IMSA Race Road America 2016

[Danathar]

Anybody have any predictions on how the P2s or Mazda will do this time round?

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Does anyone know if Cooper is as tough to deal with as other sites have said? Their release didn't sound like the usual 'thanks and we hope you good things' but more like we're done with him. But the money and a rising Porsche driver is also something AJR would jump on if offered, haven't lasted this long running the team being stupid.

I've kind of been waiting for this to happen actually. The chemistry has definitely been off this year, the results alone show that. Always hard to tell when it's just a driver falling off and no longer being hungry, or when the situation at hand (whatever external factors may be) leads to poor on track performance.

Where has it been said Cooper is hard to deal with? I'm not saying one way or the other just curious.

[schmidder]

Originally Posted by WolfsburgRS

I've kind of been waiting for this to happen actually. The chemistry has definitely been off this year, the results alone show that. Always hard to tell when it's just a driver falling off and no longer being hungry, or when the situation at hand (whatever external factors may be) leads to poor on track performance.

Where has it been said Cooper is hard to deal with? I'm not saying one way or the other just curious.

To me the quote about some off the track issues with Leh is disappointing to hear from Alex. Sounds pretty sour, I would have expected a more positive spin and just some quote about the new rising star, etc. Oh well, it's business after all..Leh always struck me as a good guy..but I know very little about him.

[HORNDAWG]

Midweek Motorsport ‏@specutainment 10m10 minutes ago The press conference @roadamerica starts 11:45am local 17:45 UK that's when you can hear Scott Atherton EXCLUSIVELY on @IMSARadio

L.P.

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by schmidder

To me the quote about some off the track issues with Leh is disappointing to hear from Alex. Sounds pretty sour, I would have expected a more positive spin and just some quote about the new rising star, etc. Oh well, it's business after all..Leh always struck me as a good guy..but I know very little about him.

I know people who have worked with leh and have never heard a bad word about him myself. I wasn't meaning to imply the issue was with him. I agree it does seem a little weird to specifically come out and state that it wasn't a problem of on track results but "off track issues." Especially considering Leh was a part of AJR with their GTC program, pre Mcneil money.

[TF110]

First practice and the Fords are in the 2:04's. P is relatively slow with 1:57's.

[joeb]

Mazdas top the sheets, that should make mr field happy.

[chernaudi]

Of course, 1:57 is over 10 seconds a lap slower than the pole time an Audi R10 set there in 2008. Who knows what the 2011-present factory LMP1s could be capable of. Also, a 7 second gap to GTLM isn't anything to write home about, either.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Of course, 1:57 is over 10 seconds a lap slower than the pole time an Audi R10 set there in 2008. Who knows what the 2011-present factory LMP1s could be capable of. Also, a 7 second gap to GTLM isn't anything to write home about, either.

So what!







L.P.

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Of course, 1:57 is over 10 seconds a lap slower than the pole time an Audi R10 set there in 2008. Who knows what the 2011-present factory LMP1s could be capable of. Also, a 7 second gap to GTLM isn't anything to write home about, either.

Thanks. I find this kind of stuff interesting, and worth knowing. Doesn't change the way I live day to day, but it helps us remember the series doesn't exist in a vacuum.

Obviously some years of Le Mans are slower than previous. But there are efficiencies to be had there. I'm also curious as to how technology has tracked. Are protos slower because they're using less fuel, running smarter? Are they handling resources in such a way that the balance has shifted to move the industry forward?

All very interesting.

[Matt]

Why do people always compare cars that are intended to be P2 speed to P1 cars...of course they're gonna be slower...

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by joeb

Mazdas top the sheets, that should make mr field happy.

Ecstatic. They'll find another way to shoot themselves in the foot before too long.

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by Matt

Why do people always compare cars that are intended to be P2 speed to P1 cars...of course they're gonna be slower...

People find it interesting? I like the idea of automotive progress. It's one of the reasons I follow racing. Two top tier classes. What's the progress looking like?

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by Matt

Why do people always compare cars that are intended to be P2 speed to P1 cars...of course they're gonna be slower...

Nothing says a 2016 LMP2 has to be slower than a 2008 LMP1. After all a 2008 LMP1 was over 5 seconds a lap faster than a 2002 one and the current LMP2 cars are faster than the old WSCs that raced SR1 in Grand Am. WEC P2 cars would probably set lower lap times than the R8s did, although the track should be a little faster now with all the extra pavement.

[chernaudi]

I noted that because if current LMP1s are as fast as the 2008 cars are, then we know what the current ACO spec cars can do. Biggest thing hold back both the DP and LMP2 cars are probably the spec tires, though.

Also, only a 7 second gap around a 4 mile long track isn't anything to brag about IMO.

[merlot brougham]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Also, only a 7 second gap around a 4 mile long track isn't anything to brag about IMO.

Yeah, but that gap is controlled totally artificially by inhibiting the Ps and letting the GTEs run more wide open than WEC.

[Artur]

In the Indycar RA thread I extrapolated what current 919/R18 pole times would be on RA. It would be about the same as Indycar's pole

[TF110]

Well in second practice they were doing 1:55.7... That's about a second faster than last year.

[joeb]

Mazda down to the 1:55.0 range in the last practice before qualifying starts in 2 hours.

[TF110]

Might see some 1:54's if they can improve again? I fear they'll still get swamped on the start. But maybe if they lock out the front row they can stutter the dp's.

[J Jay]

There's a cracking chase going on in the final few laps of the CSTCC race right now.

Edit - Espenlaub pits on the last lap! They must have known they wouldn't make it, so Johnson takes the lead.

Half the ST field seem to be pitting for a 1-lap splash. The other half have either slowed to a crawl or stopped on track...

Johnson wins, but he was on fumes and almost stuttering up the hill. Bleekemolen holds off Cosmo for 2nd.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by J Jay

There's a cracking chase going on in the final few laps of the CSTCC race right now.

Edit - Espenlaub pits on the last lap! They must have known they wouldn't make it, so Johnson takes the lead.

Half the ST field seem to be pitting for a 1-lap splash. The other half have either slowed to a crawl or stopped on track...

Johnson wins, but he was on fumes and almost stuttering up the hill. Bleekemolen holds off Cosmo for 2nd.

Yep, pretty exciting race throughout.









L.P.

[TF110]

GT qualifying is spectacular at the moment!

[TF110]

Down to the 54's in qualifying for the #55, and Pew gets stuck in the gravel.

[Artur]

Mazda 1.1s faster on QLF but the "last chapter will not be told", sorry!