ALMS Round 4: Lime Rock

[Ephaeton]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

And Scott A refuses to say anything, and takes a good long time to do it.

Take measure in the lot of words here: USCR forum #1834

[Maelochs]

Sorry Purist, i did misunderstand. I think we both want to see less contact, and are looking for ways to make that happen ... like more strictly enforcing the rules all the time, including Chris Dyson, I mean, blocking.

The other issue, whether the penalty should be retroactive or not .... that's for later.

[gregtummer]

Anyone know what kind of top speeds we see at Lime Rock?

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Sorry Purist, i did misunderstand. I think we both want to see less contact, and are looking for ways to make that happen ... like more strictly enforcing the rules all the time, including Chris Dyson, I mean, blocking.

The other issue, whether the penalty should be retroactive or not .... that's for later.

I'm not so sure now what to think about ALMS's view on contact after yesterday's ending...Elkins seemed 'not displeased' with yesterday's 'product' when he sat down to speak with the person I had been sitting with. That's when I decided it was a good time to resume my agenda and not nose my way into that conversation...I really wasn't even interested in being the 'fly on the wall' (sorry)...but I'll let you know if it was just small-talk or something else...I had become 'disinterested' in anything related to internal combustion (except for my personal transport) by that time of the weekend. I needed air conditioning and peace & quiet. You would have too...

[jasonjessica09]

My Lime Rock race thoughts:

1. Only 2 full course yellows. Good news we are making progress. Most watchable ALMS race since Sebring for that reason.

2. Muscle Milk should take a race or two off. Are they really enjoying winning races the way they are for so long?

3. GT was not its usual competitive self. BMW looking very good right now. Corvette was better though compared to Le Mans. Ferrari is struggling in particular.

[Ken_T]

Originally Posted by wheelz22

I'm not so sure now what to think about ALMS's view on contact after yesterday's ending...Elkins seemed 'not displeased' with yesterday's 'product' when he sat down to speak with the person I had been sitting with. That's when I decided it was a good time to resume my agenda and not nose my way into that conversation...I really wasn't even interested in being the 'fly on the wall' (sorry)...but I'll let you know if it was just small-talk or something else...I had become 'disinterested' in anything related to internal combustion (except for my personal transport) by that time of the weekend. I needed air conditioning and peace & quiet. You would have too...

I used to have a reasonably favorable opinion of Elkins with all of the input he accepted from fans in the early stages of the merger. Now, not so much. Maybe its just an engineer thing. Show me results. Just because you are a nice guy, doesn't mean you can handle the position you have been promoted to.

He is one of two in charge of the upcoming rules product and he appears to be failing miserably. I saw his tweets about the penalties and just like you said, he doesn't seem to have a problem with the contact or leaving the win with Level5. It makes no sense. If I was a team that was not in the points chase, it would seem obvious that if I was in contention, I would move the leader out of the way late in the race. I have the podium picture for my sponsors and would be kept the winner. All within the rules that Elkins made. It is a horrible precedent.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

So was there a Lamborghini race or was it a parade? How'd it go?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

So was there a Lamborghini race or was it a parade? How'd it go?

Both were basically parades...neat cars though.

[gregtummer]

The #55 BMW GT's fastest race lap of 51.925 was faster than the #2 Starworks DP fastest race lap of 51.965 last year.

And no, the #2 Starworks didn't only compete like 3 laps.

They only finished 2 laps behind overall.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

The #55 BMW GT's fastest race lap of 51.925 was faster than the #2 Starworks DP fastest race lap of 51.965 last year.

And no, the #2 Starworks didn't only compete like 3 laps.

They only finished 2 laps behind overall.

That's a major problem for the USCR, in prospect. Of course, Lime Rock is so tight I can't see that being in issue in any other race except perhaps Baltimore or Long Beach... that is, if they even run those tracks in the USCR.

