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9 Feb 2010, 06:03 (Ref:2629687) | #1 | ||
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The future of Grand Am?
After a small grid for Daytona and a small entry list so far for Miami, it appears NASCAR may no longer be propping up their sportscar series, or can it still all be blamed on the economy? Add to that the rumours of Krohn and Gainsco going away courtesy of our furry friend the future is looking rather bleak from this outsiders point of view. Can anyone shed any more light? I would assume (perhaps incorrectly) that not all the entries are on the list for Miami, but 19 cars... ouch!
Subtract perhaps Gainsco and Krohn Possibly add: The RX8's from Sahlens and Dempsey? TRG cars? Tony Dowe's Ferrari(s) LG's Vettes Perhaps the ALMS Challenge classes are hurting the GA grid too? |
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9 Feb 2010, 06:33 (Ref:2629690) | #2 | ||
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I would say the economy is hurting GA and NASCAR, like everyone! Which might mean that NASCAR will focus more directly on their main product. Gainsco and Krohn (if) leaving do not help the matter, but I do not see GA dying unless NASCAR decides to abandon it.
Once again, the LMPC class in the ALMS is not helping GA, but it is not the proverbial straw either. L.P. |
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9 Feb 2010, 08:01 (Ref:2629708) | #3 | |||
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Add at least: 4-5 DPs (SunTrust, Brumos, Action Express, Level 5, and perhaps Beyer) 10 GT cars (5 Mazdas for Racer's Edge, Dempsey, Sahlen's, 2 or more Porsches from TRG, the PR1 BMW, the MCM GTO and one LG Vette and perhaps also another from Whelen). That's 33 to 35 cars overall and no substantial change to where they were last year. Now, if you wanna talk about Grand Am's future, how about their possible hook-up with DTM or the possibility of the new Peugeot LMP-engine showing up at Daytona next year, as twittered by Racecar Engineering!? |
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9 Feb 2010, 09:26 (Ref:2629737) | #4 | ||
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Gainsco & Krohn are both on the Miami list now. As SpeedKing says the entry lists are never final until the start of the meeting and there is a long time yet before the next race.
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9 Feb 2010, 13:27 (Ref:2629853) | #5 | |||
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i'd to see some sort of merger by the two American Road Racing Series...and by merger, i mean the GA selling rights to there cars and races/tracks to the ALMS, with the ALMS subsequently dumping or changing the DP. obviously, the ALMS don't have the money, and perhaps the desire to do so. i still wish there could be a "Thunder Saloon" or "Grand Touring on Steroids" series in the states. seems that the two big sportscar series could come up with something between them. |
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9 Feb 2010, 15:10 (Ref:2629922) | #6 | ||
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9 Feb 2010, 19:45 (Ref:2630121) | #7 | |||
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"On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think, 'Okay, this is the limit.' And so you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high." -Ayrton Senna |
9 Feb 2010, 19:50 (Ref:2630125) | #8 | ||
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that would work if i heard anything besides "the TA is dead and will remain that way". I supported the late TA the only i could; show up to a race. i was kinda thinking something similar to the Japanese Super GT....don't know what would work, but BIG LOAD and FAST is what i want; too much to ask for?
DPs were a good idea in theory but executed with complete lack thought. typical nascar. |
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"Knowing that it's in you and you never let it out Is worse than blowing any engine or any wreck you'll ever have." -Mike Cooley |
9 Feb 2010, 20:21 (Ref:2630150) | #9 | |
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You can talk Grand-Am car counts all you want. The fact is Grand-Am has virtually no fan base. After Daytona, which had disappointing attendance again this year (despite the annual "record crowd" nonsense press release by NASCAR), most races are very poorly attended. NASCAR will not continue to throw money at this series over the long-term. They are suffering serious revenue drops with their stock car series, and unless things change dramatically, don't think Grand-Am is a sure thing over the long-term. Then again, ALMS isn't a sure thing either. Or IRL.
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9 Feb 2010, 22:01 (Ref:2630229) | #10 | |||
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Exactly. ALMS can only wait, pray... and do their part right.
Quote:
I answered that here. |
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10 Feb 2010, 01:49 (Ref:2630344) | #11 | ||
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Presently, while the dominant Riley is built by an 'American coachbuilder', the only two remaining legit competitors for that car are built by Dallara (Italy) and Lola (UK), so that argument doesn't really fly.
