View Full Version : Can Am All Over Again?
Though the new P2 Porsche didn't run at the Petite I guess it DID turn some laps in testing...faster than all the official P2 times...and faster than ALL the P1 times!? Here we go! :eek:
I think you read a fantasy post on a pay site. :D
The Porsche apparently ran a 1:12.9 in testing. The P1 pole was 1:10.7 (Zytek).
Although the Porsche was quick, the Intersport car (P2) qualified at 1:12.7.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Porsche run in the top 5 at Laguna, but being faster than the P1s at this point remains to be seen.
extramundane
10-05-05, 12:31 PM
The Porsche transmission is apparently still rather fragile, so P2 may yet be a survival of the fittest.
Sean O'Gorman
10-05-05, 01:04 PM
Sweet, nothing says good racing like more expensive yet obsolete race cars. :rolleyes:
extramundane
10-05-05, 01:26 PM
Sweet, nothing says good racing like more expensive yet obsolete race cars. :rolleyes:
So which cars are you suggesting are obsolete?
Sean O'Gorman
10-05-05, 01:37 PM
The Courage, for one. And I bet it doesn't look good for the Lola. I hope I'm proven wrong, though.
SeanO, just because they are slower than the fastest car doesn't make them obsolete. Not every series has to have a level playing field to provide great racing. In fact, IMO, the best racing this year was in two series with the least level playing field: MotoGP and F1.
chop456
10-05-05, 02:23 PM
Not to worry. Grand Am still has lots of non-factory Porsche "prototypes" to get unexcited over. :gomer:
"Waaahhah! Level playing field! Waaahhh!" :cry:
Talk to Henri Pescarolo about how fast old, obsolete cars can be.
coolhand
10-05-05, 02:23 PM
Not to worry. Grand Am still has lots of non-factory Porsche "prototypes" to get unexcited over. :gomer:
"Waaahhah! Level playing field! Waaahhh!" :cry:
Talk to Henri Pescarolo about how fast old, obsolete cars can be.
lol good post. :thumbup:
FCYTravis
10-05-05, 02:25 PM
Yeah, but the ACO had to choke the R8 into a wheezing dinosaur suffering from shortness of breath for Pescarolo to come even close, chop456. It was rather odd watching GT cars drive away from the Audi coming out of corners. "I'm givin' her all she's got, Cap'n. There ain't no more torque!"
Oh wait, I forgot, the restrictor plate isn't really there. It's a phantom air restrictor. See, really, this isn't NASCAR. Honest, it isn't. That restrictor isn't a competition adjustment. It's a rules change. :gomer:
oddlycalm
10-05-05, 02:37 PM
SeanO, just because they are slower than the fastest car doesn't make them obsolete. Not every series has to have a level playing field to provide great racing. In fact, IMO, the best racing this year was in two series with the least level playing field: MotoGP and F1. Yep, you only need two teams with competitive equipment to make a great race. Even in the years that Can Am was dominated by one team, whether Penske or McLaren, I never felt cheated even though the outcome was never in question. The cars were very powerful, light in weight, had little or no downforce and traction control was still decades in the future. They also looked great, sounded incredible and were often piloted by world class drivers. Similarly, one of my great regrets is that I didn't make it to the Targo Floria before it went away.
oc
Sweet, nothing says good racing like more expensive yet obsolete race cars. :rolleyes:
you mean like highly modified MR2's hauled on fancy trailers to random parking lots across the midwest in the quest for cone domination? :gomer:
chop456
10-05-05, 03:42 PM
Yeah, but the ACO had to choke the R8 into a wheezing dinosaur suffering from shortness of breath for Pescarolo to come even close
That was my point. It doesn't matter if a car's old if it's done right.
FCYTravis
10-05-05, 04:05 PM
Right, I agree. The only reason the R8 could be considered "obsolete" is rules changes.
It would still be dominating sports car racing worldwide, unchecked by any challengers, if the ACO hadn't changed the rules on it.
Sorta like how the 917 obsoleted itself.
Sean O'Gorman
10-05-05, 08:26 PM
you mean like highly modified MR2's hauled on fancy trailers to random parking lots across the midwest in the quest for cone domination? :gomer:
They aren't highly modified, becuase any good autocrosser will tell you it is much more challenging to run in a class where the cars are cheaper and more equal than in a faster more expensive class where the car is more likely to determine the outcome.
