Atlantics, awww ****!

[G.]

"Indy Lights is not going anywhere next year," said Cotman. "The series is strong and growing. We are looking how to best align all the junior racing series and Atlantics will not be part of it. I do not see where Atlantics fits in and, if anything they are just causing confusion for the fans."

Cotman felt that being aligned with IMSA means the drivers have no path to follow up the Open Wheel ladder system in the USA.

"The Atlantic Series was a great series and believe me I was part of it back from my Champ Car days, but at this point I don't see a future for that series, which has just 10-car fields(13 if you include the 3 old cars in class 2) and no strong TV package, and it just needs to go away. We (IRL and Vicki O'Connor/Ben Johnson) have two different philosophies of where the junior series should be. Atlantics is aligned with Ben's vision for the Green Prix Series but that still hasn't gotten off the ground."

The generally feeling is that Green Prix will never make it off the ground given the IRL is so much more established and has the Indy 500. If Champ Car could not make it how could Green Prix ever have a chance to make it?

That sucks. :(

[Sean Malone]

Somewhere 100 crappies just had a stroke,,,

[cameraman]

Does it matter what the IRL thinks?

The Atlantics run in support of ALMS or Grand Am races or just by themselves.

You have Star Mazda then the Atlantics. If you want to learn to drive on a road course you have no other choice.

btw It seems that Formula BMW Americas is going away at the end of this season:shakehead

[Don Quixote]

and it just needs to go away

IRONY ALERT! IRONY ALERT! IRONY ALERT!

[Gnam]

Cotman = proof that the IRL causes brain damage. :laugh:

Atlantics' only hope is to put enough distance between itself and Indy so it doesn't get sucked down when the IRL sinks.

[NismoZ]

Turbos. Road courses only. Parimutuel betting.:thumbup:

[miatanut]

Cotman = proof that the IRL causes brain damage. :laugh:

Atlantics' only hope is to put enough distance between itself and Indy so it doesn't get sucked down when the IRL sinks.

Yup!

Cotman seems pretty smart, but he hasn't figured out that there is a big chunk of the (former) AOW fan base that the IRL will never, ever, get back. :confused:

[pchall]

Cottman can't see where the Atlantic Championship fits because it is still a ladder to real racing and real sport. The IRL doesn't do that.

[Chief]

Atlantics have been the only REAL constant in all this open wheel mess and the IRL wants to snuff that out too? Great...

Unless Ben Johnson just wants to cash out, this gives me hope that my particular hate for the 500, the speedway and the entire Hulman-George organization will continue well into or beyond the second decade of this century. It's amazing how one entity can be so blind to the good of the sport that they wish to control. :thumdown:

[Easy]

Tony Cotman or anyone else at the IRL has no control over the Atlantic Championship so that statement means F**k all. He is just parroting the company line.

I said it at Smack and I'll say it here, the Atlantics are better off being a stand alone series. The best years of the Atlantic Championship were before the official link up and ultimate ownership by CART/CCWS. It was always an afterthought in that situation. Green Prix won't need an official ladder since it will be rich dudes straight from SCCA Club so hopefully Johnston lets Atlantics be concerned with doing whats best for Atlantics.

[nrc]

Atlantics is in a tough spot right now because they diverged from FA club racing to serve the needs of the Champ Car ladder. If they're going to survive they probably need to find their way back to a chassis that can serve both the pro and amateur series and cut costs overall.

[miatanut]

Atlantics is in a tough spot right now because they diverged from FA club racing to serve the needs of the Champ Car ladder. If they're going to survive they probably need to find their way back to a chassis that can serve both the pro and amateur series and cut costs overall.

That would be the humble approach.

Option 2 is to cram another 100-150 HP in the chassis, take away a lot of downforce (including eliminating the wings and making a big marketing splash about it), offer some appealing prize money and make it something REAL drivers would gravitate to. In other words, rip off a lot of the original Can-Am formula.

Since the world has changed and top-level drivers are restricted in their extracurricular activities it would end up being the same drivers every week, but it could appeal to drivers who really have the goods and want to get noticed.

