The closure of AmericanLeMans fans website

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by slappy2happy87

And hopefully end with the final round. The 2008 Petit LeMans. My first LeMans style race in person. Was epic to see Mcnish crash during warmup and start out of the garage fully repaired yet three laps down to storm back for the final career win of the legendary Audi R10 TDI.

It was 2 laps down, wasn't it?

But anyways, be glad you got to see that, because you will never see anything close to that ever again in an American series.

First 5 cars shattered the track mph record set by Davy Jones in the 1992 Jaguar, and when the IMSA GTPs race there, they didn't have the chicane at the end of the back-straight that slows the cars down roughly 5 seconds a lap!

[TF110]

Tires have come a long way. I wonder what those GTP cars could do with modern Michelins?

[freeballin]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

Maybe I'll make a race thread here next March.

The 2014 American Le Mans Series Season.

Round 1: The 2008 12 Hours of Sebring.

You should ask Mark Plourde for a ride next year.

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by TF110

Tires have come a long way. I wonder what those GTP cars could do with modern Michelins?

Agreed.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by freeballin

You should ask Mark Plourde for a ride next year.

Actually I have never taken part in that.

[djosbun]

Hello all.....another stepchild from ALMSfans.com.

Dave

[joeb]

Originally Posted by djosbun

Hello all.....another stepchild from ALMSfans.com.

Dave

Welcome aboard!

[Lanky Turtle]

Originally Posted by djosbun

Hello all.....another stepchild from ALMSfans.com.

Dave

Welcome and let me sum up the last 14 pages for you:
USCR or any American sportscar racing in the future=bad.
The past, especially the 2008 ALMS season=good.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

Welcome and let me sum up the last 14 pages for you:
USCR or any American sportscar racing in the future=bad.
The past, especially the 2008 ALMS season=good.

More like slowing every class to make DP be the fastest and 'thefuture'=bad

[Maelochs]

Rather a more accurate summation: Rolex 2.0 = Bad, ALMS Improved = Good.

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Rather a more accurate summation: Rolex 2.0 = Bad, ALMS Improved = Good.

Where/how is there any thought of "ALMS Improved" ???

[Maelochs]

Always looking for a fight ... these young kids, I tell ya ...

Seems to me there are two routes forward for USCR: "Rolex 2.0," with "Gen4" DPs, no development, rigid engine rules, spec chassis and bodywork, or "ALMS Improved," with interesting ACO-compliant cars, some openess to allow teams to modify and develop, free engine rules (as in tuning for greater power is not a crime,) but weiht the promo and wise management the lack of which sank ALMS.

Rolex 2.0 will probably work about as well as the original. ALMS Improved could be exactly that---everything good about ALMS plus income for the teams and TV ratings to attract sponsors.

We will know when the 2016 regs are announced (probably February 2016, the way the USCR management has been going so far) but then we will for sure know if North American Sports car racing is finally returning to health, or will have to go through another death/rebirth before it will be worth watching.

Clear enough?

[jimclark]

The previous post was clear enuff. My question was regarding the basis for your theory that there will be an "ALMS Improved". With NASCAR behind the whole thang (yadda-yadda re: whethter or not it is "NASCAR"...the mindset is...) I see no return to the high tech and freedom that some/many of us desire in sportscar racing...

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Always looking for a fight ... these young kids, I tell ya ...

Seems to me there are two routes forward for USCR: "Rolex 2.0," with "Gen4" DPs, no development, rigid engine rules, spec chassis and bodywork, or "ALMS Improved," with interesting ACO-compliant cars, some openess to allow teams to modify and develop, free engine rules (as in tuning for greater power is not a crime,) but weiht the promo and wise management the lack of which sank ALMS.

Rolex 2.0 will probably work about as well as the original. ALMS Improved could be exactly that---everything good about ALMS plus income for the teams and TV ratings to attract sponsors.

