Speed World Challenge

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m.piedgros

m.piedgros

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The SCCA Speed World Challenge series' are accepted as two of North America's premier road racing series'. They provide some of the best action on the planet and provide a "privateers wanted" atmosphere. I noticed we really didn't have a thread dedicated to Speed World Challenge in general. Personally, I love endurance sports car racing but I've always been a fan of GT racing and it would appear as if Speed World Challenge GT is as close as North Americans can get to a true international GT series. As for Touring Cars, the SCCA Speed World Challenge Touring Car class provides one of North America's two pro touring car series' (USTCC is the second. Nope, it's not televised.) And with the make-up of the grid in both classes we see some excellent David vs. Golliath battles as well as some Golliath vs. Golliath battles. In GT Mike McCann and his privateer Viper is able to bang doors with the Factory and Pratt&Miller backed Cadillacs and in Touring Car we get to see the Real Time squadron do battle with Stasis Engineering. What do you guys think about World Challenge? How about issues like the SCCA's Rules versus the FIA's rules? Who will take home the honors at Miller Motorsports Park? What do you think about USTCC regulations versus World Challenge TC regs? The floor is yours.

m.piedgros
 
The Speed World Challenge Series' raced at Sonoma this past weekend, I won't be posting any spoilers however I will tell you that you can watch the races on Speed, Saturday July 8 2006 at 3:00 pm (Speed Touring Car Championship), and 4:00 pm (Speed GT Championship).

All times Eastern.

m.piedgros
 
I too prefer enduracing sports car racing, but I have grown a liking to this series. Speed World Challenge is quite entertaining in my opinion, and I try to keep up with this series (more GT than TC) as much as I can. I have witnessed some exciting moments in the past, though I am a bit undecided on whether I prefer the standing start or a rolling start. Either way, this is a good series and hope to see more cars involved in the future.

My only problem with Speed World Challenge is not with the series itself, but the way Speed Channel airs the races.

Excuse me, Speed Channel, but don't you sponsor this series? Then why don't you air the races live? Or even tape-delay the next day? Why must we wait 2 weeks to watch the race? It is frustrating having to wait and avoid a few racing websites for 2 weeks just so I don't ruin the race until I am able to finally watch it.
 
I agree with you 100%. I have a few beefs with Speed Channel and from what I understand we are really missing out here in the States when compared to England. Motors TV has all sorts of coverage including all the big American series' (Champ Car, ALMS, Grand Am, NASCAR) and Europe's best; British GT, FIA GT Championship, FIA GT3 Championship, Porsche Cup National races, F3000 and the list goes on. They also get coverage of Super GT events from Japan, on tape delay I believe, but at least they get it! That was a little off topic. As far as your comments on World Challenge, I too pay more attention to the GT class but the TC class is just as good. I have more of an attraction to cars like 'Vettes, Vipers and Porsches. However, the TC championship provies quality touring car racing that, as they claim, is the best in the world. Whether or not that is true, because I think European Touring Car Championships like the FIA WTCC, BTCC, and more radical series' like DTM or in Australia, the V8 SuperCars would argue they provide the best touring car racing. The bottom line on World Challenge Touring Car is, it provides darn good racing and big grids. Two things, I might add, I like to see!

m.piedgros
 
Maybe we can make a list of the actual dates of the remaining Speed World Challenge events this season and, next to it, the date of Speed's broadcast. The only reason I miss out on races is because I never know when they are on. Luckily, Speed usually airs the same race more than once.

I'll see what I can do, and maybe even provide points standings for drivers and manufactures. 👍

(Of course, I will have to do this after watching the latest race since there's no way I am going near their website until then)
 
Yeah. Me neither. Of course I think Speed Channel have a list of provisional broadcast times in their schedule. I'm headed out in a minute but I'll check out Speed.tv when I get back.

m.piedgros
 
If you want to see the races live, you could just.....go to the races :D I can't wait for the ALMS weekend in Portland!

I, too, get annoyed by the 2-week delay on SPEED. It's really un-necessary. Surely they could preempt the third re-air of NASCAR Live to squeeze in the GT and Touring Car races.
 
Remaining Races:

Jul 15 - Miller Motorsports Park
Aug 13 - Denver (Touring Car only)
Aug 20 - Road America
Sep 3 - Mosport
Sep 30 - Road Atlanta
Oct 22 - Laguna Seca

Manufacturer Points Standings - GT

Porsche - 31
Cadillac - 30
Dodge - 29
Chevrolet - 19

Manufacturer Points Standings - Touring Car

Acura - 30
Mazda - 27
BMW - 11
Audi - 11

Top 5 Driver Points Standings - GT

Lawson Aschenbach - 122
Lou Gigliotti - 118
Andy Pilgrim - 117
Mike McCann - 103
Ricardo Imery - 100

Top 5 Driver Points Standings - Touring Car

Pierre Kleinubing - 127
Randy Pobst - 115
Peter Cunningham - 106
Chip Herr - 89
Jeff Alternburg - 74

Whatever happened to the DBRS9s?

