2011 calendar

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

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.

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.

It will be a nine race season again.

Sometimes what may seem like a poor business decision for one arm of a business, is part of a greater business decision for the Hold Co. Forget about Watkins Glen, it won't happen.

On another note.

http://newsok.com/private-race-effor...rticle/3490727

This second group wants to bring a race to OK City, using private funding. Private funding should mean Corporate Sponsorship, which as we know is exceedingly difficult to raise in this economic environment.

[Victor_RO]

Second brand, third car built to the new LMP2 specs revealed: Oreca 03. http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-5171.html (didn't know exactly where to put it at the moment)

[vogelmann4]

I don't expect it for next year but in the past (2000?) they ran a spring race at Road Atlanta. Has there been any discussion about visiting a track twice? I assume it was dropped because it was not profitable but don't recall knowing the offical reason.

[BobN]

With the gap between Laguna and Petit reduced to two weeks, perhaps that will encourage more euro participation for Laguna. Maybe it could be added to the ILMC.

[Deleted]

I thought Laguna's date was pretty good this year, and not only from logistics point of view. Good 6-hour dress rehearsal for Le Mans, just like Spa but for American teams. Plus there was more racing on spring, next year gaps between races are gonna be ridiculous once again...

[HORNDAWG]

Baltimore is Offically on the calender.



L.P.

[Tim Northcutt]

Will the LM Test Days interfere with a May ALMS event next season?

To have a hole in the ALMS calendar from April 16 to July 9 is nuts!

Also, I agree with Fogelhund on OK City...private $$$ to run this gig when the city was looking at (and rejected) a $7 million tab to help the event happen is not going to materialize in this economy...not with the threat of a double-dip recession looming large.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

Will the LM Test Days interfere with a May ALMS event next season?

To have a hole in the ALMS calendar from April 16 to July 9 is nuts!

Yes, Scott eluded to that directly in the Michelin Alley video of the Schedule release.

And it truly does suck that the ACO pull this cr_p of setting the testing day (as in single) out so far in advance of the race itself!!



L.P.

[Fogelhund]

http://photos.americanlemans.com/ads/2011_Schedule.pdf

Mosport was moved as well. The date has been moved forward one week to July 24th. (Note; a week after IRL in Toronto)

That three month break is a killer. I hope that they consider running a spring Road Atlanta date, just to try and fill the gap.

It probably is cost prohibitive, but the IRL is visiting Brazil May 1st.

I would be they really are upset they've moved Laguna back to the fall now.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Baltimore is Offically on the calender.



L.P.

That Baltimore track layout looks tight on the map, especially the T5 through T7 sections. Multiple turns greater than 90 degrees and a handful of 90's. I wonder how fast it will be? Maybe the streets are wider than they appear and the turns will be moderately fast.

Also, I noticed this in the article on speed
"It’s estimated to attract more than $100,000 people to the area and have an economic impact of $70 million."

I know the people are $ to the promoters, but that is still a funny typo!

[Fogelhund]

100,000 people?

I guess they've been sold on counting every ticket x the number of days. One person, through the gates three times, is still one person... not three.

(I'm not shooting the messenger, please don't take it as such).

[HORNDAWG]

Well maybe in 2012 the ACO will pull their head out and we can add Austin between Sebring and Long Beach. Then a couple of rounds (Sears Point & Portland) between LB and Le Mans.





L.P.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

100,000 people?

I guess they've been sold on counting every ticket x the number of days. One person, through the gates three times, is still one person... not three.

(I'm not shooting the messenger, please don't take it as such).

I think they mean over the weekend...

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

100,000 people?

I guess they've been sold on counting every ticket x the number of days. One person, through the gates three times, is still one person... not three.

(I'm not shooting the messenger, please don't take it as such).

I know that seemed like an ambitious attendance figure! So first year of a race and they expect Sebring/Petit like numbers, on a street course?

Anyways, I do hope it is a success and the track is decent.

[WolfsburgRS]

Hello everybody, I've been lurking around for a while but figured since I can shed a little light on the streets of Baltimore, I may as well finally chime in. (I spent the first 28 years of my life there and have driven plenty of miles on them.) Let me first say I've really enjoyed the site so far and I hope I can contribute something intelligent, or at least interesting here on the forums.

In terms of the track layout of the Baltimore Grand Prix (especially with the revised design) I think that track width and passing opportunities should both be ideal, at least in the key places. Pretty much all of those streets are wide, with 4 lanes or so of room without median or sidewalk adjustment. All are also quite rough, so the entire track will need substantial repaving.

Starting from turn 1, Light street is fairly wide, from 4 to 5 lanes depending on the exact spot, and it's the same after the hairpin leading back up Light street to turn 4. With some adjustment or removal of medians it could be much much wider. Turn 4 to turn 7, at least as is, is very tight. With median removal there could easily be 6-7 lanes of width, but not as is. Lee Street ( leading up to turn 9) is not as narrow, but not a lot of room without sidewalks being removed.

From turn 9 all the way back around to turn 1 we're back onto some of the more major downtown steets. Russel street (leading by the stadium) is one of the main entryways into downtown Baltimore from I95, and it's 3 lanes as is, but with median adjustment it could be super wide. Pratt street, from turn 12 back to turn 1, is 4 lanes all the way down.

Overall I can't even say how exciting it is to have the ALMS at the event. Indy car, sure that's ok I suppose, but to really be a fan of a series and have it visit the home town is outstanding.

If I had to guess at the biggest challenges it's surface quality (potholes, ruts, bumps and more) and the racing areas passing over the light rail tracks not once, but twice. Hopefully they'll get it right and the result will be a great new race.

[HORNDAWG]

Thanks for the info and welcome to the forum, or at least the lighted part.






L.P.

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Thanks for the info and welcome to the forum, or at least the lighted part.






L.P.

Thanks!