And, oh yeah, driving for a day > spectating for a lifetime.
extramundane
10-06-05, 01:07 PM
Official livery.
http://www.project-lemans.de/images/stories/2005/ALMS/P06_0045.jpg
coolhand
10-06-05, 01:37 PM
looks sweet, though i am not comfortable with penske in bed with a CCWS sponsor
extramundane
10-06-05, 01:56 PM
looks sweet, though i am not comfortable with penske in bed with a CCWS sponsor
DHL = German
Porsche = German
Nothing to do with Penske.
And, oh yeah, driving for a day > spectating for a lifetime.
Hold on to your Folger's cans folks :gomer:
Official livery.
http://www.project-lemans.de/images/stories/2005/ALMS/P06_0045.jpg
This is the first Porsche racing car that I want to call FUGLY. Talk about a humpbacked anteater with full body jaundice.... :eek:
extramundane
10-06-05, 10:22 PM
This is the first Porsche racing car that I want to call FUGLY. Talk about a humpbacked anteater with full body jaundice.... :eek:
I disagree:
http://www.project-lemans.de/images/stories/2005/ALMS/P06_0046.jpg
VS
http://www.hella.com/produktion/HellaPortal/WebSite/Internet_usa/PressForum/Motorsports_News/Photogaleries/Daytona2004_I/images/Daytona_G1_P10.jpg
Sean O'Gorman
10-06-05, 10:52 PM
So Porsche builds the Fabcar now?
The LMP2 is obviously better, but I think the Fabcar with the Red Bull livery is easily the best looking car in Grand-Am.
racer2c
10-06-05, 11:16 PM
So Porsche builds the Fabcar now?
The LMP2 is obviously better, but I think the Fabcar with the Red Bull livery is easily the best looking car in Grand-Am.
Obviously not saying much about GA car aesthetics... :) Are you sure you want to go into sales? ;)
oddlycalm
10-06-05, 11:17 PM
This is the first Porsche racing car that I want to call FUGLY. Talk about a humpbacked anteater with full body jaundice.... :eek: Watch out man, Anteater is gonna get even when she sees that... ;)
oc
extramundane
10-07-05, 09:16 AM
So Porsche builds the Fabcar now?
"I don't think we have anyone here who can weld that badly."
The LMP2 is obviously better
My new signature quote. I'll be sure to take it out of context at every opportunity! ;)
extramundane
10-14-05, 03:39 PM
After 2 days of practice, the Porsche is fastest in P2, but only by .15 seconds (both days) over Intersport. So much for the "category killer" theory.
coolhand
10-14-05, 04:35 PM
http://www.autoracing1.com/Images/2005/ALMSGrandAm/Misc/Porsche2.jpg
Sean O'Gorman
10-14-05, 06:14 PM
After 2 days of practice, the Porsche is fastest in P2, but only by .15 seconds (both days) over Intersport. So much for the "category killer" theory.
Not to try and find the negativity or anything, but do keep in mind that Porsche has nothing to gain by blowing the other P2 cars out of the water in some meaningless race. Remember how the GT1 got penalized because of its dominating performances in the BPR series in '96?
coolhand
10-14-05, 06:20 PM
Not to try and find the negativity or anything, but do keep in mind that Porsche has nothing to gain by blowing the other P2 cars out of the water in some meaningless race. Remember how the GT1 got penalized because of its dominating performances in the BPR series in '96?
so you think they are sandbagging till next year? just making the car mechanically sound right now?
extramundane
10-14-05, 07:41 PM
so you think they are sandbagging till next year? just making the car mechanically sound right now?
Qualifying faster than an Audi isn't the way to sandbag. Too bad Field beached the Lola, or we could have seen just how fast he was...
coolhand
10-14-05, 09:28 PM
Qualifying faster than an Audi isn't the way to sandbag. Too bad Field beached the Lola, or we could have seen just how fast he was...
one audi
manic mechanic
10-14-05, 09:30 PM
So Porsche builds the Fabcar now?
The LMP2 is obviously better, but I think the Fabcar with the Red Bull livery is easily the best looking car in Grand-Am.
Not sure who the "manufacturer" is, but I think the most attractive livery in GA is the gold & purple Crown Royal car.
Come to think of it, those colors wouldn't suck on a Champcar either! :D
manic
coolhand
10-14-05, 09:48 PM
Is prodrive running the aston martins?
