IMSA TUSC 2015 Entries, Schedule, and Rumors - Page 5

Rcz · 30 Jun 2014, 05:57 (Ref:3428407)

They should go full GT3 for the GTD class, with everybody complaining, I wouldn't be surprised if they did go full GT3 next year.

BTW I don't think it's too hard to convert the cars back and forth.

Look at the Turner's BMW Z4s. They converted them from IMSA GTD spec to SCCA GT spec and then back to IMSA GTD spec again.

Speed-King · 30 Jun 2014, 09:24 (Ref:3428487)

It would be a good idea, but I don't think there's an easy way to get the Porsches anywhere near GT3 performance. And with them being new and making up close to half the GTD field, going full GT3 is probably a few years off. And really, I don't think GTD is anywhere near the top of Elkins to do list. It's not particularly broken right now, is it?

**joeb** · 30 Jun 2014, 13:32 (Ref:3428580)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

It would be a good idea, but I don't think there's an easy way to get the Porsches anywhere near GT3 performance. And with them being new and making up close to half the GTD field, going full GT3 is probably a few years off. And really, I don't think GTD is anywhere near the top of Elkins to do list. It's not particularly broken right now, is it?

The Porsches were always going to be the sticking point. With no new GT3 Porsche they had to work with IMSA to come up with something else. If the series did decide to do full GT3 cars I wonder if Porsche could have some type of an upgrade package to get some more speed.

Articus · 30 Jun 2014, 13:34 (Ref:3428581)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rcz

Look at the Turner's BMW Z4s. They converted them from IMSA GTD spec to SCCA GT spec and then back to IMSA GTD spec again.

and as a matter of fact, the Turner BMW Z4 is the former Marc VDS Z4 GT3.

Rcz · 30 Jun 2014, 19:06 (Ref:3428695)

For the Porsches?

Add turbos and bigger wings with a weight break.

Purist · 30 Jun 2014, 20:50 (Ref:3428732)

The trouble is, that Porsche, I think, has a larger-displacement engine than any of the standard 911 turbos. Aside from the very real potential for technical nightmares, I don't know that you could even homologate it.

Starfish Primer · 30 Jun 2014, 20:56 (Ref:3428734)

there were rumors months ago of a turbocharged 911 GT3 RS

wheelz22 · 1 Jul 2014, 13:13 (Ref:3428990)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

..................I kind of like RSR—they provided so much comic relief with the Jag and are a pretty serious PC team. The series—and fans—are the losers here.

Not sure what you mean by "comic relief" Maelochs.....but nothing about it was funny to me. It was 'serious' work/heartache/frustration in 2010 and 11. It was one obstacle after another. But let's not re-visit all that.

**joeb** · 1 Jul 2014, 13:42 (Ref:3429009)

With all the talk of potential P2's and DP's here is what I see as possible next season

Number	Team	Chassis
2	ESM	HPD04b
1-2	Andretti	HPD04b
1	Krohn
2	Speedsource	Mazola
1-2	Ganassi	Ford
1-2	Shank	Ford
1	Wayne Taylor	Vette
1-2	Action Express	Vette
1	Spirit of Daytona	Vette
1	Whelen	Vette
1	Deltawing	Deltawing
1	???	Ligier

I think somebody will be running a Ligier next year, could be Krohn, could be Oak or 8-Star. I also wonder if somebody will be interested in running the new Oreca stateside.

Total protos for full season: 11-13 (5-7 P2's 6 DP's) ; NAEC: 18

Maelochs · 1 Jul 2014, 14:13 (Ref:3429027)

Krohn ... depends who drives. Oak makes the Ligier so they plan to run one.

ESM with its pair, Andretti says they will bring an HPD (maybe two, maybe not.)

Mazda will be back and likely still in the back.

Let's not forget the earthshaking, ground-breaking, bleeding-edge DeltaWing, It might finish a race in 2015.

And then the cars with potential to actually win a race: 2 from AXR, one each, Ganassi, SDR, and WTR.

Whelen might get it together, but enough to bet the big teams? Shank ... never has luck, skill, and preparation on the same day.

Basically five cars will win all the races for the rest of this season and all the next.

jasonjessica09 · 1 Jul 2014, 14:52 (Ref:3429047)

Do you think perhaps the new coupes such as the Ligier and HPD 04 might be able to do better against the DP's than the Morgan or the HPD 03

Christian Mogami · 1 Jul 2014, 15:33 (Ref:3429064)

Starworks will have a Riley HPD.

They will start testing the upgrades(needed for better cooling) Riley made to run the HPD turbo engine.Then they move to develop the HR35tt.

Maelochs · 1 Jul 2014, 16:30 (Ref:3429091)

I don't see why the coupe would be any faster (there was data on this in another thread.) and not at all where it would matter.

One mph in top speed won't close the gap to DPs, but the DPs are not necessarily faster at top end at every track. The damage they do comes on starts, restarts, and leaving slow corners.

As Valiante and Westbrook showed at Laguna and Detroit, a DP can only be passed via physically shoving it aside--a P2 cannot shove the car aside safely, and cannot get by if the DP driver decides not to let it happen.

