IMSA Race 2015 Petit Le Mans

[cmk]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Unless one counts the Audi LMP1 vs LMP2 deal in the ALMS in '07 and '08, last time top class didn't win a US road race overall I think was Daytona in '03. Then back in '94 a GT car won Daytona overall.

I guess you could also have arguments about what the top class was when Oreca and Corvette both won Daytona with GT1 cars?

[fieldodreams79]

And it's stopped raining....

[David Land]

All is right with the world!!!!!!

[cmk]

Originally Posted by divxx

Certainly the 911 deserved the overall win, but that somewhat sudden ending seemed to mess up some championships didn't it?

The overall championship, for instance. 31 pitted at the wrong time relative to 5 given that sudden ending. I guess some vagaries are always to be expected under early ending situations, but the way it ended seemed to border on weak sauce in my opinion. Honestly it doesn't look that bad out right now, from the TV pictures.

[chernaudi]

Watching it on TV, I'm guessing that they called the race due to darkness as much as anything else. It looked pretty poor on TV, but the cameras have iris-like devices that allow more light in when it darkens outside.

I'd bet at that stage visibility was pretty horrid.

That's one reason why the '09 race was called early, even though it had stopped raining by the time the decision was made.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I'd bet at that stage visibility was pretty horrid.

Yeah, it looks really dark to us then it must be much worse at the track.

[MoMedic9019]

I was in and out for most of this incredibly forgettable event....

While I understand they can't control the weather, there were some very questionable calls made. Road Atlanta needs to fix their drainage issues. The last time this happened it was just as painful and annoying.

Happy for Tandy, wished the 17 was there to pick up the overall win.

[YZFrider]

Early were wuite a bit if cautions. It sucked but I can't blame IMSA as the weather was awful. Definitely the questionable driving (reversing) passing under yellow are inexcusable and leave something to be desired. With that there was an exciting element of survival that was injected into the race to be. Survival that modern professional endurance racing has been lacking lately. Congrats to all. Farewell to the teams or cars not returning.

Oh and I hope there is no knee jerk reaction to keep GT cars from winning overall

[gert]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

Happy for Tandy, wished the 17 was there to pick up the overall win.

The 17 was just not fast enough

[chernaudi]

In theory, LMP1 cars might have easily won today, due to insane amounts of downforce, AWD due to the hybrid systems, and them running in an open tire formula due to Michelin making tires to suit each of the factory cars.

But there were no LMP1 cars at RA, and IMO it's not much of a surprise that the DP and LMP2 cars had trouble, not just because of the spec tire vs open tire in GTLM. The GT cars have softer suspension and more weight (mass, to be more precise) to give them more roadholding in the wet. Prototypes have phenomenal mechanical grip, but on a wet track like that, they don't have the weight pushing them down onto the pavement.

It also doesn't help that there's not a ton of top speed difference between GTLM and the Prototypes in IMSA, something that's very much in effect in the WEC with the LMP1 cars.

[Rcz]

It is odd, why did the DPs have no problem at the Glen when it rain there? Or at Detroit.

Why were DPs faster the the GT when it got flood like? Hmm... Guess we have to ask a DP driver.

I guess that Porsche team hit that magic spot.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Well looks like I missed an intresting race because of a late call to work today.thought I was atleast going to catch the last hour but I gues not.cool for the 911 to win overall,I bet that one guy on this forum was going crazy all day looks like he finally got his overall gtlm win that he's desperately been wanting!

[PointDSM]

We got our GTLM victory before you got your LMPC win (i still remember you wanting that Laguna!). Haha

[rich07]

I fell asleep during the early hours over here but woke up just after race finish .

Well done to Pilet and Tandy!!

All is right with the world now.

[Bob Baldwin]

you have to wonder that with MOST all the car mfg's top brass in attendence !! There must have been some interesting conversations / meetings going on there ??

[canamman]

After attending all but 2 or 3 Petit's, I got to tell you this one today
was very interesting. It was a true survival test for all drivers and
I have a renewed respect for what they do in the rain. Today , and most
of the weekend, 85% of the rain was a light and pesky , the other 15% was a moderate heavier shower. In 2009, there would be 2 -4 hour stretches of a flat out deluge as I remember.

For those who listened to RLM, you heard many of the drivers interviewed.
Most did not like the conditions and thought it should be stopped asap,
but I like what Max Pappis (the birthday boy) said, and I para phrase,
"we are race car drivers, this is what we do". My hats off to him!

There are so many story lines with twists and turns to this years Petit
I will just conclude with my good, and not so good of today and this weekend.

Good - 1 - Visiting with the tenthers at T4.
2 - All the race teams that had late nites fixing cars
and getting them to the grid.
3- Seeing race cars do 175 mph in a solid
blanket of spray is really a site to behold.
4- GTLM over all win.
5- Throwing the checkers so they did not
have to do that in the dark. Absolutely the right call.

