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4 Mar 2003, 15:35 (Ref:524556) | #1 | ||
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Sebring Approaches..Your "Top Ten"
We're less than two weeks away from the big "Coming Out Party" at Sebring...
It would be easy to name a "Top Five" or just the Podium finishers, so I wanted to stretch it (and your thoughts on the field) a little.... Otherwise, we might read 55 versions of "Audis, Bentleys and or MG/Lola" lists, and that would get pretty old pretty fast... Give us your "Top Ten" at Sebring this year...feel free to support your "Surprise" or "Dark Horse" picks as well... I look forward to reading your thoughts, as I'm sure others do as well... Thanks! |
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4 Mar 2003, 15:55 (Ref:524571) | #2 | ||
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Okay...here we go...my top ten (or as close as I can get to it)..
Bentley on top. The three Audi's, any order JML Panoz (with Papis at the wheel, perhaps ahead of the Audis, even) GTS... the Corvettes..(duh) The Pagani (if it finishes) Any of a number of Porsches Any of a (dwindling) number of Vipers Saleens *might* make it..but as of late, with their homologation problems....who knows. Anyway...very vague, I know, but that's the best I can do. Later all (and for a laugh..The Racers Group takes the overall!!!!) *insert maniacal laughter here* |
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4 Mar 2003, 15:57 (Ref:524573) | #3 | ||
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Rumor has it that the Picchio DP will be the Pace Car...apparently a Honda Civic wasn't available....
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4 Mar 2003, 18:41 (Ref:524697) | #4 | ||
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Here are mine:
1. Joest Audi 2. Bentley (Kristensen) 3. Matthews R&S 4. Champion Audi 5. Audi UK 6. Dyson/Weaver/MG-Lola 7. Bentley (Herbert, etc.) 8. Intersport MG-Lola 9. DBA Zytek (675) 10.Pick a Panoz WHY???? Sebring's heat, humidity and rough surface are tough on new designs & chassis, especially mechanically...thus: One bentley will have problems, and the other might avoid them Lister will have gremlins to deal with... First-timers can prepare for these conditions, but the experienced Sebring entrants know "how Stiff, without too stiff" of a set-up to handle the conditions and survive this difficult race.. First-timers usually don't end up in the top ten at Sebring...but Bentley has the $$$ and the ability to do so, and the DBA Zytek at least has the experience from Atlanta NOTE: Two of the Audis are down the list....things happen...parts break...and they are privateers this time around...no big "Factory" entourage to change a differential in 6 minutes.... |
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6 Mar 2003, 10:38 (Ref:526457) | #5 | ||
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ok it's brand new, but don't you think the Lister can get something?
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bernard |
6 Mar 2003, 12:37 (Ref:526547) | #6 | ||
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With 60 cars in the field I couldn't even imagine how it'll shake out over 12 hours. I do think the AJR guys will be up near or at the top and I'm going to bet on The Racers Group to be near the top.
If they've solved their reliability problems, the ProDrive Ferrari should beat the Corvettes, but it'll be a dogfight worth watching. And of course I'm cheering for Bentley in the Top Group but basically it's Anyone But Audi for me. With all the work I have to do at Sebring, ,I hope I have time to watch some of the race. |
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"If we won all the time, we'd be as unpopular as Ferrari, and we want to avoid that. We enjoy being a team that everybody likes." Flavio Briatore |
6 Mar 2003, 13:16 (Ref:526576) | #7 | |
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LMP's
1. Bentley 2. Champion Audi 3. Bentley 4. Joest Audi 5. Dyson MG GT's 1. Prodrive Ferrari 2. Corvette 3. Prodrive Ferrari 4. Corvette 5. Konrad Saleen |
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6 Mar 2003, 14:01 (Ref:526604) | #8 | ||
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To Bernard B...
I think the Lister will be very competitive.... However, 12 hours at Sebring with the conditions stated above is really a difficult test physically and mechanically.... It is especially tough on a relatively new chassis...and probably will be on a new Lister that had gremlins pop up at Jerez tests recently -- without the bumps, heat and humidity... I hope they do survive and run very well... But from spending many years watching the 12 Hours of Sebring (including 7 years in-person when I lived down there), History tells me that a new chassis like the Lister will face more than its share of problems that will keep them from a high finish.... I hope I'm wrong...but a realistic, historical look at what happens at this race tells me that my hunch is a likely possibility... |
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6 Mar 2003, 17:45 (Ref:526816) | #9 | ||
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1. Joest Audi
2. Champion Audi 3. Bentley (Kristensen) 4. MG Dyson 5. Audi UK 6. R&S Matthews 7. Bentley (the other one) 8. Ferrari Prodrive 9. Porsche Alex Job 10. Corvette Furthermore I am sure that there is no Lister or Zonda in the Top20. The JML Panoz is difficult to judge. |
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6 Mar 2003, 18:18 (Ref:526845) | #10 | ||
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Interesting list...
Interesting list..... I originally thought that the depth of the LMP classes would stick cars from those classes in the Top Ten with my list.... However, attrition will be a factor (always is at Sebring) so GT and GTS could in fact work their way up and into it...although I don't remember one cracking the Top Ten last year... |
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6 Mar 2003, 18:30 (Ref:526865) | #11 | ||
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I stand corrected (just looked it up):
a Corvette was 9th and a Saleen 10th The 2002 order: 1. Audi (Capello/Herbert) 2. Champion Audi 3. Matthews R&S IIIC 4. Dyson R&S IIIA 5. Audi (Biela,Kristensen) 6. Ascari 7. Intersport MG-Lola 8. Panoz 9. Corvette 10 Saleen |
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6 Mar 2003, 22:30 (Ref:527085) | #12 | |||
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Quote:
I nearly agree, but I don't think both Bentley's will finish; I'd substitute one of the Panoz' for the Herbert Bentley. I also think a Corvette will get second in GTS, behind the Prodrive Ferrari. |
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6 Mar 2003, 23:53 (Ref:527149) | #13 | ||
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Everyone about on the same wave here.
1. Joest 2. Champion 3. Bentley #8 4. Mathews R&S 5. Audi UK 6. Dyson Lola 7. Bentley #7 8. #3 Vette 9. Intersport 10. Alex Job My Lister guess, it won't finish, but I'd like to see it qualify in the top 6. I'm thinking the Zonda might not make the start after practice shreds that thing. The environmently friendly Reynard will probably end up slowest of all LMPs. Kinda like an electric car, it doesn't go very fast, or very far, and if you drive it, people will think you are gay. |
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7 Mar 2003, 13:46 (Ref:527747) | #14 | ||
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I think the "Green Machine" will have some speed....it's running the same engine that CART Champ Cars use, and they are only about 200 pounds lighter than an LMP 900...it'll have plenty of power...
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7 Mar 2003, 21:14 (Ref:528105) | #15 | ||
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1-Joest
2-Bentley #7 3-Bentley #8 4-Champion 5-JMR 6-American Spirit 7-Field Lola MG 675 8-Corvette 9-Corvette 10-GNM Saleen |
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7 Mar 2003, 21:20 (Ref:528112) | #16 | ||
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1 - Bentley #8
2 - Bentley #7 3 - Joest 4 - Champion 5 - Audi UK 6 - Dyson MG 7 - Panoz 8 - Lister 9 - Panoz 10 - Intersport |
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