2014 United Sports Car Championship

[Northstar]

To be fair, with NASCAR's stake in the series I think if they weren't solely responsible for signing with FOX they at least very heavily swayed the decision.

I'm sure it did, at the same time they may not have had much of a choice as ABC/ESPN seems to be cutting motorsports so who knows if they even placed a bid, NBC probably doesn't have much budget left and CBS hasn't done motorsports for some time.

 

[IforceV8]

AMR whined,IMSA gave them a BoP break,and they still took their ball and went home. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/amr-withdraws-66-entries-now-expected-for-sebring/

I guess Fox decided to respond to its terrible 24hr coverage by giving us less to complain about,but that 3hrs will probably include 45 min of commercials.The irony is that the Rolex 24 was the highest rated show on FS2 for that week and #2 rated show on FS1.

 

[Earth]

I knew the TV coverage problems were going to happen. FS1 is basically ESPN, theres no room on the channel to cover a 12 or 24 hour endurance race. I just hope FS2 gets into more cable and satellite packages and becomes HD. That should help them cover more of the race.

 

[Wilbur]

I still wish someone in the US would finally understand just how big a market an online streaming package would be for a fee (either full season or per race). There are plenty of us who would pay for it I'm sure to be able to watch these races flag to flag compared to the random bits we get at times.

 

[IforceV8]

I knew the TV coverage problems were going to happen. FS1 is basically ESPN, theres no room on the channel to cover a 12 or 24 hour endurance race. I just hope FS2 gets into more cable and satellite packages and becomes HD. That should help them cover more of the race.

FS2 is HD on DirecTV.

 

[RACECAR]

FS2 is HD on DirecTV.

Not on Dish Network though, still standard definition.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

FS2 is completely unavailable for Verizon FIOS

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

AMR whined,IMSA gave them a BoP break,and they still took their ball and went home. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/amr-withdraws-66-entries-now-expected-for-sebring/

I guess Fox decided to respond to its terrible 24hr coverage by giving us less to complain about,but that 3hrs will probably include 45 min of commercials.The irony is that the Rolex 24 was the highest rated show on FS2 for that week and #2 rated show on FS1.

It's their choice if that's what they feel is best good for them (AMR that is) but when it came to Le Mans BoP last year and that horrible GTE-Pro race I didn't see all of them crying after about it. They are still going to be there this year, if AMR were expecting to win based on BoP then they sure aren't the team I enjoyed from the last decade.

 

[joetruckv8]

Time to get prepped









​

 

[Mac K]

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/emilio-di-guida-passes-away/

RIP

 

[tbwhhs]

Sad news.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/emilio-di-guida-passes-away/

 

[cnd01]

Sad to hear about Emilio. Really nice guy. I'm ready for Sebring and the rest of the season. Hopefully the on-track product will produce like it did at Daytona

 

[joetruckv8]

Off subject a bit, but I noticed your signature and I hope 2014 Le Mans 24HR allows the DP class to run in the pretigous event, but I doubt all the American Teams could afford to bring their DP diaper bags over seas for a twice around the clock race.,, especially even more now that we have 3 enduro's are self this year here in America. Also so sad to here the Red Dragon is definitely sitting on the sidelines with Brumos Porsch just watching the races for the rest of the season. I'm not sure if Alex Gurney & others will have time to get seats this year with other Teams, unless someone else new comes onboard. Ganassi only had that 1 car that Memo destroyed so that's, that in a nut shell. :down:

 

[cnd01]

Off subject a bit, but I noticed your signature and I hope 2014 Le Mans 24HR allows the DP class to run in the pretigous event, but I doubt all the American Teams could afford to bring their DP diaper bags over seas for a twice around the clock race.,, especially even more now that we have 3 enduro's are self this year here in America. Also so sad to here the Red Dragon is definitely sitting on the sidelines with Brumos Porsch just watching the races for the rest of the season. I'm not sure if Alex Gurney & others will have time to get seats this year with other Teams, unless someone else new comes onboard. Ganassi only had that 1 car that Memo destroyed so that's, that in a nut shell. :down:

The signature is more me wanting IMSA to remember the model of cost containment and close competition that the DP like its father, the IMSA GTP, was able to achieve for a little while. If I was a DP team, I wouldn't want to go to Le Mans because the Sahlen's 6 hours of the Glen is the next weekend on the schedule if I'm not mistaken. A Patron-NAEC race 1 week after a 24 hour race. Impossible to do without a spare car.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

The signature is more me wanting IMSA to remember the model of cost containment and close competition that the DP like its father, the IMSA GTP, was able to achieve for a little while. If I was a DP team, I wouldn't want to go to Le Mans because the Sahlen's 6 hours of the Glen is the next weekend on the schedule if I'm not mistaken. A Patron-NAEC race 1 week after a 24 hour race. Impossible to do without a spare car.

No it's two weeks afterwards.

 

[cnd01]

No it's two weeks afterwards.

