IMSA USCC in 2016 and 2017

[carbsmith]

Another good head scratcher that Ford led most of the race at Sebring but Porsche got piled on with the BoP nerfs.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

Another good head scratcher that Ford led most of the race at Sebring but Porsche got piled on with the BoP nerfs.

Best I can figure is that it's because of the next track on the schedule, and possibly a little bit of IMSA derp. The Porsche engine has always been more torquey than people give it credit for, and torque is a big deal at a track like Long Beach - that's the likely reason for the restrictions made on the Caddys.

Add to that the engine being in the rear, and it's not hard to see how they could see a potential advantage for the Porsche.

Except that as we all know, the GTLM Porsches are now mid-engined instead of rear-engined, so if IMSA was taking THAT into account in their decision they done screwed up. I'd like to assume they're smart enough not to make that mistake, but we've seen enough questionable actions by IMSA that I simply can't put the possibiltiy aside.

Regardless, the torque issue is probably the big deal. But since they haven't been to GTLM as Cadillac has been to Prototype, they can't take a massive swing at it(forcing a change in gear ratios is, frankly, the nuclear option when it comes to BoP), so they do a light adjustment instead.

This of course still doesn't explain the lack of adjustments to the Ford, nor the torque monsters that are the Corvettes.

But the big question I have about those adjustments is rather different...

While is only the Riley-Multimatic getting a refueling rate change? With all the ACO-spec P2 cars being the baseline and expected to be treated the same shouldn't they ALL get that change applied to them?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Latest BOP for Long Beach, and almost every car sees air restrictor or fuel capacity changes:

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/13921...long-beach-bop

This is exactly what we all expected from IMSA, tinkering after every round. One of the quotes from MP's article that made me chuckle was:

In GT Daytona, every single model scheduled to compete at Long Beach has had BoP changes performed by IMSA, and in some cases, three or four modifications per brand have been made.

What is the baseline if everybody is getting changed? I understand the first 3 tracks in IMSA competition are as different as you can get, but that is a lot of changes!

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Why heck did they go and mess gtlm,now Porsche is going to be racing against BMW.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Why heck did they go and mess gtlm,now Porsche is going to be racing against BMW.

Yeah, that one is dumb. Even if it is because of torque, let them have a slight advantage for one race. It's not like they're dominating the standings right now, or that they will have an advantage at other, normal tracks. Part of the fun is seeing different cars have advantages at different tracks.

Sigh.... I know it's coming every race, but I can't stand it.

[Jonerz]

I'm reminded of the 2006 ALMS season in GT1. Sure, the racing was great. But BoP changes every race drove Corvette and Aston nuts. It's been eleven years and I guess we forgot that lesson?

Chris

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by joeb

What is the baseline if everybody is getting changed? I understand the first 3 tracks in IMSA competition are as different as you can get, but that is a lot of changes!

It's just rubbish. But wouldn't expect anything else from IMSA.

[fieldodreams79]

We all generally complain until race day and then GTLM is fun and 9 times out of 10, is the best thing on track.

We could actually see what actually occurs on track before we blow our tops. Alas, that's far too reasonable. Carry on.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

We all generally complain until race day and then GTLM is fun and 9 times out of 10, is the best thing on track.

We could actually see what actually occurs on track before we blow our tops. Alas, that's far too reasonable. Carry on.

I agree with you. I love IMSA, the racing product is great, the cars look good and are all interesting - maybe not PC, but at any rate the series is great.

It's just scary seeing significant BoP changes leading up to Daytona, then after the first three races of the year. I don't envy the job of trying to equalize all these machines on these disparate race tracks. Heck, there will be more changes ahead of CotA. Hopefully the pace of BoP change slows down as we start hitting more conventional race tracks.

Chris

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

I agree with you. I love IMSA, the racing product is great, the cars look good and are all interesting - maybe not PC, but at any rate the series is great.

It's just scary seeing significant BoP changes leading up to Daytona, then after the first three races of the year. I don't envy the job of trying to equalize all these machines on these disparate race tracks. Heck, there will be more changes ahead of CotA. Hopefully the pace of BoP change slows down as we start hitting more conventional race tracks.

Chris

Couldn't agree more. I don't want that job. And ditto on PC.