Not so good - 1 - Other than the weather -
the #90 and # 60 P cars with their
weekend ventures.
2 - the 007 GTD not being too much of a
factor in the race.
3 - The headache I got trying to keep up with
who was in the class points lead all day.
It seemed to change with every caution.

This was not your epic Audi/Pug battle but it was still quite the
interesting day. I got my moneys worth.

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by Rcz

It is odd, why did the DPs have no problem at the Glen when it rain there? Or at Detroit.

Why were DPs faster the the GT when it got flood like? Hmm... Guess we have to ask a DP driver.

I guess that Porsche team hit that magic spot.

I don't believe Michelin had their new wet tire yet at Watkins Glen, which based on relative performance compared to Falken seems to be a massive step forward.

[RWill2073]

This race was jasonjessica's wet dream.

This was probably the most enjoyable race of the TUSCC era for me. My dad was there and took a picture of the P1 Porsche on display. That seems a little harsh to be shoving it in the fan's faces what they're missing there, haha. Really cool race and finishing order.

[airbusA346]

Did Lietz do any laps in #911 during the race?

[Hawkwood]

Did Lietz not drive the car?
He was on the podium (though looked like he was there as a hostage) and hasn't been mentioned in articles as a victor of this race.

*edit: had this page open without refreshing so long that someone else got there ahead of me haha

[FLGTFAN]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

This was probably the most enjoyable race of the TUSCC era for me.

Wow, to each his own, but this race looked more like dogged perseverence than anything on a "best of" list. I wait all year for an event like this and get pizzed when the weather makes a mess of it.

Better luck next year.

[J Jay]

Lietz didn't even get in, with Tandy & Pilet both used to the conditions there wasn't much point putting a new driver in when the race was tip-toeing on the edge of being called. There was also the small matter of Pilet's chance of winning the driver's title (which he did) so his driving time took precedence over Lietz's.

Probably the easiest and most embarrassing win he has ever had, which would explain has very sheepish look on the podium. He's listed in the results but I don't know if he is eligible for points.

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Lietz didn't even get in, with Tandy & Pilet both used to the conditions there wasn't much point putting a new driver in when the race was tip-toeing on the edge of being called. There was also the small matter of Pilet's chance of winning the driver's title (which he did) so his driving time took precedence over Lietz's.

Probably the easiest and most embarrassing win he has ever had, which would explain has very sheepish look on the podium. He's listed in the results but I don't know if he is eligible for points.

Makes sense. He wasn't with Nick and Patrick, during the TV interviews either, Patrick did mention him though.

[fieldodreams79]

I enjoyed a gtlm win, just not how it was all ended. Couldnt understand some of the restarts with the amount of water on track but not sure I could've done better. The radar was unreliable even into this morning; was raining when nothing was shown and looked like rain on the radar but we were getting nothing. I think they did the best they could to balance safety and all the other considerations, to include us stubborn, camping fans, which, considering the crappy conditions, there were a lot of us.

When they were running in anger, there was some terrific battles and some real white knuckle driving, especially through the esses, which i could see, and I am sure in the other areas where there was standing water. It's just a shame that the weather robbed us of what could've been an excellent show.

In the end, mother nature was the winner and she rubbed it in this morning with some high, canopy killing winds.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

After attending all but 2 or 3 Petit's, I got to tell you this one today
was very interesting. It was a true survival test for all drivers and
I have a renewed respect for what they do in the rain. Today , and most
of the weekend, 85% of the rain was a light and pesky , the other 15% was a moderate heavier shower. In 2009, there would be 2 -4 hour stretches of a flat out deluge as I remember.

For those who listened to RLM, you heard many of the drivers interviewed.
Most did not like the conditions and thought it should be stopped asap,
but I like what Max Pappis (the birthday boy) said, and I para phrase,
"we are race car drivers, this is what we do". My hats off to him!

There are so many story lines with twists and turns to this years Petit
I will just conclude with my good, and not so good of today and this weekend.

Good - 1 - Visiting with the tenthers at T4.
2 - All the race teams that had late nites fixing cars
and getting them to the grid.
3- Seeing race cars do 175 mph in a solid
blanket of spray is really a site to behold.
4- GTLM over all win.
5- Throwing the checkers so they did not
have to do that in the dark. Absolutely the right call.

Not so good - 1 - Other than the weather -
the #90 and # 60 P cars with their
weekend ventures.
2 - the 007 GTD not being too much of a
factor in the race.
3 - The headache I got trying to keep up with
who was in the class points lead all day.
It seemed to change with every caution.

This was not your epic Audi/Pug battle but it was still quite the
interesting day. I got my moneys worth.

It was good to see you too, canamman!

The drivers were mostly awesome in the conditions and I enjoyed it as best I could but it was challenging for both.

Definitely a shame to see the 60 go off during the race but the rest of it was all over the place and certainly the most bonkers race of the year.