Re: 2012 American Le Mans Series

by narboza22 Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 2:37

Grand Am is dumb.

by **Radiation Louis** Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 2:40

yes it is narboza, maybe they've found enough sponsorship from BP Oil group to field 2 cars again.

by JeffH16 Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 4:28

Grand am is just odd, the "prototypes" still look stupid and it just has no appeal to me, ACO rules racing all the way for me!

by **Radiation Louis** Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 11:58

the thing with grand-am is that you can only race those cars in one series and that's it! If i were a team owner i would want to buy a car that can race in more events around the world, even a GT3 cup car. is more versatile, and no the GT3's used in grand-am are not a standard GT3 cup car.

by Stonewall458 Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 14:06

I understand why Grand-Am gets so much hate, but strictly from a racing perspective the series is very good. I always enjoy watching Grand-Am races.

by EZT Challenger Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 16:11

Louis wrote:the thing with grand-am is that you can only race those cars in one series and that's it! If i were a team owner i would want to buy a car that can race in more events around the world, even a GT3 cup car. is more versatile, and no the GT3's used in grand-am are not a standard GT3 cup car.

Latest word is Audi wants to use their Grand-Am variant of the R8 as the base for the to-be ALMS homologated version....so there you go. Simply put Audi realize they can potentially sell more "Grand-Am" R8's if they can easily be run in ALMS GT as well.

My question is, how the hell are they going to make a Grand-Am GT car competitive in the ALMS GT? I don't think it's possible. Grand-Am GT is on par with GTC, not GT Shocked

by Stonewall458 Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 16:31

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhJJFblnvU&t=2m55s

This might help you guys understand exactly what a Grand-Am GT is.

by EZT Challenger Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 16:39

Conner wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhJJFblnvU&t=2m55s

This might help you guys understand exactly what a Grand-Am GT is.

"There's nothing in here, that's anything from the street" ... and that's why I hated Grand-AM "GT" ... notice the past tense though, as they are now adding the R8 and 458 which are NOT tube framed. Those camaros are better suited for Trans-Am, and by no means should they or the Mazda RX-8s be called GT cars...much like the DPs should not be called prototypes. Mad

by **Radiation Louis** Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 23:29

BuckeyeBullet wrote:
Louis wrote:the thing with grand-am is that you can only race those cars in one series and that's it! If i were a team owner i would want to buy a car that can race in more events around the world, even a GT3 cup car. is more versatile, and no the GT3's used in grand-am are not a standard GT3 cup car.

Latest word is Audi wants to use their Grand-Am variant of the R8 as the base for the to-be ALMS homologated version....so there you go. Simply put Audi realize they can potentially sell more "Grand-Am" R8's if they can easily be run in ALMS GT as well.

My question is, how the hell are they going to make a Grand-Am GT car competitive in the ALMS GT? I don't think it's possible. Grand-Am GT is on par with GTC, not GT

Actually no it's not, GTC is actually quicker than GT in Grand-Am, a couple of seasons ago magnus racing entered their Grand-Am spec GT3 Cup car and were 2 seconds off the pace with the restrictors completely off, in grand-am they're required to run a restrictor. so picture that if you will.

by AMR of the Apex Fri 23 Dec 2011 - 23:34

its like I said on the collective , Imagine if Grand Am were in charge of the Olympics, they'd clone Usain Bolt 8 times but in order to keep things close theyd clone him without legs.

by EZT Challenger Sat 24 Dec 2011 - 4:25

Louis wrote:Actually no it's not, GTC is actually quicker than GT in Grand-Am, a couple of seasons ago magnus racing entered their Grand-Am spec GT3 Cup car and were 2 seconds off the pace with the restrictors completely off, in grand-am they're required to run a restrictor. so picture that if you will.

Mid-Ohio: ALMS GTC Pole = 1:26.6 (very muggy day) Grand-Am GT = 1:25.0, with the fastest Porsche at 1:26.3

Road America: ALMS GTC Pole = 2:14.0 Grand-Am GT = 2:14.6, with the fastest Porsche at 2:15.2

Laguna Seca: ALMS GTC Pole = 1:27.8 Grand-Am GT = 1:29.6 [Porsche]

Also, bare in mind that weather can play a role in the lap time differentials, so until we have a true match race, we can never truly compare them apples to apples.

by Venom53 Mon 9 Jan 2012 - 17:54

Louis wrote:hope your not hearing them from that retard murphy the bear, well over half the crap he starts doesnt even exist and the stuff he does get things right about every 1 out 50

true that!!

by Duke of Bruno Mon 9 Jan 2012 - 18:03

This is a couple years old now and a little off topic from what is currently being discussed, but, here you go any ways.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/comparison/ultimate-gt-showdown

by XTI Jon Snow Mon 9 Jan 2012 - 18:12

I'm just happy Baltimore is back.

about that.

