IMSA: 2020

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Christina Nielsen and Katherine Legge will share a GEAR Racing bannered Lamborghini run by Grasser

Fantastic! I saw a social media post from Nielsen recently about her going back to Denmark and I feared her time in IMSA was over.

That’ll be a very strong duo to fight for the title.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Christina Nielsen and Katherine Legge will share a GEAR Racing bannered Lamborghini run by Grasser

Great news! Grasser has been fantastic in the enduros over the past couple of years, can't wait to see what they will have for the other rounds on the IMSA calendar.

Does this mean the CAT Acura program is over?

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Plus the Bronze driver requirement. Which will also cause more mayhem but by then the entry fees have been collected by IMSA!

Yeah, races with LMP2 included will probably have more safety car time on average then the ones who won't. Would be nice if LMP2 could be dropped for Mid Ohio too, and give them Detroit.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

Great news! Grasser has been fantastic in the enduros over the past couple of years, can't wait to see what they will have for the other rounds on the IMSA calendar.

Does this mean the CAT Acura program is over?

Heinricher was the Cat money and did she ever get to race this season? I think she was hurt early but don't think she got in the car so i wouldn't be surprised if that money was gone for 2020. MSR has the other Acura filled with Matt McMurray and Farnbacher.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

Great news! Grasser has been fantastic in the enduros over the past couple of years, can't wait to see what they will have for the other rounds on the IMSA calendar.

Does this mean the CAT Acura program is over?

Apparently yes to the Cat program, they cut the sponsor deal short at the end of 2019 according to MP. Sounds like Shank is still working with Heinricher for a program but it's in progress. He expects to still run 2 cars but he is always optimistic.

https://racer.com/2019/11/21/msr-exp...th-heinricher/

[Coach Ep]

And then there's this: https://racer.com/2019/11/21/starwor...n-lmp2-return/

Does this make 1 + 1 = Starworks + Heinricher?

[broadrun96]

Mustang Sampling 5 returns for 2020. Although this time with the newly fired Bourdais and Barbosa pairing at the JDC-Miller Motorsports. And Loic Duval in as the third driver.

https://racer.com/2019/11/22/bourdai...to-jdc-miller/


The 85 Cadillac lineup is still to be announced. Guessing that means the required funds to run AXR is much higher than what JDC-Miller charges.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Mustang Sampling 5 returns for 2020. Although this time with the newly fired Bourdais and Barbosa pairing at the JDC-Miller Motorsports. And Loic Duval in as the third driver.

https://racer.com/2019/11/22/bourdai...to-jdc-miller/


The 85 Cadillac lineup is still to be announced. Guessing that means the required funds to run AXR is much higher than what JDC-Miller charges.

Well damn, did not see that coming. ive been a bit out of it lately though, and this is how I learned about Bourdais losing his Indy ride!

Would be interesting to know what that Delta is between am axr and jdc program. It isn't like jdc is slumming it with the drivers.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

Well damn, did not see that coming. ive been a bit out of it lately though, and this is how I learned about Bourdais losing his Indy ride!

Would be interesting to know what that Delta is between am axr and jdc program. It isn't like jdc is slumming it with the drivers.

Same way I saw it, think both were announced within hours. MP seemed surprised by the release from Coyne racing and there was no mention of Bourdais to IMSA in the article. Then the announcement for JDC-MILLER was posted next so I think it was close and kept pretty quiet for a bit. I remember rumbles after it was announced Mustang Sampling was leaving AXR that they weren't leaving racing and that Joao was their guy.
I think we're now probably only down 2 DPis for next season but added more than a few LMP2s. So maybe a wash for total numbers outside of GTE, doubt anyone is taking up the Pro class support. MAYBE an Aston for Daytona but I'd doubt it without some news soon

[chernaudi]

AMR probably won't do a GTLM program without someone paying for it. Probably a deal similar to what ESM and Core had with Nissan.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

AMR probably won't do a GTLM program without someone paying for it. Probably a deal similar to what ESM and Core had with Nissan.

Hence the maybe and needs to be announced soon but thanks for adding nothing we don't all know and have understood since GT1 says when they used crap tires to run ALMS cause Pirelli paid rather than the Michelins from LeMans.

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Guessing that means the required funds to run AXR is much higher than what JDC-Miller charges.

