Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge

**joeb** · 24 Jul 2012, 01:46 (Ref:3110600)

Round 6 of the ALMS 2012 season is less than 2 weeks away, and we get to see the debut of the Vipers!! The entry should be a bit larger compared to Mosport, but most of the additions will likely be in the challenge classes. This is a double header weekend with Indycar, so the track should be packed with fans.

Schedule

Entry List

Timing & Scoring

ESPN3 Video

ALMS Video

Track Map

Spotters Guide

Weather

World Times

Mac K · 24 Jul 2012, 03:05 (Ref:3110611)

I though Indycar was skipping Mid Ohio this year? Excited to see the Viper debut in ALMS once again. Maybe not this year, but next year for sure the Viper vs Corvette battle will be fantastic. Looking forward to the race

Mid Ohio is a fantastic track.

TF110 · 24 Jul 2012, 08:09 (Ref:3110671)

Which layout do they use? The full course, correct?

Deleted · 24 Jul 2012, 09:12 (Ref:3110698)

Sure. Mid-Ohio is my least favourite track of the season actually, though it's obviously much better for sportscars than it is for IndyCar. There's just something about it that doesn't thrill me... but oh well, I'm sure it'll be a fun weekend rain or shine and obviously the Vipers bring extra extra excitment.

US viewers particularly, please remember that the race will be not broadcasted live on ESPN3, only on ABC (and even that cuts off the first hour)

TF110 · 24 Jul 2012, 09:19 (Ref:3110702)

Thats stupid no live broadcast online. Well, at least I'll get to see the Vipers on the big screen!

Deleted · 24 Jul 2012, 09:27 (Ref:3110706)

I think it's still broadcasted online @ Europe though
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....postcount=2669

ESPN/ABC have really messed up the live TV broadcasting stuff this year, it's sad when you realize that a 90min highlight package of a 6 hour race is more comprehensive than a live broadcast of a 2h45min race that cuts off the first hour for no apparent reason.

ESPN America is also doing one-hour highlight reels for the series, and as funny as it sounds I actually found them to be more informative than the ESPN2/ABC ones. You know, they actually show some coverage of qualifying and stuff. Plus you get Richard Nichols's voiceover, of whom I hadn't heard commentanting since 2009 FIA GT at Zolder.

Of course, it's always recommended to see the Hindy/Shaw version before watching any of these

Fogelhund · 24 Jul 2012, 12:00 (Ref:3110770)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

Sure. Mid-Ohio is my least favourite track of the season actually, though it's obviously much better for sportscars than it is for IndyCar.

Mid-Ohio is actually a pretty good track to see the cars at, but I agree not very thrilling on TV.

Purist · 24 Jul 2012, 15:30 (Ref:3110849)

TF110, the ALMS uses the same layout they've always used. All the professional series, as far as I can tell, have used the 2.259-mile configuration ever since they added that link road back around 1990 to bypass the first portion of "the Keyhole".

(With the full "Keyhole", the lap is 2.400 miles around.)

The Badger · 24 Jul 2012, 17:38 (Ref:3110895)

Hope the Lizards get thier win back here !!!

FstrthnU · 24 Jul 2012, 19:48 (Ref:3110935)

Does anybody have any idea what happened to Performance Tech Motorsports and NGT Motorsport? Both of them have been missing from the races for quite some time now. Heck, Performance Tech was listed on Mosport's entry list but they never showed up for the actual race!

FordCosworthPanoz · 24 Jul 2012, 21:03 (Ref:3110959)

Will be there, sadly my camera will not. May be my last ALMS race in a while as I'm saving up a trip for the Belgian Grand Prix next year.

Mid Ohio isn't the most exciting track, but it is one hell of a deal. $110 for three days of Indycar, American Le Mans, SCCA WC and a "road to indy" race all with paddock access.

Articus · 24 Jul 2012, 21:12 (Ref:3110969)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

I think it's still broadcasted online @ Europe though
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....postcount=2669

Well in that case.....I will "be in Europe

" next weekend.

Deleted · 24 Jul 2012, 21:31 (Ref:3110983)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Articus

Well in that case.....I will "be in Europe

" next weekend.

The proxy trick of awesomeness, eh?

Gotta agree with FCP, that's some really good value for money, though as a package Long Beach is better (IndyLights & Celebrity Pro/Am are more interesting than the other spec single seater supports)

Jonerz · 24 Jul 2012, 22:30 (Ref:3111006)

I've always liked Mid-O from the standpoint that it is fun to drive. There aren't many passing zones, but that isn't an issue with multi-class sports car racing where the pasting is built in.

