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VIR is one of my favorite tracks. It's a classic. The Rolex Grand American Sports Car series, the second best Sports Car series in North America, were competing there this weekend. A 10 lap shoot-out decided the 2 and 3/4 hour event. Finlay Motorsport's #5 Ford Crawford (Michael Valiente) lead the way, with SunTrust Motorsport's #10 Pontiac Riley (Max Angelelli) was second, Target Chip Ganassi's #01 Lexus Riley (Scott Pruett) third, and Ruby Tuesday's Challenge (a.k.a Alex Job Racing/Emory Motorsports) #23 Porsche Crawford (Mike Rockenfellor) was fourth. The Finlay Motorsports Ford, despite having the best fuel mileage in the field, had to make a late pit-stop for fuel, effectively (and factually) ending its chances for the win. The battle raged untill in the last sector over 2-3 corners our top three (at this point #10, #01, #23) ran into traffic. Previously leader, Max Angelelli, had run into traffic and made the right decsions to avoid trouble, and kept the lead. Heading into a downhill left-right section a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997, at about the same specs as FIA GT3) got in the way of the lead DP's. Max assumed the car was staying on the racing line and braked excessively into the corner allowing Scott Pruett to get along side. The backmarker went off course opening up the corner to a three-wide situation. Rockenfeller hung back, as the two cars banged fenders (slowing them down,) Rockenfeller timed his assault and flew into first place with one turn remaining, therefore winning the event.
Now, I have more than a few problems with the series, *cough* its controlled by NASCAR, the motorsports world equivilant of the WWE, but I felt in watching this event that the level of excitement could draw me away from my preconcieved notions about what real sports car racing is. But then I came back down from Mars. Real sports car racing is (I hate to say it, as many Americans do as well) what those French guys in the ACO say it is. Right now it is four classes, LM P1, LM P2, LM GT1, and LM GT2. I can back this up as well. The World's premier manufacturers are going 100% into ALMS and LMES as factory teams. I realize that there are OTHER series, who will go unnamed, who are on the technolgical edge, who attract the World's finest manufaturers, who haven't provided the best racing over the past decade or so. But there is a distinct difference, the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Endurance Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans itself, provide, in my opinion, the best drivers in the best sports cars in the world. Grand Am teams, as one of the commentators put it today, generally have one gentlemen driver and one pro. Obviously there are exceptions, #01, #23 (ALERT THIS IS AN ALMS TEAM THAT CAME OVER TO KICK SOME *SHUT YO MOUTH*) and to lesser extents #10, and #60. Otherwise you get seat fillers who, in my opinion are good drivers but aren't the cream of the crop.
What say you GTPlaneteers about the race this weekend or this series? NASCAR's control over it (the France Family owns it fellas!) Or, its claim to be "America's premier road racing series."
m.piedgros
I want people to realize that, I do enjoy watching this series and would be absolutely thrilled to compete in it, but I feel they should shut up this non-sense about being America's premier road racing series because. In many opinions they are not. They are a completley different product from what enthusiasts consider "real" sports car racing is. Now, road racing also extends to Champ Car, Speed World Challenge and the list goes on, so I KNOW they can't be serious. This series is designed around being cost effective, simple, cost effective, fun, cost effective, exciting, cost effective series. In that role? A+. The series is great, and Bob Snodgrass is right, endurance sports car racing is getting to expensive for privateers to be involved in and Grand-Am is a good alternative for penny pinchers. So please, please Grand-Am, if you're listening: STOP CALLING YOURSELF PREMIER ANYTHING!!! IT'S GETTING ON MY NERVES!!!
Now, I have more than a few problems with the series, *cough* its controlled by NASCAR, the motorsports world equivilant of the WWE, but I felt in watching this event that the level of excitement could draw me away from my preconcieved notions about what real sports car racing is. But then I came back down from Mars. Real sports car racing is (I hate to say it, as many Americans do as well) what those French guys in the ACO say it is. Right now it is four classes, LM P1, LM P2, LM GT1, and LM GT2. I can back this up as well. The World's premier manufacturers are going 100% into ALMS and LMES as factory teams. I realize that there are OTHER series, who will go unnamed, who are on the technolgical edge, who attract the World's finest manufaturers, who haven't provided the best racing over the past decade or so. But there is a distinct difference, the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Endurance Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans itself, provide, in my opinion, the best drivers in the best sports cars in the world. Grand Am teams, as one of the commentators put it today, generally have one gentlemen driver and one pro. Obviously there are exceptions, #01, #23 (ALERT THIS IS AN ALMS TEAM THAT CAME OVER TO KICK SOME *SHUT YO MOUTH*) and to lesser extents #10, and #60. Otherwise you get seat fillers who, in my opinion are good drivers but aren't the cream of the crop.
What say you GTPlaneteers about the race this weekend or this series? NASCAR's control over it (the France Family owns it fellas!) Or, its claim to be "America's premier road racing series."
m.piedgros
I want people to realize that, I do enjoy watching this series and would be absolutely thrilled to compete in it, but I feel they should shut up this non-sense about being America's premier road racing series because. In many opinions they are not. They are a completley different product from what enthusiasts consider "real" sports car racing is. Now, road racing also extends to Champ Car, Speed World Challenge and the list goes on, so I KNOW they can't be serious. This series is designed around being cost effective, simple, cost effective, fun, cost effective, exciting, cost effective series. In that role? A+. The series is great, and Bob Snodgrass is right, endurance sports car racing is getting to expensive for privateers to be involved in and Grand-Am is a good alternative for penny pinchers. So please, please Grand-Am, if you're listening: STOP CALLING YOURSELF PREMIER ANYTHING!!! IT'S GETTING ON MY NERVES!!!
