A Friend Remembered A Tribute to Mike Bell 2021 Calendar

H16 · 26 Jun 2003, 09:43 (Ref:643455)

OK, so we all agree that the DPs need a little (or a lot) of help in regards to making them win. First, they eliminated SRP, then loaded SRPII down with weight, restrictors, aero, etc, then GTS was limited to six liters and given a spec wing while being merged with AGT and given more weight just before Homestead. Now the GT are getting their fuel reduced...

Thats all great, but I found a couple quotes from Grand Am's PR that seemed somewhat...funny.

http://www.grand-am.com/news/news731.html

The new Daytona Prototypes are hand-built race machines with powerful engines from Porsche, Chevrolet, Toyota and BMW. Built to specifications developed to meet the demands of American racetracks, these sleek new cars are piloted by some of the best racecar drivers in North America.

These mid-engine rockets were designed with American race fans and teams in mind. With a goal of tight, competitive racing, the Daytona Prototypes have hit the mark and have already got the racing world buzzing with the door-banging, wheel-to-wheel racing already seen at earlier races this season.

_________________________________________________________________

This seems a tad overdone...rockets? From a GT3RS engine?

paul-collins · 26 Jun 2003, 14:12 (Ref:643713)

You missed a couple of parts to highlight:

The new Daytona Prototypes are hand-built race machines with powerful engines from Porsche, Chevrolet, Toyota and BMW. Built to specifications developed to meet the demands of American racetracks, these sleek new cars are piloted by some of the best racecar drivers in North America.

I better stop there.

gttouring · 26 Jun 2003, 14:31 (Ref:643725)

SLEEK?
lol
some of the best? lol (the rich kid and gentlemen racers perhaps but not....
oh boy this is classic
although they did look good at barber park

Tim Northcutt · 26 Jun 2003, 14:58 (Ref:643751)

JC France...being groomed to become a future Le Mans legend...

That statement is not as absurd as the ones quoted to start this thread from whoever said them from Grand Am...and my statement is REALLY absurd!!!!!

BTW...if the drainage problems at the new Barber Park course can be handled (and they can...it is a new track), I would love to see ALMS run a race there....I liked many elements of the facility (elevation changes, corner combinations, etc) and it looks like it has been built with many great vantage points for fans to watch the racing action...

paul-collins · 26 Jun 2003, 15:49 (Ref:643796)

Barber looks good, but the "protos" never got into 5th gear. What's the point of a track that can't get you into your top gear? It would be even worse for the LMPs...

Tim Northcutt · 26 Jun 2003, 20:43 (Ref:644044)

It looked good on TV, but I haven't seen an actual layout of the course...I'll do a search and look at ta diagram...

Of course, you do remember that they were racing right after a Monsoon rainfall and the track was drenched....even had standing water in places due to the drainage problem...

Tim Northcutt · 26 Jun 2003, 20:55 (Ref:644054)

The circuit is about 2.3 miles long with 16 turns....

The straights don't look that long but the action can't be much different than the sportscars on the Laguna Seca or the Trois Rivieres tracks that they run now....

Besides, according to their website, from most vantage points, a fan can see at least 75% or the course....

I'd be interested in seeing reall protos run there once anyway...and their straights are straighter than the esses that make the pseudo straightaway at Sears Point, for whatever that is worth...

SL · 26 Jun 2003, 21:14 (Ref:644077)

Only saw them once on TV showing the 24 Daytona.

Was not really impressed, they did not look like a racecar, no sleek lines or racing heritige. More a car built to do a function, sadly they were pushed to achieve that as well.

I doubt that I would pay to see a whole field of them. Luv 'em or hate 'em the 911's etc. do act, sound and look like racers.

Simon

rdjones · 26 Jun 2003, 21:27 (Ref:644090)

To be honest I have not seen them on TV, but from what I have read on here and in other places, I am not impressed.....

Tim Northcutt · 26 Jun 2003, 21:39 (Ref:644105)

I've made a special point of watching Grand Am every time it has been on TV, because I can't really judge something unless I see it for myself....

The category that I believe they call the American GT class, which includes Mustangs, Corvettes, a Mosler, etc., in dry conditions are clearly faster than the DPs...they blew them away at Fontana, but had mechanical problems tha allowed the Dps to take an overall win...

Thus far, I have not seen a single thing that I like about what Grand Am road racing has becoem this year....not one thing...

Maybe this whole DP thing is just facing growning pains...but as of now, I wouldn't pay a dime to buy a ticket...

I'll continue to watch them to see if they improve...I'll give them time...but thus far, they have a long way to go to become what I would call "top Level Sportscar Racing" and the quoted info above at the beginning of this thread is ridiculous....

SL · 26 Jun 2003, 21:50 (Ref:644114)

What I saw was on a Saudi TV service, in Arabic, so I did not understand a great deal !

But what I saw did not give me a lot to look forward to. I thought they looked more like the new VW Beetle than a race car, fairly fast but could not race a GT except that the rules seemed to favour the DP's which gave them an edge.

Sadly they are not on UK TV.

Any races this weekend on US TV ? I will be in FL Saturday and Sunday night.

Simon

Lee Janotta · 26 Jun 2003, 22:16 (Ref:644128)

Mid-engined rockets?

Yeah, bottle rockets.

Tim Northcutt · 26 Jun 2003, 22:58 (Ref:644153)

I like that...

Yes, SL, the "mid-engined bottle rockets" should be on TV on Speed Channel this Sunday...I believe that they race at Mid-Ohio sometime in the early afternoon...

But if you want to watch a "real" sportscar race, CBS will be showing the ALMS from Road Atlanta...compare what you watch in each telecast and let all of us know what you think on Monday....

SL · 26 Jun 2003, 23:02 (Ref:644156)

Thanks Tim, will have to try and check that. Not sure if hotel has speed or not. Pretty sure they have CBS though.

Simon

Chevyguy · 27 Jun 2003, 00:44 (Ref:644209)

No one ever tires of trashing these little machines. One of their biggest problems is, they're racing in a genre where the competition is not as important as performance. We can at least give them that the finishes are more exciting than ALMS. It's very unpredictable. The ALMS, has the high performance that a sportscar fan wants. The racing, however, gets lost as the most expensive car always dominates. The only way you can make a true judgement is to pretend that GA is the only series in the world. Of course, I don't wanna. Once the amount of DPs on track doubles, GA's idea will come into fruition.

In the cars' defense, they are certainly racecars. Notice the two differant types of performance in the FABCARs and the Doran. It would seem the Doran-Chevy does better on short runs, but the FABCAR catches up when the tires are worn. Shows that you can actually tweek your car to differant variables, or performance. I think they are quite built to race.

While most of the promotions GA does for this class are slandor, I wouldn't talk too much trash about the drivers. Borchellar and Haywood have shown two differant styles of world class in these cars. Too bad their teammates can't back 'em up.

Thank you for reading my essay. ALMS still rules.