IMSA: USCR 2018

[Scorchess]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Pruett strikes again, but this time it's on the program most are pretty sure is actually happening: http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/14205...ears-unveiling

There is an interesting quote in the article, though, from Tim Cindric:

"We have nothing in our possession," he said. "We're digging out some of our old sports car equipment to prepare things as time allows. There's no cars here, there's no engines here, there's no testing we've been a part of. And I'm not aware of any car testing that isn't already testing."

...Wub?

You read wrong, it says 'racing'. He says there is no car testing that is not already racing.

It's quite funny how a programme that's supposed to be confirmed last year still has absolutely nothing to show for it. No car, no engine and not even a suggestion that anything is really in place. Ouch!

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

You read wrong, it says 'racing'. He says there is no car testing that is not already racing.

I didn't read anything wrong - I did not transcribe the quote, copy/pasted direct from the article when I posted that. They have subsequently fixed the error in the posted article.

Makes a fair bit more sense now that it's been fixed though.

[Scorchess]

Oh I see. Looking at the comments the Racer public doesn't read the article anyway so what does it matter in the end.

[AoB Special Stage]

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

Oh I see. Looking at the comments the Racer public doesn't read the article anyway so what does it matter in the end.

If it isn't indy related the comments typically show what you just said

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

Oh I see. Looking at the comments the Racer public doesn't read the article anyway so what does it matter in the end.

Oh, they read the comments... They just then proceed to completely ignore it unless it completely agrees with their beliefs on the matter. Certain users with the initials R.F. and S.W. are extremely notorious for the extremes they go to.

[MaskedRacer]

If you look at the 10 current full season prototype entries. Do you think any of them are in danger of not being around to run 2018? Really hoping that prototype can get up to 15-20 full season entries perhaps. Keeping everybody around now plus maybe Penske, Andretti, Performance Tech, BAR1, maybe somebody else moving up from the LMP3 series?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

You read wrong, it says 'racing'. He says there is no car testing that is not already racing.

It's quite funny how a programme that's supposed to be confirmed last year still has absolutely nothing to show for it. No car, no engine and not even a suggestion that anything is really in place. Ouch!

You're so gullible.

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by Jared E

You read wrong, it says 'racing'. He says there is no car testing that is not already racing.

It's quite funny how a programme that's supposed to be confirmed last year still has absolutely nothing to show for it. No car, no engine and not even a suggestion that anything is really in place. Ouch!

Do you have a link to the article that says a HPD DPi campaigned with Penske Racing assistance was supposed to debut last year?

That sounds like some fine reading!

[WolfsburgRS]

Reading those comments on Racer makes my head hurt a little bit.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by DeezPutz

Do you have a link to the article that says a HPD DPi campaigned with Penske Racing assistance was supposed to debut last year?

That sounds like some fine reading!

Pretty sure he's just referring to the fact that HPD was expected to have a DPi program right out of the gates because of how committed they've been to prototypes in recent years. Almost everyone expected it, and it was a fair surprise that it didn't materialize.

[Scorchess]

I'm referring to the fact that certain publications have been treating the Penske thing as confirmed since August last year. So much for that.

[Adam43]

It's been confirmed so much that people are already predicting their withdrawal.

Excuse me posting the same joke in more than one thread, but that's what you do. Know one tires of it.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Adam43

It's been confirmed so much that people are already predicting their withdrawal.

Excuse me posting the same joke in more than one thread, but that's what you do. Know one tires of it.

Well you might as well get the mileage from it.

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

If you look at the 10 current full season prototype entries. Do you think any of them are in danger of not being around to run 2018?

I wouldn't count on anything but the 3 Cadillacs to be honest. We know SoD is iffy. ESM is apparently committed through at least next season but who knows how many cars or what kind of driver lineup now that the boss isn't driving and they want to get into the rent a ride business. Mazda can only be "learning" so long before someone asks hard questions.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

I wouldn't count on anything but the 3 Cadillacs to be honest. We know SoD is iffy. ESM is apparently committed through at least next season but who knows how many cars or what kind of driver lineup now that the boss isn't driving and they want to get into the rent a ride business. Mazda can only be "learning" so long before someone asks hard questions.

Who said anything about ESM getting into a rent-a-ride business? They have run multiple cars in multiple series for a while and ran before Ed was actually in the car. But I guess we just all assume everything but the GM cars are part time teams renting seats? I think only PR1 are the only ones doing that, hence the plummet to the bottom of the sheets at CTMP.

[carbsmith]

Looking at it again I guess it might be a misread on my part
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/br...om-prototypes/

With a commitment to its Prototype program through at least the end of next year, Sharp, Brown and the ESM team have high expectations for the future, also in expanding the team into the GT ranks with customer programs.

I wasn't in the mindset of "customer program" meaning ESM is the customer when they haven't had any factory support since the Honda days. They did sell one of their WEC entries entirely for 3 races last year though, so it seemed like a logical way to make the team a more practical business without as much owner involvement. But it seems they only plan to run a GT3 in the handful of races Brown can fit into his schedule.

