ALMS Round 2: St. Petersburg, April 4-5, 2008 (Spoilers)

[dxk1]

With the St. Petersburg ALMS race less than two weeks away, the entry list is finally published: http://www.imsaracing.net/2008/event...%20Entries.pdf

Also, the schedule of events is here: http://www.imsaracing.net/2008/event...upp%20Regs.pdf

Looks like the Van der Steur Radical is on the list, but only 3 LMP1s and 3 GT1s.

Let's hope for a good race!

DK

[AU N EGL]

Street circuit racing. Just like a pub brawl. Good hard fought racing.

[SALEEN S7R]

Hmm a decent looking entry list, bigger than last years anyway. Will be interesting to see how close the times at the top are, personally I think it will be a close race between the lead LMP2's and the Audi's.

Fingers crossed too that the Bell motorsports DBR9 can be relatively competitve against the Corvettes, they did a decent job at Sebring and werent too far away from the Corvette race pace even if they were a way behind in qualifying.

[Zurbert82]

Plus, the Bell Aston Martin was basically at 2005 spec at Sebring. Hopefully they should have all the updates necessary.

Nice to see vdS back. The 3 cars in LMP1 is disappointing on paper, but when you factor in 7 LMP2 cars from Penske, Acura, and Dyson, things look much better...

[WMUCarGuy]

I wonder if the 73 Tafel Ferrari not being on the list is a typo or have they for some reason actually not entered it??

[Marcel ten Caat]

At Sebring the #73 had Allan Simonsen and Pierre Ehret. Those two drivers will be competing at Barcelona for Farnbacher Racing the same weekend as the St. Pete race takes place.

[Dani Filth]

it's Ehret's car i belive so probably they'll be using it at Barcelona

[dj4monie]

Why would somebody think there would be more than 3 LMP1 cars for the balance of the season?

There's been plenty of off-season news and suggest Autocon and Cyrosport are doing a limited schedule.

The entry looks correct to me.

By Utah we should see what the full field from now on looks like.

Nice to see P2 Radial back on the grid, how about updating your web site guys!

This race should be better that last year on all levels and frankly a better show than the IRL race the next day.

[Zurbert82]

The ECO Racing LMP1 Radical should be back come Utah, hopefully...

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by Zurbert82

Plus, the Bell Aston Martin was basically at 2005 spec at Sebring. Hopefully they should have all the updates necessary.

Nice to see vdS back. The 3 cars in LMP1 is disappointing on paper, but when you factor in 7 LMP2 cars from Penske, Acura, and Dyson, things look much better...

and being that St Pete is a very tight course, the race for overall will be tight.

[mattcat]

I agree it will be a good fight for the overall win. The Penske Porsches and the Acuras will surely take a fight to the Audis. It's also nice to see so many GT2 cars entered...while some look like they will be perennial backmarkers (judging from Sebring), it will make the race more interesting. Especially on a street course. Can't wait!

[broadrun96]

I'm leaning toward this being Acura's weekend, esp showing their cars looking to have high downforce and grip. Could make for maybe 3 straight P2 wins to start the season. Did Audi qualify P1 overall last year or were the P2s out in front, I'm thinking P2 was the front row but not positive.

[prototype]

Audi will be P1 by turn one. I like your thought on Acura's high downforce fitting St. Pete better than Sebring.

[mattcat]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Did Audi qualify P1 overall last year or were the P2s out in front, I'm thinking P2 was the front row but not positive.

Both of the Penske Porsches were on the front row last year (7 P1 and 6 P2). Audi was P3 and P7.

[yamato]

FYI - the max drive time for a driver will be 1:20, Penalty for exceeding: Exclusion

Time for first driver will be from the time the first car crosses the start/finish to the time that the car hits the pit-in timing loop. Time for the final driver will begin at the pit-out timing loop and end when the race clock expires, NOT when the winner takes the checkered flag.

There was some contention about this last year at a similarly truncated race at LB, so the regulations have been clarified for this year.

why a truncated format???? who knows,..... the race is to be broadcast "live," but the coverage begins five minutes after the race begins?? Oh well, beggers and be choosers I guess.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

it's Ehret's car i belive so probably they'll be using it at Barcelona

Do you mean that they are actually flying this car back and forth between the US and Europe for different events or are you being facetious? Anyway, if you are being serious, isn't this unusual? Seems like a very expensive way to race!

DK

[Dauer 962]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Do you mean that they are actually flying this car back and forth between the US and Europe for different events or are you being facetious? Anyway, if you are being serious, isn't this unusual? Seems like a very expensive way to race!

DK

It´s not Ehret´s car, Pierre will take delievery of his F430 this week in Fiorano.

[dj4monie]

I am not bothered by the shorten coverage, think of it as "baby steps". Unlike last year when it was on Speed, it will be OTA-HD 720p via ABC and as long as you have a set of rabbit ears you can get it!

Speed is a premium service and not offered on all cable systems (who has cable anyway???) that limits your scope. For those that can afford Speed and can get it, have it, no complaints right?