No. This isn't a sponsor that's putting a car on the grid either way, JDC Miller just has a car available and Jim France doesn't. I'd like to know what deal Church has to keep inheriting defunct Grand Am teams though.

[chernaudi]

I do wonder if it's a money thing as far as sponsor dollars, or just Jim France cutting back on financing teams like he used to in the Grand Am days.

We do have to remember (though he was also technically an OEM owner at the time) Don Panoz used to do the same thing from 1999-2006 as far as being a team owner and series owner. Though not as wide spread as France/ISC/NASCAR money financing some teams, it's a similar concept. Though as I hinted at, Panoz was also owner of a boutique OEM selling road going sports cars he was trying to promote.

That all being said, I do think that AXR is last of the Jim France backed teams still operating in the current incarnation of IMSA, and even the #31 is now (it seems) fully sponsor financed.

This is just a microcosom of an issues that's been effecting most forms of motorsport for years with sponsors contracting back into the automotive/OEM niche it was years ago. And there's only so many of those floating around that's not taken up.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

No. This isn't a sponsor that's putting a car on the grid either way, JDC Miller just has a car available and Jim France doesn't. I'd like to know what deal Church has to keep inheriting defunct Grand Am teams though.

No, both parties specifically said the 5 was pulled because the sponsor dollars didn't meet what AXR required to run the car and they didn't find replacement. Don't rewrite what the teams have said to meet your narrative. Yes AXR was adding some funds to be able to allow Mustang Sampling to stay on the car but Mustang Sampling was still the primary money.

[chernaudi]

Basically, the $64,000 question is who has $3-5 million dollars laying around for full season sponsorship of a DPI team? I'm basing that off I think a Racer mag article that hinted that a full season program for DPI is comparable to the cost of running a present day Indy Car team.

And for AXR, and WTR and JDC for that matter, we have to remember that it's not like Penske/Acura or Mazda where it's basically a full factory program. Cadillac's model for DPI is very similar to the Audi Sport model for LMP900/LMP1 from 2003-2005 with semi-works customer teams. Hence, it's like Champion when they ran R8s or the Acura LMP2 teams from 2007-09--factory supported customer based programs, not full factory efforts.

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

No, both parties specifically said the 5 was pulled because the sponsor dollars didn't meet what AXR required to run the car and they didn't find replacement.

The sponsor money wasn't enough because AXR's owner was no longer going to make up the difference. JDC Miller being able to does not mean they're operating on less budget or that the sponsor is paying less money, they were already running that car without a primary sponsor. It's certainly related to hiring that fancy drive line up though.
https://racer.com/2019/10/12/pruett-...son-of-change/

Despite AXR’s flourishing, five-year relationship with sponsor Mustang Sampling, the underpinnings of the car’s financial support have fallen to the team’s silent owner, IMSA co-founder and current NASCAR president Jim France.
Talk of significant cutbacks within NASCAR, and therefore IMSA, and a need to trim any and all unnecessary expenses, have been mentioned as the reason behind the change in support for the No. 5 entry.

[broadrun96]

Because previously they were run with the cash from the paying drivers. As there are none of those paying drivers in the car obviously the cash Mustang Sampling is bringing is enough for them to run the car. JDC-Miller doesn't run a car for you with their cash cause they're nice, you bring the budget and you get to race. There's NO team money there.

[MaskedRacer]

So what does the 2020 grid for look like potentially now? I'll take a shot for the pro classes at least. As GTD and LMP2 are fluid throughout the whole season it seems being "pro/am" categories.

GTLM

#62 Ferrari Risi (Daytona, Road Atlanta only)
#24 BMW M8 R.L.L (full time)
#25 BMW M8 R.L.L (full time)
#3 Corvette C8R (full time)
#4 Corvette C8R (full time)
#91 Porsche 911 RSR (full time)
#92 Porsche 911 RSR (full time)

DPI

#31 Cadillac Whelen AXR (full time)
#5 Cadillac Mustang Sampling JDC (full time)
#85 Cadillac JDC (full time)
#10 Cadillac Konica WTR (full time)
#50 Cadillac Juncos (Endurance races)
#6 Acura Penske (full time)
#7 Acura Penske (full time)
#55 Mazda Joest/Multimatic (full time)
#70 Mazda Joest/Multimatic (full time)
?? Privateer Mazda (who knows)

I could see the Daytona 24 grid being 45 cars or less at this stage. May not a be a bad thing from an on-track standpoint since we can get fewer safety car periods, but yeah there are going to be some quality unemployed drivers and crew members.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

So what does the 2020 grid for look like potentially now? I'll take a shot for the pro classes at least. As GTD and LMP2 are fluid throughout the whole season it seems being "pro/am" categories.

