2017 Advance Auto Parts Sportscar Showdown(IMSA @ CoTA) - May 05-07

[gert]

Originally Posted by divxx

Now the remaining GTLM cars aside from the #3 have all gotten penalized.

Hurray! At least a GM product wins again


Ruin someone's race and you get a drive-through. Pit-lane infringement and you get a 1 minute penalty. I fail to see the logic.

EDIT:
* JH has noticed that too.
* any word on a penalty for the Lexus? Or was that OK because it was a Porsche that was assaulted?

[RWill2073]

Ok, so we know rlm have a video feed in the booth, because they saw the bumping between the gtd bmw and Ford gtlm and other gtd car as it happened and commented. But the pass for the gtd lead was on camera and happened as we watched it but wasn't noticed or commented on by them until they came back around to the front straight. Kinda odd. Definitely not complaining tho, I love listening to them call the race.

Let's see what dalziell can do now. Rahal racing having a crap year in IndyCar and imsa I guess.

What is everyone's thoughts on the crowd?

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by gert

Hurray! At least a GM product wins again


Ruin someone's race and you get a drive-through. Pit-lane infringement and you get a 1 minute penalty. I fail to see the logic.

EDIT:
* JH has noticed that too.
* any word on a penalty for the Lexus? Or was that OK because it was a Porsche that was assaulted?

I liked that he pointed that out too. But, as is, it's in the rule book, so it's not like it's some conspiracy that is allowing a gm product to win. It is frustrating though. And I bet if it was alon driving the Lexus it would have gotten a penalty.

[RWill2073]

Got a mishap by a caddy to open up at least one podium spot for someone else. Wish they would show the gaps between 3, 4, 5 and 6 in prototype.

[Maelochs]

"GTLM drivers please take note." Brilliant.

[Maelochs]

Garcia should have known enough to get out of that fight --- he is twenty seconds up, he had time.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

"GTLM drivers please take note." Brilliant.

That one made me laugh.

[tux]

WTR are crazy fast

[RWill2073]

Oh well. Esm gonna lose the podium.

[Maelochs]

Another Cadillac sweep. They teased us withthe #2 and the #85 just to keep us watching ....

[Maelochs]

yeah he might have saved the car .... i don't know how much damage was done but .... team might have saved some cash ... but I guess Ed Brown can afford to gamble. Glad he got out so fast and great response by the safety crew.

[gert]

Fitting end to basically a non-race ...

[RWill2073]

Damn. Oh well. Just gotta respect Cadillac for putting the most time and effort into development. We'll see what happens if/when penske shows up.

If they get back green will there be a chance for bmw in gtlm?

[gert]

Still, the BOP does not work IMO.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by gert

Still, the BOP does not work IMO.

Can you honestly say Esm or jdc motorsport or (lol) mazda deserve to be fighting with the caddy's right now?

[Artur]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

What is everyone's thoughts on the crowd?

That's one pretty poor attendance. Almost nobody is there and I don't know how long this track will still be hosting races

[gert]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Can you honestly say Esm or jdc motorsport or (lol) mazda deserve to be fighting with the caddy's right now?

Given levels of reliability and preparation: no, of course not.

But if the BOP would work the way it is meant to be, then the other cars would be competitive with the Cadillacs during practice, qualifying and a part of the race until they broke down.

Right now, they are slow and unreliable. So that means, the performance is not balanced.

I don't expect or want BoP to balance reliability, but it should balance performance. Otherwise, just rename it. Or find another word that starts with a P.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by gert

Given levels of reliability and preparation: no, of course not.

But if the BOP would work the way it is meant to be, then the other cars would be competitive with the Cadillacs during practice, qualifying and a part of the race until they broke down.

Right now, they are slow and unreliable. So that means, the performance is not balanced.

I don't expect or want BoP to balance reliability, but it should balance performance. Otherwise, just rename it. Or find another word that starts with a P.

But an Esm outqualified 2 caddy's. Only one car was 1.5 seconds ahead, not all 3 caddy's. If you took out the Taylor car, qualifying times were fairly equal, or close enough.

Both the jdc and one of the Esm cars had faster fast race laps than the 5 Cadillac. Seems balanced between them. Not sure how you balance out one team specifically.

[OmerRS]

Originally Posted by gert

Still, the BOP does not work IMO.

Nissan engine runs on very low boost, IMSA should let them get some more power from that potent V6 turbo. At the moment they are at only about standard Nissan GT-R power level(550 hp) according to the boost table.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by gert

Still, the BOP does not work IMO.

BoP is supposed to equalize cars, not teams or drivers.