NASCAR gained its popularity nationwide and in Canada being on CABLE mostly (ESPN) when ESPN wanted MLB and NASCAR wanted larger access, they brokered record setting deals with NBC and FOX. Only FOX remains after NBC had a chance to get the NFL back (at least on a limited basis).

The All Star Race being on Speed isn't a big deal, its always been on Cable in some format because it wasn't an actual race and casual fans more than likely wouldn't watch it.

Speed makes a big deal out of it, but millions of eyes will NOT see it because its not on regular cable or sat systems and not on OTA TV.

What you want is what NASCAR enjoys now, extra coverage on cable/sat, live coverage on OTA and massive internet presents.

NASCAR use to be edited on NBC Sportsworld and during ABC's Wide World of Sports, it was almost never live, until CBS did it in 1979.

ALMS has to start someplace and the more live races on network tv the better IMHO.

Speed is great and focuses but unlike ESPN is not free...

About the race -

Several keys here:

Marco was clearly faster than anybody else in the AGR car, is the regular pairing of Herta and Fittipaldi fast enough to challenge for overall?

Is Scott Sharp up to speed at Highcroft, I notice 3 drivers listed, not the usual two and with the shorten race, if Sharp isn't quick enough, will they sit him and his Patron money down for the race?

I think if you're looking at overall Acura victory you'll have to look at Fernandez - Diaz here, they were fast at Sebring, despite failing the stall test and were constantly fast all last season just got caught out a bit and had some bad luck.

Audi might be P1 by turn 1, but this is Rockie's and Luhr's first time at St Pete and first time at St Pete in the R10 v2, look for the vets Pirro and Werner to use their experience here, if victory comes Audi's way (after AGAIN complaining about automatic P2 victory on a street course) it will come from this car.

Penske has had several weeks to let the Sebring victory sink in, I am sure they are now focused on the task at hand - Overall victory at St Pete

This is a P1/P2 showdown for the record books and a true street fight...

This is WHY it will be better than the IRL race, trust me, look for a close finish and I don't mean 1-2 second victory, I believe only by several feet...

I am really curious about the LG Corvette and how much "drop" off there is between Peterson and Lou compared to Goossens. I hope not much, this is my dark horse pick for 3rd on the podium.

A massive fight between

Risi #62
FL #45 and #46
Tafel #73
and the FBL Porsche

I think the result will be some hurt feelings and damaged race cars (again) and geez we don't even have BMW in here yet!

4th on back will be a battle between new cars and new tires. Kumho shows they are closer to the sharp end than Hankook has thus far, we'll see if Hankook can rebound from Sebring.

Could a Kumho shod car get on the podium? My pick is the LG Corvette based on the pace it showed at Sebring.

Finally GT1; Corvette had a bizarre driveline failure here, where a 3rd GT1 team could have picked up an easy 2nd place finish. Something broke again at Sebring, will it carry over into the St Pete weekend? This is all Bell can hope for until they have proven they are on the pace and frankly without Enge and Tuner behind the wheel, I believe truly earning a 2nd place finish is out of the question until pace can be verified.

Agree or disagree on this points?

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Audi might be P1 by turn 1, but this is Rockie's and Luhr's first time at St Pete and first time at St Pete in the R10 v2, look for the vets Pirro and Werner to use their experience here

I thought the pairing was Werner-Luhr and Biela-Pirro ? Has Luhr been here before with AJR in a 996 ?

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by The Badger

I thought the pairing was Werner-Luhr and Biela-Pirro ? Has Luhr been here before with AJR in a 996 ?

I thought it was Rockie and Luhr, Pirro and Werner, oh well

Maybe I got it mixed up with Audi's line up in the LMS...

[Zurbert82]

Originally Posted by The Badger

I thought the pairing was Werner-Luhr and Biela-Pirro ? Has Luhr been here before with AJR in a 996 ?

Nope, AJR last raced in 2006, and Luhr was with Penske in 2006. St Pete as a venue debuted in 2007.

[Dario911]

I hope to see the Porsche winning the overall, LMP2 and GT2 class.
RS Spyder are very competitive, more than Acuras. The only LMP2 capable to compete against Audi R10s.
So, in GT2 I hope to see Flying Lizards on the highest step of the podium. It should be wonderful! They are greatful and really simpathetic!

[Zurbert82]

I wouldn't count out the Acuras. They were running around 800 KG last year while the RS Spyders were near or on the 775KG limit. Now that they're more or less at an equal weight, I think you will see Acura in contention more often than not.

[Hugewally]

At least this year the victory podium won't be in the dark...

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Do you mean that they are actually flying this car back and forth between the US and Europe for different events or are you being facetious? Anyway, if you are being serious, isn't this unusual? Seems like a very expensive way to race!

DK

Dauer 962 is correct that the #73 Tafel car is not Pierre's. We will not see the #73 back until SLC where it will be in its Le Mans trim since MMP will be run in the perimeter layout it will be a good test for Le Mans set-ups. It will probably also be piloted by an ex-Indy car driver. Pierre was/is scheduled to run in the car for the endurance rounds as long as they do not conflict with the LMS.

L.P.