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28 Jul 2010, 17:11 (Ref:2734701) | #1 | |||
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Gordon Kirby, The Way it is. The ALMS searches for a new direction
Quote:
http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no246.html |
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28 Jul 2010, 17:18 (Ref:2734706) | #2 | ||
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Good stuff, as always, from Kirby! Thanks.
L.P. |
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28 Jul 2010, 17:30 (Ref:2734714) | #3 | ||
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Thanks for posting that Fogelhund. Kirby's pieces are always great but I'm not in the habit of checking his site.
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28 Jul 2010, 17:31 (Ref:2734715) | #4 | ||
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Two Highcroft cars with factory support? Why would the rest of the prototype grid even bother to show up?
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28 Jul 2010, 17:42 (Ref:2734720) | #5 | ||
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It is pretty amazing that Dayton was the first team owner to present a business plan for his team to the ALMS.
Maybe he should teach a class that other team owners can sign up for |
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28 Jul 2010, 17:58 (Ref:2734732) | #6 | ||
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Duncan loves to harp on about that point, but he is very correct in saying that having a business plan for the series is crucial, partly because it makes the business plans entrants should have feasible. His acumen in that respect makes me forgive him for sometimes running his mouth (like last week!).
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28 Jul 2010, 18:50 (Ref:2734757) | #7 | |
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Lots of fine words but I do think this rules stability argument is a bit of a red herring.
Take Dyson for example, they ran the MG Lola AER for years and reached a stage were they could challenge Joest and Champion Audi. They switched to the presumably very expensive RS Spyders and never got the best out of the cars before returning to Lola and AER. Looking to 2011 and beyond Dyson could quite conceivably be running a version of the AER and Lola chassis for a decade. Nothing would be better for the series than for Dyson to join Highcroft and commit two P1 cars for the 2011 season. Put on a united front and start planning for 2011 now. I'd also bump the LMPC's upto P2 and you'd have a great base to build upon. Please don't run a combined LMP class as it disincentivizes the likes of Highcroft and potential new entrants from investing in new P1 cars. It also makes it very difficult for entrants to embrace the new cost effective P2 regs if you are expecting them to compete for overall wins rather than letting them get their own thing going with the current LMPC cars. |
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28 Jul 2010, 20:19 (Ref:2734801) | #8 | |||
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Quote:
Go back over some of the 2007 and 2008 races, Calvin Fish mentioned this several times. As for full prepared teams, none is more fully prepared than Duncan's operation. CMK what did he say last weekend? I don't think I caught it. If your talking about his view of what happen between David and Klaus, I dunno, I let it go over my head. Atherton laughed at Ducan with his "business plan" because the likes of "Solo Al", Ex-NFL Quarterbacks, The Fields and Autocon. The last two who treat it as a "weekend out" with our expensive toys. |
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29 Jul 2010, 18:26 (Ref:2735364) | #9 | |||
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It is why Andretti Austosport's "Business Plan" in the IRl will always include four cars...more data to make all of their cars better, varied race strategies to provide added opportunities for wins, the high profiles of their drivers who will represent the sponsor well, just to name a few... Once the potential sponsor feels the team is a "winner," that is when the whole maximization of activation of that sponsorship via their partnership comes into play. Four cars in the IRL isn't cheap, but they do it...every year... I find it ironic that Scott Atherton would actually "Laugh" at such a notion...no wonder the ALMS is having numerous issues with entries, big sponsors, etc... Their arrogance has to be turning people off... BTW, Scott...Who brough Patron to ALMS??? Highcroft...the guys with a "Business Plan" But of course, ALMS does have an "Official Cheese" for the series...make that "Cheese Product," since that partner actually provides Cheese Curd, which is not considered "real" cheese in places like, as an example, Wisconsin. Last edited by Tim Northcutt; 29 Jul 2010 at 19:00. |
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28 Jul 2010, 18:19 (Ref:2734747) | #10 | ||
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29 Jul 2010, 20:49 (Ref:2735452) | #11 | |
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You don't really believe that Penske, Dyson, AJR, Rahal Letterman, Andretti Green and the rest go racing without a business plan, do you?
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29 Jul 2010, 21:10 (Ref:2735467) | #12 | ||
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I was just commenting on the article. I assume the others have plans, but I guess they never shared theirs with the series like duncon did
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28 Jul 2010, 20:36 (Ref:2734813) | #13 | |
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Great! They should have been thinking this way two years ago.