I don't have the answer---plenty of ideas suggested here, but i really don;'t know what will or won't work.

Articus · 1 Jul 2014, 17:37 (Ref:3429111)

As good as the open tops are, a closed coupe can make a little more downforce with a little less drag. That combined with updates to chassis, suspension for more mechanical grip and should make an even better P2 car which will only make the problem even more complex.

wdave0 · 2 Jul 2014, 12:02 (Ref:3429458)

<<Whelen might get it together, but enough to bet the big teams?>>

Am I crazy thinking they're running a GA spec DP and just racing on the cheap?

TheMightyM · 2 Jul 2014, 22:29 (Ref:3429671)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdave0

<<Whelen might get it together, but enough to bet the big teams?>>

Am I crazy thinking they're running a GA spec DP and just racing on the cheap?

It just seems that way. I'm pretty sure the regs require the 2014 upgrades for DPs.

TheMightyM · 2 Jul 2014, 22:59 (Ref:3429679)

Another good possibility for 2015 is the Starworks Honda-powered DP.

Watkins Glen didn’t inspire many extra entries — three to be exact over Mosport, and only one in P — so I suspect that Daytona and Sebring are again where we’ll extra entries in 2015. So the real question is which teams, U.S.-based or otherwise, will give those two races a go.

Maelochs · 2 Jul 2014, 23:50 (Ref:3429691)

Another question is, which teams will be able to find sponsors for cars which at best will be able to fight for the bottom step of the podium?

Deleted · 3 Jul 2014, 10:33 (Ref:3429861)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

Watkins Glen didn’t inspire many extra entries — three to be exact over Mosport, and only one in P — so I suspect that Daytona and Sebring are again where we’ll extra entries in 2015. So the real question is which teams, U.S.-based or otherwise, will give those two races a go.

PLM seems to have dropped off the radar... oh how just few years ago we were speculating European/guest/additional entries for Atlanta months in advance

And I was getting goosebumps in August already, not anymore

isynge · 3 Jul 2014, 11:18 (Ref:3429876)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

PLM seems to have dropped off the radar... oh how just few years ago we were speculating European/guest/additional entries for Atlanta months in advance

And I was getting goosebumps in August already, not anymore

Absolutely - and the real shame is that with the real strength in the ELMS you could see some of those teams being tempted to come over to round out their season, especially if there could be some sort carrot dangled for them.

With the chances of an LMP2 being essentially zero however, PLM becomes just another TUSC round. I suspect I'll struggle to raise the enthusiasm to stay up to the end - which is a real shame thinking back to what it was not too many years ago.

That said - given how monumentally underwhelming it was last year, 2014 can only be a little better, even without guest entries.

Deleted · 3 Jul 2014, 11:30 (Ref:3429882)

Killing off the "LM auto entry for winning the class " was a mistake too, that could've attracted more people...

While I initially supported keeping the tile intact, I now kinda wish they had just renamed the event Road Atlanta 1000 Miles and be done with it, as there islittle (get it?) Petit Le Mans feel left in it.

That being said, it's still far more like an actual EVENT in itself than the standardized WEC rounds

Deleted · 3 Jul 2014, 15:02 (Ref:3429944)

You know every time LMP1 is brought up as showing up on USCC event even as mere guest class it's torpedoed down, primarly by saying the series regulars wouldn't fancy it... and yes of course it's true, even if P1 was part of the show during the NAEC events or Daytona/Sebring alone primaly the DP teams would moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan NASCAR would never allow it to happen. Because that's how their minds works.

But what if Petit Le Mans was the only time of the year P1s were actually allowed in as the headliner class? It's not at the start of the season, not happening at NASCAR land, and not so-called "interfering" with the series more than that. This would not only give the event the star status & international flavour it deserves back, but also be the perfect place for P1's North American market. Finally a non-LM WEC event on the calendar with some value of it's own (and finally non-Grade1 asphaltdrome). You could make it LMP1-only event for the WEC entries to give enough room for the USCC grid.

And so that the possible USCC championship fight wouldn't be shadowed by the P1 fight at the front, arrange so that PLM is not the final race but penultimate. Like ALMS did with Laguna Seca for years.

Even then it wouldn't be as good as during the glory days of PLM but the event could be proud of it's name again and actually have stronger link with the proper Le Mans, as well as the ACO.

Koenigsegg · 3 Jul 2014, 17:39 (Ref:3429987)

A 'new' American Le Mans Series with P2, GTE and GT3 cars (and probably PC) might be more attractive for a lot of teams than TUSC at the moment.

Just look what it did for ELMS.

FstrthnU · 3 Jul 2014, 18:38 (Ref:3430001)

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/te...er-pcs-future/
Some people clearly worried about PC, not sure whether that's a good or a bad thing

Rcz · 3 Jul 2014, 18:45 (Ref:3430004)

I wouldn't mind a p1 NAEC in TUSC running their own championship here, and not really a sanction ACO/FIA event.

I know Audi has been wanting to race the 24hours of Daytona for while and they even consider a Audi powered DP. It's just something they haven't scratch off their list yet. So you know they be there.

However I just can't be a Audi only deal, the other manufacturers would have to join in order for this to work

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