Are there any American drivers good enough to drive an Audi R8?

[Fio1]

I was surprised that during speed's coverage of Le Mans, it was mentioned that Dorsey Schroeder was the only American ever to race the Audi R8. Isthat true? With all the ALMS races the R8 did over here over the years, there never was another yank driving? Are you tellimg me that there aren't any good American sportscar drivers out there?

I know that when Lucas Luhr drives the Brumos car, he makes Haywood, Donahue and Law look like Milka Dunno, but there must be some good American guys out there. I'm sure Kendall, Julian, Pobst, Pruet and Lally would do that car justice.

[chop456]

McNish's native language is English and that's still not good enough? :p

[Don Quixote]

I'm thinking Donnie Beechler.

[Methanolandbrats]

Danicle.

[RacinM3]

Bill Auberlen and Boris Said would be perfectly capable of driving them, but have pretty much been wrapped up by BMW and NASCAR in the case of Boris.

I'm available, too! ;)

[extramundane]

Bill Auberlen and Boris Said would be perfectly capable of driving them, but have pretty much been wrapped up by BMW and NASCAR in the case of Boris.

I'm available, too! ;)

I think Boris' mouth might be standing in the way of him driving anything new at this point.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Auberlen back in P1 in the near future, but it won't be driving for a German constructor.

[Easy]

I think its simply because Dave Maraj has been hiring either ex F1 drivers or Audi factory drivers.

[pchall]

I was wondering the same thing when I heard Mickey Mouse Rahal call Champion the "American" team on the radio Sunday morning and how they were beating the "French" team. :shakehead

[cameraman]

I was wondering the same thing when I heard Mickey Mouse Rahal call Champion the "American" team on the radio Sunday morning and how they were beating the "French" team. :shakehead

So you don't think Newman/Haas is an American team because of the French and Catalan/Brazilian background of the drivers?

[NismoZ]

Hey, that was going to be my response, too! :D

[Badger]

And yet, when GM goes racing, how many Americans are driving the Vette?

O'Connell

[mueber]

You guys are kidding, right? There are barely ten people in the whole country who care about sports car racing, but you expect a guy who has a fortune invested in equipment to stick a couple of semi-pro hobbyists in the R-8s at Le Mans, is that it?

The answer to the original question is, “Probably not.”

[Fio1]

The Pescarolo driver line-up goes back to F1. In France, a complete generation of potential F1 drivers were left looking for rides anywhere when a politician thought it would be beneficial to ban cigarette advertising. The onlt one who made it to F1 for more then 10 races from that generation, is Panis. Remember that there were always 6-8 French F1 drivers in the 80's to early 90's. Look at the Pescarolo driver line-up; they were all F1 hopefuls, that didn't make it because of this stupid law (banning cig advertising). Example, Collard is one of the top 10 drivers in the world, he should have been in F1 5 years ago, same with Ayari and Bouillion did everything in open wheel racing, including score points in F1.

As for Americans, the only potential American F1 driver for the past 10 years, other then Scott Speed was Elton Julian. And, ironically enough he was the only LMP1 driver from the States at this years race. But, I still think that with 6 drivers on an American team (Champion Audi), there should be 1 American. Or maybe Audi decided the line-up, not Champion. Look at Team Go last year, they made sure to put Seji Ara in the line-up. Seji Ara didn't Schumacher the field in Barber Dodge Pro-Series in the late 90's, so there are Americans as good as he is. I hope Penske and Porsche Motorsport US bring 1 American next year to Le Mans, if they do in fact fly the stars and stripes on the cars next year.

[NismoZ]

Thankyou very much. That was one hell of an informative post and finished on a hopeful note. I'm still left wondering WHO, though!

[extramundane]

Or maybe Audi decided the line-up, not Champion.

This is correct, for the most part.

[Fio1]

Who? Of the guys in sportscar racing right now:

1. Elton Julian
2. Harrison Brix
3. Andy Lally
4. Jeff Simmons
5. Memo Gidley
6. Pat Long
7. Bill Auberlyn
8. Paul Edwards
9. Michael McDowell
10. Randy Pobst

[RichK]

Who? Of the guys in sportscar racing right now:

1. Elton Julian
2. Harrison Brix
3. Andy Lally
4. Jeff Simmons
5. Memo Gidley
6. Pat Long
7. Bill Auberlyn
8. Paul Edwards
9. Michael McDowell
10. Randy Pobst

Jon Fogarty

[Dr. Corkski]

The Pescarolo driver line-up goes back to F1. In France, a complete generation of potential F1 drivers were left looking for rides anywhere when a politician thought it would be beneficial to ban cigarette advertising. The onlt one who made it to F1 for more then 10 races from that generation, is Panis. Remember that there were always 6-8 French F1 drivers in the 80's to early 90's. Look at the Pescarolo driver line-up; they were all F1 hopefuls, that didn't make it because of this stupid law (banning cig advertising). Example, Collard is one of the top 10 drivers in the world, he should have been in F1 5 years ago, same with Ayari and Bouillion did everything in open wheel racing, including score points in F1.Well, I wouldn't exactly call Sebastian Loeb a F1 reject. ;)

IIRC Ayari screwed himself in F3000 when he trashed too many cars. Still seemed that way at Le Mans.