I thought Masarati was supposed to blow everyone out of the water from the attention it got in the offseason :confused:
FCYTravis
10-14-05, 10:18 PM
It got a lot of attention because it was just about the only interesting "new" car entering the series this year... and because IMSA had to write its own rules to allow it in.
Otherwise it's pretty much been restricted into a show car. Be interesting to see if they come back with it next year.
I'm still at a loss here. What's with the 2 roll bars and driver compartments? :confused:
extramundane
10-15-05, 11:36 AM
I'm still at a loss here. What's with the 2 roll bars and driver compartments? :confused:
New ACO regulations for LMP cars. They're supposed to be sports cars, after all, not single-seaters. The execution could have been better, but it is what it is.
Reviews anyone? MAYBE not a category buster but pretty impressive first time out, no? Any customer cars in '06 or is that the following year? Can Porsche NOT help Patrick Long get into one of these things? If Honda REALLY wants competition why'd they re-up with FTG? This is where they should be!
extramundane
10-16-05, 03:57 PM
Reviews anyone? MAYBE not a category buster but pretty impressive first time out, no? Any customer cars in '06 or is that the following year? Can Porsche NOT help Patrick Long get into one of these things? If Honda REALLY wants competition why'd they re-up with FTG? This is where they should be!
Definitely impressive. Too bad Intersport had to start from the rear. Sebring should be interesting with 2 of these beasts, plus a gaggle of much-improved Lolas.
Customers in 2007. There's been some mention of 2nd half '06, but that may be for the first Euro teams.
FCYTravis
10-16-05, 08:31 PM
Patrick Long's probably in a Porsche Crawford DP next year.
He was quoted as saying he was driving the Essex Ford rent-a-Crawford for "practice."
extramundane
10-16-05, 09:17 PM
Patrick Long's probably in a Porsche Crawford DP next year.
He was quoted as saying he was driving the Essex Ford rent-a-Crawford for "practice."
Makes sense...I'd heard he would probably have a new "Job" next year.
I think it's safe to say Maassen & Luhr will return in the #6. As for the #7, there's plenty of candidates, but Wolf Henzler seems to be the Golden Boy at the moment...would be very interesting to see how he peddles a prototype.
OK, I guess what I was getting at, then is; If Penske runs two cars and four drivers, does anyone think he would make an effort to get an American in the driver line-up? If so, who do you think might be "Porsche friendly"?
FCYTravis
10-17-05, 12:46 AM
Randy Pobst? Mike Rockenfeller?
extramundane
10-17-05, 11:40 AM
OK, I guess what I was getting at, then is; If Penske runs two cars and four drivers, does anyone think he would make an effort to get an American in the driver line-up? If so, who do you think might be "Porsche friendly"?
Penske likely doesn't have much say in the matter. Pat Long's really got the only chance of any American, even if he does run GA next year. But the seats will almost definitely go to Porsche factory drivers.
Unless you believe the Crackforum fantasies that Roger will be putting Sam & Helio in the 2nd car to get them used to the new Porsche IRL engine. :gomer:
Randy Pobst? Mike Rockenfeller?
Rockenfeller is German isn't he?
Darren Law
Jon Fogarty
Mike McDowell (apparently he is the next Schumacher, or is it the next RHR?)
Sam Hornish Jr.
Graham Rahal (apparently he is the next Bobby Rahal)
Marco Andretti (apparently he is the... nevermind)
But in all seriousness, during the Laguna Seca broadcast Greg Creamer seemed to think that Pat Long would be in a Penske Porsche sometime next year, but maybe just as a third at enduros.
FCYTravis
10-17-05, 12:44 PM
Well, he also might pull double-duty... Grand-Am and ALMS don't schedule conflicting races so it's conceivable he could run both series quite easily... other drivers do it (Bill Auberlen, for one.)
Well, good. That's what I'm hoping for, anyway. He IS contracted to Porsche, correct?
Sean O'Gorman
10-17-05, 01:00 PM
Sam Hornish Jr.
The next Rick Mears!!! :gomer:
extramundane
10-17-05, 01:09 PM
Well, good. That's what I'm hoping for, anyway. He IS contracted to Porsche, correct?
Long? Yes he is.
The next Rick Mears!!! :gomer:
The greatest American driving talent since Charles Nearburg.
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