ALMS LMP2 Lola/Honda?

[NismoZ]

Several places are saying so. Maybe an announcement this week. Honda won't face any competitin in an HRL so I guess they'll look for it in sportscars. Could it be Penske Racing vs. Andretti/Greene in the ALMS? It'd make sense based on what is happening in the League.

[extramundane]

Chalk this up in the "Believe It When It Hits The Track" column.

[FCYTravis]

There's been so many vaporware cars rumored in all the sports car series that if you totaled them all up, Sebring would start 80 cars - including 15 Shaws :shakehead - and the Picchio would be half the DP field.

Like extramundane said, get back to me when it rolls out of the garage into pit lane...

[extramundane]

There's been so many vaporware cars rumored in all the sports car series that if you totaled them all up, Sebring would start 80 cars - including 15 Shaws :shakehead - and the Picchio would be half the DP field.


And Bobby Rahal's fielding most of them.

[chop456]

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060410/FREE/60409001/1031/MOTORSPORTSNEWS

[FCYTravis]

Please see extramundane's post above.

[chop456]

Please see extramundane's post above.

That's the spirit! Don't lose hope yet. There's still a chance they'll go to Grand Am instead, and build their own car. After all, they have plenty of experience with that kind of chassis.

http://www.riversidesportland.com/photos/MVC-014S_7.JPG

:D

[mapguy]

:rofl: :thumbup:

[extramundane]

This time it seems like a go (those who know more than I say Honda has already obtained both Lola & Courage chassis), but we've heard so many Honda (& Rahal) rumors the last few years, I'm still loath to believe it 'til I see it.

[NismoZ]

I wish I knew why so many of you guys only want to talk about something AFTER it happens. Same with the possibility of merger, though I've noticed many of you who refused to believe it originally and trashed the rumors are now talking freely about it.

[JoeBob]

There won't be a Lola/Honda....

Acura is the badge.

[extramundane]

There won't be a Lola/Honda....

Acura is the badge.

...which all makes sense, as Courage already has a deal with Mugen and Acura has been Honda's traditional sportscar brand.

[extramundane]

I wish I knew why so many of you guys only want to talk about something AFTER it happens. Same with the possibility of merger, though I've noticed many of you who refused to believe it originally and trashed the rumors are now talking freely about it.

I never "trashed" it- I only advocated caution in believing it at that stage. The most prominent version of the rumor at one point had Honda engines in an American-built chassis for 2006, and we all see how well that turned out.

[FCYTravis]

That's the spirit! Don't lose hope yet. There's still a chance they'll go to Grand Am instead
Why would you possibly think I would want them in Grand-Am? We have more than enough semi-factory-teams run by whiny IRL owners as it is :rofl:

[chop456]

Why would you possibly think I would want them in Grand-Am? We have more than enough semi-factory-teams run by whiny IRL owners as it is :rofl:

Just a setup for a Honda/tube frame joke.

Don't worry - Toyota will bail soon enough. ;)

[Easy]

I wish I knew why so many of you guys only want to talk about something AFTER it happens. Same with the possibility of merger, though I've noticed many of you who refused to believe it originally and trashed the rumors are now talking freely about it.


I don't want to wait until after the fact, I just find all the unsubstantiated rumors and fantasies that fly around some internet boards to be tiresome. Thats why I generally prefer it here.

That said, Eddie Jordan to ICWS with AOL, M. Schumacher/Jacquez V. and Honda 2.65's along with a 2 car Honda/Dome LMP2 program with Jacques and Chin pulling 3rd driver duties in the enduros. You heard it here first!

[Dr. Corkski]

I don't want to wait until after the fact, I just find all the unsubstantiated rumors and fantasies that fly around some internet boards to be tiresome. Thats why I generally prefer it here.

That said, Eddie Jordan to ICWS with AOL, M. Schumacher/Jacquez V. and Honda 2.65's along with a 2 car Honda/Dome LMP2 program with Jacques and Chin pulling 3rd driver duties in the enduros. You heard it here first!Erick Hansen to drive the Team Rahal Kia prototype. YOU heard it here first! :gomer:

[extramundane]

Erick Hansen to drive the Team Rahal Kia prototype. YOU heard it here first! :gomer:

Better not be in a Dallara backbreak crapwagon chassis. :gomer:

[Easy]

Dude, everyone knows Rahal will be running the Aston Martin. :laugh:

[pchall]

Erick Hansen to drive the Team Rahal Kia prototype. YOU heard it here first! :gomer:

I won't believe that until Jack Arute prints it. :p

[cameraman]

Dude, everyone knows Rahal will be running the Aston Martin. :laugh:

The Aston Martins will be in Houston.

Bobby Rahal will be at Houston.

All you will need is a picture of him walking by the ALMS paddock....

[pchall]

The Aston Martins will be in Houston.

Bobby Rahal will be at Houston.

All you will need is a picture of him walking by the ALMS paddock....

Yes, but whose t-shirt will he be wearing?

[KLang]

Official now - Acura (http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=1913)


Advanced technology and cutting-edge innovation are the hallmarks of Honda Performance Development, which will manufacture the engine for the Acura prototype program. The 3.4-liter, aluminum alloy V8 powerplant will be the first completely designed and developed in-house by Honda Performance Development, which serves as American Honda's wholly-owned racing subsidiary.

So it's not based on the crapwagon motor?

[Ankf00]

which noteable cars will be missing from Houston?

[extramundane]

which noteable cars will be missing from Houston?

Audi R10s and likely the Highcroft Lola.

[Dirty Sanchez]

R10 :gomer:

[chop456]

Official now - Acura (http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=1913)

I won't believe it until one falls from the sky and hits me in the head.

