ALMS mandates ethanol blend fuel

[pchall]

From Crash.net ALMS news:


Atherton confirmed that all cars in each class will be required to use fuel enriched with 10 per cent ethanol right from the season-opener at Sebring next month - the first time that ethanol-enriched fuel will be used in a twelve-hour endurance race - in an agreement that follows IndyCar's decision to use 100 per cent fuel-grade ethanol from the start of the 2007 campaign.

I wonder if the R10 will run on biodiesel as well?

[extramundane]

I wonder if the R10 will run on biodiesel as well?

The R10 may not run at all past Sebring, 'cept Le Mans.

[NismoZ]

That's the latest. Yikes!

[extramundane]

That's the latest. Yikes!

They've got the rules so slanted in their favor already, and I suspect the changeover to E10 may actually widen the gap between diesel & petrol. If the prospect of actually having to run at full speed instead of sandbagging to keep Porsche & Acura behind bothers them, then f*** 'em. I'd rather the whole damn class fold than listen to another season of bitching and moaning.

[Accipiter]

Pff. Ethanol. :rolleyes:

[NismoZ]

Actually I read where Audi racing against only themselves isn't safe enough for them. Now their threat to pull out after Sebring centers on IMSA's refusal to go along with the ACO rule that restricts the P2s by an additional 5% to slow them down and create more of a separation from P-1.:cry: If IMSA doesn't follow ACO rules, "we quit!" Amazing. Audi, please don't "re-evaluate after Sebring" just leave.:shakehead

[extramundane]

Actually I read where Audi racing against only themselves isn't safe enough for them. Now their threat to pull out after Sebring centers on IMSA's refusal to go along with the ACO rule that restricts the P2s by an additional 5% to slow them down and create more of a separation from P-1.:cry: If IMSA doesn't follow ACO rules, "we quit!" Amazing. Audi, please don't "re-evaluate after Sebring" just leave.:shakehead

Like I said. They're getting all pissy that the Porsches would retain the same specs as last year- the same specs which didn't come close to beating an R10.

At this point, I'll be shocked if the whole damn thing doesn't implode with in 2 years

BTW, the ALMS Forum meltdown right now is a thing of beauty. Insiders eating insiders, n00bs cutting off their own heads...them peoples knows how to panic!

[NismoZ]

Never been there but those prone to panic should be doing so about now.:rofl:

[Sean O'Gorman]

BTW, the ALMS Forum meltdown right now is a thing of beauty. Insiders eating insiders, n00bs cutting off their own heads...them peoples knows how to panic!

Any posts going like this?

"But even with Audi gone, we still have:

2 Dyson Porsches
2 Penske Porsches
1 Intersport
1 Lotus Elise GT1?
2 Shaw LMP2s
2 Corvettes
maybe 4 Aston Martins"

[extramundane]

Any posts going like this?

"But even with Audi gone, we still have:

2 Dyson Porsches
2 Penske Porsches
1 Intersport
1 Lotus Elise GT1?
2 Shaw LMP2s
2 Corvettes
maybe 4 Aston Martins"

Obsess much?

[Sean O'Gorman]

ANSWER THE QUESTION :gomer: :gomer:

[extramundane]

ANSWER THE QUESTION :gomer: :gomer:

Probably, but I'm not wading through all of that crap to find out.

Either way, you still need a date.

[FCYTravis]

But... but... but... Audi is our frend! :gomer:

It's really too sad for words. I'd laugh, but it's past that now. The ALMS keeps taking one step forward and a couple back.

If I was Don Panoz right now, I'd tell Audi to go stuff themselves and cut back to two classes. It's at that point already, so why not just quit denying the obvious and embrace the classes that people can compete in? Dyson Porsche vs. Acura fleet vs. Penske Porsche for the overall win, that'd be a hell of a series - instead of "Which Audi wins today? Meanwhile, there's these P2 cars over here..."

[Redwing]

But... but... but... Audi is our frend! :gomer:

It's really too sad for words. I'd laugh, but it's past that now. The ALMS keeps taking one step forward and a couple back.

