ALMS 2012 Discussion

[Canada ALMS fan]

Surely this is one of the 5 R8's (albeit different spec) sold for racing on this side of the pond, the other 4 are expected to show as soon as the next Grand Am race. How many show up (if any) at Petit is interesting as Audi has repeatedly stated these are strictly customer cars. There was some thought that APR was getting some assistance, but that info is apparently not accurate. It was nice however to see Kettler getting his hands dirty at Daytona on these beasts.

[pederb]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Yea, it does.

http://www.world-challenge.com/

Hint, it's not an ALMS program.

Why then the Enduro lights? WC does not drive in the dark

Cheers

[AGD]

Here's some stuff from Dagys about Dyson's 2nd car:

The status of Dyson's second entry is unknown but Chris Dyson told SPEED.com last month that it could re-appear following its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where they'll field two Lola-Mazdas.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...n-for-sebring/

From Dagys' Twitter today:

20 car will be entered at some point this year, just not Sebring. Steven Kane part of 20 lineup for later in yr

[Purist]

Well, the expense of two cars for Le Mans could certainly help explain a reduced effort for the first few ALMS rounds. Hopefully, added exposure at Le Mans helps future finances to some degree.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Purist

Well, the expense of two cars for Le Mans could certainly help explain a reduced effort for the first few ALMS rounds. Hopefully, added exposure at Le Mans helps future finances to some degree.

There was some belief some time ago that the second Dyson car would have a funded driver in it making things happen. I'm not sure if that is still true. Could it be someone like Dempsey? Hooking up with Dyson could be a relatively cheap way to go racing and he'd have a chance to win a race overall ala what Oryx did last year.

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by pederb

Why then the Enduro lights? WC does not drive in the dark

Cheers

Psst, There's another US based Enduro series that does though. They also happened to introduce the R8 this year into their GT class. They also have crossover with various Vettes & Porsches.

Just sayin'.

[AGD]

The shock! The horror! The West Racing Lambo is no more!

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9681.html

[LeManske]

Originally Posted by AGD

The shock! The horror! The West Racing Lambo is no more!

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9681.html

Are you sure this isn't news from last year?

[AGD]

Originally Posted by LeManske

Are you sure this isn't news from last year?

Well, the team claimed that they were going to get new engines (or something like that) and give it another go. I don't think anyone really believed them, but now they are officially saying they are done.

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Psst, There's another US based Enduro series that does though. They also happened to introduce the R8 this year into their GT class. They also have crossover with various Vettes & Porsches.

Just sayin'.

Psst, that car sitting at GMG is not to GA spec... just sayin' ...and lights can be removed.

[Speed-King]

From what we've heard, though, the ALMS-R8s will be GA-plus, rather than Ultra-minus...

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Psst, There's another US based Enduro series that does though. They also happened to introduce the R8 this year into their GT class. They also have crossover with various Vettes & Porsches.

Just sayin'.

Audi have said that converting a bog-standard R8 LMS to Grand-Am spec can't be done, although the opposite can be. And that car is quite clearly in full GT3 spec with the big rear wing instead of the tiny one on the Grand-Am spec car.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Audi have said that converting a bog-standard R8 LMS to Grand-Am spec can't be done, although the opposite can be. And that car is quite clearly in full GT3 spec with the big rear wing instead of the tiny one on the Grand-Am spec car.

If I wanted to keep all my options open I'd still buy the Grand Am one... or a regular one but with the GA-rollcage. That way I could use it in all three series. GMG have done Daytona before so they might be interested in doing it again some day with the Audi.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

From what we've heard, though, the ALMS-R8s will be GA-plus, rather than Ultra-minus...

This is what I was told as well at Daytona. As I've said before add: traction control, carbon brakes, larger front and rear splitters. Done. The restrictor size is still up to IMSA... The roll cage is a weird shape because the roll cage diameter GA mandated did not allow the tubes to get near the windshield so they are a little far back compared to the LMS.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

If I wanted to keep all my options open I'd still buy the Grand Am one... or a regular one but with the GA-rollcage. That way I could use it in all three series. GMG have done Daytona before so they might be interested in doing it again some day with the Audi.