Chris

Deleted · 25 Jul 2012, 20:10 (Ref:3111391)

Entry list is out
http://www.imsaracing.net/2012/event...try%20List.pdf

03x P1
04x P2
08x PC
13x GT
04x GTC

The Vipers are there to brighten up the day as expected, plus Dempsey is back in P2. Oddly enough GTC stays at four with only the teams from Mosport returning

Obviously P2 drops to 3 when Tucker eventually parks the #95

Accident · 25 Jul 2012, 20:15 (Ref:3111392)

Looks like I'll just skip it live and watch it when it goes up for replay on their site. Had to do that for all the races this year after Sebring, so it won't be anything new to me...

I really hate this ****ing media package.

seanyb505 · 25 Jul 2012, 21:02 (Ref:3111404)

Hopefully tucker will try to use numbers to keep conquest at bay no that he's been beaten. It won't be pretty, but there will be more vehicles on track. Great to see - i mean know cause I can't actually watch - the vipers back.

Jonerz · 25 Jul 2012, 22:10 (Ref:3111419)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lebanza

Looks like I'll just skip it live and watch it when it goes up for replay on their site. Had to do that for all the races this year after Sebring, so it won't be anything new to me...

I really hate this ****ing media package.

You don't get ABC?

Chris

fieldodreams79 · 26 Jul 2012, 02:03 (Ref:3111472)

I've always enjoyed watching events at Mid Ohio. Sure it's not the greatest track in the world, but there's a high speed corner, a decent straight, at least two good passing zones, good elevation changes, a "carousel" and a great technical section with the beginning corner called "madness". I've always liked turn 11, and the run that follows through Thunder Vally into the carousel, as well. Too me, there is no "bad" part of the circuit, but nothing really stands my hair on end either. I really enjoyed it when the SCCA run offs were there, but those need to come home to Road ATL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Mid Ohio isn't the most exciting track, but it is one hell of a deal. $110 for three days of Indycar, American Le Mans, SCCA WC and a "road to indy" race all with paddock access.

That's a steal! Enjoy.

Accident · 26 Jul 2012, 10:28 (Ref:3111570)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonerz

You don't get ABC?

Chris

I do, but I don't want to watch a shortened version of the race. Just a bit frustrated as I'm excited to see the Vipers run, and I won't be able to follow things with live timing as I watch the streaming and instead will have to wait for it to be uploaded to the site and avoid this site and several others until then to not spoil the race.

To be fair though, the ALMS guys had the Mosport race up quickly, so hopefully we won't have to wait nearly a week for the Mid-Ohio race like we did for the Lime Rock race to be uploaded.

I still enjoy the hell out of the races when I can watch them, but it isn't nearly as fun as being able to truly follow the race with live timing, watch people's reactions here and on other forums as things happen, watch for clarifications and updates via the ALMS and team's twitter accounts, and all the stuff that goes with watching it live.

Maybe I'll warm up to it between now and then and watch the ABC broadcast, then re-watch the race when they post it to the site.

Deleted · 26 Jul 2012, 18:56 (Ref:3111765)

Interestingly, Leitzinger is back in #52, despite some earlier tweets gearing towards Franchitti getting seat time for a little bit longer. Marino's quali showing at Mosport probably didn't help...

**joeb** · 26 Jul 2012, 19:12 (Ref:3111772)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

Interestingly, Leitzinger is back in #52, despite some earlier tweets gearing towards Franchitti getting seat time for a little bit longer. Marino's quali showing at Mosport probably didn't help...

Perhaps we could see Marino back if/when PR1 gets their 2nd car running.

I was looking at the entry list and noticed one of the sponsors for the Core #06 car is "Venezuela". The whole country?

I wonder if we will see the GTC class rise above 4 entries the rest of the season? Petit would have to be attractive to a lot of teams, and perhaps Road America since it is a 4hour race.

Deleted · 26 Jul 2012, 19:36 (Ref:3111783)

Marino could also be back with DW @ Petit if they somehow manage to get that thing off from collecting dust in some old Nissan-badged warehouse

It will be tight for LMPC teams to get extra entries for Petit, as they already have ~8 full season cars in the category and the class limit is 10 cars IIRC... plus of course with ELMS coming there's a slight possibility of oversubscribed field which would mean pre-qualifying eliminations again...

For GTC teams, I think both RA AND Baltimore are all possible venues for extra entries - 2nd Green Hornet coming back etc. Virginia is less glamorous so probably not there, though it's a good dress rehearsal for PLM

Purist · 26 Jul 2012, 19:43 (Ref:3111786)

VIR is also 4 hours, so it may also be more attractive than the typical sprint round. In addition, some teams may see Virginia as especially appealing since nobody has a great deal of prior data on the place going into the event.

Deleted · 26 Jul 2012, 19:48 (Ref:3111789)

Agreed, and I also LOVE the track and surroundings (despite the configuration they're running). It's just that racing at Road America, as well as in the city streets in front of IndyCar crowd is probably a little bit more appealing for sponsors