The Cadillacs are the best cars. They don’t always break, they don’t always not. Two out of three usually have good races. Opportunities do exist for other teams ... but how many can’t capitalize?

Look at today. JDC or ESM could have had a podium. Can’t blame Mustang Sampling for their issues.

To quote RWill2073

Originally Posted by RWill2073

But an Esm outqualified 2 caddy's. Both the jdc and one of the Esm cars had faster fast race laps than the 5 Cadillac. Seems balanced between them. Not sure how you balance out one team specifically.

AXR and WTR did a year of testing with the Cadillac while everybody else was still planning. The Caddys were pretty well sorted when they hit the Rolex. They still had issues, but the teams at least knew how to make them fast.

Also ... the top teams have spent the most money. Mazda wants to stay with SpeedSource and a lo-fi effort, fine—that’s what they get. They want to run prototypes on a GT budget with a GT team. That’s what they get.

ESM Should have the budget, but they were late to the show. Let them get their stuff together and let’s see.

Rebellion showed that a non-Cadillac could run with the Caddys ... but Rebellion couldn’t seem to avoid issues. Not Cadillac’s fault.

VistFlorida and JDC? I don’t know what’s up there. They should have talent and knowledge. JDC has shown speed. It might be a shortage of cash, and the development work and testing cash could bring.

PR1 Mathiason has also showed speed. Can’t say the car can’t do it ... they just can’t keep it doing it for a whole race.

At some point you have to say, “The cars are balanced and the teams are free to win or lose.”

You cannot try to adjust for Everything with BoP. At some point you have to say, “If you want to run fast stop tripping yourselves up.”

I Really want some other teams to win. But I really want those teams to Earn the win.

The series has cranked back the Cadillacs a couple of times. The rest of the field still couldn’t keep out of its own way. How can you BoP bad Team performance?

[gert]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

If you took out the Taylor car, qualifying times were fairly equal, or close enough.

Close enough, but always to the advantage of a Cadillac.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by gert

Close enough, but always to the advantage of a Cadillac.

Seems like it was advantage jdc and Esm over two of three cadillacs on fastest race laps. So how do you "balance" that?

[gert]

I agree that if you run a less professional driver pairing you won't win.
I agree that if you have bad pitstops you won't win.
I agree that if you are not as good in the pit stop you won't win.
I agree that if you don't make the right strategy calls you won't win.

However, this is all far less important in a practice or qualifying session, and also there the Cadillacs are way faster than anything else.
Now that isn't right.

With a correct BoP the other cars would be competitive, until the less experienced driver takes over; or the car fails because it always does; or the team makes the tactical error.

But not even that is happening.

[chernaudi]

And it seems so much for people thinking that IMSA would out draw the WEC at COTA with the date change. IMO, they're both equally screwed at COTA. Time for Indy GP or Montreal.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by gert

However, this is all far less important in a practice or qualifying session, and also there the Cadillacs are way faster than anything else.

Dude ... let me explain the concept of "data."

ESM and JDC Both were FASTER in the race than the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac. ESM Qualified ahead of two of the Cadillacs.

I don't have the practice numbers but they are al-kamels if it matters ... but if you don't accept the data we do have, why bother with more?

You have heard, "To finish first, you must first finish"? How did what the Cadillacs do, cause the #2 Nissan to burn up? How did the Cadillacs make the #52 have total electrical failure on the grid?

The Mazdas, particularly the #55, have some awesomely fast drivers, and at different times, have been the quickest cars on track. They are also the first cars to the pits. What does That have to do with the Cadillacs?

The Cadillacs Are Better Cars. We get that.

Isn't part of the point of racing ... that the teams build better cars? Do we want to put everyone in identical cars? Seems that hasn't been real popular among sports car fans ... ever.

The answer isn't to keep holding back the best,. The Answer is for the rest to get their crap together.

If WTR, Mustang, and Whelen chose the best chassis/engine combination .. how is that their fault? If the other teams haven't made the most out of their own chosen engine/chassis combinations, how is that the fault of the teams that had?

It is just like in GT. BMW has been lagging all year. At this race they came out smoking. And ... they smoked up. Should Corvette have to give the trophy to BMW because the Vette has been the better car all year?

data shows so far that on any given day any of the P-cars can be fast. Data also shows that every race day, the other Teams fail to get their cars to work.

An also ... WTR was a freaking second -and-a-half faster than anyone else.

If it was all car ... That would be Impossible. All the Cadillacs would run the same speed. They didn't, which means teams and driver played a role.

isn't that what we want?

Let's see ... the best team with the best drivers and the best car got the best results. What's wrong here?

Nothing.