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Old 18 Apr 2018, 02:28 (Ref:3816284)   #249
broadrun96
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Originally Posted by FormulaFox View Post
GT3 engines are capable of far more than you give them credit for. They're often talked about as the basis for low(relatively) cost LMP1 engines for a reason.

That said....



While you disagree on the reasoning for it, you seem to be ignoring that I'm making the same point on this matter.






The Trans Am fanbase may not be as big as it once was, but it does still exist. Trans Am lost a lot of it's following thanks to mismanagement in the wake of the manufacturer departure in the late 90s, true, but to act like there isn't a fanbase is...well, ignorant. Same with acting like there aren't any competitors, because the fact of the matter is if there werne't anyway, the series wouldn't be running.

Trans Am may not be up to it's former glory, but to say nobody's watching and nobody's participating is just...wrong. ESPECIALLY on the participation side.



And thus we get to the part of my point that it's starting to feel like is being DELIBERATELY ignored.

Yet in TA2, there are MANY teams that will tell you they'd love to be in TA1, but the budget for it simply doens't exist. Ask the fans that do attend and watch, and the majority will tell you that as much as they love TA2, they also want to see TA1 become a big deal again

Which brings us to this...



...which is a huge part of my point. Trans Am needs TA1, yet it's unsustainable in current situation. Thus, what you term as "TA1.5" becomes something that needs to be sought out.

It's not a problem just for TA, either - GT1 is one of the SCCA's weakest classes in participation(you woudn't know that from the Runoffs last year, but the entry requirements have been relaxed so much that NO class looked bad last year, even the eons everyone knows are on borrowed time), yet VERY few want to see it go away.

The is of upgrading TA2 cars, which I am now going to refer to as "TA1.5" for the sake of simplicity(though "TA1.8" would be more accurate to the potential of the upgrade [emoji14] ), has benefits beyond just the Trans Am Series. At the very least it could breathe life into a fading club class, and if the SCCA doesn't hold onto it too jealously it can be option for other series struggling with car counts that want cars that are near-GT3 quick but without the price tag.

TA1.5 is a necessary direction.
So everything you've said above is exactly what I'd said with a TA1.5 so what part are we ignoring? The part where TA1 just isn't sustainable, sorry but I READ a lot about the series and almost to a driver the word is 2 years at most and they're done, TA1 is just too expensive to justify racing. The part where TA2 isn't the future, well think you've answered, and the teams have definitely answered, there's no interest in running a TA1 program. Sorry, saying we'd love to but the budget means there's no chance. I'd love to run but the budget, wow there's one more driver added to the list of not happening either. As for attendance, sorry but Road Atlanta drew over 3 times as many for Ferrari clienti corse day and other tracks have reported miniscule to negligible attendance. And the streaming had been reported as barely reaching fans as expected. Even the owners have said things have to change and Tony is basically bankrolling the whole thing like GrandAm. It can't, and won't, last. The few can wish all they want but a TransAm is on its way out unless they realize first they're support racing, second they better be CHEAP, and third they are not a pro series any longer. It's Porsche GT3 for the elder crowd of drivers
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