IMSA Race Petit Le Mans

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Grand am and Tusc did that,would move the prototype leader to the front and gt's to the rear with split restarts.and EVERY ONE COMPLAINED!so they went to the alms way of picking up the next class leader behind the safety car.

Yeah, I don't see a problem with the way they do it. It allows the trailing cars in prototypes to close back up while the first few go through heavier traffic. But by the time the leaders come back around to the slower cars, they're more spread out, as opposed to restarting with leaders in lead and the pack is bunched up more when they do catch the rear plus the following prototypes have to go through traffic the leaders don't, which jist means they will take more risks to not lose more time. So it's gonna be a problem either way, because cautions breed cautions no matter how you line them up.

[Maelochs]

After ten hours .... and what 12 races ... on the whole I'd say IMSA has shed its Rolex past and has brought North American sports car racing back to a level on par with the rest of the world.

The series isn't perfect--never will be, because we each want something a little different --but when I think how it could have gone .... IMSA dumped the DPs, and accepted a modern chassis. IMSA held out for engine variety ... ELMS is great racing but not top-tier, best-on-the-continent racing. DPi is a good balance between the affordability of spec racing and the variety of open rules .... given budget constraints.

With USCC/TUSCC we sort of got Rolex version 2.0. WeatherTech is decidedly Not 3.0 ... or any other version of Rolex. This series doesn't need to make excuses.

[RWill2073]

Agreed. The top class is essentially what the top class would be right now if the ALMS was still around. The top GT class is what the top GT class would be right now if the ALMS was still around. The GTD class is the lone remaining class from the Rolex series, which is the lowest class on the grid (but still an excellent class). All the races that were traditionally in ALMS, are still here. It seems the main things brought in from the Nascar/Rolex side was the financial backing, and the 24 Hours of Daytona. It took a few years, but it looks like they have managed the transition very well.

I am extremely excited for next year. Going from strength to strength. Hope I can make a race in person next year for the first time in a long while. And thanks to this site for the conversations, discussions, and of course the links that make watching it live possible.

[kvenom]

I still hate the NASCAR length yellows.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by kvenom

I still hate the NASCAR length yellows.

They were pretty much just as long in ALMS, and today they were quicker than usual. Hindy and co. said the normal caution lasted about 15 minutes this year, but today it was around 11 minutes.

[YZFrider]

Caught the second half of the race. Congrats to the winners and champions. Shout out to the 63 in GTD that survived a race of attrition. I have to agree with several posts already: Unfortunate cautions that dampened the race a tad for me towards the end, but solid racing during stretches of green flag for all classes.

Anybody feel the P class has finally found parity? The last several races have shown this....not based on results of the races but the lap times of the cars themselves. Is it dreaming to much to think maybe they should leave the BoP where it is?

[blankfile]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

They were pretty much just as long in ALMS, and today they were quicker than usual. Hindy and co. said the normal caution lasted about 15 minutes this year, but today it was around 11 minutes.

That's because road atlanta is not that long of a track probably

[bentley speed 8]

Originally Posted by YZFrider

Anybody feel the P class has finally found parity? The last several races have shown this....not based on results of the races but the lap times of the cars themselves. Is it dreaming to much to think maybe they should leave the BoP where it is?

Definitely much better than what we had at the start of the year, but now they have got enough data to balance everything correctly.

[Akrapovic]

Things I learnt from Petit Le Mans:

1) I can't stay up as late as I used to be able to when I was younger. I'm old.
2) Writing a race report after you've fallen asleep is not happening
3) IMSA is awesome

[gert]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Grand am and Tusc did that,would move the prototype leader to the front and gt's to the rear with split restarts.and EVERY ONE COMPLAINED!so they went to the alms way of picking up the next class leader behind the safety car.

I don't want the prototypes at front, I want the race leader at the front.
If that's a GTLM car (happened a while ago) then that needs to be the GT car.

I would do it like this:
* race leader at the front
* keep the rest in the order they are in, except for the cars that would lose out to their class leaders, and move them around like they do now.

[gert]

Originally Posted by gert

Congrats to ESM, they really deserved it after leading most of the race.


Some things IMSA will have to think about:
* why not have the race leader at the front at the restart? I'm totally with JH and Jeremy Shaw on this. That is stupid, and dangerous and causes more problems.
* what's with the penalties? Montoya/Penske does NOT get a penalty for destroying the Lexus; Derani/ESM gets a drive-though for putting the 67 off; Albuquerque/AXR gets a stop + 60 for 'unacceptable risk' but without hitting anyone. What exactly did they do? And was that really that much worse than damaging another car?

All of these 3 accidents could probably have been avoided by not putting the prototypes in the middle of the pack at restarts.


I enjoyed the race but the last half hour, the accidents and the handling of them leaves a bit of a bad taste, sadly.

I forgot one point
* please remove the ad boards from the grass. We had 3 accidents were cars picked up ad boards and 2 times they were left on track. Only Fassler managed to delivered it in the pits.
That were avoidable FCY.

