2014 United Sports Car Championship

[Wilbur]

I was really tempted to head to Sebring but headed to Petit instead!

 

[cnd01]

I was really tempted to head to Sebring but headed to Petit instead!

Same here!

Also, the HPD DP is probably Starworks, but I'm not 100% sure on that

 

[FoolKiller]

I just booked my hotel for Petit. We moved from staying in Winder to Jefferson after my friend got a questionable ticket in Winder last year.

 

[raven214]

Just a head's up for anyone who may not have seen it: As of a few days ago, the CTSCC broadcast is (finally!) up on the IMSA site. I watched it last night and it was good to see 3 Camaro Z/28's out there! Too bad both of the Stevenson entries had troubles but I'm sure they'll get it sorted. 👍

 

[01GTP]

Just a head's 👍

Will do, thanks. 👍

 

[Jav]

Found this nice channel on Youtube, lots of awesome onboards:

 

[cnd01]

MMPR no Le Mans http://www.racer.com/index.php/56-grand-am/101146-imsa-no-le-mans-for-pickett-racing-in-2014

Gainsco Stallings looking to get a Dallara DP http://www.racer.com/index.php/imsa...the-mend-stallings-looks-to-the-team-s-future

Risi evaluating options as well http://www.racer.com/index.php/imsa...risi-ferrari-team-evaluating-post-crash-moves

 

[RACECAR]

Now this is interesting

Keep in mind that last year, Derek Walker had supposedly got to talking about some consulting from an FIA F1 Steward (can't remember their name), which I first pointed out here

 

[joetruckv8]

Book-Mark Post'

I'm getting into this 1 this year.

Favorite chassis DP & LMGT

 

[Hun200kmh]

Now this is interesting

Keep in mind that last year, indycar's Race control has supposedly gotten some consulting from an FIA F1 Stewart (can't remember their name).

Jackie?

 

[RACECAR]

Jackie?

 

[Hun200kmh]

Just a bit of fun. I guess you meant "steward" but wrote "stewart" instead. And when F1 and Stewart are mentioned in the same sentence I remember Jackie Stewart.

 

[RACECAR]

Just a bit of fun. I guess you meant "steward" but wrote "stewart" instead. And when F1 and Stewart are mentioned in the same sentence I remember Jackie Stewart.

*Facepalm*

That's embarrassing, gonna correct that.

 

[raven214]

Good news about Memo:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ovement-since-rolex-24-crash-daytona/5409993/

Memo Gidley continues to show significant improvement since his transfer last week from a Daytona Beach, Fla., hospital to a rehab facility in California, his team owner reported Tuesday night.

...

"I spoke to Memo today for about 25 minutes on the phone, and I was jubilant in hearing his voice, hearing how clear-headed and articulate he was," said Bob Stallings, owner of Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing. "He was able to have a great and meaningful conversation. His spirits are high, and he's now fully aware of what has happened to him and what's likely ahead of him in terms of his recovery."

 

[joetruckv8]

Not much to report until round 2 gets here. All & all I'm waiting for some hi downforce tracks to see how the LMP 2 cars compete against my favorites; the DP's. 21 Century New School Group C prototypes as I like to call them,.

 

[RACECAR]

I predict the DPs will be having a lot of trouble there. No track on the schedule they've raced for the last two years have given them the amount of punishment Sebring will give them. The LMP2s on the other hand have had years of running so they will have the advantage.

 

[joetruckv8]

I'm wondering if they are going to overall balance them via reg's or if it just doesn't work out just run a DP & LMp 2 class separately next year. To be cont?,..

 

[IforceV8]

http://www.racer.com/index.php/imsa...latest-round-of-performance-balancing-changes

 

[Jav]

I predict the DPs will be having a lot of trouble there. No track on the schedule they've raced for the last two years have given them the amount of punishment Sebring will give them. The LMP2s on the other hand have had years of running so they will have the advantage.

I don't think it'll be much of a difference for those cars, those cars are basically modified Trans Am chassis and those dinosaurs have been around since the 80s, I think they'll be fine, the tires in the other hand are the big unkown...

 

[RACECAR]

I don't think it'll be much of a difference for those cars, those cars are basically modified Trans Am chassis and those dinosaurs have been around since the 80s, I think they'll be fine, the tires in the other hand are the big unkown...