[NismoZ]

Why do they all have to look the same!? Lolas AND Courage? Is that so we can tell the difference between Team Rahal and AGR? ;) ...I think they are going to take some fat out of the LMP1s to create some distance?

[Easy]

Wasn't the intention of LMP2 to give a home for privateers not to hide from Audi until your LMP1 is ready?

[cameraman]

A five car LMP2 field where two finish has become rather tiresome.
The more cars the better is how I see it.

[Rocketdoc]

Sometimes I feel like the people I have the least opinion of, are following me.

I decided to take my fandom from Champ Car to the ALMS and the SCCA World Challege series.

I can't stand, nor will I follow anything that has Tony George involved in it, and that means a "merged series", which would have to give George something to do, to think that he has won somewhere, and the people who I like the least that left CART for the HURL; Roger Penske, Rahal and the sub-intellect whiner, Michael Andretti are now thinking of running in the ALMS.

These are bad times.

[FCYTravis]

A five car LMP2 field where two finish has become rather tiresome.
The more cars the better is how I see it.
How long will some of those other five (like Miracle?) stick around to serve as moving chicanes for megabuck factory efforts?

The eternal factory question goes for all series.

[extramundane]

How long will some of those other five (like Miracle?) stick around to serve as moving chicanes for megabuck factory efforts?

The eternal factory question goes for all series.

Miracle's C65 only has limited legality left anyway, so it's going to be a moot point before long. Rumors for quite some time have had Kumho spending the big bucks to take them to P1- it'll be interesting to see if they pan out.

[FCYTravis]

The KUM HO Prototype. I like that. :cool: :rofl:

[extramundane]

The KUM HO Prototype. I like that. :cool: :rofl:

Is that the kind of garbage they teach you in that Grand-Am team of yours?

'Cause if so, I might have misjudged things... ;) :rofl:

[rjohnson999]

Old joke. Everyone at any level of the sport not running them calls them that.



Is that the kind of garbage they teach you in that Grand-Am team of yours?

'Cause if so, I might have misjudged things... ;) :rofl:

[FCYTravis]

Well, that was prescient of me.

Miracle's done for '06, except for Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. Nope, guess they didn't want to spend all those bucks. :thumdown: :(

[extramundane]

Well, that was prescient of me.

Miracle's done for '06, except for Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. Nope, guess they didn't want to spend all those bucks. :thumdown: :(

Curious to see what happens next. I've heard everything from "saving their money for 2007 P1 effort" to "Macaluso quits racing entirely."

[FCYTravis]

Doesn't seem like he's saving that much money - one trip to Le Mans costs as much as several domestic ALMS races. One would think that if he was "saving his money" for 07, he'd ditch the P2 now, buy the P1 midseason and enter the last one or two 06 ALMS races as warmup/shakedown runs.

This "unfinished business at Le Mans" strikes me as the words of someone who's getting ready to quit :(

[cameraman]

So who will KUMHO sign on with for the rest of this season?

They clearly want to be in ALMS for the full season.

They said that they will announce in time for Houston, they were on a P2, will they stay on a P2 or will they sponsor a P1???

[extramundane]

So who will KUMHO sign on with for the rest of this season?

They clearly want to be in ALMS for the full season.

They said that they will announce in time for Houston, they were on a P2, will they stay on a P2 or will they sponsor a P1???

It might not be a P car at all.

[extramundane]

This "unfinished business at Le Mans" strikes me as the words of someone who's getting ready to quit :(

I wouldn't be surprised at this point. The team never hit its stride last year, and has seemed in disarray since splitting w/ Bucknum & McMurry.

[extramundane]

So who will KUMHO sign on with for the rest of this season?

They clearly want to be in ALMS for the full season.

They said that they will announce in time for Houston, they were on a P2, will they stay on a P2 or will they sponsor a P1???

Looks like B-K gets the Kumho bucks.

[cameraman]

Nice to see the Mazda get the help.

[extramundane]

According to this (http://www.lemans.maville.com/actu/24heures06_detail.asp?idDOC=307599&idCLA=8438) interview w/ Yves Courage, it appears that Mario Andretti, rather than the rumored Michael/AGR, will be heading up one of the ALMS Acura teams.

[FCYTravis]

A quote from John Macaluso at Le Mans:

"“I still want to be in a P1 car and I’m still unhappy with the direction that P2 is currently taking, with Porsche being followed by other factory-backed teams. This class was always intended for the smaller privateer efforts.”

If you're a DSC subscriber, it's here: http://www.dailysportscar.com/subscribers/lemans/2006/preview_scrutineering/preview_tuesday2.htm

[extramundane]

A quote from John Macaluso at Le Mans:

"“I still want to be in a P1 car and I’m still unhappy with the direction that P2 is currently taking, with Porsche being followed by other factory-backed teams. This class was always intended for the smaller privateer efforts.”

If you're a DSC subscriber, it's here: http://www.dailysportscar.com/subscribers/lemans/2006/preview_scrutineering/preview_tuesday2.htm

Cry me a river, Macaluso. Intersport handed you your ass in a paper bag last year, long before Porsche or Acura were ever in the picture. Funny how things were different when you had the factory Courage in a field full of broke-ass Lola & Pilbeam SRPIIs, wunnit?

[FCYTravis]

Cry me a river, Macaluso. Intersport handed you your ass in a paper bag last year, long before Porsche or Acura were ever in the picture. Funny how things were different when you had the factory Courage in a field full of broke-ass Lola & Pilbeam SRPIIs, wunnit?
:laugh: