Grand-Am 2011 Discussion

[joeb]

Does anybody know why they run 2 races at the Glen? Is it really popular, or just a good market to advertise in?

[Speed-King]

Limited number of good tracks, I would supposse.
And the 6 hour race is a bit of a tradition, whereas the NASCAR weekend should (theoretically) result in better than average crowds.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by joeb

Does anybody know why they run 2 races at the Glen? Is it really popular, or just a good market to advertise in?

Because ISC told them to?

Somewhat sorry to see the summer Daytoner race go away. When they ran it at night after Cup qualifying they had a built in crowd. When they ran it during the heat of the day, like last year, no one showed up.

[TF110]

I actually think they run two different lay-outs of the 'Glen'. Didn't they do so this year? There's a Nascar layout that they race on the same weekend, and then there's another layout, I think without the chicanes?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TF110

I actually think they run two different lay-outs of the 'Glen'. Didn't they do so this year? There's a Nascar layout that they race on the same weekend, and then there's another layout, I think without the chicanes?

Yeah, they race the long course at the 6 hours... it's with the chicane, but also with "the boot"...

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Whatever happened to IMS 'being on' for 2011?, but I guess that was just another typical Murphy rumour that didn't happen, just like Mid Ohio, Road America and Lime Rock being dropped from ALMS.

Do you believe that Murphy invented those rumors? I believe it's possible that those things were discussed somewhere, he heared them, then were dropped.

[joeb]

The official test days for GA begin today at VIR. It will be the first time teams get to use the new Continental tires.

[Jonerz]

How much different are the Continentals than the last generation Hoosiers?

Chris

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

How much different are the Continentals than the last generation Hoosiers?

Chris

I don't know, but the latest tires were Pirellis. I guess they are going to be committing their resources elsewhere and didn't want to renew their GA contract.

I guess another question is, what does it matter how different they are since it is a spec tire. I understand it will have an impact on setup for the teams, but once that gets figured out, I have a feeling the familiar team will be at the top.

[Speed-King]

I don't know, but the latest tires were Pirellis. I guess they are going to be committing their resources elsewhere and didn't want to renew their GA contract.

Not quite. From what I've read, GA had some additional requirements that Pirelli wasn't ready to meet.

I guess another question is, what does it matter how different they are since it is a spec tire. I understand it will have an impact on setup for the teams, but once that gets figured out, I have a feeling the familiar team will be at the top.

It's in so far significant, that much of the Porsche-controversy in GT last year was due to Pirelli's inability or unwillingness to develop a tire that was acceptable for the Porsches. Grand Am gave Porsche a number of rulesbreaks, but that wasn't enough to clean up the tire situation. So if Continental can come up with a tire that suits the Porsches as well as the other GT-cars (and early indications are it will) that could play a huge role in determining the GT-field of 2011.

Best story of the day so far: there might be an Action Express/Flying Lizard's DP in the 24h:

Neiman to Test With Action Express (Updated at 10:45 a.m. ET Tuesday, Oct. 19)
Seth Neiman, driver and team principal for Flying Lizard Motorsports in the American Le Mans Series, is at VIR to drive a Daytona Prototype for the first time. He and Darren Law - his regular co-driver in the ALMS - will share the No. 58 Porsche/Riley, powered by a Porsche flat-six engine. This is the same car that Law co-drove to victory in the 2008 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
"Darren has been my co-driver in the No. 44 Porsche since 2007, and he's always told me the DPs were fun to drive," Neiman said. "This test is a great opportunity to have some fun before we got down to serious work preparing for next season. We have no plans yet for the Rolex 24, but we are considering it."

AEX will have two cars for the full season, but they have three at the test, so this might hint at an additional car for Daytona. With up to five drivers allowed at Daytona, even with Neimann in the car, they might have a chance at coming out on top... and Bergmeister has shown that he can drive the wheels off a DP before...

[Jonerz]

The idea of the Lizards getting in a DP would be pretty sweet. I don't know if I'd prefer the Lizard livery or the Action Express one.

Chris

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

The idea of the Lizards getting in a DP would be pretty sweet. I don't know if I'd prefer the Lizard livery or the Action Express one.

Chris

With two AEX-cars already there, easily the Lizards'....

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

It's in so far significant, that much of the Porsche-controversy in GT last year was due to Pirelli's inability or unwillingness to develop a tire that was acceptable for the Porsches. Grand Am gave Porsche a number of rulesbreaks, but that wasn't enough to clean up the tire situation. So if Continental can come up with a tire that suits the Porsches as well as the other GT-cars (and early indications are it will) that could play a huge role in determining the GT-field of 2011.

Can the same tire work well for all of the different types of cars in GT? I would think that the optimal tire for a rear engined car would be different from a tube frame front engined Camaro or Mazda. I guess they could make a compromise tire that is ok for both, but not great for either.