 
...It upsets me quite often that I don't have the SPEED Channel at my house. I refuse to pay the extra money ($6 per month on top of the $65 Cable package) for SPEED and the few ESPN spinoffs and Fox Sports Soccer.

I know I'm missing a lot by not having it. SCCA, F1, WRC, etc is all missed since they took it away from Comcast folks all those years ago.
 
dougiemeats
Remaining Races:

Jul 15 - Miller Motorsports Park
Aug 13 - Denver (Touring Car only)
Aug 20 - Road America
Sep 3 - Mosport
Sep 30 - Road Atlanta
Oct 22 - Laguna Seca

Manufacturer Points Standings - GT

Porsche - 31
Cadillac - 30
Dodge - 29
Chevrolet - 19

Manufacturer Points Standings - Touring Car

Acura - 30
Mazda - 27
BMW - 11
Audi - 11

Top 5 Driver Points Standings - GT

Lawson Aschenbach - 122
Lou Gigliotti - 118
Andy Pilgrim - 117
Mike McCann - 103
Ricardo Imery - 100

Top 5 Driver Points Standings - Touring Car

Pierre Kleinubing - 127
Randy Pobst - 115
Peter Cunningham - 106
Chip Herr - 89
Jeff Alternburg - 74

Whatever happened to the DBRS9s?

Click to expand...


Thanks for all the info. I'll try to navigate my way through Speed's website to get air dates. As for the DBRS9's... They were built to run in the FIA GT3 Championship. The regulations for which are slightly different than the regs for World Challenge. The main problems have been creating downforce and tire issues. (Because World Challenge run a DOT street tire and the FIA runs a full racing slick.) They were supposed to take a couple rounds off (following St. Pete's) to complete tire testing, from their I don't know what their schedule is. The second problem is downforce. The GT3 cars are allowed to be loaded up with wings and winglets and the like... great for over there but illegal here. The cars are built specifically to FIA specs and have very little to no wiggle room to make the cars comfortable for U.S. drivers. Under North American regs the cars would be better as aircraft than racers. If and when we get the DBRS9's back they will be cars that have very little to do with their FIA GT3 cousins and therefore their factory. That will be the biggest loss.

m.piedgros
 
Thanks m.piedgros. It's ashame too, it was one of the better looking cars on the grid. I hope they find a solution to the downforce issue. Not only do I want them back, I want them to be competitive as well.
 
Yeah. That would be pretty great. I'd like to see a few other GT3 cars come over. Ferrari F430 GT3, Ascari (though they'd have no reason) and Venturi Heritage (again no reason for them to come over.) They COULD be racing. It's not as if there is some technical flaw or anything, they'd be able to race the Igor Shushko's of the grid but they want wins... heck Johnny Mowlem drove for them, that is a serious driver for a serious effort.

m.piedgros
 
YSSMAN
...It upsets me quite often that I don't have the SPEED Channel at my house. I refuse to pay the extra money ($6 per month on top of the $65 Cable package) for SPEED and the few ESPN spinoffs and Fox Sports Soccer.

I know I'm missing a lot by not having it. SCCA, F1, WRC, etc is all missed since they took it away from Comcast folks all those years ago.
Click to expand...

They stopped airing WRC a while ago and non-oval races are few and far-between.
 
^ News to me! I thought they were the only American network who was carrying the WRC, but thats too bad that it doesn't happen anymore.
 
Actually, the two Aston Martins are campaigned by an American team, so they won't be "coming back" to FIA GT3. However, they won't need to since they're proving quite competitive. As competitive, honestly, as the Viper Competition Coupe has proven in FIA GT3.

As of right now, Mowlem and Papadopoulos are 32nd and 31st in points, which is pretty respectable considering they've only challenged 3 of 5 rds, and Mowlem had to sit out St. Petersburg. Oddly enough, for the guy who mentioned Sushko and his GTR, Igor's 33rd in points.

There is a definite need for more development in the Aston Martins, but there's the power, the chassis fundamentals, and the team quality to make them topline competitors in Speed World Challenge.

And as far as other FIA GT3 cars coming over, the SCCA has written the rules around a bit of crossover, as has the FIA, but the aforementioned differences in aerodynamic freedom and tires make for a tricky effort. There's potential for a Ferrari F430 effort, or even a Lotus Exige, but some of the more esoteric pieces are best off staying across the pond.
 
The Vipers are very competitive in Europe (They have topped time charts on many an occasion and I believe maybe even have a pole. They also have won in a GT3 class, outside the FIA Euro series, at the Pau circuit in France, that was a GT3 team by the way.) And I realize the Astons are an American team. I meant come back to the series [World Challenge] as they missed rounds for "tire development."

Thanks for the info on the Ferrari, that'd be pretty cool if they'd come over! With Lotus selling cars here in North America I can understand a team coming over but they've yet to find a competitive car in Europe so the car racing here would have to be a road car developed by a privateer.

m.piedgros

P.S. Thanks for chiming in Layla's Keeper. You're encycolpedic knowledge of motorsports is always appreciated!

EDIT: As for Shushko is he still having engine problems? I think that maybe, just maybe, running that GTR might have been a lofty aspiration.
 
