IMSA: USCR 2018

[joeb]

Originally Posted by JLGarcia

More lies and half-truths, no doubt.

I like how he says "up to two" I guess from his point of view, creating a buzz by saying there is interest is an attempt to further lure additional programs.

My left field prediction for the other entry is Jeep 😀

[Matt]

HPD and Audi.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by JLGarcia

More lies and half-truths, no doubt.

"IMSA President Scott Atherton says there could be up to two new manufacturers set to join the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with DPi machinery for as soon as next year, with significant additional interest building in the prototype formula for the long-term."

Translating Atherton-speak to a human language ... "Atherton says possibilities are possible---things might happen. Atherton says he is actually getting interested in the class."

Or ... "Atherton says at least zero new cars are expected in P-class, possibly many times that number. The IMSA CEO says that at last, he finally gives a phork---but that is unsubstantiated."

[chernaudi]

I'm thinking that it could be Audi Sport or Lamborghini, since those rumors with a program lead by Joest won't go away.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I'm thinking that it could be Audi Sport or Lamborghini, since those rumors with a program lead by Joest won't go away.

I am thinking those rumors don't go away because ... we keep bringing them back.

Trying to build a logical proposition on an Atherton statement is building in quicksand ... but the quicksand was actually just a movie of quicksand projected on fog floating in empty space.

When Scott A says something like "up to two" new teams may join the series I translate that as "hopefully fewer than two drop out."

On the other hand ASF has been shopping around for a deal for Sebastian Saavedra ... though they haven't even decided if the program will really happen, picked a class.

In ScottA-speak, that is a definite two-car entry in the top class supported by one of the biggest manufacturers ... even though it could just be some branding and shared seat time in an existing GTD.

[chernaudi]

We do have to remember that Atherton is in the pay of Jim France and Don Panoz; he'll say what they pay him to say. He probably learned that from his time working with Roger Penske. Not to mention that guys like Dagys, Pruett, and almost everyone else like rumors. Even DSC/RLM do it, but they confine it to the Specutainment/Midweek Motorsport Twitter page and MWMS Facebook page. Almost nothing goes up on DSC until it's confirmed, and when they don't post confirmations, they make it clear that it's an editorial.

Our own comments here are basically editorials on what we think may happen for the most part. But the Audi Sport/Joest/VAG DPI rumors won't go away, and get brought back up when someone other than HPD are suspected of looking at a DPI program. And IMO, it'd be stupid to not at least look at it. But looking at it and pulling the trigger on it are two different things.

I know that I may only be 30 years old, but over the past 10+ years, we've seen so many rumored programs come and go, and often either not materialize or fade quickly, like the Lexus GT2S sports sedan in '06 that never happened, and the CET Solari Porsche RS Spyder that went no where because the team was bankrupt by the time the got the car from Porsche. And that was back in '07/'08.

And of course, it can be argued that rumor makers are like broken clocks, they're right at least some of the time. But a rumor can only be taken serious based on a compilation of evidence. All we have for Audi in DPI is that Joest is looking for a program, and the rumor that VAG are looking at wanting to do a prototype program on the cheap (ie, not LMP1). Right now, Porsche leaving LMP1 as a rumor has more substance and supporting evidence than Audi Sport to DPI.

It's also like the rumor that Penske and maybe even HPD want to see IMSA abandon BOP'ing cars to LMP2 performance specs. What's the rumor on that with Audi? Mind you, we don't have 100% conclusive proof or evidence that HPD and Penske are after that as of yet.

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

We do have to remember that Atherton is in the pay of Jim France and Don Panoz; he'll say what they pay him to say. He probably learned that from his time working with Roger Penske. Not to mention that guys like Dagys, Pruett, and almost everyone else like rumors. Even DSC/RLM do it, but they confine it to the Specutainment/Midweek Motorsport Twitter page and MWMS Facebook page. Almost nothing goes up on DSC until it's confirmed, and when they don't post confirmations, they make it clear that it's an editorial.

Our own comments here are basically editorials on what we think may happen for the most part. But the Audi Sport/Joest/VAG DPI rumors won't go away, and get brought back up when someone other than HPD are suspected of looking at a DPI program. And IMO, it'd be stupid to not at least look at it. But looking at it and pulling the trigger on it are two different things.

I know that I may only be 30 years old, but over the past 10+ years, we've seen so many rumored programs come and go, and often either not materialize or fade quickly, like the Lexus GT2S sports sedan in '06 that never happened, and the CET Solari Porsche RS Spyder that went no where because the team was bankrupt by the time the got the car from Porsche. And that was back in '07/'08.

And of course, it can be argued that rumor makers are like broken clocks, they're right at least some of the time. But a rumor can only be taken serious based on a compilation of evidence. All we have for Audi in DPI is that Joest is looking for a program, and the rumor that VAG are looking at wanting to do a prototype program on the cheap (ie, not LMP1). Right now, Porsche leaving LMP1 as a rumor has more substance and supporting evidence than Audi Sport to DPI.

It's also like the rumor that Penske and maybe even HPD want to see IMSA abandon BOP'ing cars to LMP2 performance specs. What's the rumor on that with Audi? Mind you, we don't have 100% conclusive proof or evidence that HPD and Penske are after that as of yet.

Don Panoz has zero to with the series, and the rest of this is just gobbledygook.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by DeezPutz

Don Panoz has zero to with the series, and the rest of this is just gobbledygook.

