IMSA IMSA : 2019

[Nickberg555]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

I believe Dragonspeed is focusing on 'just' their WEC efforts according a recent crew member response on facebook I stumbled upon.

40 would be okay-ish but I long back to the (around) 60 fields, gave me much more enjoyment. I have to say thought that with IMSA's current yellow procedures those numbers would indeed be a huge challenge unfortunately.

I'm very much looking forward to SuperSebring but can't help phantasizing how awesome the 12H would be with a combined field. I'm very glad I was able to experience the '12 race especially as I'm aware it won't ever happen again...

Dragonspeed had two cars he.. the red one will be used for WEC but the ELMS car maybe for IMSA?

A combined field would be madness haha.. great but now you have two races so two times the fun of a endurance race, racing into the dark.. that will be good funm therfore I will come over from the Netherlands to watch the weekend in Sebring!

[Coach Ep]

Risi confirms absence:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/r...er-imsa-plans/

I can understand the preference for (some) factory drivers but with guys like Vilander, Matt Griffin, Fisichella, Bertolini, Beretta plus a Michelin Pilot/PC hot shoe or two potentially available that would still leave enough options for a great line up.

LM might be the last time we'll see Risi in GTE/GTLM.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Nickberg555

I think it will be more than 40 man. You have 11 DPi's, 8 GTLM's, about 20 GTD's i think.. than about 2 or 3 LMP2's?? You will have 42 i think

Will come down to GTD count yes indeed. I feel we'll get an entry list on Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps. By my count, DPI/LMP2 combine is 13 cars. GTLM is 8 cars. So GTD needs 21 card to get to the 42. Coming off Daytona, I am not sure about the status of #54 Black Swan Porsche, #46 Ebi Lambo, #99 NGT Porsche, #13 ViaItalia Ferrari, #51 Spirit of Race Ferrari, #88 WRT Audi, and #29 Land Audi

[broadrun96]

And Black Swan has challenges with Pappas's fractures and 2 cars written off back to back weekends. Hadn't heard anything after they said they were regrouping the program after Bathurst.

[Nickberg555]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Will come down to GTD count yes indeed. I feel we'll get an entry list on Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps. By my count, DPI/LMP2 combine is 13 cars. GTLM is 8 cars. So GTD needs 21 card to get to the 42. Coming off Daytona, I am not sure about the status of #54 Black Swan Porsche, #46 Ebi Lambo, #99 NGT Porsche, #13 ViaItalia Ferrari, #51 Spirit of Race Ferrari, #88 WRT Audi, and #29 Land Audi

Yes.. Enteylist will be released this wednesday they told me. I counted the GTD cars en came to about 20.. Land will be there I think even as Black Swan I think.. Ebi Motors I dont know.. Spirit of Race maybe but I dont think so... they had the pole last year. I hope there will be some surprising LMP2 entries like United Autosports??.. PR1 Mathiassen and Performance Tech will be sure I think. Dragonspeed maybe..

[Lanky Turtle]

The track has been advertising more than 40 cars for the 12 Hours so I'd assume we can expect 41 at least.

[Nickberg555]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Will come down to GTD count yes indeed. I feel we'll get an entry list on Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps. By my count, DPI/LMP2 combine is 13 cars. GTLM is 8 cars. So GTD needs 21 card to get to the 42. Coming off Daytona, I am not sure about the status of #54 Black Swan Porsche, #46 Ebi Lambo, #99 NGT Porsche, #13 ViaItalia Ferrari, #51 Spirit of Race Ferrari, #88 WRT Audi, and #29 Land Audi

And what I saw is that P1 Motorsport has an other car. So maybe they will go to Sebring with 2 Mercedes GT3's. Look at there instagram.. the green car they used in Blancpain last weekend but it looks like they will head up to Sebring with both ones..??

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And Black Swan has challenges with Pappas's fractures and 2 cars written off back to back weekends. Hadn't heard anything after they said they were regrouping the program after Bathurst.

Wondering how Tim is doing, hope he's recovery quickly!

[Nickberg555]

Today we will see the entrylist of Sebring 12h

[Deleted]

11x DPi
02x LMP2
08x GTE
17x GT3
= 38

No Dragonspeed

https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Chiana

11x DPi
02x LMP2
08x GTE
17x GT3
= 38

No Dragonspeed

https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

Nice. Should get some good long green flag runs! Ideally none of them at all.

