Grand-Am Laguna Seca

Danske · 6 May 2006, 00:06 (Ref:1601517)

Entry list, schedule, T&S, results, etc.:
http://www.grandamerican.com/Events/Event.asp?ID=162

AJR's Porsche Crawford has been quickest in both practice sessions so far, but only by a hair. They were 82ms faster than Ganassi's Lexus Riley in the first session and 16ms faster than Finlay #19 Ford Crawford in the second session.

The GT class has some new players, it seems at the moment. The Stevenson Corvette had shown some speed at the end of VIR and in the first session at Laguna was third fastest behind a TRG GTO.R and the Tafel Porsche pilotted by Liddell and Henzler. Pratt & Miller apparently actually sold PCM all the correct parts to their GTO.R as PCM was fastest in the second session.

Anyway, bunches of cars racing around Laguna Seca this weekend without a huge favorite for the win in either class arising so far.

Danske · 6 May 2006, 14:56 (Ref:1601777)

On the PCM GTO.R:

Quote:

"To be honest, we just set up our car like TRG has theirs," said Empringham. "So we can't really boast. We went testing and we somehow led ourselves in the wrong direction from feedback from the car. We came here totally different from them (TRG) not trying to be different but just trusting what we felt in testing. We struggled so badly the last two days and finally put their setup on our car. Now it feels awesome.

Heh. The factory suggested setup is good? Say it ain't so!

okeefe · 7 May 2006, 22:07 (Ref:1602846)

I'm a new watcher of this; and started watching it because Antoine Bessette is racing in it. Looks good so far to me!

JAG · 7 May 2006, 22:54 (Ref:1602873)

Any idea when it's on UK TV.

I've enjoyed watching the few races that've been on.

Beats watching Busch NASCAR and the 'Extreme' Sports crap they usually show on late night Channel 5!

Danske · 8 May 2006, 03:03 (Ref:1602949)

Well shucks, the timing of the first FCY left only the top four in GT on the same lap, killing the chances of the Stevenson Vette, the PCM GTO.R, and the Mazda. Just the two TRG GTO.Rs, the Henzler/Liddell Porsche and the Hunter-Reay/James Porsche were fighting for the GT win after that. Okay, those were also the GT cars with the four fastest best laps, so maybe it's not a tragedy, but it would have been nice if the others had had more of a shot.

I think I heard that the gravel traps have been "improved" at Laguna Seca this year for MotoGP, and it seems they're deeper and softer. Scott Pruett rightly drove all the way back to an access road through the gravel because it looks like he never would have gotten moving again if he had come to a stop. Several shots in the broadcast had cars resting in the gravel with their driven wheels spinning in dug holes. I can't quite tell if some of the turns would benefit from paved runoff areas, but I'd guess the slower turns of T2 and T11 might be good candidates. I could be wrong and Laguna's traps aren't any worse than before, but it's still annoying if any car that comes to a stop however far away from the tire barriers or however near the track going however slowly becomes immobilized in the gravel.

Anyway, it a way it's a shame that AJR had their shifting-related problem. I'm not going to be more specific until I read in the press release exactly what it was.

SunTrust had the fastest race lap the way the race played out and it could have been interesting to see them have a fight with AJR had AJR not fallen seven laps down with that mechanical difficulty and had reason to race hard for last hour.

Oh, and if that Sigalsport BMW had not altered the Gainsco DP's rear bodywork it also would have nice to see if Gurney could have bettered Angelelli at the end.

Fiorentina 1 · 8 May 2006, 06:09 (Ref:1603018)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danske

Oh, and if that Sigalsport BMW had not altered the Gainsco DP's rear bodywork it also would have nice to see if Gurney could have bettered Angelelli at the end.

It looked like he was trying to pass him. That was obviously not Auberlen driving at the time.

chocmonster7 · 8 May 2006, 11:23 (Ref:1603232)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

Any idea when it's on UK TV.

Ch5 are showing highlights of the previous round at VIR very early tomorrow (Tuesday 9th) morning, 5.30am I think so set your video!

The Laguna coverage will probably be on in a couple of weeks.

neiltbag · 8 May 2006, 16:49 (Ref:1603495)

This was my first time seeing the Rolex series "in the flesh" and I have to say that I was very entertained. I still think they're goofy little cars, but it's great racing. People get too caught up in the ALMS vs. Rolex concept, whereas they should see that far from being two sides of the same coin, it's not even the same currency! The Rolex series is very "American" and the rules make for tight racing with more down-to-earth technology. It's not a technological expose, unlike ALMS, but that's never really been something American audiences value.