I agree, it seems the GA version gives you the most options. Another question that comes to mind for me is money. Isn't the R8LMS Ultra a pretty expensive car to run in WC?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by joeb

I agree, it seems the GA version gives you the most options. Another question that comes to mind for me is money. Isn't the R8LMS Ultra a pretty expensive car to run in WC?

Not really... some people spend insane money in WC. The factory Caddies can't be cheap by any stretch of the imagination and the Mustangs that were run by *what's-his-face-wanted-to-run-ALMS-with-Ford-GT-but-crashed-at-PLM* a couple of years ago were saik to be a million dollar apiece. The KPax-Volvos are probably not far off of that either...

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Not really... some people spend insane money in WC. The factory Caddies can't be cheap by any stretch of the imagination and the Mustangs that were run by *what's-his-face-wanted-to-run-ALMS-with-Ford-GT-but-crashed-at-PLM* a couple of years ago were saik to be a million dollar apiece. The KPax-Volvos are probably not far off of that either...

Yep. The previous Caddys and Lexus IS350s were essentially stillborn ALMS GT2 spec cars that they tossed detuned engines in and ran on R compounds as opposed to slicks. There is (was) a lot of money tossed around in World Challenge.

[broadrun96]

The Davis(ACS Express) Mustangs seemed to almost wholly redone to be competitive. There is a long article about some of the trick work they did in the shop to build them. http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_artic...ang-cobra.aspx A lot of work needed but brought some success after some tuning.

Back to the R8 though, can you tell if it's an R8 LMS, Ultra or GA-spec just from pictures?

[Speed-King]

As said, the wing is definitely not GA-spec and neither are the diveplanes, I think. But that is all external stuff, so it could be a GA-car with Ultra-aro-features. Since World Challenge doesn't run to strict GT3-rules there's no need to run a car completely according to one spec or the other.

[Fogelhund]

GMG themselves have stated their car is FULL GT3 Spec.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

GMG themselves have stated their car is FULL GT3 Spec.

So that will partially disappoint some people, because that means it cannot be made GA-legal.

[AGD]

Global warming alert: Scott Atherton did a lengthy Q&A with Tony DiZinno. The Arctic ice is melting, man the life boats!

http://www.racer.com/q-a-scott-ather...rticle/229622/

Also, for those keeping track of such things, RSR's LMPC was acquired from Genoa. Genoa's Thomas Knapp is apparently helping RSR with the LMPC. I wonder what Genoa's plans are if they even have any.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...tches-to-lmpc/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by AGD

Global warming alert: Scott Atherton did a lengthy Q&A with Tony DiZinno. The Arctic ice is melting, man the life boats!

http://www.racer.com/q-a-scott-ather...rticle/229622/

Also, for those keeping track of such things, RSR's LMPC was acquired from Genoa. Genoa's Thomas Knapp is apparently helping RSR with the LMPC. I wonder what Genoa's plans are if they even have any.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...tches-to-lmpc/

It didn't take long to get to the good stuff. Scott says:

I think P1 will be at least three, and most likely four, growing to five by the end of the season.

Has he seen the Sebring entry list? At least 3 P1's? Barring a second car from Dyson, where will the others come from?

But other than that, it was a decent interview. I felt like Scott was honestly answering questions.

[FstrthnU]

So Weathertech is funding Alex Job Racing's GTC Porsche this year.

http://www.planetlemans.com/2012/02/...ns+Newsfeed%29

[joeb]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

So Weathertech is funding Alex Job Racing's GTC Porsche this year.

http://www.planetlemans.com/2012/02/...ns+Newsfeed%29

Cool, I like the Weathertech products. Also, one of the drivers (Cooper Macneil) in the #22 GTC is a relative of the man who started the company that makes the Weathertech line.