I had no idea I knew how to read gobbledygook. I guess I do? I wonder if I can speak it as well. Might be useful in case I ever travel to gobbledygooklaandia.

("He speaks nonsense like a native."

"A native of where, exactly?"

"Oh, I thought you guys were neighbors.")

[Makaze]

Funny there was two people on this forum who kept saying the Penske/Honda Dpi was going to be branded Honda. LOL

It was always going to be Acura.

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by Makaze

Funny there was two people on this forum who kept saying the Penske/Honda Dpi was going to be branded Honda. LOL

It was always going to be Acura.

North American-centric program, and Honda of America is pushing the Acura brand.

And Panoz may have little to do with the series, but he's still a minority owner and Atherton is an ALMS holdover, just as Ed Bennett is a Grand Am hold over. I'd bet that even Jim France, who is controlling owner of IMSA now, has little to do with the series on a day to day basis, just as the FIA has almost nothing to do with the running of the WEC on a day to day basis, and just leave it in the hands of the ACO.

[TF110]

I was one of those that thought Acura would make sense. Honda has Indycar so that can cover that brand for America. Acura is a good alignment with the premium brand of Cadillac in dpi too.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Makaze

Penske/Honda PR on Tuesday.

i.e. the announcement?

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by deggis

i.e. the announcement?

Well, I am sure if there is to be an announcement it would come at a Penske/Honda press event ... but who knows? Well, a lot of people know, but so far, no one is leaking the news here ....

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by deggis

i.e. the announcement?

Per the IndyCar race coverage, the announcement of the sportscar program is today.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Victor_RO]

And Oreca are the first to officially break the news we've all kinda known for a while.

http://www.oreca.com/blog/2017/07/11...dpi-programme/

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Makaze

Funny there was two people on this forum who kept saying the Penske/Honda Dpi was going to be branded Honda. LOL

It was always going to be Acura.

It was widely accepted as a Honda since its inception by everyone in the paddock and all of the motorsport publications.

So it's an Acura. Neat. Feel better about "being right"?

I was wrong. Guess the sun comes back up tomorrow. That moon though... that might never show up again for my transgression.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Makaze

Funny there was two people on this forum who kept saying the Penske/Honda Dpi was going to be branded Honda. LOL

It was always going to be Acura.

It was not always going to be an Acura.

Originally was going to be a Honda, then was changed.

If you'll notice in some of my posts, it went from Honda to HPD, that's when the change came.

[chernaudi]

Honda could've branded it anything they wanted between Honda, HPD, or Acura. The ARX-01 series were originally Acuras because that's what HPD/Honda of America wanted to call them, to promote the Acura brand. Same deal here basically. It's a North American centric program, and NA is where most Acura badged cars are sold (granted, I know and all of use know they're tarted up luxury/sport variants of Hondas).

It seems that Honda of America want to push the Acura brand in road racing again.

[JHamilton]

Here is the Penske press release: http://www.teampenske.com/news/index...otype%20Effort

[fieldodreams79]

Was hoping to see it this fall in the foothills, but oh well.

Acura, Honda.
potato, potato....

Call it what they want but I'm just hoping they're not using the same engineers as the F1 program.

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Here is the Penske press release: http://www.teampenske.com/news/index...otype%20Effort

Link doesn't work on my mobile device for some reason but it does on the 'puter. Thanks!

[MaskedRacer]

The irony is that Penske and Acura were rivals it the ALMS. Car #6 and #7 are available in the IMSA series right now. Nobody has taken them. It would be neat if they got DHL for a sponsor too.

Lets hope they don't scare the current privateer teams away though.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Call it what they want but I'm just hoping they're not using the same engineers as the F1 program

It's a J35 engine.... it's skookum as frig. It's been used forever in the Honda street cars. Now is just modded with two big turbos for the race version.. it'll make about 6-700 all day without batting an eye.

I know a few streetcars that are making reliable, daily driven power in the 750+ range on pump gas.

If anything breaks, it won't be the motor. The HR28TT was basically bomb proof. The 3.5L version will just be that much better in terms of torque and unstressed power.

[Jonerz]

I'm just disappointed that Oreca, Penske, and Honda are all pushing rumors that have no basis in reality. I mean, those guys are clearly confirming rumors that they had earlier denied. Clearly the HNA DPi will never happen.

As for the motor, I'm assuming it will be pretty closely related to the one that did this last year in 3.5L form:



And then did something similar at Sebring and Petit Le Mans. Now that motor was a little more restricted, but adding ~50hp shouldn't be an issue.

Chris

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

I'm just disappointed that Oreca, Penske, and Honda are all pushing rumors that have no basis in reality. I mean, those guys are clearly confirming rumors that they had earlier denied. Clearly the HNA DPi will never happen.

As for the motor, I'm assuming it will be pretty closely related to the one that did this last year in 3.5L form:



And then did something similar at Sebring and Petit Le Mans. Now that motor was a little more restricted, but adding ~50hp shouldn't be an issue.

Chris

That was the HR28TT. This is the AR35TT.

Basically the same motor, bigger displacement, bigger turbos.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

That was the HR28TT. This is the AR35TT.

Basically the same motor, bigger displacement, bigger turbos.

To my recollection in IMSA competition, HPD bumped up the HR28 to 3.5L form. Now I do not know the size difference on turbo chargers.

Chris