GTLM

#62 Ferrari Risi (Daytona, Road Atlanta only)
#24 BMW M8 R.L.L (full time)
#25 BMW M8 R.L.L (full time)
#3 Corvette C8R (full time)
#4 Corvette C8R (full time)
#91 Porsche 911 RSR (full time)
#92 Porsche 911 RSR (full time)

DPI

#31 Cadillac Whelen AXR (full time)
#5 Cadillac Mustang Sampling JDC (full time)
#85 Cadillac JDC (full time)
#10 Cadillac Konica WTR (full time)
#50 Cadillac Juncos (Endurance races)
#6 Acura Penske (full time)
#7 Acura Penske (full time)
#55 Mazda Joest/Multimatic (full time)
#70 Mazda Joest/Multimatic (full time)
?? Privateer Mazda (who knows)

I could see the Daytona 24 grid being 45 cars or less at this stage. May not a be a bad thing from an on-track standpoint since we can get fewer safety car periods, but yeah there are going to be some quality unemployed drivers and crew members.

I think your list looks pretty complete. Perhaps we get another GTE for Daytona? Could AF Corse, or the AMR folks be interested? I don't see anybody else joining DPI, but the few additional P2 cars will be nice for those 6 rounds. GTD is tough to predict right now, there have been a few announcements of new cars, but we know some are leaving the series as well. I'm guessing the full season count there will be around 11 cars.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by joeb

I think your list looks pretty complete. Perhaps we get another GTE for Daytona? Could AF Corse, or the AMR folks be interested? I don't see anybody else joining DPI, but the few additional P2 cars will be nice for those 6 rounds. GTD is tough to predict right now, there have been a few announcements of new cars, but we know some are leaving the series as well. I'm guessing the full season count there will be around 11 cars.

Thank you!

If anybody can put a GTD list together be our guest. Used to rely on NASportscar.com for this. Site is not around anymore.

[broadrun96]

I would expect the other JDC-Miller car to show up all season as well. Not announced yet but they will find a program and paying drivers.
I would say Juncos is more a maybe than enduros. He seemed less committed in the last interview and sadly worn down by the write off wreck and parts. Not that I can blame him at all, he's spent much more than I have.
I'm not high on the customer Mazda yet, with Daytona so close it would be tough to build a program that fast without some kind of rumblings making the rounds.
I think Risi is a tough call, but he always finds some money to run. I think the Daytona and Petit rounds would be at best sadly.
And I think we're out of luck for any other entries outside of possible Sebring AMR since they are already there if someone wants to foot the bill.

[broadrun96]

It seems we're adding an Aston Martin to the field for 2020 in GTD. Heart of Racing looks to return as a stand alone team outside of the old AJR tie-in. Ian James looks to lead the team after Panoz shuttered the GT4 program after the 2019 WC campaign.

https://racer.com/2019/11/26/aston-m...art-of-racing/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

It seems we're adding an Aston Martin to the field for 2020 in GTD. Heart of Racing looks to return as a stand alone team outside of the old AJR tie-in. Ian James looks to lead the team after Panoz shuttered the GT4 program after the 2019 WC campaign.

https://racer.com/2019/11/26/aston-m...art-of-racing/

That is fantastic! So I can't remember all the teams but I think GTD will feature:

Porsche
Lambo
Acura
Lexus
BMW
Mercedes
Ferrari - is Weathertech returning?
Aston
McLaren - also can't remember their status.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by joeb

That is fantastic! So I can't remember all the teams but I think GTD will feature:



Porsche

Lambo

Acura

Lexus

BMW

Mercedes

Ferrari - is Weathertech returning?

Aston

McLaren - also can't remember their status.

Weather tech yes I think so

McLaren will be 1-2 cars with compass racing, definitely one in sprint cup, aiming for a full season entry

Lamborghini have confirmed Nielsen / Legge

The new Aston is Farnbacher / Riberas

[rich07]

Farnbacher/Riberas in the Aston? That’s a better lineup then I was hoping for. Good stuff