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10 Feb 2010, 02:18 (Ref:2630354) | #12 | |||
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There is an angle that would appeal in a way to the tuner crowd, the garage builders, and also tie in somewhat with Nascar mania of the look being sort of like what is in someone's driveway, but with big performance and noise and flames. They wouldn't then have sort of dumb and dumpy looking protos that seem to have no real visual appeal to anyone. You would probably have some whacky variety of different makes and models, with even the same model looking different car-to-car. You could go to a race and have that sense of surprise and wonder when something boomed past for the first time--wow, what the heck is that? That is not within the realm of possibilty for Grand Am now, or for years to come except maybe in GT. (Oh, and I realize also not really possible for ALMS either). It would be a product differentiated from what ALMS has. It would pull nostalgia levers for old-time fans, and would potentially be interesting for a drop in casual fan. Trans Am on steriods. Bring back IMSA GTO/GTU. Crazy Robert... who won't sit by the phone waiting for Grand Am to call and buy my idea. |
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10 Feb 2010, 02:21 (Ref:2630355) | #13 | ||
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With those DTM rumors (from a very credible source, one might add) this might not be as unrealistic as it sounds on the first glance...
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10 Feb 2010, 04:29 (Ref:2630385) | #14 | ||
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you and i are on the complete same page, but call it the GTOS; GrandTouring on Steroids.
as you stated, you'd potentially have appeal from everywhere...the problem may be production cars that could be "Dr. Frankensteined" into homologation . |
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10 Feb 2010, 14:11 (Ref:2630632) | #15 | ||
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SCCA Trans-Am, Nascar East / West, IMSA Prototype Lites, Formula D, IndyCar 2012... there are more American coachbuilders and tuning companies than just Riley.
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10 Feb 2010, 21:00 (Ref:2630913) | #16 | ||
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Motoring Madness
That would be quite a feat as I don't think there are provisions in the G-A rulebook (at present) for diesel motors. G-A homologation could be a problem. .
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10 Feb 2010, 21:31 (Ref:2630944) | #17 | ||
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It's great to be here! |
10 Feb 2010, 21:48 (Ref:2630967) | #18 | ||
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10 Feb 2010, 21:52 (Ref:2630972) | #19 | ||
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The DTM rumours don't make much sense to me, unless one of DTM, or Grand Am changes their philosophies. I mean Grand Am is relatively low tech, and aimed at being relatively cost effective. DTM cars are high tech, and quite a bit more expensive. I could see DTM going to cheaper Tube Frames, but there isn't necessarily a need to tie in with Grand Am to do so. Would Grand Am become more "sedan" like in their top class?
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10 Feb 2010, 22:03 (Ref:2630980) | #20 | ||
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The economy of scale really does not justify building the cars in the states, with LMPC competitors able to buy the used '09 version of the ORECA if they want to. Carl's deal is for parts only.
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10 Feb 2010, 22:03 (Ref:2630982) | #21 | |||
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Here are some informations about DTM's new ruleset, imho that's not all that far removed from Grand Am's philosophy. Of course there is no need for DTM to look for a tie in with someone - but the fact that they are talking with SGT and Grand Am suggests that DTM would like to have one or more partner series as well. |
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10 Feb 2010, 22:06 (Ref:2630985) | #22 | ||
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10 Feb 2010, 22:11 (Ref:2630992) | #23 | ||
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Sounds a bit like a German CoT. Super GT has gone to a standard engine of 3.4 V8. The discussions with various sanctions could be interpreted in many ways, including just learning how other series have dealt with managing costs, to best implement them for their own series.
Whenever there is uniform rules, it does create a large sales base for the people making the cars, and a scale of economy... when the rules make sense. |
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11 Feb 2010, 00:42 (Ref:2631076) | #24 | |||
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I don't disagree that opening up the general LMP-C concept for either GARRA or the ALMS would be nice, but to some extent it may limit the ability (which already may be more limited than is being discussed) of the sanctioning body to meet the low purchase + operating cost target they are shooting for. In that sense, spec helps keep things cheaper. |
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11 Feb 2010, 11:49 (Ref:2631328) | #25 | ||
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For Nino. |
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