[oddlycalm]

The bottom line is that it's been a poor period for US drivers in any significant road racing series. Worse yet, we're not even showing all that well in MotoGP after US riders dominated with a long string of world championships during the 80's and early 90's. At least there are US riders in the field so when MotoGP comes to Laguna Seca this summer people can watch their countrymen compete.

oc

[JohnnyQ]

Who? Of the guys in sportscar racing right now:

1. Elton Julian
2. Harrison Brix
3. Andy Lally
4. Jeff Simmons
5. Memo Gidley
6. Pat Long
7. Bill Auberlyn
8. Paul Edwards
9. Michael McDowell
10. Randy Pobst

Take out Lally and put in Guy Cosmo. Gidley? :rolleyes:

[pchall]

So you don't think Newman/Haas is an American team because of the French and Catalan/Brazilian background of the drivers?

They are a team. Only a team. Nationality is not important.

[Fio1]

I didn't put RHR, Barron or 'Dinger' because they have gigs already. Oh, I wouldn't trade Lally for Cosmo. Whatever, all the 15 of so mentioned deserve a test. Maybe, add Craig Staton for the 'shoot out'. And, Fogarty should be in my original list for sure, I forgot.

[FCYTravis]

Um, hi...

Butch Leitzinger, anyone?

[Easy]

Bob Siska

[extramundane]

I didn't put RHR, Barron or 'Dinger' because they have gigs already. Oh, I wouldn't trade Lally for Cosmo. Whatever, all the 15 of so mentioned deserve a test. Maybe, add Craig Staton for the 'shoot out'. And, Fogarty should be in my original list for sure, I forgot.

RHR would smoke them all. Even if he's never driven sportscars before. :gomer:

[Fio1]

RHR would smoke them all. Even if he's never driven sportscars before. :gomer:

I don't doubt it. I would love to see him race at Daytona next winter. :)

[JohnnyQ]

Lally's a tool. He's got a good mouthpiece. What's up with all the hype with RHR? I'd rather see AJ move forward.

[extramundane]

Lally's a tool. He's got a good mouthpiece. What's up with all the hype with RHR? I'd rather see AJ move forward.

http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/nurshad/silky_johnson1.jpg

(w/ apologies to Easy)

[Sean O'Gorman]

Hey, I've met Lally a few times, he is pretty cool. He has helped my friend out alot when he was making the progression from crew member to ALMS driver over the course of 4 years.

[Easy]

Hey, I've met Lally a few times, he is pretty cool. He has helped my friend out alot when he was making the progression from crew member to ALMS driver over the course of 4 years.


Eversley?

[FCYTravis]

Who else could stand on the podium in P2 *and* not be completely scared away by O'Gorman's antics?

Oh yeah, he works for a Grand-Am team too. AND an ALMS team.

<ducks> :p :gomer: ;)

[pchall]

Well, Foyt IV and Special Ed won't make the move to sportscars...

[L1P1]

How about Paul Edwards? He's almost due, I suspect.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Eversley?

Yeah. You know him?

[Easy]

Met him through a mutual friend once or twice.

[theunions]

Well, Foyt IV and Special Ed won't make the move to sportscars...

The latter's stepdad is supposedly intrigued by the idea of expanding his team ownership empire to DP's though and has attended races with that in mind... :saywhat:

[theunions]

Boris on Windbag today:

"They (Audi, Corvette, etc.) need to hire more Americans."

[chop456]

There WILL be Americans driving the R8.














When the R9 comes out. :gomer:

[extramundane]

Boris on Windbag today:

"They (Audi, Corvette, etc.) need to hire more Americans."

Boris has a long history of needing to keep his mouth shut.

Perhaps if he hadn't trashed the Panoz during his shot, he'd be driving a top-level prototype.

[theunions]

Interesting...from the Sept. 26 issue of AutoWeek I just received, and something I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else in the interim:


AUDI LOOKS FOR AN AMERICAN

Audi is starting a search for an up-and-coming driver from the United States to join its sports car squad. Audi North America revealed it would like to have a domestic partner as part of its future American Le Mans Series lineup. The U.S. subsidiary has had a presence in the series with the Joest and Champion teams but has never had an American driver in one of its cars.

Audi North America motorsport manager Rob Bymaster, who reaffirmed his company's long-term commitment to the ALMS, said, "We do really need to look at having a young American driver one day. It would give us a lot of promotional advantages. We would like to get back into the SCCA World Challenge (in which it last competed with an RS6 in 2004) next year and that could be a way of bringing someone on. It is something we are planning for, but it could be a few years down the line."

[Fio1]

This is the guy Audi should be talking to:
http://www.the-paddock.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=700&Itemid=1

:D Other then 2-3 Americans racing in Champcar, GP2, I don't see anyone better! :)