IMSA 2014 Petit Le Mans Discussion

[joeb]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

Have you attended any races yet this season?
Maybe you should not be so quick to judge the opinions of others, until you see for yourself just how much the changes have affected the quality of the racing. The series still features "Fast cars that are loud", but then, so does every other type of racing. It's the details that traditionally has made sports car racing special.

@Matt-
I thought the purpose of a Racing Forum, was to provide a place to discuss racing.
How is fans discussing racing bringing down the "quality of all the threads"?

Don't confuse one's ability to enjoy on track action with complacency for the quality of the series or decisions management makes. Nobody thinks the series is perfect right now, but sometimes you just have to go enjoy yourself at the track. I'm sorry your experience at Road America wasn't great, but I'm still optimistic Petit will be a party even if the racing is less good than in the past. Heck, I will actually go out of my way to make sure it is a party!

[canamman]

Ticket came this week. I have been a little
unplugged from sportscar since Daytona 24.
In an effort to get a little more excited for my 11th or 12th
Petit...........


what are your top 3 storylines for the Petit that you will be looking for?

[seanyb505]

1.)Viper's chase of the driver's title.
2.)Falken two in a row.
3.)So happy I might cry P2 Victory. Tired of a previously slower car being touted as faster for any reason.

[joeb]

1) the gtlm title chases - drivers and manufacturer
2) how much of the 10 hours will be run under yellow?
3) will there be any bop between COTA and Petit?

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

Have you attended any races yet this season?
Maybe you should not be so quick to judge the opinions of others, until you see for yourself just how much the changes have affected the quality of the racing. The series still features "Fast cars that are loud", but then, so does every other type of racing. It's the details that traditionally has made sports car racing special.

Yeah, I was at Daytona and enjoyed that. I've been around the sport long enough to know what's pertinent and what's not.

[fieldodreams79]

I was at Sebring this year and while the product may seem P pour on the tele, I quite enjoyed the on track experience while I was there, so I don't need anyone attempting to tell me how lame it is compared to things in the past. Petit will never be what it was, but what is???

Originally Posted by joeb

....I'm still optimistic Petit will be a party even if the racing is less good than in the past. Heck, I will actually go out of my way to make sure it is a party!

We'll make sure of that.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

what are your top 3 storylines for the Petit that you will be looking for?

1) Night practice - I look forward to it all year; 2 hrs of pure gold
2) GTLM will be a dog fight
3) Road ATL is a circuit that is wonderful to watch any race; this years' race will be different, but the appeal of North GA in the fall and the red clay foothills rumbling with that beautiful sound we love so much is enough to get me excited and to make it a storyline by itself.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Petit will never be what it was, but what is?

That was deep man, philosophical.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by joeb

It is all do to cautions. Can't remember for sure but that may have been the year an Intersport car spun coming out of 11 in the dark and was collected by one or two others making a big mess on track. It ran under yellow for a while and the cars were routed through pit lane.

I want to say that was 2010, cause I had to watch in on TV because my entire family got the stomach flu and I to go home to deal with it.


Also, the early 2000s, one of the races came within 15 or 20 mins of 10 hrs due to a tremendous of time under FCYs. I can't seem to recall as the early 2000s are a particularly blurry time in my life.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by joeb

That was deep man, philosophical.

[canamman]

Sounds like GTLM may be a good race.
I will study up on standings during COTA and be ready
by the Petit.

If there are 55 plus entries , that will be a good show.
Nothing like the start from the outside of turn one.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

Nothing like the start from the outside of turn one.

We've general stood at the top of the hill, over looking T1. From there, you can see the front stretch and them climb T1 before disappearing into T2.

Getting amped up just talking about!

[canamman]

That's good too plus you are can see them complete any turn 1 passes there. Then only to see a big dust cloud rising at
T3,then you are sprinting up the hill ,lol.

The thing I like outside of 1 are a 3 fold. 1- it is really easy to get to and
from the grid walk. No large crowds squeezing through a bottle neck to jump over a wall. 2- at the drop of the flag , seeing the 3 and 4 wide coming at you down the front straight is breath taking. Back in the Audi vs
Pug days they would dramatically dart back and forth. 3- You have a good
view of the pits and the early stops are fun to watch.

Alright, I am starting to feel it.

[joeb]

Outside of turn one was a spot it took me about 5 years to find, but it is a great spot.

[Rodger Davies]

My solitary year I watched the start from the inside of the track by the chicane at the end of the straight. Didn't regret it. With 50+ closer matched cars than that year (2009), there will be plenty of cars overtaking and kicking up dust (clay?) there this year I suspect.

Still, from all your descriptions of the outside of turn 1, I'd love a chance to try that one year too!

[Deleted]

Not that quantity goes over quality, but it should at least if nothing else be either the biggest or 2nd biggest entry for the race (assuming they all start - which granted is often not the case here).