The first three circuits are totally different. I think so far so good in GT, considering there's certainly ways to debate what's a "production car" and how street versions are altered for the race track. That doesn't matter. IMSA has done a decent enough job for the first two rounds, from a layman's standpoint. I'd throw a little bone for another widely different circuit before throwing shade, and will happily eat crow if actual on track results show otherwise.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Couldn't agree more. I don't want that job. And ditto on PC.

The first three circuits are totally different. I think so far so good in GT, considering there's certainly ways to debate what's a "production car" and how street versions are altered for the race track. That doesn't matter. IMSA has done a decent enough job for the first two rounds, from a layman's standpoint. I'd throw a little bone for another widely different circuit before throwing shade, and will happily eat crow if actual on track results show otherwise.

I know the means are at my fingertips, but I don't feel like searching through 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 ALMS season threads, for the big GT1 BoP issues, balancing LMP900/675 to the new LMP1/2 format, and of course gasoline to diesel and so forth. None of this is new, and race to race changes weren't uncommon then. For some reason, IMSA is being thrown under the bus for this - perhaps because racing is broadly moving away from fixed technical regulations and formulae, to BoP on the fly.

It is concerning when the cars change from race to race, especially with things as dramatic as the series limiting gear ratios, but again this is nothing new.

I guess we've gone around and around it, we both hope that the changes become less radical and less frequent as we hit the meat of the series schedule. But we also understand the radical nature of the start of the IMSA season - no other series in the world does anything like this.

Chris

[YZFrider]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

I know the means are at my fingertips, but I don't feel like searching through 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 ALMS season threads, for the big GT1 BoP issues, balancing LMP900/675 to the new LMP1/2 format, and of course gasoline to diesel and so forth. None of this is new, and race to race changes weren't uncommon then. For some reason, IMSA is being thrown under the bus for this - perhaps because racing is broadly moving away from fixed technical regulations and formulae, to BoP on the fly.

It is concerning when the cars change from race to race, especially with things as dramatic as the series limiting gear ratios, but again this is nothing new.

I guess we've gone around and around it, we both hope that the changes become less radical and less frequent as we hit the meat of the series schedule. But we also understand the radical nature of the start of the IMSA season - no other series in the world does anything like this.

Chris

It's certainly one of my gripes. I think everyone would agree also that too radical changes too quickly leaves a bad taste versus a gradual change. That philosophy combined with the some of the people in charge has always been my biggest concern for me as a sportscar fan of this series. I don't need to write a book about it but I have expressed my thoughts before on about the Grand-Am side of the management (feel free to PM me if you want to hear )

As a big fan of the NFL here in America, look at how constant rules tinkering, punishments, etc the last several years has turned off many. I do find myself following less football games. The NBA had the same turn-off over a decade ago when they radically changed the rules to be less physical, tried to quickly regulate which was SO Wildly inconsistent or flat out wrong calls. Oddly enough I'm turning away from football and found myself watching more Hockey and got back into Basketball as there is change afoot and it's gotten exciting again.

@chernaudi As many have stated motorsports or any other sport for that matter isn't worth getting depressed over. Find another hobby, experiment with other recreations. I had a buddy that immaturely enough lost his religion all because his soccer team lost in the FIFA World Cup. Life is too short. There are more important things. More importantly, find what drives, whats your passion. With that comes purpose. It's alright if motorsports is A passion, just don't let it be THE passion.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by YZFrider

It's certainly one of my gripes. I think everyone would agree also that too radical changes too quickly leaves a bad taste versus a gradual change. That philosophy combined with the some of the people in charge has always been my biggest concern for me as a sportscar fan of this series. I don't need to write a book about it but I have expressed my thoughts before on about the Grand-Am side of the management (feel free to PM me if you want to hear )

As a big fan of the NFL here in America, look at how constant rules tinkering, punishments, etc the last several years has turned off many. I do find myself following less football games. The NBA had the same turn-off over a decade ago when they radically changed the rules to be less physical, tried to quickly regulate which was SO Wildly inconsistent or flat out wrong calls. Oddly enough I'm turning away from football and found myself watching more Hockey and got back into Basketball as there is change afoot and it's gotten exciting again.

@chernaudi As many have stated motorsports or any other sport for that matter isn't worth getting depressed over. Find another hobby, experiment with other recreations. I had a buddy that immaturely enough lost his religion all because his soccer team lost in the FIFA World Cup. Life is too short. There are more important things. More importantly, find what drives, whats your passion. With that comes purpose. It's alright if motorsports is A passion, just don't let it be THE passion.

