ALMS-Corvette/Aston/Ferrari

[NismoZ]

Is anyone else as interested as I am in seeing THIS one develop this season? I mean, I have always loved the prototypes but GT1 has most of my interest this year. In fact, a large field of GT1s could make me FORGET the prototypes, esp. if only 4-5 bother run! Bourdais in at Sebring for Ferrari, Enge, Lamy and Brabham et al for Aston, and the usual suspects at GM. Now if they'd just let in a NismoZ! :D

[RacinM3]

THANK YOU.

I've been telling people this for a long time here, but everyone just pisses and moans about either the lack of ALMS prototype competition or the ugliness of the GA prototypes, completely ignoring the good racing in the "lower" categories.

This is why you should be watching Grand Am as well.

BTW...NismoZ..we're tearing apart a 350Z as we speak for SCCA T2....give me some hot tips! ;)

[Dirty Sanchez]

don't forget Maserati... maybe :thumbup:

[Ankf00]

too bad the lambo isn't sticking around

[FCYTravis]

Maserati is not a maybe :)

[NismoZ]

No tips, but I saw 'em tear a Z apart to "build" a Honeybee 210 "drifter" the other night on TV! I almost fainted! (Keep me posted on your deal :) )

[Jag_Warrior]

GT has become Porsche Cup since the BMW's were... well, took their leave. I thought the last year that the Vipers were truly competitive, and the Corvettes were just coming on song, was fantastic in GTS. GTS is probably the only category (outside of NASCAR and NHRA) that GM is really serious about (sorry, IRL fans). So hopefully the Ferraris will have the same sort of development that Prodrive provided when they took it to the Vettes year before last.

As long as it's not one run by "Chester" Rahal, I'll be cheering for the Aston Martins. And as bad as DCX is stumbling these days, they could stand to throw a few bucks at another full blown Viper GTS program.

[Steve99]

This is why you should be watching Grand Am as well.


What I would really find interesting is if GrandAm would let the current ALMS-spec Corvette/Aston/Ferrari run in GrandAm.

[Sean O'Gorman]

1) Those teams have no interest in running
2) It would drive away all the private competitors. From a sanctioning body's perspective, what is better, 30 GT cars or 6 GT cars?

[Skater_36]

What I would really find interesting is if GrandAm would let the current ALMS-spec Corvette/Aston/Ferrari run in GrandAm.

It would spice things up quite a bit but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[extramundane]

What I would really find interesting is if GrandAm would let the current ALMS-spec Corvette/Aston/Ferrari run in GrandAm.

They won't even let ALMS-spec 911s run in GARRA GT, let alone GTS-class cars.

[Steve99]

They won't even let ALMS-spec 911s run in GARRA GT, let alone GTS-class cars.

I know, but they could be their own class. I know it will never happen, but that is what it would take for me to watch -- some actual cars that haven't been slowed down. I wouldn't mind the DP's so much if they had some other interesting classes that hadn't been dumbed down so that the DP's could win.

[Accipiter]

Don't forget Saleen. Accemco has switched to Michelin tires, so they shouldn't be totally out to lunch against the competition this year.

[Sean O'Gorman]

No, I'm sure they still will.

[extramundane]

No, I'm sure they still will.

Ron Fellows disagrees with you.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Seeing as Ron Fellows is getting a newer, faster car, and the Acemco team didn't finish on the GTS lead lap once all season (only one did it finish within 2 laps of the winners!), I think my statement is a bit more accurate.

Only in ALMS could a car that finishes at least 3 laps down every race be considered on the verge of "being competitive." :laugh:

[extramundane]

I think my statement is a bit more accurate

Hmmm...ALMS GT1 competitor or forum poster. Hard choice, but I think I know who I'm more inclined to go with.

Anyway, Fellows is getting an undeveloped car. ACEMCO certainly showed well this past week, which was their first run on Michelins. Will they win? Probably not, esp. if the Aston runs more than Sebring and/or the Mazza gets a green light.

[Accipiter]

No, I'm sure they still will.

Last year, the Corvette team claimed they picked up 3 seconds a lap at Sebring by switching to Michelins. The Saleen qualified and ran race laps less than three seconds a lap behind them. And lets keep in mind that the Dunlops were probably worse for the Saleen than the specifically tailored Goodyears were for the Vette.

All I am saying is, not totally out to lunch.

[nrc]

Did they ever remove the weight penalties that they put on the S7s after they came off the trailer so fast their first year?

[Racing Truth]

THANK YOU.

I've been telling people this for a long time here, but everyone just pisses and moans about either the lack of ALMS prototype competition or the ugliness of the GA prototypes, completely ignoring the good racing in the "lower" categories.

This is why you should be watching Grand Am as well.

BTW...NismoZ..we're tearing apart a 350Z as we speak for SCCA T2....give me some hot tips! ;)

:thumbup: Yep. Like it or not, and I don't think anyone is thrilled about, major prototype racing is in a ton of trouble. The GT classes/GA cars are priced a bit more reasonably and can attract a diverse array of mftrs. Investing in Sportscar racing strikes me as poor ROI for a major mftr.

This type of racing will get you a very niche audience and even that has decreased. In short, I can't see how it sells any cars.

[racer2c]

:thumbup: Yep. Like it or not, and I don't think anyone is thrilled about, major prototype racing is in a ton of trouble. The GT classes/GA cars are priced a bit more reasonably and can attract a diverse array of mftrs. Investing in Sportscar racing strikes me as poor ROI for a major mftr.

This type of racing will get you a very niche audience and even that has decreased. In short, I can't see how it sells any cars.

The atmosphere of manufacturer thoroughbred racing competitiveness has gone the way of the dodo in regards to prototype racing. Now you have F1 providing the ultimate in manufacturer exuberance. The average fan is more inclined to cheer for their favorite 911, Viper, Vette, than some prototype they can barely relate to other than the sponsor painted on it’s side. Today it is all about recognition and ROI. Like open wheel in the US, few care.
But I personally do not like seeing the manufacturers dictating the state of motor sport. But it truly is a Catch 22. One thing that NASCAR knew from the beginning is that it is the driver who is the hero, not the car. While I always enjoyed the cars over the drivers (drivers come and go) in F1 and Champ Car, I see the logic in building a series around drivers, but I digress.

[Accipiter]

Did they ever remove the weight penalties that they put on the S7s after they came off the trailer so fast their first year?

Yes.

[extramundane]

Yes.

But not soon enough to drive the bulk of Saleen's business to Europe. Not that Saleen helped its case by building customer cars instead of road cars for homologation purposes...