Starters
2014 - In the fifties
2013 - 34x (03x LMP1, 04x LMP2, 07x LMPC. 01x DW, 11x GT, 08x GTC)
2012 - 42x (04x LMP1, 08x LMP2, 06x LMPC, 01x DW, 13x GT, 02x LMGTE-AM, 08x GTC)
2011 - 52x (13x LMP1, 05x LMP2, 06x LMPC, 18x GT, 06x LMGTE-AM, 04x GTC)
2010 - 41x (07x LMP1, 05x LMP2, 06x LMPC, 15x GT2, 01x GTH, 07x GTC)
2009 - 27x (10x LMP1, 04x LMP2, 13x GT2)
2008 - 37x (10x LMP1, 09x LMP2, 02x GT1, 16x GT2)
2007 - 30x (07x LMP1, 09x LMP2, 03x GT1, 11x GT2)
2006 - 28x (08x LMP1, 06x LMP2, 04x GT1, 10x GT2)
2005 - 30x (06x LMP1, 07x LMP2, 07x GT1, 10x GT2)
2004 - 34x (07x LMP1, 05x LMP2, 06x GTS, 16x GT)
2003 - 36x (06x LMP900, 06x LMP675, 07x GTS, 17x GT)
2002 - 47x (11x LMP900, 10x LMP675, 09x GTS, 17x GT)
2001 - 41x (10x LMP900, 06x LMP675, 09x GTS, 16x GT)
2000 - 39x (14x LMP, 09x GTS, 16x GT)
1999 - 49x (21x LMP, 13x GTS, 15x GT)
1998 - 29x (06x WSC, 03x LMP1, 03x LMGT1, 01x GT1, 05x LMGT2, 03x GT2, 08x GT3)

There was pre-Q for 11 ILMC that got rid of few cup porkies of course

[Coach Ep]

"Biggest grid at Petit Le Mans ever - because Nascar!"

I can already hear the PR machine rattling...

[Deleted]

In terms of LM24 eligible vehicles it will be at the very bottom of all those races... 11 GT2 and 2 P2 (Mazda lolas ain't eligible)

[canamman]

Looking for a link to an entry list for the Petit
if anyone knows of one. Thanks.

[Deleted]

Doesn't exist yet, but shouldn't be too different from CotA one, just few extra NAECs and Deltathing added if no one-offs show up

[canamman]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Doesn't exist yet, but shouldn't be too different from CotA one, just few extra NAECs and Deltathing added if no one-offs show up

OK - Thanks. I will start with the COTA entry list and go from there.
If there is one. (Got it)

[joeb]

We should see the second Action Express car, possibly second Ganassi, both ESM cars, maybe one more DP and that would be it for additional protos. In GtLM Krohn will be there, but no additional entries are expected.

Gtd could see quite a few additional entries compared to COTA. Looking at the Watkins Glen entry should be a good starting point.

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by joeb

We should see the second Action Express car, possibly second Ganassi, both ESM cars, maybe one more DP and that would be it for additional protos. In GtLM Krohn will be there, but no additional entries are expected.

Gtd could see quite a few additional entries compared to COTA. Looking at the Watkins Glen entry should be a good starting point.

Watkins Glen featured 53 cars: 13 P, 10 PC, 11 GTLM, and 19 GTD while Laguna Seca had 55, Road America had 50, and CotA will have 50 or 51 depending up whether one or both Muehlner cars race.

Some thoughts:

• The #30 NGT Motorsports GTD car isn’t expected to be at Petit. It was at Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen and is on the entry for CotA, so adjust your projections accordingly.

• The NAEC entry bump at Watkins Glen was only three cars: the #9 Action Express DP, the #57 Krohn GTLM Ferrari, and the #51 Spirit of Race GTD Ferrari. I’d guess all three will be a Road Atlanta but I haven’t seen anything to confirm that.

• Significantly absent from Watkins Glen were the #02 table { }td { padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-left: 1px; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; vertical-align: bottom; border: medium none; white-space: nowrap; }.xl63 { color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri; text-align: center; }Gassasi and #50 Highway to Help DPs and the other (#49) Spirit of Race GTDs, all of which were listed by TUSC earlier in the year as NAEC entries and had raced at Daytona and Sebring. The status of those cars for Petit is unknown.

• A total of 18 cars have raced in P this year. The high water mark was Daytona at 18 and then Sebring with 17 (same as Daytona except or the #99 GAINSCO car for obvious reasons). After that, the highest P car counts were 13 at Watkins Glen and Road America. Unless the #02, the #50, or some DP or P2 that hasn’t raced to date in TUSC shows, we’re probably looking at 13 cars in class.

• PC is likely at 10 cars. Only 11 cars have competed this year; to get there BAR 1 would have to run both their cars, which hasn’t happened since Sebring or, if you’d prefer, a DNS at Laguna Seca.

• GTLM: The typical car count for the class is 10 cars but Krohn is also expected, so that should give 11. The only way to get to 12 would likely be for third factory Porsche car to make another appearance.

• GTD: This baseline for this class has been 17 cars for the last few races. Both Muehlner and Park Place generally put in two entries but pull one as they can find paying drivers for the second car (recent exceptions: Muehlner ran both cars at Road America and Park Place has drivers listed for both their cars at CofA -- before that, both teams raced both cars at Laguna Seca). If both teams run both cars, that would get us to 19 cars in the class.

Beyond that, there's Spirit of Race with one or maybe two cars. GMG Racing has also talked about being back for Petit. The only other car that’s raced since Sebring is #64, the second Scuderia Corsa Ferrari, which was at Laguna Seca and Detroit. So my guess is somewhere between 17 and 22 cars.

I'd guess about 54 cars overall — the Watkins Glen entry list minus the NGT Motorsports car plus hopefully a few more cars, mainly in GTD.

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by joeb

Outside of turn one was a spot it took me about 5 years to find, but it is a great spot.

The directions used to be, "Go to the portapotty and take a right!"

[seanyb505]

I always thought that spot was for photogs only. Is it open to general admission? The fence at pit exit isn't what it used to be. People climb on it and will bring it down