Still, the logistics to get your car over there for the test a month early which is the same day as the Belle Isle round for the USCC is impossible. Having to prepare your car after Belle Isle for Le Mans without a proper test considering no DP has ever been there then turn around and race it 2 weeks later at the Glen. You'd need a second car, crew, and drivers that are ironmen. (not to mention many briefcases loaded with cash)

 

[joetruckv8]

The signature is more me wanting IMSA to remember the model of cost containment and close competition that the DP like its father, the IMSA GTP, was able to achieve for a little while. If I was a DP team, I wouldn't want to go to Le Mans because the Sahlen's 6 hours of the Glen is the next weekend on the schedule if I'm not mistaken. A Patron-NAEC race 1 week after a 24 hour race. Impossible to do without a spare car.

I would expect of course; if FIA would allow DP's to race Le Mans it would be ahead of time and which ISMA would schedule there Tudors schedule around the twice around the clock event that's the most epic thing DP's could do next to doing a 3 hour enduro around Monaco before the F1 race,.

That's a joke btw I know that would never happen...

 

[Mac K]

Looking forward to this, hopefully they'll show it in Canada too..

 

[Wilbur]

While I get there is the debate between 6 hours at the Glen or LeMan's but I think if a DP team got the invite to LeMan's, that's where they would be. As an owner/driver/team I would put my eggs in that basket because how often do you get the chance to say you were the first DP to race there or race at all? I'm sure some of these teams could possibly get the car back to the states before 6 hours too or find someone to help rent one (like most teams already have).

 

[Roger the Horse]

Except DP's just aren't going to race at Le Mans, for all barrage of reasons.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Still, the logistics to get your car over there for the test a month early which is the same day as the Belle Isle round for the USCC is impossible. Having to prepare your car after Belle Isle for Le Mans without a proper test considering no DP has ever been there then turn around and race it 2 weeks later at the Glen. You'd need a second car, crew, and drivers that are ironmen. (not to mention many briefcases loaded with cash)

Yeah for everyone but GT-LM Belle Isle is a mandatory race toward the championship.

Also you wouldn't need what you've claimed after, it just looks like more anti-24hours of Le Mans rhetoric from you. Also their cars don't look to comply with the rules, nor are geared anywhere toward the test they'd need to do a race season to be anywhere near competitive to make the trip. Daytona is tough but Le Mans is much tougher.

 

[Northstar]

The only way I can see a DP at Le Mans is either their own class or somebody using it as the base for a Garage 56 entry. I would say the chance of either of those things happening is about as likely as every car finishing Le Mans.

 

[Earth]

DPs will be extinct in 2 years, no reason for Lemans to try and accompany them

 

[cnd01]

Yeah for everyone but GT-LM Belle Isle is a mandatory race toward the championship.

Also you wouldn't need what you've claimed after, it just looks like more anti-24hours of Le Mans rhetoric from you. Also they're cars don't look to comply with the rules, nor are geared anywhere toward the test they'd need to do race season to be anywhere near competitive to make the trip. Daytona is tough but Le Mans is much tougher.

I'm not anti-Le Mans, but I am anti "let's revolve our entire series around one race in an entirely different championship that's thousands of miles away that only a select few of our teams actually participate in." I'm not trying to be us vs. Le Mans. I'm trying to get people to realize just how difficult it is timewise, schedulewise, and moneywise for teams to race both overseas and on the home front. It's along the same lines as "why don't we have another race between Daytona and Sebring?" (discussed here earlier) Simply put, assuming you haven't damaged or broken anything on your car, you still have to have it prepared in time to get it shipped halfway around the planet plus crew, drivers, and spares which lots of teams don't stockpile either. Then after Le Mans, (again assuming you didn't break or damage anything major) you have to ship your car back stateside then prepare it for a 6 hour race which will be less than 2 weeks after that. This goes for all classes. Not to mention the DP is being obsoleted in a few years anyway by IMSA which makes Le Mans homologation pretty pointless imo

 

[Wilbur]

I'm not anti-Le Mans, but I am anti "let's revolve our entire series around one race in an entirely different championship that's thousands of miles away that only a select few of our teams actually participate in." I'm not trying to be us vs. Le Mans. I'm trying to get people to realize just how difficult it is timewise, schedulewise, and moneywise for teams to race both overseas and on the home front. It's along the same lines as "why don't we have another race between Daytona and Sebring?" (discussed here earlier) Simply put, assuming you haven't damaged or broken anything on your car, you still have to have it prepared in time to get it shipped halfway around the planet plus crew, drivers, and spares which lots of teams don't stockpile either. Then after Le Mans, (again assuming you didn't break or damage anything major) you have to ship your car back stateside then prepare it for a 6 hour race which will be less than 2 weeks after that. This goes for all classes. Not to mention the DP is being obsoleted in a few years anyway by IMSA which makes Le Mans homologation pretty pointless imo

I really don't fully get your mindset on why there is an issue. There are teams who have done this for years and for a USA based team to get a chance at LeMan's, I think they will take any day of the week over one race state side. Sorry to say, but the history to compete there is just something that every owner/driver wants I think.

This isn't so much of a battle of a championship vs random one off race as you seem to think it is. Sure DP's will probably never get to go compete there which is kind of a shame that we can't build a car that will compete in LMP2 at all.

