Quote:
Originally Posted by jjvincent
I find it hard to believe that they can't run GT3 and GT4 at every track that SCCA Club or NASA runs at. This is a regional series where you learn the SRO way of racing then try out your hand at the big time when they come to town. It becomes a ladder series like they do in Europe. I know that NJMP might not be what you'd want to see for the big time pro GT3 and GT4 teams at but it's more than suffice for the regional series. Plus some of the tracks that are not on the IMSA or PWC calendar is where most teams test and thus, if they test there, those tracks must be able to handle the speed that GT3 and GT4 cars run at today.
Forget about shop built cars. Shops are not smart enough any more and it doesn't work in the overall plan for the SRO anyway. As we all know, GT3 and GT4 are for major manufacturers that build lots of cars, not the one off shops. Plus it's impossible to BoP those cars because if someone builds a better Camaro or Porsche than the factory and you let them get away with it, the sponsorship money goes away. Nobody wants that.
As for TC, TCR and TCA, they are just a nuisance and the SRO needs to tell them to take a hike or just upgrade to GT3 or GT4. We don't need those low buck teams just lowering the bar of professionalism in the paddock. They can run Trans-Am if they want to.
Plus, isn't PWC running a race at a NASCAR track? That's not supposed to happen according to the intranets.
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First, have you seen the prices of GT3 and even GT4 cars? WAY above what most SCCA and NASA guys are running. The reason why Mazda runs the ads about more racing racing every day is because they are half the field at some events. There aren't many newer cars and I've looked at the entry lists for both SCCA and NASA this season. There are a lot of TA based cars, and touring cars mixed with lots of MX-5s and BMWs. Not exactly a group looking to drop 250k on their car, never mind new costs of GT3s. And many of the tracks they test at are great for that, testing. They are terrible club circuits not built for wheel to wheel action. No one wants to actually race at Atlanta Motorsports (they call themselves a motorsports country club) or Roebling Road (great camera shots but not so great for racing) in high power GT cars.
Shop built cars are what powers most of the SCCA non-MX-5 cup based cars. There's a rule book, show us your car and we'll find you a class to race and rules you have to follow. You're also assuming there's sponsorship opportunities out for this many cars, where? GTD/CTSCC and WC teams can't find sponsors for GT3 and GT4 as it is, now we're adding more regional series with the same cars, same running costs; possible decrease in travel but still have the hotel and food bills whether you're 4 hours or 12 hours away. You're not getting 5 buddies together to wrench on a GT4, and you surely aren't buying parts anywhere but the dealer counter anymore. Those teams and drivers running for fun in both series aren't going to step up because SRO says you have to, they'll just stop racing or go to the local dirt track
And where do you get the idea the TCR teams and cars are somehow lower than GT4? Most of the cars are damn near identical in pricing and factory support so where's the lower professionalism? And most of the US based teams, although I find it in poor taste for an 'affordable' option, have factory backing in some way. Pull the factory cash and I think you'll lose that entire class. Or is it just front wheel drive bothers you but you can't be man enough to actually say it and hide behind blatantly bs claims about teams.
Finally PWC is running at one ISC owned track and they have been running on a long term deal as Watkins Glen is NOT supported by ISC as much as the others in the fold. In fact they, the actual track through the gate without ISC contribution, have paid to run Indy cars and have done all of the Indy promotion work because they are damn close to broke every year. Daytona?? That's not even a starter. We've seen how well the WC guys build a roval so let's not pretend any of the other tracks are even considered. The IMSA managed tracks/lease, Road Atlanta does not have that cash flow at all, they are booked most every weekend and often during the week as well. Sebring is not always available, but testing does happen a great so debatable but it seems IMSA holds the lease there.
And yes, I read a great deal about racing and why things happen the way they do. Your ideas that somehow the European model of regional GT series taking hold in the US just aren't based in reality. There's not even close to the same number of series here running GT cars, 2 IMSA and PWC, as Europe, Blancpain GT, British GT, multiple GT4 series, GT Open, ADAC GT Masters and I'm sure I'm missing a few and then the touring car series (i counted 10 in Europe) as PWC and CTSCC are using similar cars. And the big 2 series, to the average person Indy and NASCAR have a had enough time finding cash so what scraps do you think will fuel a GT revolution through the Americas without Sebring and Daytona as their 12/24 hour races? COTA and McNeil family racing track both have noise curfews so there's limited running at both and a broken up Creventic 24 hour race at COTA. I don't know the rules for Road America and think a true enduro there would sell like candy to kids but there's been some rumbling and anger toward the owners' new event pricing and policies. Listening to most of the teams in IMSA those 2 events are a big draw, yes a huge cost but a big draw for their cash rich owners/drivers.
I'd love it if there was another big camping event, and more GT cars at Road Atlanta but I just can't see it there and the best weekends of the year are taken. I love the track but May-September are right out, not happening unless you HATE your fans. That might be why they run the Drift events in June and August. And just before and just after that time frame are their two big events of the year so there has to be separation.
The best PWC, and on the fence sprint vs enduro GT3 teams, can hope for is a consistent rulebook and penalties with better publicity. But at the rate they're going the tape delayed broadcast on channel 2000 on the specialty sports networks aren't going to sell it to sponsors. Great, they've added satellite radio coverage except last race wasn't on the channel they claimed and I didn't find it. And I wanted to listen, not catching a new fan that way. Get that going, build a good response and you have the ear of a BIG company with big hands in the motorsports pie with Liberty Media. Show you aren't worth it and they'll drop ya like old fish.