IMSA Race 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona - Page 3

fieldodreams79 · 6 Jan 2015, 21:03 (Ref:3490445)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Not expected, but not fully unexpected either considering that he's just switched allegiance to Chevrolet by moving to Penske in Indycar.

Good point. Not really following Indy silly season. I am happy that we'll get the opportunity to see what kind of GT driver he is now. I am sure he'll so just fine.

carbon_titanium · 6 Jan 2015, 21:05 (Ref:3490446)

Since the day he left honda for GM in indycar, I expected to see him as 3rd/4th driver in corvette DP at daytona.

Deleted · 6 Jan 2015, 22:50 (Ref:3490488)

So in those few rare times during the race when you're actually seeing the track on your screen and not enduring Michelin tire tips or Bob Varsha boredly leading you to another five minute FOX commercial break (only to then welcome you back to say "we'll be back after these" 3 minutes of additional FOX commercials) - how many times do you think the organizers are gonna waste behind the pace car and handing free laps to everybody?

Cautions this century

2000 - 08x for 32L
2001 - 09x for 34L
2002 - 11x for 32L
2003 - 10x for 37L
2004 - 09x for 72L
2005 - 14x for 61L
2006 - 09x for 48L
2007 - 13x for 82L
2008 - 22x for 112L
2009 - 25x for 117L
2010 - 16x for 74L
2011 - 23x for 141L
2012 - 14x for 64L
2013 - 16x for 121L
2014 - 17x for 95L

Anyway. Still not decided if I'm gonna bother anymore with this event. The new HPDs are intriguing as are some of the line-ups but that's just so little to make up for the Grand-Am fest. It's slipping towards "no", as it already did with Sebring last year

Nick Woodbury · 6 Jan 2015, 23:56 (Ref:3490504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

So in those few rare times during the race when you're actually seeing the track on your screen and not enduring Michelin tire tips or Bob Varsha boredly leading you to another five minute FOX commercial break (only to then welcome you back to say "we'll be back after these" 3 minutes of additional FOX commercials) - how many times do you think the organizers are gonna waste behind the pace car and handing free laps to everybody?

Cautions this century

2000 - 08x for 32L
2001 - 09x for 34L
2002 - 11x for 32L
2003 - 10x for 37L
2004 - 09x for 72L
2005 - 14x for 61L
2006 - 09x for 48L
2007 - 13x for 82L
2008 - 22x for 112L
2009 - 25x for 117L
2010 - 16x for 74L
2011 - 23x for 141L
2012 - 14x for 64L
2013 - 16x for 121L
2014 - 17x for 95L

Anyway. Still not decided if I'm gonna bother anymore with this event. The new HPDs are intriguing as are some of the line-ups but that's just so little to make up for the Grand-Am fest. It's slipping towards "no", as it already did with Sebring last year

Interesting...2008 is when Nascar holdings took over Grand-Am.....notice anything different? If that doesn't tell all...

jasonjessica09 · 7 Jan 2015, 01:37 (Ref:3490524)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Interesting...2008 is when Nascar holdings took over Grand-Am.....notice anything different? If that doesn't tell all...

Wow that is some revealing statistic. Just total incompetence with the race officiating. No excuse for that many full course yellows. Believe us IMSA folks, we'll be counting!

Rcz · 7 Jan 2015, 03:48 (Ref:3490543)

I wonder if there is any added safety features to the DPs after that horrible accident last year.

MagVanisher · 7 Jan 2015, 05:36 (Ref:3490559)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rcz

I wonder if there is any added safety features to the DPs after that horrible accident last year.

I doubt that, apart from having those 2014 upgrades so that they won't look obsolete compared to LMP2 cars.

Rcz · 7 Jan 2015, 06:25 (Ref:3490569)

That's really unfortunate. Perhaps some of the teams have modified their cars on their own for safety hopefully.

BudLightJaguar · 7 Jan 2015, 08:52 (Ref:3490594)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

2013 - 16x for 121L

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Interesting...2008 is when Nascar holdings took over Grand-Am.....notice anything different? If that doesn't tell all...

I'm not trying to deny it's because of NASCAR influence, but in 2013 they had over an hour-long FCY at wee hours because of poor visibility ("London fog").

Trackside it looked like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrvZ...ature=youtu.be

It may look clear enough on the video but really you couldn't see the Speedway Boulevard footbridge, before you were very close.

