Watkins Glen rumour

paul-collins · 24 Jun 2002, 18:32 (Ref:320583)

"It helps that the circuit is now owned by GARRA’s benefactor, ISC [rumor has it that ISC is considering selling the circuit as the NASCAR boys are souring on road courses—Don is interested]."

-dsc

Anyone here

1) know anything about Grand Am racing
2) know anything about Watkins Glen's future?

Seems that after a 6h event, someone would post about the race. I guess there's zero coverage outside North America for GA (and it's tape-delayed from last Saturday to the 29th in North America). Still, no one attended?

FWIW, I was watching the first bit of the NASCAR road race at Sears Point, and in the run-up to the race, Darryl Waltrip was asked about how the good ol' boys felt about running road tracks and he said that they should run more if they intend to trumpet their drivers' quality. I don't know how this gibes with dsc's comment at the start of this post.

paul-collins · 24 Jun 2002, 19:25 (Ref:320620)

Sure would be nice to have the big boys in the old 6h race...

**Adam43** · 24 Jun 2002, 23:58 (Ref:320855)

I can't help when it comes to the topic of the thread, but

WOW, what a picture. Thanks.

Es Nes · 25 Jun 2002, 02:26 (Ref:320908)

1) know anything about Grand Am racing

boring with with low tech sports racers. theyre like lmps, only cheaper. they also have a lower tech version of lmp675 with slighlty tighter engine specs. no turbos and production blocks no bigger than 3Ls and no more than 6 cyclinders.

alms pulls in more lmp9s and about the same amount of lmp675 cars.

next year they plan on going to dinoauar chasis that so far have looked as identical as f1 cars :\ engines will be profuction blocks with two styles. on you can do more mods to and is 4l. the other is 5l and less mods.

also, cars like the saleen, gts-r, and c5r are illegal. probably because theyll be faster than the new top class ...

Lee Janotta · 25 Jun 2002, 17:44 (Ref:321421)

Man, if ISC sells the Glen to Panoz, it'll be a miracle. That track has suffered for decades under the neglect of the France family. Perhaps... Could it someday again host the USGP?!

FastJoel31 · 25 Jun 2002, 17:48 (Ref:321424)

Quote:

Originally posted by paul-collins
...Seems that after a 6h event, someone would post about the race...[B/]

I went to the race, for my report, see below.

Quote:

Originally posted by Es Nes
1) know anything about Grand Am racing

boring with with low tech sports racers. theyre like lmps, only cheaper...

...also, cars like the saleen, gts-r, and c5r are illegal. probably because theyll be faster than the new top class ...

Not so fast Es. The Doran team runs a Dallara/Judd. Not exactly low-tech. Ascari ran in the 24 Hours of Daytona. A team is running the ex-Champion Lola/Porsche in SRP. Park Place Racing runs a Saleen. Other than that though, you have it covered.

I went to the 6 hours last weekend, and it was not a very exciting race. One of Dyson's Riley & Scott's won after the Dallara started experiencing engine problems in about hour 3. The Saleen retired early on, allowing 2 GTS Porsches to battle it out for the class victory. A Ferrari 360 won the GT class, and I think the Racer's Group Porsche (yes, the team that won Le Mans GT class) came in 3rd for the class. A Lola/Nissan, run in part by Risi Competizione, (yes, THAT Risi Competizione) won the SRPII (P675) category.

The end. Waiting for the Mosport race.

paul-collins · 25 Jun 2002, 18:29 (Ref:321455)

FastJoel -
come Mosport, visit the Trackside forum. We'll hook up.

Oh, and BTW, I was hoping for more paddock knowledge/gossip of GARRA. I get Speed (as you'll recall from Le Mans, Es) so I already have a basic idea of the series.

Guess that 5L Judd isn't quite ready for prime time, eh?

Lee Janotta · 26 Jun 2002, 03:09 (Ref:321741)

If you want inside info on series like that, Paul, I suggest prowling the forums at theracesite.com

Lou Gilotti's been involved in threads there, and there are regulars from World Challenge and Grand-Am who contribute to threads.

Heeltoe6 · 26 Jun 2002, 03:30 (Ref:321748)

"That track has suffered for decades under the neglect of the France family."

if they hadn't bought it out of bankruptcy, it's probably be a parking lot or golf course (a la riverside/bridgehampton) right now, so count your blessings

additionally, decades would be an exaggeration. ISC bought the track in 1983, co-owning with Corning until the end of 97, so if you squint that is just 20 years, technically "decades," but i think that characterization is unfair. not that i am happy with all the frances moves(dumping t/a) but the moves they have made in that regard have been political, and not in poor stewardship. they have greatly upgraded the track and facilities(which were pretty bad in the early 80s), so just remember, if it weren't for the frances, the glen probably would not be around.

paul-collins · 26 Jun 2002, 12:18 (Ref:322036)

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
If you want inside info on series like that, Paul, I suggest prowling the forums at theracesite.com

Thanks, Lee. I've seen LG post regarding Trans-Am, but I grew tired of the screed (not him, although he does contribute to the negative tone of the TA board - albeit thoughtfully) against PSG and have been avoiding the site's forums since. I'll have to revisit that regarding GA.

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