ALMS: Grand Prix of Houston

[dougiemeats]

Round: 2
Race Duration: 2 hrs 45 mins
Track Type: temporary street circuit; 1.7 miles; 9 turns
Date/Location: May 12 - Houston Texas
TV Broadcast (U.S./Tape Delay): CBS Sports May 13 - 1:00 PM (eastern?)

P1
1x Audi R8
1x Autocon Lola
2x Dyson Lola

P2
2x Penske Porsche
1x B-K Motorsports Courage Mazda
1x van de Steur Racing Lola AER
1x Intersport Lola AER

GT1
2x Corvette C6.R
2x Konrad Saleen S7R
2x Aston Martin DBR9

GT2
2x BMW
1x AJR Porsche
1x Petersen/White Lightning Porsche
2x Flying Lizard Porsche
2x Multimatic Panoz
1x Risi Competizione Ferrari

Few things:
-expect additions (and possible withdrawals) to the entry list I provided
-still no Lexus
-where's Highcroft Racing? I want to see Autocon vs. Highcroft again
-Audi R8 (using the chassis that won Le Mans last year) let's see what she's got left
-does this mean we will see a P2 contend for the overall win?
-first time we see a DBR9 vs. Corvette in an ALMS "sprint" race
-how will Saleen perform with the "competition adjustments?"
-Intersport vs. Porsche in P2... can't wait
-GT2 class! looking forward to another great battle

 

[JohnBM01]

Thanks for representing my hometown, Dougiemeats. I would like to think that this race is big for Risi Competizone, because they are based right here in Houston. I think their effort is a combination of Houston and Dallas Ferrari dealers, but the racing team is purely Houstonian for what I know. Plus, the race is on the week I'm done with Spring 2006 Finals. So a double bonus.

 

[dougiemeats]

Same here man, finals get done on the 12th... so i'll be going home that day and watching the race on tv the next day. Perfect timing.

 

[RACECAR]

Thanks for representing my hometown, Dougiemeats. I would like to think that this race is big for Risi Competizone, because they are based right here in Houston. I think their effort is a combination of Houston and Dallas Ferrari dealers, but the racing team is purely Houstonian for what I know. Plus, the race is on the week I'm done with Spring 2006 Finals. So a double bonus.

what big finals are you guys talking about?

and Dougiemeats, you forgot Miracle Motorsports in the P2 class.

 

[dougiemeats]

Yeah I was wondering about Miracle also... they weren't in the entry list on the ALMS website (unless I overlooked them). I certainly hope they'll be there.

Oh and as for the finals... I have chem, calc, and physics finals to close out my first yr here at U of I. At least I have a summer of watching racing to look forward to

 

[McLaren]

Wow, didn't know it was so near.

I don't think I'll be able to make it. I can either go to this or Monte Carlo May 28th.

Guess I'll catch on the tube.

BTW, John, are you going? And yes, Risi is a mixture, but more Houston based.
Ferrari of Dallas is expecting the GT2 Ferrari in a couple of days.

 

[dougiemeats]

Whoa McLaren, are you from Texas too? I feel like an outsider in this thread

 

[McLaren]

Yep. But I'm from northern Texas in Plano, just a couple miles outside Dallas.

We used to get ALMS at Texas Motor Speedway, but after 2001, they changed the schedule.

 

[Mulsanne]

Miracle won't be at Houston, or any other ALMS sprint races this year. They announced last week that they would contest only Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. Hopefully, it's because they're saving the money to purchase a new car for 2007, as the Courage C65 is getting pretty long in the tooth. Kuhmo says they will announce a partnership with a different team soon.

Highcroft won't be at every race this year and this is one they've chosen to miss.

Mika Salo and Jaime Melo will be in the Risi Ferrari. Sounds like a winning combination. I was cheering for them at Sebring, but as good as the race was between Ferrari, Panoz and Porsche, any winner was deserving. Let's hope they can get the 430's first U.S. victory in Houston.

BTW, Mr. Risi has got to be a little hot under the collar with the "competition adjustments" IMSA made after Sebring. Two or three years of chasing the Porsches and they got no help from IMSA, but Porsche gets outrun in ONE RACE and they're giving them rules breaks.

P.S. Good luck on your finals. 👍

 

[dougiemeats]

Thanks Mulsanne for filling us in on Miracle Motorsports' plans for the year. Best of luck to them at Le Mans and Petit. I hope their concentration on these 2 events pays off and yields better results for them.

So any predictions so far? I'm sure the many Texas members here at GTP are rooting for the home team(s). I'm still thinking about my predictions... this one is kinda tough.

Oh and thanks man.... I'll need it

 

[VNAF Ace]

Hey guys, don't forget to check out the Champ Car race that runs on Saturday night!