[gert]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Things I learnt from Petit Le Mans:

1) I can't stay up as late as I used to be able to when I was younger. I'm old.
2) Writing a race report after you've fallen asleep is not happening
3) IMSA is awesome

I managed to stay up until 03.15
Of course, it helps that
* the race is on Saturday and not Sunday
* the race was interesting
* I get some training during the year (Nurburgring 24, Le Mans 24, Spa 24)

I have to admit it isn't getting any easier. I'm also not getting any younger, alas.
But at 42, I still feel young-ish

[cbbrit]

Provisional race results:

http://results.imsa.com/Results/17_2...Unofficial.PDF

[Damian Baldi]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

After ten hours .... and what 12 races ... on the whole I'd say IMSA has shed its Rolex past and has brought North American sports car racing back to a level on par with the rest of the world.

The series isn't perfect--never will be, because we each want something a little different --but when I think how it could have gone .... IMSA dumped the DPs, and accepted a modern chassis. IMSA held out for engine variety ... ELMS is great racing but not top-tier, best-on-the-continent racing. DPi is a good balance between the affordability of spec racing and the variety of open rules .... given budget constraints.

With USCC/TUSCC we sort of got Rolex version 2.0. WeatherTech is decidedly Not 3.0 ... or any other version of Rolex. This series doesn't need to make excuses.

I agree with your words, I think the same.

The category improved through the year, and finally we have parity and variety at the same time. Next year will be still better with more P2 teams and Penske. I only hope that the cost keep low to mantain a healthy competition and good show.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by gert

I forgot one point
* please remove the ad boards from the grass. We had 3 accidents were cars picked up ad boards and 2 times they were left on track. Only Fassler managed to delivered it in the pits.
That were avoidable FCY.

Yes, finding some other way to put up signage, banners on walls and painted on ground etc. but must keep it out of track fans sight lines of the race.





L.P.

[schmidder]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

I think IndyCar only moves the backmarkers with some small number of laps left .... if the leaders won't have time to get through traffic and race, the backmarkers go back.

The penalties .... so hard to call. I agree there seems to be some inconsistencies ... but ...

There is the "Maybe Montoya had a flat and couldn't control his car ..." which is slightly better than "Maybe aliens sent mind-control waves which made him twitch the wheel ..."

There is "We can't let people do dangerous things and not penalize them because they got lucky, and the #5 squeezed a car at full speed in an area where there is no margin of safety ..."

There is "Derani had no need to pass right there---he could have waited until T6--he unnecessarily endangered another driver."

And there are a dozen counter-arguments as well .... and the stewards have to make a call Now ....

If the 5 gets a stop and hold for pushing teammate off (and no contact), Montoya surely should have got at least the same. Looked as if he was trying to stay in the draft of the car he was chasing, which would explain him coming over so fast..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Yes, finding some other way to put up signage, banners on walls and painted on ground etc. but must keep it out of track fans sight lines of the race.





L.P.

I was thinking some type of banner that hangs on the tire walls themselves might be a solution.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by joeb

I was thinking some type of banner that hangs on the tire walls themselves might be a solution.

That's a solution for us, but it moves it out of the way of TV cameras. Those signs are only placed there because it means they're always in view.

Sebring does something scarier and sticks the adverts on heavy duty plastic pipes.



Wouldn't want to hit one of those, or be hit by the debris.

[Coach Ep]

Those are the braking markers, the adds are on the back. And yes, occasionally they're being taken out. It happens.

Alternative option would be markers on poles behind the armco but I'm sure the drivers won't like that too much.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Those are the braking markers, the adds are on the back. And yes, occasionally they're being taken out. It happens.

Alternative option would be markers on poles behind the armco but I'm sure the drivers won't like that too much.

Well, there's plenty of solutions for brake markers that don't involve pipework.



I'm imaging that above someone fire place.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by schmidder

If the 5 gets a stop and hold for pushing teammate off (and no contact), Montoya surely should have got at least the same. Looked as if he was trying to stay in the draft of the car he was chasing, which would explain him coming over so fast..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Yep, JPM should have been penalized.





L.P.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

The GTD class is the lone remaining class from the Rolex series, which is the lowest class on the grid (but still an excellent class).

The IMSA GT Daytona class is very superior to the Rolex GT class.

Originally Posted by RWill2073

It seems the main things brought in from the Nascar/Rolex side was the financial backing, and the 24 Hours of Daytona.

And a healthy prototype class, whicvh the ALMS lacked the last years,

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

And a healthy prototype class, whicvh the ALMS lacked the last years,

Not true.
ALMS 'prototype' teams still in 'prototypes' for 2017 grid: ESM, Mazda, Bar1, PR1, PerfTech and JDC-Miller (ALMS-IMSA lites to Tudor PC) ...
GA: WTR, AXR and Visit Florida.
Next year Core Autosport(ALMS) will be rejoining the P grid after stepping away for 1 year.

But the merger was needed by both to survive and thrive to the level it is at the moment.







L.P.

[chernaudi]

Add to that Joest (unless you're counting them under Mazda). Only notables missing from the ALMS are the likes of Champion, Highcroft, and AGR/Andretti Autosport. The first two are gone because of external reasons (Champion because of no Audi full time in the ALMS after '08/resulting financial issues for the racing side of the business, Highcroft because of no full season programs) and Andretti focused on Indy Car, though they did try and get back in IMSA with BMW.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Well, there's plenty of solutions for brake markers that don't involve pipework.

They've had them for years and I've seen them being hit a couple of times, no big deal, it looks way more dramatic than it really is, I don't recall having a FCY called for it the past couple of years.

IMSA/Sebring (and other tracks?) have bigger fish to fry.