The thing about the LMP2 teams is if they think IMSA isn't working for them they can go race in one of the European based series like Starworks, Dragonspeed, and ESM have all done.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

Looking at it again I guess it might be a misread on my part
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/br...om-prototypes/

I wasn't in the mindset of "customer program" meaning ESM is the customer when they haven't had any factory support since the Honda days. They did sell one of their WEC entries entirely for 3 races last year though, so it seemed like a logical way to make the team a more practical business without as much owner involvement. But it seems they only plan to run a GT3 in the handful of races Brown can fit into his schedule.

The thing about the LMP2 teams is if they think IMSA isn't working for them they can go race in one of the European based series like Starworks, Dragonspeed, and ESM have all done.

Krohn did it too. I can't remember which one of the gentleman drivers said it, but they said the shorter and more spread out ELMS calendar worked better for them, because they were still working (to fund the racing!). Even with the Le Mans 24, they found it less intensive than an IMSA season.

[Akrapovic]

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/14...ortscar-switch

Helio for Honda DPi. And Cindric saying the prototype deal is close to being finalised.

[hondafan37]

Castroneves could be one of the drivers of the Penske HPD DPI.

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/14...ortscar-switch
Montoya must be one driver too.

[Scorchess]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

And Cindric saying the prototype deal is close to being finalised.

He's been saying that since February

[Akrapovic]

Good job he's the President of Team Penske! Otherwise he'd look really silly talking a DPi that is only an unsubstantiated rumors and a misleading headline!

[chernaudi]

Dagys has commented on BOP changes slowing down the DPIs to LMP2 levels on natural terrain courses (his comments, not mine, can be read here, take it or leave it:

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ta...kes-ctmp-pole/ )

As I've discussed, other than car makers wanting to put their brand name on a car for advertising reasons, why develop a DPI when it's just gonna get pegged back to LMP2 customer car levels? It's been rumored that Penske wants to see that element of BOP go away. But it can be said that unless they get their own class, that'll screw any LMP2 teams out of a chance for victory, which the only one that's consistently run up front ironically has a more or less technically pro-am line up (granted, as qualifying showed today, their pro-am driver isn't exactly slow).

Mind you, it was supposedly the intent that the best DPI would be balanced compared to the best LMP2 (just as how the ACO balance all the GTE Pro cars relative to the characteristics of the Ferrari 488).

Also, IMSA are supposed to issue an update on the status of the DPI draft homologations next week, and combined with the Penske rumors, Racer is also reporting that Rahal is looking at some LMP2 or even a DPI effort. The article seems to favor the LMP2 position because Bobby Rahal himself has been quoted as saying that an appearance at Le Mans for the team is one of the goals.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Dagys has commented on BOP changes slowing down the DPIs to LMP2 levels on natural terrain courses (his comments, not mine, can be read here, take it or leave it:

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ta...kes-ctmp-pole/ )

As I've discussed, other than car makers wanting to put their brand name on a car for advertising reasons, why develop a DPI when it's just gonna get pegged back to LMP2 customer car levels? It's been rumored that Penske wants to see that element of BOP go away. But it can be said that unless they get their own class, that'll screw any LMP2 teams out of a chance for victory, which the only one that's consistently run up front ironically has a more or less technically pro-am line up (granted, as qualifying showed today, their pro-am driver isn't exactly slow).

Mind you, it was supposedly the intent that the best DPI would be balanced compared to the best LMP2 (just as how the ACO balance all the GTE Pro cars relative to the characteristics of the Ferrari 488).

Also, IMSA are supposed to issue an update on the status of the DPI draft homologations next week, and combined with the Penske rumors, Racer is also reporting that Rahal is looking at some LMP2 or even a DPI effort. The article seems to favor the LMP2 position because Bobby Rahal himself has been quoted as saying that an appearance at Le Mans for the team is one of the goals.

Rumored by who? I have not seen it anywhere but in your posts. NO one else has said anything close to that.

And Rahal has said WEC LMP2 not DPi at all. The LMP2 was mentioned as possibly in IMSA but it was a WEC article.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Dagys has commented on BOP changes slowing down the DPIs to LMP2 levels on natural terrain courses (his comments, not mine, can be read here, take it or leave it:

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ta...kes-ctmp-pole/ )

As I've discussed, other than car makers wanting to put their brand name on a car for advertising reasons, why develop a DPI when it's just gonna get pegged back to LMP2 customer car levels? It's been rumored that Penske wants to see that element of BOP go away. But it can be said that unless they get their own class, that'll screw any LMP2 teams out of a chance for victory, which the only one that's consistently run up front ironically has a more or less technically pro-am line up (granted, as qualifying showed today, their pro-am driver isn't exactly slow).

Mind you, it was supposedly the intent that the best DPI would be balanced compared to the best LMP2 (just as how the ACO balance all the GTE Pro cars relative to the characteristics of the Ferrari 488).

.

The bop is an attraction to some because it ensures they have a chance to win. You develop the car so it looks good and can be used in advertisements or posters at dealerships. So being balanced down isn't an issue to everyone.