No one said it wouldn't put a strain on resources for teams but I bet they all would jump at that chance and find a way to make it work. Most of the teams have spare cars in which they can use (atleast teams I think that would get the invite anyway).

So my thing is regardless of what it cost or how hard a team needs to push to get there and back with their cars, they would take the gamble I bet unless it was on of the few DP teams who complain about alot of rules as is.

 

[cnd01]

I really don't fully get your mindset on why there is an issue. There are teams who have done this for years and for a USA based team to get a chance at LeMan's, I think they will take any day of the week over one race state side. Sorry to say, but the history to compete there is just something that every owner/driver wants I think.

This isn't so much of a battle of a championship vs random one off race as you seem to think it is. Sure DP's will probably never get to go compete there which is kind of a shame that we can't build a car that will compete in LMP2 at all.

No one said it wouldn't put a strain on resources for teams but I bet they all would jump at that chance and find a way to make it work. Most of the teams have spare cars in which they can use (atleast teams I think that would get the invite anyway).

So my thing is regardless of what it cost or how hard a team needs to push to get there and back with their cars, they would take the gamble I bet unless it was on of the few DP teams who complain about alot of rules as is.

Pickett was going this year, but he didn't have the funding. That's one of the best funded teams in the prototype category who has a car that works just fine with Le Mans regulations. It's simply too hard to be done by privateer teams in most cases.

I am 100% in agreement that every team in the USCC paddock wants to go race Le Mans. I'm not saying teams don't want to. It's a matter or wishful thinking vs. reality. If I owned a sports car team, I'd love to go race my car at Le Mans. It's on the bucket list of every owner there no doubts.

 

[Wilbur]

Pickett was going this year, but he didn't have the funding. That's one of the best funded teams in the prototype category who has a car that works just fine with Le Mans regulations. It's simply too hard to be done by privateer teams in most cases.

I am 100% in agreement that every team in the USCC paddock wants to go race Le Mans. I'm not saying teams don't want to. It's a matter or wishful thinking vs. reality. If I owned a sports car team, I'd love to go race my car at Le Mans. It's on the bucket list of every owner there no doubts.

Maybe I am missing your point in the deal? If a team has the funds and can go; do you really think they are as worried about the race few week later....it could be just this year they have this timing. Hopefully this year they can work out a little better package for trying to get teams to LeMan's.

Now pardon my ignorance on the subject since it keeps getting brought up. DP's are gone in 2015; what expect is the current replacement or theory on what is happening?

 

[cnd01]

Maybe I am missing your point in the deal? If a team has the funds and can go; do you really think they are as worried about the race few week later....it could be just this year they have this timing. Hopefully this year they can work out a little better package for trying to get teams to LeMan's.

Now pardon my ignorance on the subject since it keeps getting brought up. DP's are gone in 2015; what expect is the current replacement or theory on what is happening?

I think the deal they worked out was that the GTLM cars aren't going to Belle Isle which is the same day as the Le Mans test day. That helps the US GTE teams in that sense. I agree that any team that has the funds should be able to go to Le Mans. I think scheduling should be set up for that. My point is that it's only a select few teams that have the funds, so I really don't like pausing the USCC for a solid month before and after Le Mans for just a few teams. It would take some serious schedule manipulation for that to be done, but I think it's worth the trouble assuming there's no huge break before or after Le Mans

As far as the 2017 IMSA P goes, they're looking to a carbon chassis with a roll cage sorta like what the DTM cars have. Nothing any more specific than that so far

 

[Mac K]

Remember "Through the Drivers Eyes" is on tonight in about an hour or so.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I'm not anti-Le Mans, but I am anti "let's revolve our entire series around one race in an entirely different championship that's thousands of miles away that only a select few of our teams actually participate in." I'm not trying to be us vs. Le Mans. I'm trying to get people to realize just how difficult it is timewise, schedulewise, and moneywise for teams to race both overseas and on the home front. It's along the same lines as "why don't we have another race between Daytona and Sebring?" (discussed here earlier) Simply put, assuming you haven't damaged or broken anything on your car, you still have to have it prepared in time to get it shipped halfway around the planet plus crew, drivers, and spares which lots of teams don't stockpile either. Then after Le Mans, (again assuming you didn't break or damage anything major) you have to ship your car back stateside then prepare it for a 6 hour race which will be less than 2 weeks after that. This goes for all classes. Not to mention the DP is being obsoleted in a few years anyway by IMSA which makes Le Mans homologation pretty pointless imo

So you're anti-Le Mans as far as American teams going...

I don't know how the hell you say you aren't anti then you say you are anti...I guess to a limited degree can be offered but uh, yeah.

Are you telling me that Greg Pickett has more resources than a guy like Chip Ganassi? Perhaps Rahal Letterman and Corvette umbrella more money into their teams then most of the DP groups on the grid. Even the one team sponsored by Carlos Slim that I already mentioned?

Also it doesn't make FIA Homologation pointless considering the expiration date would be different than IMSA and a team could cheaply lease out their cars to a satellite group and share the wealth of potential success in P2 which I'd say isn't nearly as tough as P1, the cars are pretty close.