If I was Don Panoz right now, I'd tell Audi to go stuff themselves and cut back to two classes. It's at that point already, so why not just quit denying the obvious and embrace the classes that people can compete in? Dyson Porsche vs. Acura fleet vs. Penske Porsche for the overall win, that'd be a hell of a series - instead of "Which Audi wins today? Meanwhile, there's these P2 cars over here..."

Didn't Penske have this two class idea last fall? Isn't Penske in the other E-fueled series? Mmmmmm....

I'd like to think that Audi's departure, if it happens, would cause other rumored teams to view LMP1 as a free lunch, but I'm an eternal optimist. What's always interesting about this situation is that Audi's domination of '06 (and '07) is still putting butts in the seats and eyeballs on the screen (am I wrong on this?)

[FCYTravis]

What's always interesting about this situation is that Audi's domination of '06 (and '07) is still putting butts in the seats and eyeballs on the screen (am I wrong on this?)
It's also causing the entire P1 class to be a wasteland (as the last privateer entry with a shred of competitive effort in them just said 'See ya in P2') and the overall race order is such a foregone conclusion that IMSA might as well just hand the first-place trophies for every race to Audi right now and let them have a fistfight over which car gets it.

There's a small but vocal minority of ALMS fans who are apparently OK with that as long as they get to see pretty cars go around. Quite a few others, apparently, are pretty much tired of seeing Audi win every single race without so much as breaking a sweat.

As for "all those butts in the seats and eyeballs on the screen," (which really don't amount to much in the grand scheme of things - no ALMS race in the last two years has drawn more than a .8 or so on network) none of them are paying the bills for the race teams and they aren't going to do anything to change the competitive situation in P1.

[extramundane]

There's a small but vocal minority of ALMS fans who are apparently OK with that as long as they get to see pretty cars go around. Quite a few others, apparently, are pretty much tired of seeing Audi win every single race without so much as breaking a sweat.

That small but vocal minority seems to consist mostly of people with hardcards and other insider connections, the same ones currently holding pissing contests over whose insider information is more correct. I'd venture that they're more concerned with losing corporate hospitality than with what's good for the series. The only,,, thing missing is,,,the army of,,, superfluous commas,,,

[pchall]

ALMS needs to cut the apron chains that tie it to the needs of the ACO and their once-a-year spectacular.

Drop P1 and put the engines for P2 on steroids.


The only,,, thing missing is,,,the army of,,, superfluous commas,,,

:flame: How can,,, any use of,,, commas be superfluous?:gomer: They are,,, a sign of great wisdom,,, being a suckup,,, and getting a hardcard,,, without working,,, the Porta-Potties. :tony:

[extramundane]

Drop P1 and put the engines for P2 on steroids.

Killing off the ACO P2 restrictor would basically do that, creating one 13-15 car prototype class, which ALMS hasn't had regularly in quite some time. I say keep things similar enough that a team can run LM if desired, but change it up as needed to keep the series running.


:flame: How can,,, any use of,,, commas be superfluous?:gomer: They are,,, a sign of great wisdom,,, being a suckup,,, and getting a hardcard,,, without working,,, the Porta-Potties. :tony:

I miss the commatard smiley :(

[FCYTravis]

Killing off the ACO P2 restrictor would basically do that, creating one 13-15 car prototype class, which ALMS hasn't had regularly in quite some time.

Heck, I'd suggest you might see upwards of 20 cars - make P2 the marquee class and you'll get teams coming out of the woodwork.

[Redwing]

Could it be that there may be a relatively decent looking DP in the works?

http://www.the-paddock.net/sportscar/content/view/241155/49/

[extramundane]

Could it be that there may be a relatively decent looking DP in the works?

http://www.the-paddock.net/sportscar/content/view/241155/49/

Not bad looking, but if it ever sees the light of day, I suspect it'll be a pig just like every other prototype they've made.

[nissan gtp]

huh ? is this nascar-style fictional manufacturer-derived bodywork ?


Picchio is the first DP manufacturer to publicly showcase new manufacturer-derived bodywork that would be legal to compete with, starting in 2008.

[STD]

Alfa Romeo expects to enter the US car market in 2008.

Rates right up there on the false prophecy meter with "this is my year." quote from DC. :rofl: :rofl:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1974/Watkins_Glen-1974-07-14-060.jpg

Not a pig. Won seven of eight world championship endurance races in 1975