The organizers of last year's event lost a bunch of money somehow and the city fired them. Since Indycar hosts the event and I think ALMS is considered a support series for the weekend, the city and Indy Car need to find a new organizer. (I say just hire me to do it)

by Stonewall458 Fri 13 Jan 2012 - 4:04

http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=paddock|14304

The interesting ones.

2. Look for a brand new, manufacturer-backed team in GT: two cars with unprecedented sponsorship activation from an existing Series marketing partner.

3. Look for the unique DeltaWing LMP to hit the track for the first time.

6. Look for a beautiful new venue to fill out the 2012 calendar of 10 ALMS races.

7. Look for four LIVE ALMS races on ABC Sports and ESPN2 to add to the record-breaking audience growth and appeal for the Series on TV in 2012.

8. Look for the ALMS to further expand its “ways to watch” with incremental options to watch and listen to all ALMS broadcasts at home, on your computer or on your phone. ABC, ESPN2, ESPN3, ALMS.com and others to be announced soon.

by Duke of Bruno Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 19:31

Two new articles on the ALMS website.

ALMS adds VIR to 2012 event schedule:
http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news|16465

The 4.1 mile, 21 turn "Grand Course" looks insane!

BMW Team RLL set for ALMS GT title defense:
http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news|16464

Nothing realy new that hasn't been note here already.

by Stonewall458 Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 21:52

Damn, was kinda hoping they'd use that super-long uphill back straight.

by **Biggsy tv** Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 22:50

quite a narrow track pale

by lfcnicklfc Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 22:53

Top Gear went there in 2010 and drove a few supercars around there looked like a decent track to be honest!

by nickyf1 Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 22:56

Yeah, VIR is a nice track. ARCA started racing there recently. I'm pretty sure Grand-Am do too.

by Stonewall458 Tue 17 Jan 2012 - 22:57

Grand-Am has raced there with no issues. In fact it's the race I look the most forward to.

I really wanna go to this race, but I think I'll be moving into university at that time. Sad

Plus I'm already planning on going to the Indycar at Barber and Petit Le Mans.

by XTI Jon Snow Wed 18 Jan 2012 - 1:04

I may go to VIR and Baltimore if I can save up the money.

by narboza22 Wed 1 Feb 2012 - 8:47

http://www.americanlemans.com/files/events/2012/0/WTEntry.pdf

Lots of new cars coming to the test. New P1 and P2 HPDs, new Oreca P2, new version of the C6R, and the new version of the 911.

by narboza22 Fri 10 Feb 2012 - 9:18

I think the winter test is over now. The cars mostly seem a lot faster than last year, at least compared to last year's 12 Hour's pole times.

Here are some photos: http://photos.speedtv.com/gallery/ALMS%3A_Sebring_Winter_Test_Photo_Gallery/slideshow/Photos_from_the_ALMS_Winter_Test_at_Sebring/0a7neZN4EygoC

And times from Thursday: http://www.americanlemans.com/files/results//ALMS%20Winter%20Test%20Practice%204.pdf

Anybody know what the 50 car is? Obviously its a Vette, but its not listed as a C6R on the timing and scoring. Is some one other than Pratt and Miller and Labre running a Vette this year?

Also, the Level 5 #95 car is is not one of the new 03b's like the timing and scoring says, and the Oreca P2 looks like last year's car too. What's up with that?

by **ATR DAN** Fri 10 Feb 2012 - 9:36

I know I'm sounding like a fanboy (again), but it's a pitty that team Muscle Milk have switched from the Lola Aston Martin. As far as I'm aware, that car was gonna be outlawed but the amercan le mans series organisers allowed it to be run in 2012.
I could be wrong but I'm guessing there car now is the HPD ARX-03a?

The GT's looks to be extremely close again according the times in Sebring testing as well.

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