Pirelli World Challenge - Page 24

Coach Ep · 8 Oct 2015, 13:12 (Ref:3580511)

US GT Enduro round at CotA (run in conjunction between SRO and PWC) now to be set for 6 hours (or 5 or whatever Ratel feels like when he wakes up tomorrow...):

http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/...ix-hour-format

Not sure if a 6 hours race just 2 weeks before Sebring will attract some (much needed?) IMSA teams. 30 cars for an inaugural endurance GT only race in the US sounds a bit too optimistic to me (and besides, at CotA, it will look rather empty anyway).

**joeb** · 8 Oct 2015, 13:33 (Ref:3580515)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Joeb, can you change the title of this topic to 'Pirelli World Challenge/US GT Enduro 2016' (or similar) please? Thx.

Just went with PWC.

Coach Ep · 8 Oct 2015, 13:39 (Ref:3580517)

Good enough. Thanks.

Coach Ep · 8 Oct 2015, 15:17 (Ref:3580531)

Goldcrest M'sport to concentrate on Continental Challenge next year, wonder where that'll leave Baldwin's GTsport racing (GTS)?

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/ctscc/g...eries-in-2016/

Rcz · 8 Oct 2015, 22:56 (Ref:3580607)

A 6hours races at COTA, yawn...

Mechanic Z · 10 Oct 2015, 00:04 (Ref:3580929)

GMG has purchased a Porsche 911 GT3-R for 2016:
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...t3-r-for-2016/

Article and the GMG press release mention contesting GT and GTA with Porsche, so maybe they're actually buying more than one?

MaskedRacer · 10 Oct 2015, 14:17 (Ref:3581078)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Joeb, can you change the title of this topic to 'Pirelli World Challenge/US GT Enduro 2016' (or similar) please? Thx.

Maybe they are trying to count on these 2-3 car PWC teams to combine drivers and resources into a single car entry to run the enduro. Such as an O'Connell/Pilgrim Cadillac entry or a Dyson/G Smith Bentley.

TRspitfirefan · 10 Oct 2015, 16:05 (Ref:3581098)

I think this is a really cool tribute from Mclaren.

"Mclaren celebrates 50 year anniversary of the can-am with limited run 650s-can-am."
http://www.racer.com/more/historic/i...un-650s-can-am

K-Pax/Flying Lizard should run one of their cars (third car?) in this livery next season.

TRspitfirefan · 10 Oct 2015, 16:08 (Ref:3581101)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

GMG has purchased a Porsche 911 GT3-R for 2016:
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...t3-r-for-2016/

Article and the GMG press release mention contesting GT and GTA with Porsche, so maybe they're actually buying more than one?

More Porsches is always good!
Although I hope we get at least one of the new Audis next season. Perhaps CRP will continue with the R8.

Coach Ep · 12 Oct 2015, 18:30 (Ref:3582235)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

More Porsches is always good!

I don't believe the Cup Porsches brought a lot to the series this year (from a fan perspective) and with Black Swan trading a Viper for a new Porsche is hardly a gain either imo.

Accident · 13 Oct 2015, 10:41 (Ref:3582460)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

I don't believe the Cup Porsches brought a lot to the series this year (from a fan perspective) and with Black Swan trading a Viper for a new Porsche is hardly a gain either imo.

Agreed on both.

The Viper is one of the few "rare" GT3 cars around, so losing one of the only ones running anywhere in the world for a Porsche that we will surely see tons of is a negative in my book.

nasportscar · 13 Oct 2015, 14:28 (Ref:3582503)

Here are the success rates for standing starts vs rolling starts for the entire GT/GTA season http://nasportscar.com/the-standing-...ng-the-season/

nasportscar · 13 Oct 2015, 14:29 (Ref:3582504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accident

Agreed on both.

The Viper is one of the few "rare" GT3 cars around, so losing one of the only ones running anywhere in the world for a Porsche that we will surely see tons of is a negative in my book.

Black Swan is focusing solely on IMSA, per Tim Pappas
http://nasportscar.com/10-questions-with-tim-pappas/

TRspitfirefan · 17 Oct 2015, 16:27 (Ref:3583583)

http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...r-2016-launch/
Good news! I hope that Road America will be one of the venues for sprintX, despite sharing the weekend with the INDYCAR series.
Two extra GT3 races would really add a lot to the weekend.

MoMedic9019 · 17 Oct 2015, 20:08 (Ref:3583647)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...r-2016-launch/
Good news! I hope that Road America will be one of the venues for sprintX, despite sharing the weekend with the INDYCAR series.
Two extra GT3 races would really add a lot to the weekend.

That weekend is going to be a madhouse to begin with, adding two GT3 races only makes it that much better.

