|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
17 Jan 2010, 19:51 (Ref:2614786) | #26 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 931
|
The part that I don't understand, is why this ongoing battle is even taking place. NASCAR is a totally different form of racing. Although a small percentage of the fans from both NASCAR and ALMS follow both forms, most of them don't. Why is NASCAR so hell bent on wiping out the ALMS. The ALMS is never going to be a threat to them, in terms of fan support etc.
|
||
__________________
Go the mighty Flying Lizards "A good way to gauge the strength of your argument is to weight the quality of the rebuttals. Strong arguments have low quality rebuttals." David Heinemeier Hansson |
17 Jan 2010, 20:30 (Ref:2614802) | #27 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,325
|
I think many people are too stuck on that "evil empire"-line.
The Frances have been involved in American sportscar racing for a long time, basically since they financially supported John Bishop when he created IMSA in the early 70s. The Camel title sponsorship for IMSA GT was related to that as well, seeing that Camel and Winston (then of course NASCAR Cup sponsor) are brands of the same company... I also remember reading an article about Jim France being in his childhood a much bigger sportscar than stockcar fan. And when they took away Daytona from Andy Evans, ALMS was probably just a distant thought at the back of Don Panoz's mind and finally it was Panoz who walked away from the USRRC to found his own series, not the other way around. All this leads me to believe that the creation of Grand Am was a result of genuine interest in the future of sportscar racing rather than some weird conspiracy to keep ALMS from reaching greatness... That they would choose NASCAR as a template for their sportscar series was only logical, seeing that in 2002/3, when the concept of the DPs was developed, NASCAR was probably at the peak of its popularity. |
||
|
17 Jan 2010, 21:14 (Ref:2614820) | #28 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,735
|
I'll go out on a limb here and say that anything the France's and NASCAR have done have only been for one motive and it has never been about the racing.
|
||
|
17 Jan 2010, 22:20 (Ref:2614850) | #29 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,025
|
Quote:
Don Panoz walked away from the USRRC, a breakaway series from Professional Sports Car (IMSA). When Don saw that the USRRC wasn't going to be the home to manufacturer teams he decided not to invest his money in a series that he didn't believe in the philosophy of. Therefore he worked with Professional Sports Car (IMSA) to create the American Le Mans Series where the manufacturers could come to play. The ALMS wasn't therefore a breakaway series. Chris |
|||
__________________
Member: Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. EFR & Greg Pickett fan. |
17 Jan 2010, 22:35 (Ref:2614853) | #30 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,351
|
Quote:
The France families like-dislikes for road racing started with the creation of the Daytona Speedway, and then the SCCA crapping on Big Bill which was fundamental in Bill helping with the founding of the IMSA. In the South, bad blood is forever. Bob P.S.--- Early stock car racing had more road races than most realize. Last edited by Bob Riebe; 17 Jan 2010 at 22:42. |
|||
|
17 Jan 2010, 23:23 (Ref:2614874) | #31 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,325
|
Quote:
When was the last time we saw 24 GT1 cars in one race? Certainly didn't happen in a race where Corvette Racing was involved... Last edited by Speed-King; 17 Jan 2010 at 23:28. |
|||
|
17 Jan 2010, 23:56 (Ref:2614882) | #32 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
|
Quote:
Firstly this is nothing like endurance racing - This is sprint racing with Grand Touring cars Secondly the FIA GT2 European Championships looks to have taken a body blow - I await with interest the provisional grid for that one! If your thing is the bang crash wallop of BTCC then you're welcome to it - As far as I'm concerned its become a caricature of itself - where contact of the damaging and potentially dangerous kind has become the norm - even to the extent that the BTCC is passively marketed on the promise of providing it! I believe that is a record they will live to regret badly If that's what you are expecting from FIA GT1 then I hope you're wrong. If you aren't it will prove to be a VERY expensive first year for all concerned - and would almost certainly lead to a decreasing grid from whatever starting point is achieved as the season progresses. |
|||
|
18 Jan 2010, 08:04 (Ref:2614967) | #33 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 508
|
I think the ACO are addressing the privateer teams issue in the 2011 regs. LMPC is the blueprint for this, and a decent showing in ALMS this year would a be a great start. LMP2 should become a viable privateer series.
