IMSA 2023 IMSA Season

[Simmi]

Nasr/Tandy is one of the Porsche IMSA pairings according to Marshall Pruett on TWISC.

Rapid.

[stuart thompson]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I could see us gaining an extra Vette and losing the BMW perhaps. Essentially breaking even. The class can look decent in NAEC like Coach Ep says. Full season a bit meh. I do think it's a bit too light.

I think I'd feel a bit more invested if they pulled both classes into one but Corvette don't want that. Doesn't seem like anyone else cares too much.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the new Turner car entered in Pro and the old entry in GTD?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I could see us gaining an extra Vette and losing the BMW perhaps. Essentially breaking even. The class can look decent in NAEC like Coach Ep says. Full season a bit meh. I do think it's a bit too light.

I think I'd feel a bit more invested if they pulled both classes into one but Corvette don't want that. Doesn't seem like anyone else cares too much.

It sounds like we aren't getting a Vette, they made a couple statements that sounded like someone has interest in a car in GTE-Am for WEC. And we'll get only get 1 IMSA car as a result

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

It sounds like we aren't getting a Vette, they made a couple statements that sounded like someone has interest in a car in GTE-Am for WEC. And we'll get only get 1 IMSA car as a result

And announced this morning Ben Keating will have a GTE-Am Vette in WEC so that likely keeps it a one car IMSA program

[Coach Ep]

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/...3-fia-wec.html

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And announced this morning Ben Keating will have a GTE-Am Vette in WEC so that likely keeps it a one car IMSA program

But with the possibility of a 2nd car in GTD-Pro for Daytona like last year.

[joeb]

Kelly Moss Racing is stepping up to GTD with two new Porsches next year.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/k...fort-for-2023/

They are hoping to get a 963 by 2025. They made it sound like all 2024 cars have been allocated.

[broadrun96]

Kelly Moss guys can prepare the hell out of a Carrera Cup car and dominated the series, sounds like a couple of their guys are ready to move up and work with Porsche.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Kelly Moss guys can prepare the hell out of a Carrera Cup car and dominated the series, sounds like a couple of their guys are ready to move up and work with Porsche.

I had forgotten that they were involved with the Level5 program. That article states they still have a lot of the same staff that were running those cars, so plenty of smart people who were running prototypes in the past. Looking at their current Carrera Cup drivers, Van Berlo is certainly quick in anything he drives, and Dickinson also has the ability to run in GTD. I don't know if they are still Bronze or not but feel that Van Berlo may have moved up a color.

[JT240Z]

I believe that Van Berlo is currently ranked silver.

https://driverscategorisation.fia.com/public/drivers

[broadrun96]

Yeah, believe he and Parker were both upgraded due to their finish. One of the DUMBEST things in the FIA ratings, winning or doing well in a doctors and new driver championship gets you upgraded. Both are listed as provisionally Gold for 2023 meaning they can't be THE driver for Kelly Moss in GTD even though neither has much running in the class

[JT240Z]

Never really liked the whole driver rating thing and the screwy rules it relates to. Upgrading, then down grading could really mess with things. Don't get how age has anything to do with it too. You're either a good driver or not. You're either a pro or not. Bronze, Silver and Gold belongs in the Olympics. Not in race car driving. IMHO.

[BRANDON102287]

I know im not a regular on here but talked to a porsche sprint challenge driver from another team and he called this regarding kelly moss but he also said weathertech will be joining them first thing was correct so....

[joeb]

In the press release about Corvette's plans for next season there was an interesting line, which may have been mentioned on accident but:

The pair will be joined by Tommy Milner at Daytona, Sebring and the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans.

Petit hasn't been a 1,000 mile race in a few years - it was made 10 hours instead of the former "1,000 miles or 10 hours" format. Is this signaling a change? or just remembering the good ol days?


Story from DSC: https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/...ing-plans.html

[PhilipR]

Originally Posted by joeb

In the press release about Corvette's plans for next season there was an interesting line, which may have been mentioned on accident but:



Petit hasn't been a 1,000 mile race in a few years - it was made 10 hours instead of the former "1,000 miles or 10 hours" format. Is this signaling a change? or just remembering the good ol days?


Story from DSC: https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/...ing-plans.html

In a way I kind of miss the old 1000 km and 1000 miles races. As you were not sure when they would end so strategy became quite important and choosing when to pit. Now all teams follow pretty much same strategy as there is little advantage to try something different.
And with IMSA FCY and wave bys sometimes the first 9 hours are administrative - we usually get a FCY around 40-30 mins from the end and then we get to hear the commentators shout and get excited over this amazing racing almost 10 hours in whilst ignoring it took 10 FCYs and Wave By rules to get to there and it did not happen organically (a bit of a rant - but it irks me when commentators act like that happened naturally - I get it they have to sell a product and make it sound exciting - also can we put to rest the "10 lap sprint around "insert random UK track" and not an endurance race" line in every one of these races - it is pretty old now and we know Endurance racing is more of a full on race than it was in the past)

[joeb]

IMSA is being mindful of the potential speed differentials between GTP and LMP2. They don't want to adjust P2 but are keeping options open just in case. On track testing with the two classes will continue so they can collect data:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/i...er-evaluation/

[joeb]

IMSA is also thinking about how to deal with the expected bumper entry for Daytona. Last year there were 61 cars and that type of number is probably expected this season too.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/i...-for-rolex-24/

[broadrun96]

They'll have to slow the P2s you would think, unless the ACO is gonna let the hypercars go. Or they just abandon actual convergence and similar BOP.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by joeb

IMSA is also thinking about how to deal with the expected bumper entry for Daytona. Last year there were 61 cars and that type of number is probably expected this season too.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/i...-for-rolex-24/

There's room at the speedway to build more garages (going in the direction of turn 1). Could be called the red garages (in addition of the current yellow and blue ones). This would offer the opportunity to host more cars for the Rolex.

[broadrun96]

But is there room to pit them? Thought they were already pitting well out of the "usual" pit lane

[chernaudi]

I may be confused or remembering incorrectly, but didn't there used to be 70-80 cars running the Daytona 24?

[JT240Z]

Not sure how they're going to add more pit space since the new hybrid cars are said to need additional pit space from a safety standpoint.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I may be confused or remembering incorrectly, but didn't there used to be 70-80 cars running the Daytona 24?

And they used to make teams double up but they don't any more it seems. I think 70 was the most recent high count, 70s and 80s counts were higher at times but FAR less needed in the pits

[Coach Ep]

3 car Daytona and 2 car NAEC Lambo GTD campaign by Iron Lynx/Dames for 2023: https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/i...a-gtwc-europe/

The pink car will be easy to spot.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And they used to make teams double up but they don't any more it seems. I think 70 was the most recent high count, 70s and 80s counts were higher at times but FAR less needed in the pits

There were lots of low buck hobby type teams that were field fillers. So doubling those up was not a problem. Add in the attrition rate in those days was very high, so pit space became less and less of a problem as the race would wear on. These days the attrition rate is very much lower.