[gert]

Originally Posted by Chiana

11x DPi
02x LMP2
08x GTE
17x GT3
= 38

No Dragonspeed

https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

Actually, just the 'normal' IMSA field, with the addition of the Grasser Lamborghini and the Land Audi.

[canaglia]

as usual too many gt3's

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by canaglia

as usual too many gt3's

No way, the only thing there is too many of is Cadillacs

[Nickberg555]

Shame.. i thought there wpuld he more gt3 cars.. and maybe an extra lmp2

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

No way, the only thing there is too many of is Cadillacs

yeah too many cadillacs in dpi class (shame on acura and mazda for that) but too many gt3's overall. Basically about 50% of the whole entry list.

[fieldodreams79]

Yeah, its shame that Caddy have a popular, fast and reliable DPi and there's lots of GT3s...

[broadrun96]

It's a crying shame there are cars who want to race in your series, it's tough having teams want to race.

[Akrapovic]

Whilst I'd like more variety so we're not in a LMPORECA situation, can hardly blame Caddy for not only making a good car, but being able to corner the privateer market so effectively. Cadillac has single-handedly created a customer DPi market which was not there before.

[Adam43]

I’m with the underlying suggestions above. The ‘poor’ mix of cars isn’t Caddy’s or GT3’s fault.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I’m with the underlying suggestions above. The ‘poor’ mix of cars isn’t Caddy’s or GT3’s fault.

Fair points by all above. Bottom line is that 38 is a good grid size considering the circumstances in sportscar racing in 2019. Cars are super reliable now, but at the same time the race stewards are trigger happy with the safety car.

I think a fellow poster here in this forum or on one of the articles directly said that in the one of the 12 hours of Sebring races in the 1980's we had over 70 starters yet there were zero safety car periods. And there was a a 70% attrition rate too.

I do kind of miss those days when there was higher attrition, the races were more unpredictable and you could get a surprise overall winner. Also the gaps built up between cars meant something. Would not mind seeing a race where the winner takes it it 3 laps. Every race ends with the margin of 3 seconds now and its not special anymore.

[Nickberg555]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Fair points by all above. Bottom line is that 38 is a good grid size considering the circumstances in sportscar racing in 2019. Cars are super reliable now, but at the same time the race stewards are trigger happy with the safety car.

I think a fellow poster here in this forum or on one of the articles directly said that in the one of the 12 hours of Sebring races in the 1980's we had over 70 starters yet there were zero safety car periods. And there was a a 70% attrition rate too.

I do kind of miss those days when there was higher attrition, the races were more unpredictable and you could get a surprise overall winner. Also the gaps built up between cars meant something. Would not mind seeing a race where the winner takes it it 3 laps. Every race ends with the margin of 3 seconds now and its not special anymore.

I think its nowadays also its not quite predicable for the overall winner..You can call at least five or six cars for the win now

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Yeah, its shame that Caddy have a popular, fast and reliable DPi and there's lots of GT3s...

Man, remember the bad ole days of a grid full of Porsche 962's? Or a gt class full of 911's with a couple of panoz or bmw's mixed in?

Strange complaint, for sure.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Nickberg555

I think its nowadays also its not quite predicable for the overall winner..You can call at least five or six cars for the win now

Yes, but it is sort of a given now we will have a close finish between multiple cars. Kind of takes the importance and significance of the first half or so of the race, knowing as long as your car is still running it is incontention.

I don't necessarily agree about wishing for a winner by 3 laps, but more variation would be cool. Like letting mazda keep whatever speed advantage they have now and let them build a big gap knowing they're likely to break. Or mazda having the fuel mileage advantage last year, actually able to run an extra lap or two every stint and save time while running a slower pace to preserve their engines. Seeing one car chasing down another at different paces, closing down a big gap, is what is missing. Seeing 4-5 cars run in a line at the end of an endurance race isnt natural, lol. Still fun and exciting and I'm not exactly complaining.

[Deleted]

Sebring 2007 was living proof that you can have those exciting grandstand finishes even without BoP, waivers, caution fests, wave bys and spec cars and tires. And when they come by so rarely, it makes the occasion extra special. For the rest of the events, even if someone wins by 5 or 10 laps or whatever, at least it comes through pure merit and power of engineering & strategy. Huge margins can be interesting.

Of course, if someone who's only followed the sport for few years now watches that old GT2 finish today, I don't think the impact is quite the same for him/her... because that's what scripted to happen pretty much every round nowadays. We are living in the era of 'entertainment racing', it is expected.