The closest to BoP you have in other sports I think is the salary cap. In places where you don't have that. You get the potential for domination. Pro Football/Soccer certainly applies there. College/University sports does too when all you need to do is out recruit the competition.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

I know the means are at my fingertips, but I don't feel like searching through 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 ALMS season threads, for the big GT1 BoP issues, balancing LMP900/675 to the new LMP1/2 format, and of course gasoline to diesel and so forth. None of this is new, and race to race changes weren't uncommon then. For some reason, IMSA is being thrown under the bus for this - perhaps because racing is broadly moving away from fixed technical regulations and formulae, to BoP on the fly.

It is concerning when the cars change from race to race, especially with things as dramatic as the series limiting gear ratios, but again this is nothing new.

I guess we've gone around and around it, we both hope that the changes become less radical and less frequent as we hit the meat of the series schedule. But we also understand the radical nature of the start of the IMSA season - no other series in the world does anything like this.

Chris

Very good points

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Very good points

Thanks, brother. I stopped visiting the forums around the ALMS/GA merger because the discussions became intolerable, less discussion - more tinkling match. But I'm enjoying that things are settling down and its fun to talk about racing again. Thanks to you, and all the guys involved in this discussion!



Chris

[Jonerz]

According to the Podium Predictor competition page, Risi will run a second car in the Advance Autoparts Sportscar Showdown. The Texas team will enter a 488 GT3 wearing #82. Anyone have news on the entry and potential drivers?

Chris

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

According to the Podium Predictor competition page, Risi will run a second car in the Advance Autoparts Sportscar Showdown. The Texas team will enter a 488 GT3 wearing #82. Anyone have news on the entry and potential drivers?

Chris

Then the #62 in GTLM and the #82 in GTD, Fantastic!!!
In Le Mans the drivers will be Vilander, Fisichella and Kaffer; perhaps Kaffer will be one of the drivers in the #82.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by hondafan37

Then the #62 in GTLM and the #82 in GTD, Fantastic!!!
In Le Mans the drivers will be Vilander, Fisichella and Kaffer; perhaps Kaffer will be one of the drivers in the #82.

I'm assuming the Am will be a Ferrari Challenge client of Risi's.

Chris

[Coach Ep]

no #82 or second Risi entry on the Garage assignments sheet for CotA:

http://competitors.imsa.com/sites/de...nments_v_2.pdf

Nothing definite of course, the entry list hasn't occurred yet even though the event is about a week out...

[jimclark]

Oooopppsss...

[Jonerz]

The entry list is due out today. We'll see if it has a #82 car on it.

Chris

[Jonerz]

And here is the entry. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/40-entries-for-cota/

Apologies, I couldn't edit the previous post.

No #82 car, yet. "Risi Competizione’s planned expansion into GTD with a customer Ferrari 488 GT3 is not listed, with the team reportedly still waiting on the car’s arrival into the U.S." So not a mistake, or the rumor-fuled hopes of the Podium Predictor web master.

I'm also interested in seeing how the TBD's are sorted. Particularly for the Porsche teams.

Chris

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

no #82 or second Risi entry on the Garage assignments sheet for CotA:

http://competitors.imsa.com/sites/de...nments_v_2.pdf

Nothing definite of course, the entry list hasn't occurred yet even though the event is about a week out...

Do you mean this? http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/event-weekends/2017/emedit_event_weekend/em_advance_auto_parts_sportscar_showdown/2017_iwsc_cota_preevent_entrylist.pdf

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

And here is the entry. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/40-entries-for-cota/

Apologies, I couldn't edit the previous post.

No #82 car, yet. "Risi Competizione’s planned expansion into GTD with a customer Ferrari 488 GT3 is not listed, with the team reportedly still waiting on the car’s arrival into the U.S." So not a mistake, or the rumor-fuled hopes of the Podium Predictor web master.

I'm also interested in seeing how the TBD's are sorted. Particularly for the Porsche teams.

Chris

Weird Risi couldn't find a GT3 example stateside, you would think there are enough of them over here as well, now the planned GTD entry is missing Risi's home race. Hope it materializes soon though!

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Weird Risi couldn't find a GT3 example stateside, you would think there are enough of them over here as well, now the planned GTD entry is missing Risi's home race. Hope it materializes soon though!

Hopefully Watkins Glen then. Plenty of time to get a car for that one I imagine.