Round 2
Saturday, May 13, 2006, 9:00 PM EDT
Houston GP (Street Race)
TV: SPEED Channel

 

[JohnBM01]

Well, I got Trigonometry and Humanities finals (not that I'm going to pass Trig), so that's what I was talking about. I guess my only favorites is for Risi Competizione to win in Houston for the GT2 class. I'd love to go, but I don't know if I'll actually make it out to Reliant Center to see the race. If you we both show up, I'd love to meet you in person, McLaren.

It should be a great race. The temperatures probably won't be as hot saying that this is going to be a nighttime race deal. Houston can be hellishly hot (that doesn't sound right... ) in midday conditions, so this nighttime deal will help. I probably would have preferred a better location so that people can see more of what Houston has to offer. I was thinking about a race course in the Houston Galleria area which features The Galleria shopping mall, Williams Tower (formerly Transco Tower), and the Water Wall... all heading into Turn 1. I haven't thought of a full circuit, so I'm not going to comment much further.

My GT2 favorite is Risi Competizione. Can you boys win one for Houston, in Houston? Can you dig my that, Risi Competizione?

 

[RACECAR]

I stuck between cheering for the panoz team or for the risi team. either way, I do not want to see porsche win here so may the best team out of those two win.

 

[Kylehnat]

It should be a great race. The temperatures probably won't be as hot saying that this is going to be a nighttime race deal.

They called last year's Portland race a "night" race, even though it started at 5PM, and it was still plenty light out when the race ended. It was still pretty hot outside at the end, and I was massively sunburned

 

[McLaren]

Well, I got Trigonometry and Humanities finals (not that I'm going to pass Trig), so that's what I was talking about. I guess my only favorites is for Risi Competizione to win in Houston for the GT2 class. I'd love to go, but I don't know if I'll actually make it out to Reliant Center to see the race. If you we both show up, I'd love to meet you in person, McLaren.

It should be a great race. The temperatures probably won't be as hot saying that this is going to be a nighttime race deal. Houston can be hellishly hot (that doesn't sound right... ) in midday conditions, so this nighttime deal will help. I probably would have preferred a better location so that people can see more of what Houston has to offer. I was thinking about a race course in the Houston Galleria area which features The Galleria shopping mall, Williams Tower (formerly Transco Tower), and the Water Wall... all heading into Turn 1. I haven't thought of a full circuit, so I'm not going to comment much further.

My GT2 favorite is Risi Competizione. Can you boys win one for Houston, in Houston? Can you dig my that, Risi Competizione?

Well, not sure if I'm going yet, but you might meet my cousin.

I've still got a lot of school work, but I'll be seeing if it's all clear by race day.

 

[dougiemeats]

Kuhmo says they will announce a partnership with a different team soon.

That team is B-K Motorsports running a Courage C65 Mazda. This is effective immediately and we will see them run with the tires in Houston (a couple more weeks, yeah!!!). They'll still supply the tires for Miracle at Le Mans and Petit.

 

[m.piedgros]

I will be at the event, cheering for the R8, Penskes, Corvette and Porsche.

CAN'T WAIT!!

m.piedgros

 

[dougiemeats]

Oh man, completely opposite of who I'm going for, but that's alright

Oh and another member from Texas! what's the count now?

 

[RACECAR]

Oh man, completely opposite of who I'm going for, but that's alright

Oh and another member from Texas! what's the count now?

that would be four.

 

[dougiemeats]

My predictions:

Prototypes

At the start, the two Dyson Lolas, the Audi R8, and the Penske Porsches really get into it. After the first few turns the Dysons make their way to the front followed by the Audi and the Penske's who are still doing battle. One of the Dyson's suffer problems while the other takes victory. The R8 gets second. One of the Porsches earns a spot on the overall podium. After their stunning victory at Sebring, the Intersport Lola finishes behind the two Porsches in P2 this time around. They're ready for round 3.

The P1 Autocon is left fighting with the rest of the P2 field.

GT1

The Corvettes and Aston Martins have a heated battle from beginning to end. Aston Martin finds a way to win a close one. Unfortunately, the competition adjustments were not enough for Konrad to be truly competitive. They have a good showing but not enough for a podium. GT1 goes Aston - Corvette - Corvette -Aston.

GT2

The Panoz leads the way in the beginning of the race, but GT2 sees many lead changes before the checkered flag. It's hard to tell whether Porsche, Ferrari or Panoz will win. One of the overtaking prototypes takes out a Panoz and a Porsche who were contending for a win. BMW, who was running a steady pace throughout the race manages a podium. The other Panoz clinches second. Energized by the home crowd, the Risi Competizione Ferrari is crowned king of the streets of Houston.