I still prefer the grace and technology of the ACO's formulae worldwide, but am pleased I have another national sportscar race series to go see that's got close racing and large grids.

In regards to the gravel traps, they appeared to be significantly deeper and were MUCH larger. I'm actually more of a bike fan than a car fan, but even I feel that the MotoGP influence has done some damage to the track. Hopefully they'll "adjust" the gravel traps after MotoGP and before ALMS, by reducing the depth at least.

Dutton · 11 May 2006, 23:18 (Ref:1606471)

I missed the race, sadly, as I was occupied in Ottawa (and travelling back to Calgary).

I am keeping my eyes open for Speed repeats, though, as I am sure they will happen sometime.

I presume the Grand-Am Cup race hasn't been shown yet? The VIR w/e one seemed to get shown a week after the Rolex Sportcars was (i.e. a week late).

Danske · 12 May 2006, 03:19 (Ref:1606586)

The Rolex Laguna race had its one reshow on Monday.

Both the Phoenix and Laguna GAC races are scheduled to be shown this weekend on Speed and will have some repeats.

Dutton · 12 May 2006, 03:57 (Ref:1606602)

Bummer, only one repeat of the Laguna race. Damn.

Oh, well...

Danske · 12 May 2006, 05:03 (Ref:1606622)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutton

Bummer, only one repeat of the Laguna race. Damn.

I don't think there were any repeats last year, so that's one more than usual. Long Beach had two repeats, but it was only a 90-minute race. No repeats for the Six Hours of the Glen, but it's live and uninterrupted.

Dutton · 12 May 2006, 06:25 (Ref:1606682)

Uninterrupted?

I presume you mean one 6-hour programme, rather than no ads?

Anyway, that is immense. I will have to set aside 6 hours and a 6-pack for that one.

Danske · 12 May 2006, 15:42 (Ref:1607155)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutton

Uninterrupted?

I presume you mean one 6-hour programme, rather than no ads?

Anyway, that is immense. I will have to set aside 6 hours and a 6-pack for that one.

Right. In previous years either Watkins Glen or Mont-Tremblant have been interrupted by a stupid pointy-car race.

Hmm, Speed seems to have scheduled a six-hour slot exactly. I presume they'll either fix that or they'll run over into Speed News.

Dutton · 18 May 2006, 23:51 (Ref:1613869)

Well, unless there is a red it won't run over? The races are run by time, not laps, I thought...

TWK · 19 May 2006, 00:57 (Ref:1613885)

Quote:

Originally Posted by neiltbag

This was my first time seeing the Rolex series "in the flesh" and I have to say that I was very entertained. I still think they're goofy little cars, but it's great racing. People get too caught up in the ALMS vs. Rolex concept, whereas they should see that far from being two sides of the same coin, it's not even the same currency! The Rolex series is very "American" and the rules make for tight racing with more down-to-earth technology. It's not a technological expose, unlike ALMS, but that's never really been something American audiences value.

I'm sorry, I must have been at a different race. I kept nodding off at the interminable yellows, and everytime there was a green (until they had a linkage problem), AJR ran away from the field. Close racing, indeed. The only way that race was close was that idiotic driving limited green flag racing to just 79 minutes out of two hours and 45 minutes.

Perhaps you are just very easy to entertain. "American"? What, because they bash each other all over the track instead of racing? Embarassing.

Danske · 19 May 2006, 02:51 (Ref:1613908)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutton

Well, unless there is a red it won't run over? The races are run by time, not laps, I thought...

With a six-hour timeslot exactly the broadcast would have to start with the green flag exactly on the hour and then even if the winner crossed the line at exactly 6:00:00.001 you'd end the broadcast without knowing the finishing order of the rest of the cars exactly, and with no time for a rundown of the results or post-race interviews.

Hmm...I suppose the race could start before the broadcast timeslot and be edited down to fit in six hours and still show the start and leave time for post-race, but boo!

Danske · 20 May 2006, 21:01 (Ref:1615197)

Oh, there's another opinion/account of the Laguna gravel at: http://www.sportscarpros.com/across-...lt/default.htm

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