In case this thread has sparked some interest in the series, here is the link to their website: World Challenge

*Off topic* I agree with m.piedgros...

I learn something new with every post from Layla's Keeper as well as Mulsanne (although he hasn't visited the site much lately).
 
Heh, flattery will get you guys nothing. :sly:

But honestly, thanks, I try to keep up on a lot of motorsports on a regular basis. Speed World Challenge is one of my favorites because of its fierce competition between (mostly) like cars.

What's going on with Igor? Who knows at this point since the team's been ultra-quiet since Mid-Ohio (they ran into near-terminal problems during qualifying that they haven't reported on, and skipped Sears Point, and apparently Miller as well, as a result).

I do believe that starting with the Skyline GTR was starting a step behind in Speed World Challenge. Just looking at the car in pictures, you can see how huge it is compared to the Vipers and Vettes. It's tall with a big straight-six. An equation that leads to a high centre-of-gravity.

Too little tire for too much weight, too little motor, too little money, no prior setup data. Igor would've been much better off - with his Nissan connections and previous experience with a time attack 350Z - going into Grand Am Cup with a second-hand GAC-tuned 350Z.

OR, if he had to be in Speed World Challenge, buy a ride in a VCC or 911GT3 Cup car, one of the bog-standards, and get some experience at the tracks and with the racing BEFORE jumping into the challenge of developing a car alongside yourself.
 
Haha. That about sums it up for Shushko. Unfortunate because I really like the Skyline. I don't know why but, thems-the-breaks.

m.piedgros
 
m.piedgros
I agree with you 100%. I have a few beefs with Speed Channel and from what I understand we are really missing out here in the States when compared to England. Motors TV has all sorts of coverage including all the big American series' (Champ Car, ALMS, Grand Am, NASCAR) and Europe's best; British GT, FIA GT Championship, FIA GT3 Championship, Porsche Cup National races, F3000 and the list goes on. They also get coverage of Super GT events from Japan, on tape delay I believe, but at least they get it! That was a little off topic. As far as your comments on World Challenge, I too pay more attention to the GT class but the TC class is just as good. I have more of an attraction to cars like 'Vettes, Vipers and Porsches. However, the TC championship provies quality touring car racing that, as they claim, is the best in the world. Whether or not that is true, because I think European Touring Car Championships like the FIA WTCC, BTCC, and more radical series' like DTM or in Australia, the V8 SuperCars would argue they provide the best touring car racing. The bottom line on World Challenge Touring Car is, it provides darn good racing and big grids. Two things, I might add, I like to see!

m.piedgros
Click to expand...

Motors TV airs the V8 Supecars too, which rewally annys me, since the US schedual, I have to wait 8 freakin months before seeing the first race, AFTER the whole championship is over!!!

Cheers,
Matt.
 
^^^
Yeah, Speed usually runs that stuff when all the American series are off for the winter; better late than never, I guess!
Back to the original topic: Speed WC rocks, IMO. I was however, kinda disappointed no NASCAR drivers ran the GT or TC races at Infineon; you'd think that if Cadillac put Smoke or Junior in another CTS-v, or Kurt Busch in a Viper, the crowd would have been ginormous! Oh well, maybe next year if they run on the same weekend again.
Also, there are quite a few cars that I would personally like to see on WC grids. Here they are in no particular order:
GT
-Lotus Elise/Exige
-Mitsubishi Evo
-BMW Z4 M Coupe
-Subaru WRX STI
-Audi RS4
-Porsche Cayman S
Touring Car
-VW GTI/GLI Mk. V
-Mini Cooper S
-Lexus IS250
-Cadillac CTS 2.8
-Honda Civic Si
-Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan (w/ the new 24v V6)
 
Boris Said didn't run WC at all? He usually runs most of the assorted series races at Sonoma on those big race weekends. Hmm, thats odd...
 
It was odd. Untill the commentators were introduced, Boris was in the booth! I'm sure he would have prefered to be in a Mustang on the track but he said he enjoyed himself anyway!

m.piedgros
 
Speed is airing Speed World Challenge at Miller Motorsports Park today.

* Speed TC: 3:00 PM Eastern
* Speed GT: 4:00 PM Eastern

Edit: The current race on Speed is running very late, but they will air the full Speed TC and Speed GT races immediately after the current race.
 
Watching the Speed World Challenge at Miller Motorsports Park made me realize just how long the track is. Only 14 laps for the Speed GT race! (only 13 for the Touring Cars I think)
 
Is Speed World Challenge in trouble? In the ALMS News thread I posted speculation about Cadillac possibly entering the GT2 S2 class if Speed World Challenge "implodes." I got that information from my super-secret source (not really) but there wasn't much information. It simply stated that there was a rumor and used the term "implode."

:confused:
 
Wow. That would be horrible. Of course that could be good news. Maybe IMSA, SCCA or FIA are going to bring European style GT racing to North America. As for the Touring Car class, that would be really unfortunate. If they fail, we are going to be forced to watch USTCC and their crazy regulations!

m.piedgros

EDIT: Maybe it is the CTS-V program that is going to implode. I don't understand how the Cadillac team let alone the entire World Challenge series could stop/go under... it's all to weird.
 

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