Its not just the tires, the increased horsepower as well which is putting more strain on their engines then before and then take into consideration that the bumps basically beat your car to death (and the many transmission/gearboxes that have been casualities of it). Its not speed I'm concerned about so much as reliability. The DPs reliability at Daytona has been thoroughly built over the years, but they only have days worth of miles around Sebring and that's a place where only a few days won't do any good for you.

 

[Jav]

Its not just the tires, the increased horsepower as well which is putting more strain on their engines then before and then take into consideration that the bumps basically beat your car to death (and the many transmission/gearboxes that have been casualities of it). Its not speed I'm concerned about so much as reliability. The DPs reliability at Daytona has been thoroughly built over the years, but they only have days worth of miles around Sebring and that's a place where only a few days won't do any good for you.

Definitely see your point, I think they'll be ok, but we will no doubt see retirements though I expect to see the usual suspects on the front at the end of the race.
Not that any of that will matter anyhow, we will see the same BS we saw on Daytona with a fake yellow with 10-20 minutes to go and them they all bragging about how close the finish was...

 

[raven214]

Definitely see your point, I think they'll be ok, but we will no doubt see retirements though I expect to see the usual suspects on the front at the end of the race.
Not that any of that will matter anyhow, we will see the same BS we saw on Daytona with a fake yellow with 10-20 minutes to go and them they all bragging about how close the finish was...

As per them throwing another bogus yellow at the end to bunch up the field, man am I hoping you're wrong... but I fear you will be correct.

 

[cnd01]

I don't think it'll be much of a difference for those cars, those cars are basically modified Trans Am chassis and those dinosaurs have been around since the 80s, I think they'll be fine, the tires in the other hand are the big unkown...

If Daytona was any indication, the teams that work the hardest will come out on top. What few LMP teams that have actually raced Sebring should have the upper hand. I think the DP guys will still have the advantage assuming they last the full 12 hours. DP cars are so much better in traffic due to more power. From watching the race in the upper deck at Daytona, the LMP2 was just as fast as the DP lap time wise, but once they got mired in traffic, the DP would gain seconds on the lap because of how the DP makes its speed. I don't know if the DP will last, and I'm curious as to how the tires will hold up. I read that the Oak guys think that they can quad stint the continental tires here.

Definitely see your point, I think they'll be ok, but we will no doubt see retirements though I expect to see the usual suspects on the front at the end of the race.
Not that any of that will matter anyhow, we will see the same BS we saw on Daytona with a fake yellow with 10-20 minutes to go and them they all bragging about how close the finish was...

Yea, I hope Paul Walters, ALMS official for years who's the race steward and not NASCAR, won't artificially throw a caution at the end, but I would like to see a good close finish

 

[Jav]

Yea, I hope Paul Walters, ALMS official for years who's the race steward and not NASCAR, won't artificially throw a caution at the end, but I would like to see a good close finish

We can only hope, but in reality he will be under pressure to throw a yellow as soon as there's a half spin or an off.

 

[cnd01]

We can only hope, but in reality he will be under pressure to throw a yellow as soon as there's a half spin or an off.

Paul is not who should be calling the shots. He has had numerous questionable calls in his career, and his track record shows that it's only a penalty if it's on tv

 

[Jav]

So... Action Express fastest at Sebring yesterday with a faster time than last year's fastest ESM P2 car and Porsche fastest in GT-LM by half a second over the 3rd fastest car which was the Viper.
Guess it's back to the BoP drawing board for IMSA.

http://www.endurance-info.com/en/ac...t-for-last-on-opening-day-of-sebring-testing/

http://www.endurance-info.com/en/porsche-leads-opening-gtlm-testing-at-sebring/

 

[Wilbur]

I don't think it's back to the drawing board at all, I just think those teams really did their homework on getting the most out of the car from the beginning period. Also this is why they are testing to see because aren't the DP running a different aero package?

Call me dumb but I still have no clue what BoP means either.

 

[Tired Tyres]

BoP = Balance of Performance. This to make all the cars in a category run the same lap times.

I hate it. The fastest/most efficient car should win the race. That is the literal point of going motor racing. To prove you are the best at what you do..

 

[Hun200kmh]

... with the same set of rules for everyone. 👍

 

[raven214]

BoP = Balance of Performance. This to make all the cars in a category run the same lap times.

I hate it. The fastest/most efficient car should win the race. That is the literal point of going motor racing. To prove you are the best at what you do..

Totally agree with you. The DPs and P2s are so different, though, that I really think they should be split into separate categories and eliminate PC or run it as a support series.