IMSA USCC in 2016 and 2017

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Put me in the camp who thinks that ALL rovals are garbage! Yes, even Daytona.

I tend to agree, but I've always liked the Daytona road course; simple, fast, good passing zones and something completely different. Outside of that, they are tough to like and have the appearance of square peg meeting a round hole.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

The URL for that photo suggests Charlotte in 2000, when Audi reverted to the R8R while the R8s were prepped for Le Mans. Either way, pretty lame. I don't really like rovals, and Daytona only gets a pass because of its history.

Good catch on the URL. The Google search result said Texas and I blindly believed it. But then again, both circuits are basically identical anyway lol.

[Maelochs]

IMSA should go for the real grass-roots fans and run some figure-8s.

[Matt]

The big money figure eight cars from the Midwest are aweeeeeeeesome.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Matt

Texas World is as good as Dead.

But it's doing pretty good as a zombie!

Seriously, it remains to be seen when it shuts down, in all fairness it might actually survive College Station's suburban expansion, although it would need a lot of updating.

Strangely enough, I find the place interesting!

[fieldodreams79]

I only really knew about Texas World from the Robert Earl Keen song.

I've since done some reading!

[Coach Ep]

sounds HPD wants to come up with a DPi but not sure if in time for the Rolex 2017:

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/12616...emand-for-2017

Guess they can always let MSR and others run current Ligiers before having them switch to the new DPi later in the season (probably after Daytona and possibly Sebring) next year.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

sounds HPD wants to come up with a DPi but not sure if in time for the Rolex 2017:

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/12616...emand-for-2017

Guess they can always let MSR and others run current Ligiers before having them switch to the new DPi later in the season (probably after Daytona and possibly Sebring) next year.

But the current cars will be nowhere compared to the new ones, which will have more power.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by BullMan

But the current cars will be nowhere compared to the new ones, which will have more power.

But there is this handy little tool called BOP! Besides, purportedly the WSC cars have more HP, as it stands, compared to their ACO/FIA brethren.








L.P.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

But there is this handy little tool called BOP! Besides, purportedly the WSC cars have more HP, as it stands, compared to their ACO/FIA brethren.

And IMSA has already said there will be no BoPing of the 2016 cars to the 2017 cars, so that won't work.

[Makaze]

NSX GT3 in GTD next year with factory backing.

Run in PWC first later this year.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by BullMan

And IMSA has already said there will be no BoPing of the 2016 cars to the 2017 cars, so that won't work.

They also expected to have the rules package worked out with the ACO/FIA by this time. They can do what ever is necessary to keep the teams and OEMs on target for the transition, so yes it can work out. What will happen is yet to be determined, as what is needed for a transition to rules that still have yet to be fully worked out is a moving target at this point!





L.P.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

They also expected to have the rules package worked out with the ACO/FIA by this time. They can do what ever is necessary to keep the teams and OEMs on target for the transition, so yes it can work out. What will happen is yet to be determined, as what is needed for a transition to rules that still have yet to be fully worked out is a moving target at this point!

This has nothing to do with the fact that the old cars will not be leveled with the new ones.

[Coach Ep]

Yes, it has.

As time starts running out on getting the new cars under the new rules package fully prepared for the Rolex '17, IMSA might be (or rather: feel itself) forced to come up with (additional) temporary BoP measures to create a more level playing (not necessarily completely level) to provide a smoother transition period and keep their stakeholders pleased.

[Coach Ep]

As also mentioned in the PWC and GT3 threads:

http://www.racer.com/pwc/item/126195...eiling-nsx-gt3

Wonder if this will affect HPD's (rumored) intention to go DPi next season?

[airbusA346]

O’Gara Motorsport Ceases Operations.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/og...es-operations/

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

O’Gara Motorsport Ceases Operations.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/og...es-operations/

Glad to hear Townsend and Bill are going to try to find someone to run the car this year.

[Lanky Turtle]

Crazy that this has happened to them 2 times now in 3 years.

[Accident]

It's also been 5 teams (counting Level 5) in 4 years for them. Hop teams around like that and I suppose you are more at risk when it comes to landing someplace that is less... "stable."

It's actually something I've wondered about. Sweedler was with AJR for a few years, but since then they have jumped around. Do they just shop around for the cheapest ride to buy or have there been disagreements with any of the teams or...?

Barring the Level 5 incident, I don't feel like any of their previous teams have let them down. They didn't even stick with the team that they won a championship with.

[Rcz]

Hopefully Honda along with Lexus will eventually move their factory efforts from GT3/D to GTLM in IMSA in the coming years.

[PointDSM]

I personally don't think they will have to, as GTLM will morph into GT3 Pro/Am. The question is when will the shift back to GT1 occur? At this rate, we will be at GT5 in 6 years.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by PointDSM

I personally don't think they will have to, as GTLM will morph into GT3 Pro/Am. The question is when will the shift back to GT1 occur? At this rate, we will be at GT5 in 6 years.

I for one aint complaining too much. I think we are in a golden age of GT racing as they said on "The Great GT Debate" on Radio Le Mans. Just a few things I like to see though in relation to IMSA:

-More races were GTLM and LMPC are split apart from each other. Preferably all GT events. More than just VIR
-Get Nissan, Cadillac, Bentley, Mercedes, and McLaren in the series somehow someway. And Aston Martin full time again.
-Marketing Marketing Marketing! There still is not enough of it. We got a good product here folks. Get the word out.

Still however don't look too far into the future because 2016 GT racing is something to cherish I think. Still going to miss having Falken around and Vipers in GTLM. Although maybe we'll get Flying Lizard in GTLM in 2017 with Toyo tires.

[TF110]

I think gt3 will become so popular that GTE will eventually evolve to accept it with some minor modifications. There's too many manufacturer's in the class to ignore.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by TF110

I think gt3 will become so popular that GTE will eventually evolve to accept it with some minor modifications. There's too many manufacturer's in the class to ignore.

GT Convergence, it has been tried, it failed. Its been obvious for so many years how similar GT3 and GT2/GTE is in performance, but yet so very different in what they are targeting.

The BMW M6 in GTLM and GT3 is the first "product" in the spirit of what GT Convergence was supposed to be, pure factory car for GTE (GTLM) and cheaper customer car for GT3, sharing the same platform but with two different targets in price and development.

It is the way to go for the future, we can only hope more manufacturers follow. Would have been great to see a GT3 version of the Ford GT with lower price and less development (i.e not as high tech), but sharing the same platform.

[Deleted]

The two are almost identical in philosophy now. The only reason LMGTE is kept alive today is because ACO doesn't want Ratel's brainchild to race at the 24 Hours, they want to have their "own" . And manufacturer/participants obviously want to keep it as it's the only way to enter Le Mans, whether they liked it or not. The often heard reasoning that the direct factories somehow couldn't race GT3s is just an excuse, as they are obviously there as well in many events, just masqueraded under some customer team branding.