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28 Jul 2010, 21:49 (Ref:2734847) | #14 | ||
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Spot on. At least they're thinking about it now though, there is plenty of potential in sporty-car racin' and particularly the ALMS. Hopefully 2009, 2010, and (2011?) will be a blip on the radar in terms of (thin) prototype fields and the ALMS can grow, live long and prosper if that's not too corny.
Chris |
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28 Jul 2010, 21:44 (Ref:2734844) | #15 | |||
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Back on topic, IMSA did the rules stabiltiy deal from '04-'06 with some performance balancing in '06. I doubt that this will get the ACO to throw out their proposed 2011 rules package, besides, they're already proposing rules for 2014/15 and don't even have the offical 2011 rules published yet! Sometimes, I think that IMSA's talking to a wall with the ACO, who seem to forget that rules developed for a single 24 hour race don't always work for a multi-race sprint race series, and maybe the issues with the LMS might be convincing them of that fact. |
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28 Jul 2010, 22:03 (Ref:2734853) | #16 | ||||
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Quote:
Quote:
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28 Jul 2010, 23:34 (Ref:2734881) | #17 | ||
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It essentally happened in all but name in '07-08.
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2 Aug 2010, 00:24 (Ref:2737870) | #18 | ||
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And yet, after what was one of the most phenomenal ALMS seasons, they felt compelled to rein in the P2 class and that sealed the fate of the past 3 seasons. The Spyder vs the Acura vs the R10 was a magical year. About the only time prior to that season that matched the intensity was when the Dyson AER Lolas went toe to toe with the rules reduced R8.
I have to say, basing this on my foggy memory, the most enjoyable race I can recall was Mosport in 07 or 08 when Franchitti in the Acura was chasing the Penske Spyder and the way those two cars cut through traffic was amazing. Heck, I don't even remember who won that year, I just remember that first 45 minutes of blitzkrieg racing. dh |
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29 Jul 2010, 18:45 (Ref:2735375) | #19 | ||
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Stop harping on my NY made cheese please, it may not be "real" but their buffalo wing cheese is soooo good!
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29 Jul 2010, 19:17 (Ref:2735388) | #20 | ||
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29 Jul 2010, 19:50 (Ref:2735411) | #21 | |||
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Quote:
I couldn't care less about "Cheese Curds"...I care about sportscar racing in North America and where this same series is going in the future. |
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29 Jul 2010, 20:58 (Ref:2735459) | #22 | |||
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Arrogance? And in what way was the humor (laughing) given? Do you know? Or is it just asumptive that it was sardonic in nature? Assumptions can be a bit_h. L.P. |
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29 Jul 2010, 21:42 (Ref:2735487) | #23 | |
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It seems to be in vogue to proclaim the ALMS broken and suggest all sorts of radical changes.
As I see it the problems were apparent at the hight of the Audi, Porsche and Acura battles with the lack of LMP privateers. That's in the past though so it's no use going over old ground. Right now what the series needs is to make some pro-active decisions rather trying to patch things over. The GT only idea is admirable and bold but you would be jumping onto the GT bandwagon when it's red hot and due to implode (if not managed very carefully). As I have said Highcroft are showing faith in the series with intentions to run two P1's. Dyson are also commited and every effort possible should be made to help them get two cars on the grid for 2011. P2 is poised to boom like GT2 has so the series should be in on this from the start rather than using such cars as a bandaid for the failings of the P1 class. Ensure LMPC's are competitive in P2 and encourage them to upgrade to full P2 spec if possible. With Lola, ORECA etc. are buidling cost-capped P2's let's hope some of these also show up. It goes without saying GTE will be great and GTC could have added interest if Audi come onbaord, that's if they don't build a GTE version. When you cap the season with the ILMC counting Sebring and PLM which quite possibly will have the highest quality grids seen in North America for a decade, you have the makings of a great series. All it takes is some forethought, balls and a little luck. There'll always be an appetite for top class sportscar racing so don't fear the series crashing and burning. Can-Am, IMSA GTP, ALMS..............there'll be something to replace it if the worst happens. |
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30 Jul 2010, 16:14 (Ref:2735871) | #24 | |
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If GTE becomes the top ALMS class costs will soon reach P1 levels.
In the mid 90's BTCC teams had budgets of £5m-£10m and the likes of Williams running cars. There's enough to build on with P1 and P2 and keep GTE costs under control with the Pro and Am categories. Opening up GTC is an option but it would be preferable if Audi built a GTE version of their R8 LMS the same goes for Mercedes' SLS. |
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30 Jul 2010, 16:27 (Ref:2735887) | #25 | |||
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Hmm, talking in circles. So then you disagree with it being a GT only series? L.P. |
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