2011 calendar

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

From what is on the schedule, and what is projected to be the other 2 rounds. If they do expand the race length, as Scott said that may occur, I would think the most likely candidates are Mid-O and Road America for probably a 4hr/500 mile event.



L.P.

a longer race at Road America seems only right, I hope that works out for next year.


I wonder if the Long Beach race will still be a shorty, or if they can get at least 2:45 out of it.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by joeb

a longer race at Road America seems only right, I hope that works out for next year.


I wonder if the Long Beach race will still be a shorty, or if they can get at least 2:45 out of it.

Dagys over at Speed is saying that it is Road America and Mosport that are in discussions to lengthen the races.



L.P.

[carsten66]

Looking at the schedule again Ijust noticed that the two new races scheduled by the ALMS in 2011 are announced as TBD and TBA... !?

[courageous]

One they have signed & sealed but don't want to announce (To Be Announced)
The other they are still working on (To Be Determined)

That is what Atherton said on the weekend speed tv coverage anyway

[NaBUru38]

All street races should have a 80 to 120min time limit.

Road America should return to a 500-mile format, with a 5-hour secondary limit if it rains. Mid-Ohio would be a mess if it was extended. Mosport as a 4-hour race would be fine, I guess.

[Mindspin13B]

I think Petit needs to go to 10hrs. Not the 1000mi or 10hrs.

When was the last time they actually ran all 10 hours? In the 5-7 years Ive been going to the race, I dont remember it ever hitting 10hrs.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mindspin13B

I think Petit needs to go to 10hrs. Not the 1000mi or 10hrs.

When was the last time they actually ran all 10 hours? In the 5-7 years Ive been going to the race, I dont remember it ever hitting 10hrs.

Last year? or was it officially called before that, I don't remember.

[Mindspin13B]

Originally Posted by joeb

Last year? or was it officially called before that, I don't remember.

Well, I dont think last year should be taken into consideration. But I dont think it made it to 10hrs.


You figure with the pace that the Audis and Pugs can put up, they would just default to 10hrs to make the race longer.

[Birddog07]

Petit le Mans, you'd think it to be maybe an 18 or atleast 12 hour race, but an even 10 isn't asking much. And staying with Le Mans tradition, they run a full 24 hours, not 4,000k or whatever, Petit should run a full 10h.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Birddog07

Petit le Mans, you'd think it to be maybe an 18 or atleast 12 hour race, but an even 10 isn't asking much. And staying with Le Mans tradition, they run a full 24 hours, not 4,000k or whatever, Petit should run a full 10h.

I wonder if they would ever lengthen the race. For us fans it seems fine, but keep in mind the track is under 2.5 miles, so there are lots of laps run in the 1000 miles. I bet teams and drivers wouldn't complain too much if it were a full 10 hours or 12, but then you would be getting into Sebring's famous 12 hours, and I dont' think they want to take the status of only 12 hour race away from Sebring.

[fieldodreams79]

I like PLM just the way it is; it's unique and gives the teams (and the rest of us) two "distances" to consider. It is THE "Little Le Mans" and was obviously a good idea at inception, that has increased in popularity and interest every year.

Granted, if it rained (lightly) or there were numerous cautions, it would go 10 hours. Came close one year, but has not gone 10 hours. And sorry, joeb, I don't care what the officials say, that race last year did not go 10 hours but was an extreme endurance event for all of us.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I like PLM just the way it is; it's unique and gives the teams (and the rest of us) two "distances" to consider. It is THE "Little Le Mans" and was obviously a good idea at inception, that has increased in popularity and interest every year.

Granted, if it rained (lightly) or there were numerous cautions, it would go 10 hours. Came close one year, but has not gone 10 hours. And sorry, joeb, I don't care what the officials say, that race last year did not go 10 hours but was an extreme endurance event for all of us.

There should be some kind of Fight Club like rule for Petit "rule number 1: don't talk about 2009". I mean I was wet in places that are even hard to get wet in the shower!

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by joeb

There should be some kind of Fight Club like rule for Petit "rule number 1: don't talk about 2009". I mean I was wet in places that are even hard to get wet in the shower!

I'll see you in turn 4 in little over a month to talk sportscars, not the weather.

[JagtechOhio]

Couldn't find this posted, so here is an article about confirmation for Baltimore:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...,6440749.story

[joeb]

Originally Posted by JagtechOhio

Couldn't find this posted, so here is an article about confirmation for Baltimore:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...,6440749.story

Wow, good find. I wonder if that article made the print edition, or just online.

[dj4monie]

a spokesman for ALMS confirmed that the Oklahoma-based racing organization will be bringing its 34 teams to Baltimore.

Is IMSA or the ALMS relocating and nobody said anything?

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Speed's John Dagys questions, Scott Atherton answers

DAGYS: Are there any possible options being looked at to help fill the gap for teams not going to Le Mans?

ATHERTON: We are pursuing some creative options of what we could do during that time. We’ve heard from many... We could be having a couple open official test days that would keep those teams actively involved and development of the cars current. That’s one option. One of the drivers suggested we have a special invitation ‘winner take all’ race that involves a substantial purse and is driven by social media.

