Is Grand Am Healthy

[aeroehl]

Is the Grand Am growing or even somewhat profitable right now? It seems every time I watch a Grand Am race (and I try almost every race) I get bored with it after about 15 min. It does not really seem like they are developing a healthy fan base and the manufacturers are all going to the ALMS. Their DP are ugly as sin and their GT's are not really all that interesting. Anyway, this is going to turn into a Grand Am/ALMS hate war, so I was just wondering if the series is making any headway and how much longer the France family will stay on board. I would love to see another merger in American Auto Racing (with the ALMS winning out obviously not the other way around).

[Jonerz]

A merger would be quite interesting, and is often on my mind. I wonder how it would effect the ALMS field - that is of course assuming they take the ALMS route. I would be very disappointed if they didn't because Le Mans is the race, and American teams need to be given the proving grounds for Le Mans. With the manufacturer interest in Le Mans, and the ALMS being manufacturer playground I don't see it happening any other way (I don't see it happening period, it would be like bringing NASCAR and IndyCar together.) Quite frankly, I'm glad the series are seperate, they are two very different products and both are unique. I think the ACO may even be opposed to a merger because that would result in the inclusion of Daytona in the ALMS schedule and the ACO if I recall, do not want their cars to be running in any other 24 hour race than THE 24 hour race. I think the series is healthy. Manufacturer interest is there, it is not to the same extent as the ALMS simply because they cannot implement their technology the same way they can across the 4 ALMS classes. However, Toyota, and Pontiac are spending some factory dollars there, if not in the fashion we sportscar fans see as factory participation, but Pontiac seems to believe it is a viable investment to have an exclusive rights DP motor deal for GM, as well as the semi-works GXP.R GT team, and the private, yet supported GT teams. I think their fan numbers aren't great because quite frankly the cars to the Lehman are unappealing, they all look alike, they all sound alike, and the in the GT category every second car is a Porsche. It is a fantastic series for the entrants, and from a racers perspective the cars are very challenging and unique, but that won't draw the fan support. I'm surprised they didn't make changes to allow more manufacturer input on the DP's in order to draw them in, thereby generating perhaps car corrals or something of the sort. I think they're still healthy, they do have a title sponsor locked up (that one can thank NASCAR for IIRC) and massive car counts.

Chris

[FIRE]

Has the grid (full season DP & GT's) increased compared to 2 or 3 years ago?

[Zytek_Fan]

The only thing keeping it afloat is the whole NASCAR connection.

It would be nice if Grand Am would die or merge for the sake of the ALMS...

[broadrun96]

I too think the Daytona 24 would have to be a separate race for the ALMS to get the LM sanctioning/approval . As for the teams that make up alot of the DP and GT fields would be like some of the CCWS guys and not make the move over due to costs. Costs, esp containment, are the big focus of the GA series it seems and some of these teams are running due to this. It makes for a tight series but it is a little more manufactured feeling, esp when a Riley wins something like 80% of the races the chassis starts. It is a more contact filled series, which makes it both interesting and at the same time frustrating. Not a big fan, so I'm trying to be diplomatic in my criticisms and not attacking the NASCAR link. The series does understand both sides of the costs issue and looks like its trying to meet the big budget teams, Ganassi esp desires to tweak the cars, and the smaller budget teams loving the steady design. Plus the testing time is limited and the factory involvement seems to be series wide and not behind a particular team with other privateers, thinking teams like Penske Porsche vs the Dyson team. The range of participants also is wider with GT and DP teams. Then theres the Spirit of Daytona team building their own idea into a new engine with no manufacturer help/money something that is showing little signs of success in the ALMS with the Doran GT-R. Still just something a little off with all the contact and resulting FCY and their duration that turns me off from watching it other than checking out the Daytona 24, it's a long winter without racing and it's the early season fix.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Has the grid (full season DP & GT's) increased compared to 2 or 3 years ago?

Not really, has been stable on 19-21 DPs in every race for the last 3 years. Only difference is now 13 of the top 15 cars are Rileys, hopefully Dallara and Lola can change that as the year goes on.

[paul-collins]

Not sure I'm all that happy to leave this thread here... Seems to me that the community at ten tenths has largely decided on their feelings toward GA, which are not generally very charitable. Sorry, folks.