Deleted · 7 Jan 2015, 10:31 (Ref:3490625)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rcz

That's really unfortunate. Perhaps some of the teams have modified their cars on their own for safety hopefully.

One does not simply modify Daytona Prototype... they want the cars to stay as spec as possible

10TENTHS · 7 Jan 2015, 12:06 (Ref:3490650)

Then why is TUSCC going to the 2016 LMP2 specifications? Part of the reason the GTD exodus happened is because teams were upset about an impending change to GT3 regulations...yet they jumped to a series (PWC) that uses those exact specs. If they couldn't afford endurance events then what were they doing in TUSCC to begin with?

If you're going to post here just to criticise and moan, at least do so with some facts\logic...

BullMan · 7 Jan 2015, 14:14 (Ref:3490687)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10TENTHS

Then why is TUSCC going to the 2016 LMP2 specifications? Part of the reason the GTD exodus happened is because teams were upset about an impending change to GT3 regulations...yet they jumped to a series (PWC) that uses those exact specs. If they couldn't afford endurance events then what were they doing in TUSCC to begin with?

If you're going to post here just to criticise and moan, at least do so with some facts\logic...

Um no, the teams aren't upset with the change the GT3. Pretty much everyone welcomes it. They just don't want to run cars with the GTD changes for one year and have useless crap sitting around until the end of time.

wdave0 · 7 Jan 2015, 15:31 (Ref:3490704)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Wow that is some revealing statistic. Just total incompetence with the race officiating. No excuse for that many full course yellows. Believe us IMSA folks, we'll be counting!

I was getting tired of Grand Am but 2008 was the last straw and my last visit to Daytona. Sadly, such race mismanagement is now part of the entire TUSCC season of full field races. I discovered a while ago that TV is some better - during the yellows you can do laundry, wash dishes, mow the lawn rather than sit at trackside bored to tears listening to some morons on radio/pa trying to make it seem like something is happening. Sadly, Fox has found an additional way to add boredom - green flag commercials. If they at least restricted them to yellow they'd get in more and annoy less. Nascar has worked this well for years - time for a commercial -find debris on the track.

MagVanisher · 7 Jan 2015, 15:54 (Ref:3490709)

Make it 50 Yellow Flags and this race is over!

CyberMotor · 7 Jan 2015, 16:49 (Ref:3490722)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudLightJaguar

Trackside it looked like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrvZ...ature=youtu.be

Luckily, you were able to keep the crowds back for this video.

Dodge_Swinger · 7 Jan 2015, 18:04 (Ref:3490743)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

So in those few rare times during the race when you're actually seeing the track on your screen and not enduring Michelin tire tips or Bob Varsha boredly leading you to another five minute FOX commercial break (only to then welcome you back to say "we'll be back after these" 3 minutes of additional FOX commercials) - how many times do you think the organizers are gonna waste behind the pace car and handing free laps to everybody?

Cautions this century

2000 - 08x for 32L
2001 - 09x for 34L
2002 - 11x for 32L
2003 - 10x for 37L
2004 - 09x for 72L
2005 - 14x for 61L
2006 - 09x for 48L
2007 - 13x for 82L
2008 - 22x for 112L
2009 - 25x for 117L
2010 - 16x for 74L
2011 - 23x for 141L
2012 - 14x for 64L
2013 - 16x for 121L
2014 - 17x for 95L

Anyway. Still not decided if I'm gonna bother anymore with this event. The new HPDs are intriguing as are some of the line-ups but that's just so little to make up for the Grand-Am fest. It's slipping towards "no", as it already did with Sebring last year

The reason for all the Grand-AM/TUSC cautions and wave arounds is to keep as many cars as possible on the lead lap regardless of driver skill. After either last year's Rolex or Sebring (can't remember which), IMSA was just gushing about how many cars finished on the lead lap, even though most of those cars were gifted with free laps during a FCY. I think it's more difficult in TUSC to go a lap down and stay there than it is to stay on the lead lap. Based on the amount of FCYs last year, you'd have to be more than ten laps down to finish on anything other than the lead lap.

I wish IMSA would officiate in the NFL. Then my beloved Falcons wouldn't have had the crap season they had and would still be in the playoffs for an "all out race to the finish! Boogity boogity!"

