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Old 26 Jun 2003, 08:43 (Ref:643455)   #1
H16
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H16 should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Daytona Prototypes...mid engine rockets?

OK, so we all agree that the DPs need a little (or a lot) of help in regards to making them win. First, they eliminated SRP, then loaded SRPII down with weight, restrictors, aero, etc, then GTS was limited to six liters and given a spec wing while being merged with AGT and given more weight just before Homestead. Now the GT are getting their fuel reduced...

Thats all great, but I found a couple quotes from Grand Am's PR that seemed somewhat...funny.


http://www.grand-am.com/news/news731.html

The new Daytona Prototypes are hand-built race machines with powerful engines from Porsche, Chevrolet, Toyota and BMW. Built to specifications developed to meet the demands of American racetracks, these sleek new cars are piloted by some of the best racecar drivers in North America.

These mid-engine rockets were designed with American race fans and teams in mind. With a goal of tight, competitive racing, the Daytona Prototypes have hit the mark and have already got the racing world buzzing with the door-banging, wheel-to-wheel racing already seen at earlier races this season.

_________________________________________________________________

This seems a tad overdone...rockets? From a GT3RS engine?
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 13:12 (Ref:643713)   #2
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paul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridpaul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridpaul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
You missed a couple of parts to highlight:

The new Daytona Prototypes are hand-built race machines with powerful engines from Porsche, Chevrolet, Toyota and BMW. Built to specifications developed to meet the demands of American racetracks, these sleek new cars are piloted by some of the best racecar drivers in North America.

I better stop there.

Last edited by paul-collins; 26 Jun 2003 at 13:13.
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 13:31 (Ref:643725)   #3
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SLEEK?
lol
some of the best? lol (the rich kid and gentlemen racers perhaps but not....
oh boy this is classic
although they did look good at barber park
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 13:58 (Ref:643751)   #4
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Tim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
JC France...being groomed to become a future Le Mans legend...

That statement is not as absurd as the ones quoted to start this thread from whoever said them from Grand Am...and my statement is REALLY absurd!!!!!

BTW...if the drainage problems at the new Barber Park course can be handled (and they can...it is a new track), I would love to see ALMS run a race there....I liked many elements of the facility (elevation changes, corner combinations, etc) and it looks like it has been built with many great vantage points for fans to watch the racing action...
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 14:49 (Ref:643796)   #5
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paul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridpaul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridpaul-collins should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Barber looks good, but the "protos" never got into 5th gear. What's the point of a track that can't get you into your top gear? It would be even worse for the LMPs...
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 19:43 (Ref:644044)   #6
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Tim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTim Northcutt should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
It looked good on TV, but I haven't seen an actual layout of the course...I'll do a search and look at ta diagram...

Of course, you do remember that they were racing right after a Monsoon rainfall and the track was drenched....even had standing water in places due to the drainage problem...
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 19:55 (Ref:644054)   #7
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The circuit is about 2.3 miles long with 16 turns....

The straights don't look that long but the action can't be much different than the sportscars on the Laguna Seca or the Trois Rivieres tracks that they run now....

Besides, according to their website, from most vantage points, a fan can see at least 75% or the course....

I'd be interested in seeing reall protos run there once anyway...and their straights are straighter than the esses that make the pseudo straightaway at Sears Point, for whatever that is worth...
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 20:14 (Ref:644077)   #8
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Only saw them once on TV showing the 24 Daytona.

Was not really impressed, they did not look like a racecar, no sleek lines or racing heritige. More a car built to do a function, sadly they were pushed to achieve that as well.

I doubt that I would pay to see a whole field of them. Luv 'em or hate 'em the 911's etc. do act, sound and look like racers.

Simon
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 20:27 (Ref:644090)   #9
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To be honest I have not seen them on TV, but from what I have read on here and in other places, I am not impressed.....
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 20:39 (Ref:644105)   #10
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I've made a special point of watching Grand Am every time it has been on TV, because I can't really judge something unless I see it for myself....

The category that I believe they call the American GT class, which includes Mustangs, Corvettes, a Mosler, etc., in dry conditions are clearly faster than the DPs...they blew them away at Fontana, but had mechanical problems tha allowed the Dps to take an overall win...

Thus far, I have not seen a single thing that I like about what Grand Am road racing has becoem this year....not one thing...

Maybe this whole DP thing is just facing growning pains...but as of now, I wouldn't pay a dime to buy a ticket...

I'll continue to watch them to see if they improve...I'll give them time...but thus far, they have a long way to go to become what I would call "top Level Sportscar Racing" and the quoted info above at the beginning of this thread is ridiculous....
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 20:50 (Ref:644114)   #11
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What I saw was on a Saudi TV service, in Arabic, so I did not understand a great deal !