I’m not saying I’m here announcing anything in that regard. I am saying that we have an open-minded approach to a creative solution that doesn’t force us to literally be dark during that important time of year.

DAGYS: It’s been rumored that the Le Mans Test Day may become optional, or at least mandatory for one car representing each manufacturer. If that does come to fruition, could an additional ALMS race be slotted in the schedule?

ATHERTON: There’s obviously many unanswered questions. First and foremost, what’s the date? Once the [Test Day] date is sorted, what will the details be? That would help if it was optional. I’d never say never. We’ve done it once before in that we brought the teams back from Le Mans and ran at Sears Point. We learned our lesson with that one. It was very difficult and very expensive. Nobody liked it.

To say that if the manufacturers could have a representative car at the Le Mans Test, which would enable them to have a representative car here or even to have a second set of cars... If that was case, we’d look long and hard at it.

We have some options that we could slot an additional event in that time. But the clock is ticking. You wouldn’t want to wait too much longer than right now to say that’s what we’re going to do. Right now we have no indication from the ACO of what they’re plans are.

So there's still more to come than the Independence Day race...

[Alan Green]

Confirmed that Oklahoma was going to be the July date, but now dead in the water

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...50094835_x.htm

[Alan Green]

In the meantime from Baltimore GP on Facebook:
"Don't forget tomorrow at noon is a Special LIVE Announcement at the Baltimore Inner Harbor Amphitheater!! Come by for a presentation by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, get autographs from drivers like 2-time Indy 500 winner, Al Unser, Jr. & check out some of the most elite motorsports cars on earth. Hope to see you there!"

and from johndagys on Twitter:
"The other TBA/TBD event on 2011 #ALMS schedule is not in jeopardy. Will actually be announced tomorrow."

[merlot brougham]

Originally Posted by joeb

There should be some kind of Fight Club like rule for Petit "rule number 1: don't talk about 2009". I mean I was wet in places that are even hard to get wet in the shower!

I barely got wet. Was near the turn 6,7,8 snack shelter when it opened up. It backed off for a sec then I ran to my car and turned on RLM. Considering, it wasn't that bad for me. Sebring 2009, Friday Practice, totally different story. Man, I got rained on a lot in 2009...

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by Alan Green

Confirmed that Oklahoma was going to be the July date, but now dead in the water

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...50094835_x.htm

Oh well, time to backtrack to St Pete or give a lame excuse?

Still got the open July Date at Watkins Glen...

[tkelland]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Oh well, time to backtrack to St Pete or give a lame excuse?

Still got the open July Date at Watkins Glen...

Mouthwatering to think of. I don't see why the Glen (owners) wouldn't want to strike a deal with the ALMS for an endurance event there. I feel that such an event could bring $$$ to both parties. and us fans, we'd have one hell of a party, we wouldn't care that we didn't make any money that weekend.

[HORNDAWG]

Watkins Glen owners =

ISC Track Sites

• Auto Club Speedway
• Chicagoland Speedway
• Darlington Raceway
• Daytona International Speedway
• Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan International Speedway
• Phoenix International Raceway
• Richmond International Raceway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Watkins Glen International

Can you say France family? The answer is, not gonna happen! The Glen will not be a round on the ALMS schedule until he_l freezes over.





L.P.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Watkins Glen owners =

ISC Track Sites

• Auto Club Speedway
• Chicagoland Speedway
• Darlington Raceway
• Daytona International Speedway
• Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan International Speedway
• Phoenix International Raceway
• Richmond International Raceway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Watkins Glen International

Can you say France family? The answer is, not gonna happen! The Glen will not be a round on the ALMS schedule until he_l freezes over.

L.P.

Accept that Sprint Cup has dropped one of the California dates, that's less money for 2011 as I doubt they'll see an increase revenue over 2010.

Yeah hell may freeze over and all that, but as I said as a business transaction it makes much sense. BS loyalty, back room agreements and the like don't belong here, if Grand Am was a superior series, they wouldn't be making the sweeping changes they are considering, an almost complete re-boot of the series in order to try to appeal to us, the base.

It would out-draw Indy Car on that weekend, its the next best option over any other series currently in America. Is this a business or petty loyalties?

If they do nothing, it will be 9 race season again. Which would be okay but as we see in GT/LMP, one DNF/DNS will almost completely put you out of the running for the Championship, there's no time to make it up.

I gave the options, its either do the Glen or re-arrange the schedule and put St. Pete back in there. They already booted Utah off the schedule, moved around Mosport, Road America and Lime Rock to include Baltimore. You could do Sears Point, but I think best case would be a shared weekend with Indy Car, not a date alone.

I still say they need to have 10 races MIN every season, 12 as a good mid-range and 14-16 races for a full championship.

14-16 races would hit every market with 3 events in the largest market (California) and 2 Canadian events. If you include Le Mans, that means the schedule you see now + one event would be 10 races.

[HJJ]

From Road Atlanta Facebook site:

Road Atlanta NEW date for Petit Le Mans 2011 date: September 28-October 1, 2011!!