We will know when the 2016 regs are announced (probably February 2016, the way the USCR management has been going so far) but then we will for sure know if North American Sports car racing is finally returning to health, or will have to go through another death/rebirth before it will be worth watching.

Clear enough?

I don’t disagree with your analysis but there’s at least two other developments that will have a significant impact going forward: the evolution of WEC and a potential ACO/FIA GT unification. If the FIA, ACO, and other parties can come to an agreement on new GT rules that make it cheaper and easier to get in to GTE, it will shift the balance between P and GTE/GTLM — as in more GTs and fewer Ps.

And then there’s the whole issue of the impact of the WEC and the future of P1 and P2. Lots of unknown there, starting with how many privateer P1 cars besides Rebellion/Oraca will be in the WEC, what direction ACO/FIA choose to go with P2 attract gentlemen and how many companies will be around to make a next-generatio P2 car.

It’s entirely possible that 2016 USCR Ps cars will be ACO compliant in the sense that they can race at Le Mans but be different from P1s and P2s for the simple reason that USCR's needs and resources are different from ACO/FIA's needs and resources.

[Maelochs]

I covered that too.

If NASCAR serves up Rolex 2.o---dull, spec cars, no competition except between "On-Track Personalities", with lots of World-Wide Wrestling drama and no real racing ... then USuCkR will die as would be proper.

NASCAR fans aren't going to devote another three hours per weekend for some other set of personalities---that's why Camping World Trucks is so small. Rolex 2.0, with all those foreign cars and drivers, would do worse.

The WWE format of bump-and-grind on the track and fist-fighting in the pits, which is what NASCAR fans really want, won't work with sports cars, sports car drivers, or sports car fans.

Even if NASCAR continues to back it to the hilt and promote it until viewers' eyes bleed, Rolex 2.0 won't make them any money.

I cannot be sure NASCAR will not keep running the series at a loss (I can't imagine they make any money with AMA road-racing) but I assume NASCAR will shut it down---or it will simply be replaced by some new series---say when someone like Zak Brown decides to put together a real racing series.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Always looking for a fight ... these young kids, I tell ya ...

Well, this one is always up for a scrap, though a physical fight might not end well against a 6'5", 280-lb guy like me....

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Seems to me there are two routes forward for USCR: "Rolex 2.0," with "Gen4" DPs, no development, rigid engine rules, spec chassis and bodywork,

A technical impossibility with factory teams involved in GTE, and even if it was possible it doesn't seem like that's the inclination for the series in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a Gen 4 DP, but it will be more like an IMSA GTP car than the DPs we all know and either love or hate.

Originally Posted by Maelochs

or "ALMS Improved," with interesting ACO-compliant cars, some openess to allow teams to modify and develop, free engine rules (as in tuning for greater power is not a crime,) but weiht the promo and wise management the lack of which sank ALMS.

This is even less likely than the first scenario. The reality will be between the two points. The ACO and FIA have planned out what they want to see for the future of the sport, and judging by Toyota and Audi's current interest and the arriving Honda, Alpine, Lotus, Caterham, Oreca-Rebellion and Nissan efforts, it's working for them. And as those rules have been proven to not work on this side of the Atlantic, the odds of it happening are pretty close to zero. The ACO and USCR can co-operate on the making of the 2016 prototype rules, and I'd bet that's why Jim France is gonna be in France next week, but if the ACO and FIA draw up to rules to their requirements and expect it to work in North America, they are gonna get a rude surprise. Grand Am once used ACO-compliant cars, and it got them nowhere - that's why we have the Daytona Prototypes. They won't toss that freedom. The ACO can work with us and get usable rules out of it, or we can toss their prototype rules to the wind. As far as openness to develop and improve, they will end up between the two sides on that one. ALMS costs got way out of control, and USCR cannot allow that to happen again and they know it. As far as the better promotion, maybe. We'll see how the chips fall on that one.

Originally Posted by Maelochs

We will know when the 2016 regs are announced (probably February 2016, the way the USCR management has been going so far) but then we will for sure know if North American Sports car racing is finally returning to health, or will have to go through another death/rebirth before it will be worth watching.