For the one day Indy test they had, nearly 3000 people showed up.

FOR A TEST......

nasportscar · 18 Oct 2015, 02:43 (Ref:3583750)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

That weekend is going to be a madhouse to begin with, adding two GT3 races only makes it that much better.

For the one day Indy test they had, nearly 3000 people showed up.

FOR A TEST......

That's interesting, I never heard any numbers for attendance..I was there and there was a decent crowd, but I wouldn't have thought even 1,000 were there. Where did you see that?

nasportscar · 18 Oct 2015, 02:45 (Ref:3583751)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...r-2016-launch/
Good news! I hope that Road America will be one of the venues for sprintX, despite sharing the weekend with the INDYCAR series.
Two extra GT3 races would really add a lot to the weekend.

From what I've heard it will only be on their stand alone events, but I would welcome more GT3s at Road America that weekend as well

MoMedic9019 · 18 Oct 2015, 03:43 (Ref:3583768)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasportscar

That's interesting, I never heard any numbers for attendance..I was there and there was a decent crowd, but I wouldn't have thought even 1,000 were there. Where did you see that?

I may have been exaggerating a slight bit. 😜....

There were way more people there than I think anyone had planned on.

nasportscar · 18 Oct 2015, 13:01 (Ref:3583866)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

I may have been exaggerating a slight bit. 😜....

There were way more people there than I think anyone had planned on.

For a test, I was very pleased and I think the PWC/Indycar weekend next June will be the largest crowd I've ever experienced at Road America..Going to be a great weekend.

MoMedic9019 · 18 Oct 2015, 13:16 (Ref:3583873)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasportscar

For a test, I was very pleased and I think the PWC/Indycar weekend next June will be the largest crowd I've ever experienced at Road America..Going to be a great weekend.

Yep, and it'll be another weekend that will make Bruggenthies look like the patron saint of motorsports, when in reality, he's a buffoon.

TRspitfirefan · 18 Oct 2015, 16:17 (Ref:3583925)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasportscar

From what I've heard it will only be on their stand alone events, but I would welcome more GT3s at Road America that weekend as well

That was my understanding also, but the wording of the article stated...

Quote:

The new standalone series, which will mirror the format of the Blancpain Sprint Series, will be run on select Pirelli World Challenge weekends and be eligible to GT3 machinery, as announced in May.

According to PWC Competition Director Marcus Haselgrove, a formal unveiling of the championship, complete with the 2016 schedule, will be made next month at SEMA.

"Select Pirelli World Challenge weekends" seems to leave open the possibility for sprintX races to be run on shared weekends.
But that's probably just wishful thinking on my part.

Coach Ep · 18 Oct 2015, 22:28 (Ref:3583970)

On shared weekends with Indycar where also all the 'Road to Indy' series are present there'll be hardly any gap in the schedule to add 2 one hour races + qualy + practice I would think.

The Laguna Seca finale weekend might be different - assuming it will be once again a shared weekend with the 'Road to Indy' series - because Indycar won't be there.

I'd expect 5 events for Sprint X/Blancpain US sprint series (in bold):

March 3-6 — Circuit of the Americas
March 11-13 — Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
April 15-17 — Grand Prix of Long Beach
April 22-24 — Barber Motorsport Park
May 19-22 — Canadian Tire Motorsports Park
May 27-28 — Lime Rock Park
June 23-26 — Road America
July 29-30 — Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
August — TBA
September 16-18 — Sonoma Raceway
October — Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Rcz · 18 Oct 2015, 23:42 (Ref:3583985)

I still don't see the point of SprintX.

The difference between a regular race and this is two drivers instead of one, a tire change, and 10 minutes..

Is that type of Blancpain sprint GT racing format really popular around the world?

Maybe if it was 100miles or better yet 200miles then sure that would be a good idea. But right now it's too similar to the regular races that PWC already does.

MaskedRacer · 18 Oct 2015, 23:46 (Ref:3583986)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rcz

I still don't see the point of SprintX.

The difference between a regular race and this is two drivers instead of one, a tire change, and 10 minutes..

Is that type of Blancpain sprint GT racing format really popular around the world?

Maybe if it was 100miles or better yet 200miles then sure that would be a good idea. But right now it's too similar to the regular races that PWC already does.

I've always liked the 2 driver, 1 hour format better than the 1 driver 50 minute one. Also remember that there won't be any GT cup class to deal with and I assume no standing starts. As long as Sprint X grids are at least 16 cars between 8 different makes then I'll watch! I bet they will have less safety car time than the standard PWC races.

Rcz · 19 Oct 2015, 04:07 (Ref:3584022)

A series shouldn't really have a two drivers setup unless it has enduros in its schedule. It just sounds like some Pro-Am gimmick.

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