Does Continental provide a single compound for the entire season, or are they allowed to make changes throughout the year, as I'm sure racing on the oval at Daytona is a lot different than running on a traditional road circuit.

[chernaudi]

This may be a bit off topic, but one thing that I've been wondering for a few years is that NASCAR, though Jim France and ISC, own controling interest in Grand Am (the certianly own at least 90% of GA) that NASCAR might be testing tire supplier for if Goodyear ever withdraws from NASCAR.

I know that Goodyear has a long-term contract with NASCAR, but we all know that Goodyear has had issues with NASCAR on the tire front with quality control issues that were made far worse by track resurfacing procedues at Charoltte and Indy, and agressive chassis set ups. Goodyear is OK financially, but not making a lot of noise either, espeically on the motorsports front. It was rumored in '05 that Michelin though BF Goodrich or Bridgestone though Firestone could supply NASCAR before Goodyear renewed their contract.

Hoosier was also always a possiblity, but they were though out much of this ordeal (more on that later) a relatively small company, but in '88-89 and '94, they were the "little company that could" as well, and supplied Grand Am from '05-06.

My question is that if Goodyear ever withdraws from NASCAR, could Grand Am be scoping out potential tire suppliers for NASCAR's top three divisions? Pirelli could've been a good choice, but they withdrew from Grand Am to go F1 racing. But this is where Hoosier comes back in. Hoosier is owned by General Tire, which is owned by Continental, in the same why that Goodyear is a significant share holder with Sumitomo, which owns Dunlop and Falken.

Goodyear seems to have a NASCAR endorsed monopoly on stockcar tires as far as NASCAR goes, but could Grand Am, with what they know about Hoosier/Continental and Pirelli be in a position to assist NASCAR to search for a tire supplier should Goodyear withdraw?

I appologize for hijacking this thread, but I think that Grand Am being NASCAR owned and not using the same tire suppliers since 2004 to me seems to have something behind it, and not just that Goodyear is focusing on NASCAR, and that Grand Am is essentally going back to an old brand of tire supplier.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Doesn't Flying Lizards Motorsports already partner with TRG Motorsports for the Rolex 24 in GT?

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Doesn't Flying Lizards Motorsports already partner with TRG Motorsports for the Rolex 24 in GT?

Yes but if Seth enjoys his time in a "prototype" perhaps he will eventually step up and buy a Lola coupe (or two) to run LMP2 in his beloved ALMS. GT2 is getting to be the manufacturers' playground so the new LMP2 could be more his speed as a wealthy privateer. More seat time for the guys who write the cheques is always good to keep them hooked too.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Doesn't Flying Lizards Motorsports already partner with TRG Motorsports for the Rolex 24 in GT?

They did this year, but there has been so far no indication that they would do so this year...

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

GT2 is getting to be the manufacturers' playground

And the Lizards are the closest thing to being a factory team , without being the factory . Same goes for Risi .

I think the Lizards do very well indeed . Remember that the 997 is not long in the tooth , so dont expect too much from it . Although around the world this year , it did rather good .

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Pirelli could've been a good choice, but they withdrew from Grand Am to go F1 racing.

No. Pirelli became F1 and GP2 suppplier by dropping from the World Rally Championship. And they dropped the Grand-Am Rolex Series in favor of the SCCA World Challenge.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

No. Pirelli became F1 and GP2 suppplier by dropping from the World Rally Championship. And they dropped the Grand-Am Rolex Series in favor of the SCCA World Challenge.

That's one way to read it. The other is that Grand Am dropped Pirelli and Pirelli decided that they could make a buck by selling their leftover GA tires to World Challenge teams -or rather re-use that design, as to recoup their developement costs.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by The Badger

And the Lizards are the closest thing to being a factory team , without being the factory . Same goes for Risi .

Very good point. Supposedly only the drivers are supplied but those teams always seem to have the latest trick parts, surely there must be way more support (financial & technical) behind the scenes. Look how hard they went after the title in the ALMS this year.
Back on topic, will Grand Am have any regulations to keep the costs of these new GT3 cars under control? FIA GT3 is already starting to get very expensive car wise. GT3 could end up being a spending race on both sides of the Atlantic, save that for GT2. Keep GT3 with at least one gentleman driver.

[Speed-King]

Keep GT3 with at least one gentleman driver.

Gentleman driver - or rather non-pro-drivers - don't prevent spending races...

Just judging from Conti Challenge vs Euro GT4, Grand Am is doing a pretty good job at keeping the rules creep at a reasonable level.

[Canada ALMS fan]

^and the "Conti Challenge" provides some great racing too.

[Speed-King]

First pics of the new Mustang:

http://www.grand-am.com/photos/183509/GALLERY_LARGE.jpg

http://www.grand-am.com/photos/183508/GALLERY_LARGE.jpg

[TF110]

Looks better than that awful Camaro that runs. It swallows the tires. I think the camaro is a very nice shaped car, it's just TOO big IMO. This Mustang looks worlds better.