But what I saw did not give me a lot to look forward to. I thought they looked more like the new VW Beetle than a race car, fairly fast but could not race a GT except that the rules seemed to favour the DP's which gave them an edge.

Sadly they are not on UK TV.

Any races this weekend on US TV ? I will be in FL Saturday and Sunday night.

Simon
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 21:16 (Ref:644128)   #12
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Mid-engined rockets?

Yeah, bottle rockets.
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 21:58 (Ref:644153)   #13
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I like that...

Yes, SL, the "mid-engined bottle rockets" should be on TV on Speed Channel this Sunday...I believe that they race at Mid-Ohio sometime in the early afternoon...

But if you want to watch a "real" sportscar race, CBS will be showing the ALMS from Road Atlanta...compare what you watch in each telecast and let all of us know what you think on Monday....
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Old 26 Jun 2003, 22:02 (Ref:644156)   #14
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Thanks Tim, will have to try and check that. Not sure if hotel has speed or not. Pretty sure they have CBS though.

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Old 26 Jun 2003, 23:44 (Ref:644209)   #15
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No one ever tires of trashing these little machines. One of their biggest problems is, they're racing in a genre where the competition is not as important as performance. We can at least give them that the finishes are more exciting than ALMS. It's very unpredictable. The ALMS, has the high performance that a sportscar fan wants. The racing, however, gets lost as the most expensive car always dominates. The only way you can make a true judgement is to pretend that GA is the only series in the world. Of course, I don't wanna. Once the amount of DPs on track doubles, GA's idea will come into fruition.

In the cars' defense, they are certainly racecars. Notice the two differant types of performance in the FABCARs and the Doran. It would seem the Doran-Chevy does better on short runs, but the FABCAR catches up when the tires are worn. Shows that you can actually tweek your car to differant variables, or performance. I think they are quite built to race.

While most of the promotions GA does for this class are slandor, I wouldn't talk too much trash about the drivers. Borchellar and Haywood have shown two differant styles of world class in these cars. Too bad their teammates can't back 'em up.

Thank you for reading my essay. ALMS still rules.
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Old 27 Jun 2003, 00:24 (Ref:644232)   #16
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The most expensive car doesn't win as a rule. Just so happens that the most expensive car, the R8, is run by the best team, Joest.

In GTS Prodrive will have a much smaller budget than Vette, ehile in GT although AJR have been pretty dominant, thats been down to good driving and teamwork, than having a significantly better car. If anything the other GT teams have caught up with AJR a little.
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Old 27 Jun 2003, 00:55 (Ref:644245)   #17
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Haywood was a great driver (and is still pretty good). Borcheller is top notch. Donohue is quick enough. But "some of the best" is a stretch.

If you picked 4 cars at random from the ALMS you'd likely have as many top-shelf drivers as you do in the entire DP field.

I'm all for diversity, and GA is clearly on a different path from the ALMS. I wish them all the best. I just wish that their PR would be a little less hyperbolic.
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Old 27 Jun 2003, 09:26 (Ref:644525)   #18
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Re: Daytona Prototypes...mid engine rockets?

Quote:
Originally posted by H16
Thats all great, but I found a couple quotes from Grand Am's PR that seemed somewhat...funny.
Give them a break now - this is PR, not a critical review. What do you expect them to say about their own series.
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Old 27 Jun 2003, 09:40 (Ref:644540)   #19
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It would seem that Baghdad Bob is alive and well and working in the motorsport industry. I've never seen the DP's in action, so I shall reserve judgement on their performance, but what on earth is the point of having a class racing system, where most of the classes are saddled with endless restrictions in an apparent attempt to allow inherently slower cars to win overall? To me it seems to defy the whole point of having different classes raceing in the first place. They might as well turn it into a one-make series.
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Old 27 Jun 2003, 15:54 (Ref:644913)   #20
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TRUE enough
the DP's really do offer double penetration-they race together well and they are unpredictable with ttraffic-are they gonna be fast enough are they going to pass cleanly. it is good fun to watch like hippos swimming. all the same I like the idea of creating a standard for competition, o sort of formula for the sportscars. now Joest should be given a 675 or 750 to even the field, and allow competition in ALMS someway-I like penalty ballast for every win and fast lap and so on out of the top five-lose 20 kilos if you win you gain 40 kilos so on an so forth- like in JAPAN GT Championship, work spectacularly well for that enduro series I think It would elevate the LeMans series battles to a new tension and competitive level- DP's are competitive because they all are on the same level do to rules and general suckiness. but they are fun to watch and I guess that is all that matters the race is (i shudder) actually good-I hope there is more of them though maybe the France's will put up some cash for about 5 more teams...
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