Johnny O. in a

[HORNDAWG]

Leighton Reese/ Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP.R for Daytona.
http://www.lmsr.net/jan32.html

L.P.

[JHamilton]

I'm a fan of GM racing and Pontiac, Banner Engineering, and a big fan of Johnny O, but that car is an abomination to sports car racing. I liked the GTO.Rs (hell, I drive one), but hated the idea of it being tube framed. At least they had an LS2. This "thing".....I mean...c'mon.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I'm a fan of GM racing and Pontiac, Banner Engineering, and a big fan of Johnny O, but that car is an abomination to sports car racing. I liked the GTO.Rs (hell, I drive one), but hated the idea of it being tube framed. At least they had an LS2. This "thing".....I mean...c'mon.

Pontiac is a big BIG sponsor of Grand AM.

[HORNDAWG]

I am not sure of GARRA rules (have looked repeatedly), on what criteria is used to determine eligible cars? Is the GTO illegal now that it is gone in the current model ? In their rules it says it is eligible but the new one( GXP.R) is not on the list?? I was thinking this( GXP.R) might be a stop gap for the new 08 zeta platform Camaro/GTO.

Or maybe the Soltice Coupe( if they actually do a factory version)

Racing the GTO.R this year I think would have been better results wise. But I guess Pontiac wanted to promote the new G6 GXP model.

L.P.

[AU N EGL]

The GTO is no longer produced. So Pontiac ( BIG sponosor) does not want it raced.

so the GXP.r is a hybred Pontiac Grand Prix GXP

[JHamilton]

The GXP.R is just a reskinned GTO.R. The GXP.R is actually intended to look like a G6, which is front drive and only available with a V6. It doesn't get much more Nascar than that.

[broadrun96]

Exactly Hamilton. As soon as I saw the announcement of GT tube frames all I could think was the France family is making NASCAR sportscar racing. All the cars will be the same and just hang the different skin on it. Just hoping Porsche says go screw yourself and pulls out of GT and then throws all the money they can to crush all the DPs. But I'm sure they will find a way to add hp to the Pontiac(Corvette) engined DPs anyway to keep GM and Riley happy and in the series.

[The359]

When I first saw the GXP.R, I figured they would at least keep it a V6 like the production car, even if I knew it had to be RWD. But I guess that's why you don't actually see the words "G6" anywhere on it.

It's a crap deal to me to use a car that bears no real mechnical resemblence to its production version.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by The359

It's a crap deal to me to use a car that bears no real mechnical resemblence to its production version.

Welcome to NASCAR. Teams switch makes without having to trash the chassis, just hang new bodywork and swap out the engines. And its just gonna get worse probably. Having seen Cup cars up close, there is NOTHING close to the street version of the car except the name. The cars are like a bad scale model too, think they were about 40-50 in tall, looked like I coulda jumped it from a standing start.

[The359]

Yeah, I know that about NASCAR. I just hate to see something like that happening in sportscars. I want to cheer on a car that's like it's production counterpart, not a body template.

[PatrickB]

Welcome to IMSA... They where allowing tube frame GT cars way before Grand Am existed. How many of those GT cars in the '80s (Cougars, Celicas, fiero's, 240sx's etc) do you think where Unibodys? I doubt many where. Tube frame GT cars have been in use as long as sportscar racing has existed.

[The359]

I never particularly liked those cars either.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by PatrickB

Welcome to IMSA... They where allowing tube frame GT cars way before Grand Am existed. How many of those GT cars in the '80s (Cougars, Celicas, fiero's, 240sx's etc) do you think where Unibodys? I doubt many where. Tube frame GT cars have been in use as long as sportscar racing has existed.

Its a matter of safety!

L.P.

[Start_16]

A lot of European class flowing through this thread.

When are you people going to figure out the U.S. motorsports market does not support big-money factory backed racing? Low-cost racing is what the teams wants and close-competitive racing, by any means necessary, is what the fans want.

It may not be your type or racing, you may not like it, but at least you should have the respect for the men and women who build the series, both, in the garages and in the offices.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Start_16

A lot of European class flowing through this thread.

When are you people going to figure out the U.S. motorsports market does not support big-money factory backed racing? Low-cost racing is what the teams wants and close-competitive racing, by any means necessary, is what the fans want.

It may not be your type or racing, you may not like it, but at least you should have the respect for the men and women who build the series, both, in the garages and in the offices.

HUH??

L.P.

[racerkeke]

Huh? I don't get why all you guys are bent outta shape about the car. I remember when Leighton came to Trans Am -- we heard the same "outrage" at him running what was essentially a Busch car there. But it was legal for the series. I expect it's the same for Daytona. Heck, probably more so, since the Frances own Grand Am and at the time Leighton was running in Trans Am it was owned by SCCA.

Disclaimer: I do have a soft spot in my heart for Leighton Reese, ever since he trudged over to our station after a Trans Am crashfest at Long Beach (still in his driving suit, and not a mechanic or hanger-on in sight) and plaintively asked if we'd seen the hood of his car. It had been lost in a last-lap restart melee and it was the only one he had. You gotta hand it to a guy who doesn't send a minion out to look for something he himself has lost.

Interesting choice for Johnny O. Hope it works out.

keke

[Start_16]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

HUH??

L.P.

It was a bit off-topic.

It was a response to the consistant Grand-Am bashing that's allowed here.

[The359]

Originally Posted by Start_16

A lot of European class flowing through this thread.

When are you people going to figure out the U.S. motorsports market does not support big-money factory backed racing? Low-cost racing is what the teams wants and close-competitive racing, by any means necessary, is what the fans want.

It may not be your type or racing, you may not like it, but at least you should have the respect for the men and women who build the series, both, in the garages and in the offices.

I'm an American, and I'm a motorsports fan, and I know what I want. And it isn't Grand-Am bashing, it's them simply running cars that I have no taste in. I'm still going to the 24 Hour of Daytona though.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Start_16

It was a bit off-topic.

It was a response to the consistant Grand-Am bashing that's allowed here.

I do not think that Grand Am GT gets that much bashing overall. Now DP's on the other hand. Let me just say they are not very Prototypical(cutting edge). There is not truly a lot of innovation involved in their rules structure. I do watch them, but to call them prototypes in my mind is a stretch.

L.P.


ps. Some people just dont like anything!!!

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

I do not think that Grand Am GT gets that much bashing overall. Now DP's on the other hand. Let me just say they are not very Prototypical(cutting edge). There is not truly a lot of innovation involved in their rules structure. I do watch them, but to call them prototypes in my mind is a stretch.

Exactly, nothing really against the GTs, love seeing the M3 still running and hangin with the frontrunners, but the swap-a-body kit cars and change the outside to match the current advertised style is a bit much for me. I understand that tubeframes are a safety thing and I'm fine with it, but could we all agree to stick with buidling the cars that have a shred of attachment to the street version. I know, I know, the AMs and Vettes are only a LITTLE like the street versions but at least they are based on the same concept, rear drive 2 door GT cars. Calling the GXP-R a "new" car but prob using 90% of the GTO-R structure is a BIT of a stretch, now tube frame it and run the V6 and frontwheel that will come on this years model and I will be the first in line to cheer it on. Would love to see a frontwheeler try it, know it would die a fast death but at least it would be an honest try. Or wait 2 years Pontiac, the Holden Commodore, nay new Pontiac G8 probably, will be here and V8 rear drive(k, prob a 4 door but I'll let the 4 door thing slide like the GT2S M3)
Think thats about long enough of a post just to rant a little so I'll let somebody else yell back at me now. And yes I do hate the new DPs and the DP looking CoT concept of NASCAR.

[AU N EGL]

Professional Drivers go where the money is to pay them to drive, not by car choice or seriese choice.

If a driver has a contract with a manufacture, then where ever the manufacture whats him to go, he goes and races.

If some ppl on forums had professional driving/ racing skills, and had an offer to drive in a race for a small team, just to get started, I bet they would do it.

Not eveyone can drive for the top teams.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Calling the GXP-R a "new" car but prob using 90% of the GTO-R structure is a BIT of a stretch,

I dont think that is correct. The GTO.Rs are for sale
2005 Pontiac GTO.R's For Sale

$450,000
Status: Available
Two Pratt & Miller "Prep 2" chassis, perfect condition. These are the championship winning cars and includes a full compliment of GTO.R spares and equipment. No compromises- well over $1 million invested.
http://www.theracersgroup.com/shop/car.php?id=19


The GXP.Rs are brand new cars and are smaller then the GTO.R

[The359]

No one's saying the drivers shouldn't race them. Just that us fans don't like the look of them or the concept behind them.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by The359

No one's saying the drivers shouldn't race them. Just that us fans don't like the look of them or the concept behind them.

I understand. and I didn't either, until I was on track with a few DPs.




Full thottle and they still fly by like your standing still.

Watch this:

http://www.bigpinekey.org/virdpfastby.wmv

[Speed-King]

I'm fine with the prep2 cars. I like the look of the old GTO and GTU cars - though I've never seen one in reality as I am to young and life on the wrong side of the pond - and they kinda remind me of those cars. So no problem here with tubeframes.
And about the engine being "wrong": *cough* BMW M3 GTR *cough*...