I think the main problem most people have with Grand-Am is the cars. DPs are so damn ugly. I was re-reading Steve Olvey's book the other day and his comments about Nascar's disregard for safety prior to Earnhardt's death make their insistance on massive cockpit superstructures for safety reasons very ironic. In the end if they'd allowed carbon-tubbed attractive coupe prototypes (or even mettalic tubbed to CN type regs) I think they might have won over more of the purists. Endurance racing is inherently less about wheel to wheel racing and more about strategy and tactics over a long race. For this reason the spectacle and diversity of the cars themselves is crucial. A 20 car ALMS grid with a couple of LMPs, some decent GTs is more interesting than 20 DPs. Ben |
||
|
18 Jan 2010, 22:21 (Ref:2615391) | #34 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,306
|
Tim, that very much depends on your definition of "ALMS leaders." If you're willing to expand that outside the "official Panoz" organization and its employees, it's wrong. If three long-term ALMS participant "leaders" were to become vested in the future of IMSA/ALMS, that financial equation is reversed. Until recently, though, they've just wanted to race, and let someone else worry about the stage on which they race. In the recent past, the Don's creation of a committee as a cover against criticism by tracks and manufacturers has put those three individuals "in play" if they want to sieze the moment.
|
|
|
19 Jan 2010, 01:09 (Ref:2615469) | #35 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,025
|
Those individuals would be Seth Neiman, Rob Dyson, and Duncan Dayton, right? And if so, the three of them combined, do they really have the financial power to do battle with the likes of NASCAR?
Chris |
||
__________________
Member: Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. EFR & Greg Pickett fan. |
19 Jan 2010, 01:53 (Ref:2615476) | #36 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,892
|
That's a hard one to say, as you can ask the question, "How much of the financial clout is actually NASCAR's, and how much is really just sponsor dollars?"
Seth had the ability to field three works-supported 911s at a time when he so desired, and had the people to pilot them. Rob has been able to field two prototypes for a decade and a half. Duncan Dayton has a top-notch shop for both current LMPs and historic racers as well. After all, Acura chose his team to field one of their works cars, and Classic Team Lotus is NOT going to trust just anyone with a John Player Special F1 car, especially a Lotus 72 or a Lotus 79. I also wonder whether Jon Field just plays things smart on the management side, and has more in the pocketbook than appearances might indicate. He has run multiple LMP cars at a time at a number of points in the past. Of course, what would really be nice is another LMP effort spearheaded by PMNA, and run by Roger Penske. A bit off topic, but, is there any connection between Jon Field and Intersport Racing and Ted Field and Interscope Racing from the old IMSA days? |
||
__________________
The only certainty is that nothing is certain. |
20 Jan 2010, 03:57 (Ref:2616071) | #37 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 312
|
From a publicity perspective, it would be great to get a new age Steve Mcqueen or Paul Newman involved with the series. Patrick Dempsy is a good guy, but he hasn't won over the joint hearts of both car guys are their moms just yet, mainly just the moms so far
|
||
|
20 Jan 2010, 13:46 (Ref:2616317) | #38 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
20 Jan 2010, 23:18 (Ref:2616632) | #39 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,630
|
Quote:
DK |
|||
|
20 Jan 2010, 23:57 (Ref:2616644) | #40 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,025
|
Quote:
Chris |
|||
__________________
Member: Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. EFR & Greg Pickett fan. |
21 Jan 2010, 00:04 (Ref:2616647) | #41 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,630
|
Quote:
DK |
|||
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
ALMS 2008 discussion | brielga | North American Racing | 1290 | 8 Oct 2008 18:34 |
2008 ALMS rumours | The Badger | North American Racing | 1321 | 28 Jan 2008 11:22 |
MSA decline some championship permits in 2008 | Mark Mitchell | Racers Forum | 68 | 16 Sep 2007 19:59 |
The decline of in car footage...... | Knowlesy | Formula One | 38 | 25 Nov 2006 18:01 |