)

Chris

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

But just look at the driver line up at Daytona - is there any other race in the world like that? incredible. Would be amazing as an ALMS round I reckon - with proper cars.

Now lets wait and see what happens when Dallara turns up.

I don't think it would be the race of champions that it is if it was run to ACO rules. All these guys from other forms of racing come there because they have a reasonable shot at winning with the teams they join. If it was run to ACO rules, Audi and maybe Pug would battle for the victory with maybe a few prominent guest drivers. I can't see a Montoya or a Jimmie Johnson running with Autocon or Intersport...

[FIRE]

If Daytona would be 1 or 2 months later I don't think we would see this quality grid.

[The359]

I think it was a great race, being at it myself. Really, the early part of the race didn't seem to have many cautions, but I did not see it during the night so I can't comment there.

The paving of the Turn 1 runoff was probably the best decision made in a long time, and probably helped avoid several more cautions.

Impressive how many cars were on the lead lap for so long, and also impressive how many managed to throw away a potential win. Ganassi just knew how to survive.

The GT field was, to me, more impressive than the smaller DP field this year. The addition of the M6, the added Mustangs, and the F430s gave it a lot of variety, although the RX-8s were really the only serious contenders to the Porsche fleet. Was good to see Mazda win, especially in the least annoying sounding car there!

I took over 900 pictures from the event and have been uploading all day. My pictures from Thursday practice are here. Mostly practice and qualifying from the infield for both Rolex and KONI Challenge, plenty of shots from in the garage, and pictures of the Historics in attendence.

[The359]

Just an update, I've finished uploading about 750 pictures over the four days, the whole collection is here.

[Jonerz]

Terrific pics 359.

Chris