[opinionated ow]

That would be the humble approach.

Option 2 is to cram another 100-150 HP in the chassis, take away a lot of downforce (including eliminating the wings and making a big marketing splash about it), offer some appealing prize money and make it something REAL drivers would gravitate to. In other words, rip off a lot of the original Can-Am formula.

Since the world has changed and top-level drivers are restricted in their extracurricular activities it would end up being the same drivers every week, but it could appeal to drivers who really have the goods and want to get noticed.

Could but it won't

[Lux Interior]

I just saw the Atlantics at Mid-O and they race very, very well considering their horsepower. Really quick actually. I'd say 150 more HP and you would have a really awesome race car.

I hope the IRL tanks, and that ALMS and Atlantics become the de-facto road racing series in the U.S. I also hope that Ganassi, Penske, and Andretti retire from open wheel racing and that some new teams come up. Time for a strong Atlantic series and some new blood. Watching Scott Dixon win the Indycar race at Mid-Ohio last week was about as exciting as watching paint dry. :thumdown:

[CQ]

I just saw the Atlantics at Mid-O and they race very, very well considering their horsepower. Really quick actually. I'd say 150 more HP and you would have a really awesome race car.

I hope the IRL tanks, and that ALMS and Atlantics become the de-facto road racing series in the U.S. I also hope that Ganassi, Penske, and Andretti retire from open wheel racing and that some new teams come up. Time for a strong Atlantic series and some new blood. Watching Scott Dixon win the Indycar race at Mid-Ohio last week was about as exciting as watching paint dry. :thumdown:

Got pitchures? hehe :gomer:

[Lux Interior]

Got pitchures? hehe :gomer:

I do. I'll post some up tonight. :thumbup:

[Easy]

Got pitchures? hehe :gomer:

Well played.

As far as making a "super" atlantic, I'm not certain but I doubt you can just cram another 150hp into the .016 without some massive re-engineering. Even then it might not be practical at all.

[Gnam]

I remember an internet rumor that claimed the current engines were near their limits already.

[miatanut]

As far as making a "super" atlantic, I'm not certain but I doubt you can just cram another 150hp into the .016 without some massive re-engineering. Even then it might not be practical at all.

Bigger brakes, for sure. Although if you reduced downforce and made the tires harder, maybe that's not so sure. If the tires can't deliver as much braking, the brakes don't have as much work to do. If the engine was smaller (per below), it would weigh less, reducing some stresses. The gearbox and rear suspension would have to change.

Since modern racing cars are so optimized, some things would certainly need to change, but most of the car would probably remain the same.


I remember an internet rumor that claimed the current engines were near their limits already.

The Atlantic Mazda Cosworth is a 2.3L at 300 HP. The Dyson Mazda AER is a 2.0L at 500 HP. The cheapest route would probably be to use the AER.

[Lux Interior]

I wonder how those cars would stack up against IRL sleds and champcars with the 500 hp engines?

[miatanut]

Another change occurred to me. An engine with higher output has greater cooling loads, so the sidepods would need to be redesigned to accommodate.

[NismoZ]

Those pods are huge...just make the hole bigger!:)

[SurfaceUnits]

Swift already has the Super Atlantics car in action: Swift 017

DPzeg35-KZw

http://www.swiftengineering.com/motorsports.html

[NismoZ]

Yep...suggested that tub AND/OR the Superleague Panoz as the Dallara replacement for The League here a ways back, but :tony: insisted on the more expensive less sensible alternative. Which makes sense, actually. So, weren't the Atlantics 2 sec./lap faster than the Indy Lights at a recent common venue? (in 300hp non-turbo dress.) I think F-Nippon is using Honda & Toyota "Indy" engines? Same size, anyway. Be interesting to do a side-by-side track comparison with the Tonymobile. That new SL Panoz looks even better, though WAY slower using V-12 Lambo power, than ChampCar at Zolder. (don't know if they used the same track config.)

[SurfaceUnits]

those 3.4L Toyota/Honda FN engines actually sound pretty good; must be irls crap sprec that makes theirs pathetic

I think the superleague is 100-150 HP less than the Cossies were