I didn't get through the whole race, which is very unlike me. When I heard BMW and Pickett won, I decided to pull the plug. The best Viper was in 5th -

[Lanky Turtle]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

The #55 BMW GT's fastest race lap of 51.925 was faster than the #2 Starworks DP fastest race lap of 51.965 last year.

And no, the #2 Starworks didn't only compete like 3 laps.

They only finished 2 laps behind overall.

Wasn't sure what you were getting at here and now I'm even more confused.
The fastest GT time in an ALMS race this year was faster than the 10th fastest DP time at the Grand Am race last year?

Also the fastest DP time last year (49.913) was faster than the slowest ALMS GT time this year (52.947).

Also the fastest WEC P1 quali time at Spa this year was 1:59.961 and the fastest Formula 1 time at Spa last year was 1:47.573.

Not sure why that matters though.

[Lanky Turtle]

I thought the race was pretty good. The P1 battle at the beginning was exciting but after the bungled pit stop that was it for overall. Lime Rock's a tight track so there's bound to be some occasional contact when drivers go wheel to wheel in anything other than a gentlemanly vintage race (and sometimes then too).

I don't understand the penalty against Briscoe not affecting the race results. That makes it not a penalty IMO. At the Grand Am race earlier in the year The Corvette was assessed a time penalty (pit delta +60) and was not declared the winner even though they saw the checkered first.

I didn't mind the late full course caution because I'd rather see asafety car on track than a corner worker struck and killed or a car run under a tractor.

I don't know why the other GT teams aren't up in arms over BMW being allowed to run what appears to be a Group 5 prototype in the series.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

Wasn't sure what you were getting at here and now I'm even more confused.
The fastest GT time in an ALMS race this year was faster than the 10th fastest DP time at the Grand Am race last year?

Also the fastest DP time last year (49.913) was faster than the slowest ALMS GT time this year (52.947).

Also the fastest WEC P1 quali time at Spa this year was 1:59.961 and the fastest Formula 1 time at Spa last year was 1:47.573.

Not sure why that matters though.

Yes, because comparing Formula 1 to a Sports Car series is exactly the same as comparing one Sports Car series to another Sports Car series.

But if you want to play that game:

Last year's Formula 1 pole time at Austin: 1:35.657 (and the cars will be faster this year)
DP Pole time this year at Austin: 2:00.179

And by the way, the fastest qualifying lap for WEC at Spa was 1:58.934.

[TF110]

The point is GTE is nearly as fast with more weight and less power. And the cars are going to be faster next year surely. So DP needs a performance bump or else they'll be battling GTE cars not the front of the field. Or will they? We don't even know because the people in charge haven't even figured it out.

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by Matt

Both were basically parades...neat cars though.

Agree Matt...neat pieces, sound good, but those guys are not interested in anything even close to casual contact.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

Wasn't sure what you were getting at here and now I'm even more confused.

I think that's perfectly obvious: You can't run a series where the third fastest class ends up fast enough to run mid-pack of the fastest one.

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by Purist

Don't want to be in an LMP coupe out there, apparently. Guy Smith is spent, and Chris Dyson is back in.

There were many participants, both drivers and crew, that were spent. It just seems that the LRP round somehow always has the most brutal weather every year. I was quite happy to get home after three days of fighting a losing battle to the heat.

[John Edwards]

Thank you everyone for the congrats. It was a great effort by Dirk and the team. The BMW is best for a track like Lime Rock, with lots of corners and short straights. The team did a great job all weekend long, and we were fastest in every session leading up to race day. Result was key for us at this race because we're going to go to certain tracks that don't suit us, and we need to be ahead at the tracks we're good at.

With the high ambient and track temps combined with the humidity, it was definitely a hard one to win. I feel sorry for the people that had to be near me during the stint because I was the sweatiest I've ever been. I think my suit was probably six or seven pounds heavier at the end of my stint compared to the beginning. On a day like that, when it's such hard work, these are the day swere a win really means alot. Fantastic job by the team.

Thanks to everyone who braved the heat and came out to the event.

