Porsche Powered DPs

[NismoZ]

Why are they faster this year? Top practice time today. More power? Lighter? Factory drivers? Was there a rules change to try to even things up?

[Accipiter]

The team is run by Alex Job, the car is a Crawford, the drivers are Rockenfeller, Luhr and Long, and that is by far the best team/car/driver combo ever to run with Porsche power. That's probably way more important than any engine developments there have been over the off-season.

[FCYTravis]

Actually, there is a major engine development factor. The Porsche is now allowed to use a "drop gear" to allow them to put the engine as low in the frame as possible. Previously, the engines were suspended in the frame and so Porsche-powered DPs had a much higher center of gravity than was ideal.

[gerhard911]

Per Bill Oursler in the latest issue of Panorama (Porsche Club of America offical publication) a change in DP regualtions has allowed the use of a revised transaxle location which lowers the center of gravity in the flat 6 powered crapwagon coupes'.

[extramundane]

"Great news for privateer [DP] teams!"

[Sean O'Gorman]

Which DP teams can't immediately (well, you know what I mean) get the same car? Have any DPs been obsoleted yet? Can any privateers drive a Porsche LMP2?

On the plus side, maybe after Daytona all the Porsches will disappear until July so they can run somewhere else. :gomer:

[extramundane]

Which DP teams can't immediately (well, you know what I mean) get the same car?

I'm sure anyone can get a "Porsche Crawford" but can they get the same Porsche Crawford? They can get an engine with the same name and specs, but can they get the same engine? How many other Porsche teams have a driver lineup that's 100% Porsche Factory?

"Anyone" can buy a "Pontiac Riley" too; in fact, lots have done so. But how times has one without Bill Riley in the pitbox won? Whether you admit it or not, factories rule GARRA just as much as they do ACO racing.


Have any DPs been obsoleted yet?

It's been pretty clear the last couple years that anything other than a Riley or Crawford is going to need an Act Of God to win. So, yes, I can think of 4 manufacturers that have been effectively obsoleted. Until GARRA decides to asterisk the hell out of that 10-year rule, that is.


Can any privateers drive a Porsche LMP2?

2007, as was announced in the plan. But at that point there won't be a factory P2. Can you say the same about Porsche involvement in GARRA?

[Fio1]

Actually, there is a major engine development factor. The Porsche is now allowed to use a "drop gear" to allow them to put the engine as low in the frame as possible. Previously, the engines were suspended in the frame and so Porsche-powered DPs had a much higher center of gravity than was ideal.

There was no way to put a Porsche in a Crawford without the 'drop gear'. At first Grand-Am said no way to the drop gear and Porsche said ok, we'll go to ALMS. After the Penske LMP675 came out, Grand-Am said OK, you can use your drop gear. :p

[nrc]

Didn't we hear some mumbling from GARRA about how the Porsche demographic wasn't really their market anyway?

[extramundane]

Didn't we hear some mumbling from GARRA about how the Porsche demographic wasn't really their market anyway?

"But unfortunately those two brands [Porsche & Ferrari], while they may be exotic, don't connect with the American audience." - Roger Edmondson, who, based on the attendance at his series' races, knows a thing or two about not connecting with the American audience.

[NismoZ]

The rule change must have worked, then. They're on the pole fairly easily. Go Crawsche!

[Accipiter]

I still say team, chassis, and drivers have a bigger impact. The newly modified and updated Fabcar still occupies approximately it's same place in the Grand Am universe.

[NismoZ]

Again, do they have any weight advantage? What is the power disadvantage from the 4 litre cars? Power to weight makes up for a lot of driver skill, no?

[Steve99]

Which DP teams can't immediately (well, you know what I mean) get the same car?
Are they giving them away for free now? Or will the teams that can afford to scrap their current car and go buy the "latest and greatest" have an advantage?

[NismoZ]

Guess you didn't know what he meant.

[Sean O'Gorman]

It's been pretty clear the last couple years that anything other than a Riley or Crawford is going to need an Act Of God to win. So, yes, I can think of 4 manufacturers that have been effectively obsoleted. Until GARRA decides to asterisk the hell out of that 10-year rule, that is.

The Doran still looks competitive to me. Other than the Brumos team, I can't think of anyone else that used to be competitive but no longer is.

[extramundane]

The Doran still looks competitive to me.

When was the last time a Doran won without the aid of monsoon-like conditions?


Other than the Brumos team, I can't think of anyone else that used to be competitive but no longer is.

IIRC, Forest Barber's team went from the penthouse to the outhouse pretty quickly. And wasn't Multimatic up front at the beginning. At any rate, there's one main reason there aren't more who used to be competitive but no longer are: once Wayne Taylor, Chip Ganassi & Howard-Boss arrived, they ruled the series. There simply aren't that many people who've been consistently competative besides them.

[FCYTravis]

Seabass stuck a Ford Doran on the outside of the second row next to the GAINSCO Pontiac Riley, with a little help from the tech inspectors in DQing the #10 car.

We don't know how well it'll hold up, but it's pretty darn quick, at least.

Oh, and those juggernaut Howard-Boss and SunTrust teams? Out of those three cars, none is starting further forward on the grid than 16th. Pruett's Ganassimobile is back in ninth. First, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth starting positions are all held by privateer outfits, albeit well-funded ones.

[extramundane]

Seabass stuck a Ford Doran on the outside of the second row next to the GAINSCO Pontiac Riley

You should try your hand at PR sometime ;)


We don't know how well it'll hold up, but it's pretty darn quick, at least.

Oh, and those juggernaut Howard-Boss and SunTrust teams? Out of those three cars, none is starting further forward on the grid than 16th. Pruett's Ganassimobile is back in ninth. First, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth starting positions are all held by privateer outfits, albeit well-funded ones.

Given the number of new arrivals this year (and the names attached to some of them) and the experience gained by last year's newbies, I'll be the first one to admit that the Taylor/Ganassi/H-B domination should decrease significantly this year. If it actually does, it'll go a long way towards shutting up loudmouth idiots like me. Now, that said...

I think we all know that qualifying isn't the best indicator of how a team will run over 24 (or even 6) hours.

And while the team that qualified P-1 may be technically a privateer, they're privateers in the same sense that Champion was a privateer team. Which is to say, not really at all.

[FCYTravis]

I will definitely give you that one, re: Alex Job.