IMSA IMSA : 2019

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by joeb

I think that is the biggest risk, the number of cars in the P2 class will be tiny.

When I think of PCs, I think of reasonably good-looking proper open-cockpit sportscars with big V8s behind the drivers. I think about how very good those big V8s sounded, even through mufflers.

When I think of the PC class … I picture a yellow flag, eternally waving.



Substitute "P2" for PC" and you see the future if IMSA follows that path.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

I think it'd be a mistake to split the classes, even if the DPI's are currently running below their potential.

With split classes you risk the P2 class ending up like the old PC class. Keeping the P2's in with the DPI's forces them to up their game and create results like we have seen at the last two races.

I think it's obvious that the bop has been hampering the dpi's and that's why the p2's even have a chance. I believe that the dpi teams are going to get a little peeved seeing their cars slowed more and more after the effort they made to run them and develop them. We'll see. I think they're going to split the classes up and imo it's for the better if they do.

[chernaudi]

I don't know if the LMP2s will grow or shrink in number if DPI and LMP2 are split up into individual classes. On one hand, they won't likely be candidates for overall wins, but the class might attract more pro-am teams possibly.

One thing that I'm curious about is how much of a performance split there will be between the two classes.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by TF110

I believe that the dpi teams are going to get a little peeved seeing their cars slowed more and more after the effort they made to run them and develop them. We'll see. I think they're going to split the classes up and imo it's for the better if they do.

As has been noted before, they knew this was going to be the case going into it. It's little presumptive to say that they'll be peeved about something they were aware of from the start.



If they weren't okay with it, there'd have been no program to begin with.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

As has been noted before, they knew this was going to be the case going into it. It's little presumptive to say that they'll be peeved about something they were aware of from the start.



If they weren't okay with it, there'd have been no program to begin with.

or ... they knew all along that the racing business is politics, and they figured that if they whined loud and long enough they'd get their ways later.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

or ... they knew all along that the racing business is politics, and they figured that if they whined loud and long enough they'd get their ways later.

Not likely considering who's writing the checks.

[JHamilton]

Tim Cindric has already "complained" publically earlier this year.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Tim Cindric has already "complained" publically earlier this year.

Oh, they'll COMPLAIN in the hopes of getting favorable BoP, but they knew what things were going into it so it's nothing more than playing the previously-referred political game. Being okay with a system does not mean they aren't going to try and game it to get an advantage.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Oh, they'll COMPLAIN in the hopes of getting favorable BoP, but they knew what things were going into it so it's nothing more than playing the previously-referred political game. Being okay with a system does not mean they aren't going to try and game it to get an advantage.

I don't think the reference was to complaining about bop levels, but instead about having to have bop against slower cars in the first place. As in, they want their own class.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by joeb

I don't think the reference was to complaining about bop levels, but instead about having to have bop against slower cars in the first place. As in, they want their own class.

That distinction is pretty irrelevant to the point, to be honest. They still knew how it was going to be when they started the program, after all.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

As has been noted before, they knew this was going to be the case going into it. It's little presumptive to say that they'll be peeved about something they were aware of from the start.



If they weren't okay with it, there'd have been no program to begin with.

Its not like this has ever been an open formula. They knew it was going to be BOP'd based off the global P2 platform

[MaskedRacer]

Well if the idea to split DPI and LMP2 is on the table still, one thing nobody has mentioned is that they could be split in scheduling too. LMP2 could be left out of races such as Long Beach or something else where DPI still races at.

[TF110]

The argument works both ways for the dpi teams. Sure they entered knowing that the lmp2's were the pace to be bop'd by. They can also say that the dpi's should be able to go faster than now because they are actually slower than lmp2. And if imsa knows who is propping them up, they should probably listen to them. If GM says they think they should separate the classes and then Acura agrees, it's hard to argue with them since they provide a lot of the advertising and are big partners. Lmp2 teams not so much.

[TheMightyM]

Not exactly sure whether to put this, but it’s too important not to share in the sport car section as Sonoma is a track that a lot of people think should return to the IMSA schedule.

Indycar has a spot to fill on its 2019 schedule and one possibility is racing at both Sonoma and Laguna Seca. Marshall Pruett has a piece asking “Can two Bay Area Indy Car events thrive?” The short answer is “no.” Bookmark this story because you might want to pull out the quotes and use them later. Some samples (there's more good stuff in the story):

Marshall Pruett on the local market:

Having listened to the local radio ads, watched TV commercials, and seen all manner of online advertising for the aforementioned IndyCar and sports car events [at Sonoma and Laguna Seca respectively], it’s possible those series are actually capturing a high percentage of fans who are interested in what they’re offering. As much as I’d like to believe there’s a great untapped audience to grab, or a large contingent of lapsed fans waiting to fall in love with road racing again, I just haven’t seen evidence of it locally.

From Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) CEO Tim McGrane, who runs WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca:

“There are only so many people who are rabid fans of a particular race series that have the time and money to spend on attending events. I don’t think this market would support two major [IndyCar] events. Any numbers that are taken away because fans have two choices in the same arena is certainly one path I wouldn’t choose to go down.”

And from Sonoma Raceway president Steve Page:

“[Holding dual events] would absolutely not thrive. Neither event, at least by the second year, would be as large as our event is currently, either from fan support or corporate support. You’d end up with two smaller events. I can’t see how that would be in IndyCar’s interest.”

So for the sustainability of holding IMSA events again at both tracks again, see the above quotes from Page and McGrane and simply replace “IndyCar” with “IMSA.”

[TheMightyM]

Belle Isle proposal for 2019 and beyond comes out today.

Story from the Detroit News is here.

Story from the Detroit Free Press is here.

[schmidder]

I think it could work if they were at different times of the year. If Sonoma imsa race was around long beach in spring and bbn laguna in late summer, I think it would be big enough at both. Or maybe I'm just a dreamer who lives 90 miles from one and 180 from the other!!

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[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by schmidder

I think it could work if they were at different times of the year. If Sonoma imsa race was around long beach in spring and bbn laguna in late summer, I think it would be big enough at both. Or maybe I'm just a dreamer who lives 90 miles from one and 180 from the other!!

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Travel costs is going to be an issue. Especially for the GTD teams. I think Laguna should be removed from the GTD schedule to allow the to stay east for the whole season. You still get GT3 racing out west from PWC and the Laguna Seca 8 hours.

I also like the idea of the Daytona 24 being a non points optional race for GTD.

[schmidder]

PwC not in northern California this year. Portland this week. Not with IndyCar at Sonoma and the California 8hr is on shaky ground. Advertised as PwC weekend, but is really not. They finish back east at the glen I believe this year. Good luck seeing very many teams at Laguna for the intercontinental gt..

The imsa teams already come to the west coast twice each year, not sure how heading up to laguna or Sonoma after long beach really adds much, as the come back in Sept anyway...

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[TzeiTzei]

I wouldn't split the prototype class. I think it works fine. We have nice mix of different cars and teams that over the course of the year each have their chances to win some races. I don't know what the DPi teams might be complaining about because the whole class is based on BoP. And LMP2 is the performance benchmark. And like to see some euro teams come and play. It spices things up a bit.

[EffectiveSprinkles]

Looks like ESM is out for next year.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by EffectiveSprinkles

Looks like ESM is out for next year.

Just Patron as a team and series sponsor. But if ESM can't find replacement funding in time, then yeah, they'll probably be out as well.

[Nick Woodbury]

Very sad. It is the end of an era, as well as an era of fantastic liveries!


^
Where it all started...and with a completely different team too!

[EffectiveSprinkles]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Just Patron as a team and series sponsor. But if ESM can't find replacement funding in time, then yeah, they'll probably be out as well.

Seeing as how Brown paid out of pocket for the engines, manufacturer fee and modifications to the chassis I don't see where they can find anyone willing to pony up that money who isn't already racing in IMSA. But perhaps they could re-use their Ligiers, get rid of the modifications and just use the Gibson engine.

[MaskedRacer]

I liked ESM the best when they were running Ferrari 458s in GTLM. Too bad we never got see the Patron livery on a 488.

For 2019, suppose its up to Scott Sharp to pull a miracle to keep the team going. Has there ever been a "hit or miss" team like ESM? They are either really really good or really really bad.

[Maelochs]

It's just a racing team, but this is sad. I was psyched when Scott Sharp picked up from Duncan Dayton, and even more psyched when they went to P-class in USUCKer. But really ... it was Ed Brown all along.

I guess maybe after all these years he sobered up and said, "I've been spending millions on What???"