Ok, if you didn't want to read all of that basically my guesses are Dyson-Penske-AM-Risi

 

[JohnBM01]

This course is different from the past Houston course back in 1998-2001 when the race was just outside of downtown. Now, this course is basically some distance away from the Texas Medical Center and in the shadow of a dying Astroworld The course at Reliant Center has fewer 90-degree turns.

I wonder what construction was done to get this track complete because I can remember when Formula D had a drift event in Houston at Reliant Center. The roads were really bumpy and I remembered a few drifters kissing the wall after Turn 1 of the drift course. I'm pretty sure this new course is paved concrete or asphalt. But I'm still thinking the course could be pretty rough, as with most street course races. Of course, whoever can forget the San Jose GP when Champ Cars were just POUNDING the train tracks?

It should still be a great race for Friday and Saturday. Just hope we have great weather and not excessive rain or dull cloudiness. If it does rain, I hope it doesn't end up like the 1998 GP of Houston (completely wet!).

 

[Mulsanne]

dougie, nice predictions. Fingers crossed for Dyson and Risi victories.

Even though I hope the Corvettes win, perhaps an Aston Martin win might be good for the series. Since Dave Richards has p!ssed and moaned so much at the end of '05 and early '06 about the advantage of the Corvette, if the Astons win, they might stick around for the whole season. (Of course, they may do that anyway. Why do two more ALMS races when you could be testing for the one that really counts for them, Le Mans? So if they're doing the two ALMS races instead of LM testing, that may indicate that they really will run a full season.)

Thanks for updating about Kuhmo. Hopefully, that will elevate the performance of the Mazda. But with that Courage, I doubt they will challenge the leaders anytime soon. Hopefully, with Acura's involvement next year, Mazda will step up their support, get them a new Lola or Radical or LC75 so we could see Porsche vs. Acura vs. Mazda.

As for Highcroft, we know they'll at least be at Lime Rock, Salt Lake City, Portland, Road America and Laguna Seca, since they've hired Andy Wallace to drive the car in those rounds. (He'll be back in the Dyson car for PLM.)

 

[dougiemeats]

Good point. If Aston Martin can get points and realize that they're in the hunt for a manufacturer championship, I don't see why they wouldn't. Also, their purpose is to sell these racecars, so showing that they can give Corvette a run for their money can be a selling point for privateer teams.

Looks like Houston is making its final preparations for the big race...

 

[Mulsanne]

Since this is the only recentl thread about the ALMS, I thought I'd post this here. Good news for the ALMS LMP1 class! According to mariantic.co.uk, Zytek will compete in the ALMS races after Le Mans, starting at Lime Rock. Also, Creation Autosportif will bring their CA06/H over for Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca. And since Van der Steur Racing will debut their Radical at PLM, it's shaping up to be a really interesting race.

 

[dougiemeats]

Am I reading this right? We might have 2 Dysons, 2 Zyteks, 2 Audi R10s, 1 Highcroft Lola, and 1 Autocon Lola in one race? Not to mention additions to the P2 class. We'll have to wait a while until PLM or Laguna but that would be amazing.

These kind of numbers are not rare in Europe but here in the ALMS, this would be heaven.

 

[Kylehnat]

These kind of numbers are not rare in Europe but here in the ALMS, this would be heaven.

You mean....actual competition?! I'm intrigued...

 

[Mulsanne]

And I'm hoping the replacement race for the LMS will be Anderstorp, since many of the teams have expressed their desire NOT to go there and have said they would go to PLM and Laguna instead. So if the LMS gets it wrong (fingers crossed), we'll see even more European cars there.

And we only have to wait until Lime Rock to see the Zytek.

 

[Mulsanne]

You mean....actual competition?! I'm intrigued...

Hey, it only takes two cars to make a race. Remember Mosport last year, with Dyson coming back to win? Or Sebring 2003 with Champion vs. Joest, the former winning by less than 20 seconds. Or the best example Mosport 2000, with equally narrow MOV's between the Audi and BMW in LMP and Viper vs. Corvette in GTS.

Yes, there may be thin grids, but the racing is still spectacular.

 

[dougiemeats]

Yes, there may be thin grids, but the racing is still spectacular.

and despite the thin grids, the ALMS still performs very well against the LMS. Winning 3 out of the 4 classes at Le Mans aint too bad.

kylehnat does have a point though... Dyson vs. Champion was always a great fight until something broke in that poor old Lola.

 

[Kylehnat]

kylehnat does have a point though... Dyson vs. Champion was always a great fight until something broke in that poor old Lola.

Which was quite often. Those cars are horribly fragile, and the Audis are built like semi-trucks.