Clear enough?

The sport will always be around regardless of whether the DPs exist or not, and considering the very shaky US economy and the even worse one in Europe, you may end up seeing the USCR go with a low-cost formula rather than a high-tech one. I feel that would be a mistake, but the possibility does exist with the state of the world's economy right now. We will see what comes down the pike, but I'm personally excited to see what happens when you mix P2 and DP racers on the track at the same time. It should be fun to watch, as we'll get to see the big DPs with their powerful engines race the featherweight corner-carving P2s.

[Maelochs]

If USCR ignores ACO classes, I am pretty sure it will Have to go low-tech, because construction costs will need to be low for cars that can only race in an unpopular and unprofitable series.

I assume (as you pointned out, Jim France has been cultiviating ACO/FIA ties for a while) that the 2105 P2 (and 2016 GT) regs will include a P2 and GT class which work on both sides of the pond, because sports car fans are Not insular. We follow what is going on around the world, and want the good stuff that is out there, not some lame second-tier imitation (GaGT, for instance.)

I expect P1 will remain a de facto factory class with a few privateers, which is pretty normal for sports cars, while the second class will be more affordable.

If USCR has its own top class, in no way based on cars which race everywhere else around the world ... who is going to design and build cars for a small, unpopular series?

The cost to design and build a very small run of modern cars is pretty steep. If the car is not largely based on existing chassis, then it will likely Have to be another tube-framed dinosaur like the current DP, simply because so few small constructors will be able to afford to build a modern car cheaply enough.

Much simpler to keep USCR's top class close enough to international P2 (or even P1, if it proves affordable which I think is unlikely) and attract those fans which have already made it clear that they won't watch DPs.

[awegrzyn]

The "new thing" will have to be low tech. High tech failed on this side of the Atlantic. Not enough factories. For now we'll have: big GT field, plus P2s and DPs. No other options.

[Maelochs]

I hate to argue (you all know that ) but I feel compelled ...

High-tech didn't fail in North America, it was trampled down, kicked and choked until it collapsed.

P1 is beyond what USCR can afford I think, and I have long said so, but Low-Tech? Not if you mean DP-low-tech---that stuff is a non-starter.

P2 isn't cutting edge, but as you note, only factories can afford that. But even if you look at the privateer P1 class as described in the draft 2014 regs, these are lighter cars, about the size and tire width of current P2s, with much freer engine regs (so stock-based or GTE motors could work) and no ERS.

Nothing there which need drive the cost of competition ridiculously high for privateer teams. Maybe USCR could fold P1 and P2 (future) into a single class as in 2009, 0r before with LMP 900 and 675?

But overweight, tube-framed, spec-motor clones? I don't see that succeeding.

My hope is, small manufacturers will produce a crop of new P2s and USCR will keep some kind of five-year grandfathering rule, so teams can afford to run them or buy new ones, which will create a stock of older chassis for new teams ... or whatever.

No more kit-cars, though. They weren't cheap, weren't fast, and weren't exciting to anyone except the drivers who were getting punted into the walls by them.

[Nick Woodbury]

Another former ALMS fan forum member here.

Just wanted to stop by and say hello.

See you on the track!

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Another former ALMS fan forum member here.

Just wanted to stop by and say hello.

See you on the track!

'Never caught what you drive. What it is???

[FastJoel31]

I hadn't logged into almsfans.com in quite a few months after changing jobs back in the spring. I pointed my browser back to the old forum today to catch up on the latest from LM only to find that it the site has been closed.

I am not going to lie, I'm disappointed that it was shut down.

Regardless, I've been around 10 Tenths for quite a long time... it's good to be back and active over here once again. Also happy to see Aysedasi still around keeping up shop!

[rax262]

Hey guys.. I have looked all over but can't seem to find. Any idea where to locate the ALMS scanner frequencies that used to be over at AmericanLeMans fans website??