**skycafe** · 7 Jan 2015, 18:19 (Ref:3490745)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

Cautions this century

2000 - 08x for 32L
2001 - 09x for 34L
2002 - 11x for 32L
2003 - 10x for 37L
2004 - 09x for 72L
2005 - 14x for 61L
2006 - 09x for 48L
2007 - 13x for 82L
2008 - 22x for 112L
2009 - 25x for 117L
2010 - 16x for 74L
2011 - 23x for 141L
2012 - 14x for 64L
2013 - 16x for 121L
2014 - 17x for 95L

The 2004 statistic does not seem correct. That was the last time I went to a 24, and it seemed like it rained most of the race, and they were actually running out of rain tires. It seemed perpetually under caution.

MagVanisher · 7 Jan 2015, 18:33 (Ref:3490748)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodge_Swinger

I wish IMSA would officiate in the NFL. Then my beloved Falcons wouldn't have had the crap season they had and would still be in the playoffs for an "all out race to the finish! Boogity boogity!"

I wish that too, but some purist would derail those officials for making the sport very artificial.

IMSA should have professional and un-biased officiating instead of making gimmick calls for the sake of entertainment and sponsors. Seriously, the current officials should move back to NASCAR!

Speed-King · 7 Jan 2015, 18:42 (Ref:3490752)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

I wish that too, but some purist would derail those officials for making the sport very artificial.

IMSA should have professional and un-biased officiating instead of making gimmick calls for the sake of entertainment and sponsors. Seriously, the current officials should move back to NASCAR!

The current officials (at least those that do the officiating) are from the ALMS side...

CyberMotor · 7 Jan 2015, 18:44 (Ref:3490753)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

The 2004 statistic does not seem correct. That was the last time I went to a 24, and it seemed like it rained most of the race, and they were actually running out of rain tires. It seemed perpetually under caution.

Was that the year that the race was red-flagged due to standing water? That was probably longer but would only show up as 1 FCY?

CyberMotor · 7 Jan 2015, 19:00 (Ref:3490759)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodge_Swinger

The reason for all the Grand-AM/TUSC cautions and wave arounds is to keep as many cars as possible on the lead lap

This is the 'pack racing' that NASCAR has successfully built an empire upon. I admit that it works there. I do not think that it belongs in endurance racing.

In endurance racing, particularly in the old days, you just needed to outlast the other cars and didn't, necessarily, have to be the fastest. It required tremendous planning, strategies, quick decisions, some luck, better designs, better drivers and if you got all or most of it right, you had a chance of winning, whether it was by 20 laps or 20 seconds. Both are admirable.

I think the 'pack racing' does not fit well with endurance racing and erases many of tactical and strategic plans and moves that teams and drivers make. It erases too many good decisions and replaces them with a pack and everyone is wondering how they got where they are.

The brains are probably thinking they can still implement their philosophy and the new fans will love it. I'm sure they are thinking that the reason sports car racing has never been as popular in the US as NASCAR is because they didn't do this before. I hope not.

The new assignments in the race management and other technical areas bodes well for the series, I think. We'll see.

Bottom line, they need to run an endurance sports car series with all of its nuances. The automobile fleet is currently undergoing revolutionary changes. These cars and the series needs to understand this and be at the forefront of this and not on the sidelines.

I think Ford has the bug big-time and with their record-breaking run last year in the Ecoboost started it off. Going to be interesting to hear what Ford has planned. Hopefully, they will have a spot at the table with Audi, Toyota, Porsche, Honda and Nissan.

Daytona should be a main show in the circus and not a side show.

Here's hoping.

wdave0 · 7 Jan 2015, 20:33 (Ref:3490787)

If you add excessive/bogus yellows, wave-bys , nighttime lighting and the pit rules endurance "strategy" has no place left at Daytona - just cruise until the green-white-checker and lo another record finish. If the operators could only get it right they'd have half the field on the lead lap at the finish.

wdave0 · 7 Jan 2015, 20:34 (Ref:3490788)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

The current officials (at least those that do the officiating) are from the ALMS side...

True - but they didn't do it that way in ALMS, Grand AM did - so where do the paychecks and orders come from?

gsmith2424 · 7 Jan 2015, 21:44 (Ref:3490813)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

Was that the year that the race was red-flagged due to standing water? That was probably longer but would only show up as 1 FCY?

Yes it was, 2004. That was my first Rolex race and I remember hearing the call over that radio that Goodyear had just sold it's last set of rain tires and that was around 1 in the morning.

Rcz · 7 Jan 2015, 21:44 (Ref:3490814)

I'm not going to defend TUSC terrible way of using yellows, but I do remember the last years of ALMS having obnoxiously long cautions.

Seems like nether side really learned to me.

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