If anyone here follows me on twitter (@jedwardsracing) I'll be doing a Q&A at 6pm eastern to answer any questions about GRANDAM and ALMS so far in 2013. Thanks again for the support!

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by John Edwards

Thank you everyone for the congrats. It was a great effort by Dirk and the team. The BMW is best for a track like Lime Rock, with lots of corners and short straights. The team did a great job all weekend long, and we were fastest in every session leading up to race day. Result was key for us at this race because we're going to go to certain tracks that don't suit us, and we need to be ahead at the tracks we're good at.

With the high ambient and track temps combined with the humidity, it was definitely a hard one to win. I feel sorry for the people that had to be near me during the stint because I was the sweatiest I've ever been. I think my suit was probably six or seven pounds heavier at the end of my stint compared to the beginning. On a day like that, when it's such hard work, these are the day swere a win really means alot. Fantastic job by the team.

Thanks to everyone who braved the heat and came out to the event.

If anyone here follows me on twitter (@jedwardsracing) I'll be doing a Q&A at 6pm eastern to answer any questions about GRANDAM and ALMS so far in 2013. Thanks again for the support!

Yeah, I agree 100% that the rewards are sweeter when the weather is like that...we picked up the W in PC (after crashing it twice). I didn't weigh my suit but six or seven lbs sounds about right....but equalized by the six or seven that exited the body.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

Anyone know what kind of top speeds we see at Lime Rock?

In the GTC cars we're at the top of 5th gear entering turn 1.. around 151-152MPH. Based on the GT cars passing me during the weekend, they're the same.. a few maybe +1-3mph.. and some (BMW's) slower than us.

-mike

[Matt]

Originally Posted by wheelz22

There were many participants, both drivers and crew, that were spent. It just seems that the LRP round somehow always has the most brutal weather every year. I was quite happy to get home after three days of fighting a losing battle to the heat.

As a friend of mine said, who is originally from Scotland, "I never knew the hottest place on Earth was in Connecticut!"

I've been going the past six years, and the nicest its ever been there for this weekend is when it had rained.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

First of all, congrats to John Edwards. Great job, even if you do drive for the enemy!
Congratulations, also, to Mike Hedlund on second in GTC.

Thanks!! And congrats to John for the awesome finish all weekend. The BMW's were wicked fast!

I was dizzy when I got out of the car after an hour and 20 minutes of driving, all of which was under green except the last 6 minutes. It's not just the fact that it was hot, but the track is so busy in a GTC car there's absolutely no time to let your guard down. It reminds me of Long Beach, only the lap is half as long.

-mike

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

In the GTC cars we're at the top of 5th gear entering turn 1.. around 151-152MPH. Based on the GT cars passing me during the weekend, they're the same.. a few maybe +1-3mph.. and some (BMW's) slower than us.

-mike

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

Thanks!! And congrats to John for the awesome finish all weekend. The BMW's were wicked fast!

I was dizzy when I got out of the car after an hour and 20 minutes of driving, all of which was under green except the last 6 minutes. It's not just the fact that it was hot, but the track is so busy in a GTC car there's absolutely no time to let your guard down. It reminds me of Long Beach, only the lap is half as long.

-mike

Make up your mind, Mike!

In all seriousness, very good effort by both you and John... our respective ALMS 10 Tenths members!

1st and 2nd in class, not bad for 10 Tenths...

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Beetle

Make up your mind, Mike!

In all seriousness, very good effort by both you and John... our respective ALMS 10 Tenths members!

1st and 2nd in class, not bad for 10 Tenths...

Lol!! I meant wicked fast in terms of lap time and pace, not top speed! :P

-mike

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by Matt

As a friend of mine said, who is originally from Scotland, "I never knew the hottest place on Earth was in Connecticut!"

Yeah, it's uncanny, that place. The hottest I've ever been anywhere on the planet was LRP in 2010. The medics were handing out IV's on race day like candy...in hindsight I should have gotten one too after the checkered...but one didn't want to appear weak in front of one's crew mates....flawed thinking as it were. Maybe the LRP round should be moved to January.