IMSA 2022: Looking to the present?

[WyldStallion]

Porsche left the front out on purpose clearly. 1) Hope the front resembles a Porsche 911 RSR maybe 2) Hope they return to the 2017-2019 factory livery.

Said this before and will again. I am not buying into any of the LMDH hype until I see what some of these cars look like. LMH too. And I'm not really impressed so far as Toyota and Glickenhaus still look too LMP'ish to me. Peugeot looks cool though and Ferrari is the Great Red Hope.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Porsche left the front out on purpose clearly. 1) Hope the front resembles a Porsche 911 RSR maybe 2) Hope they return to the 2017-2019 factory livery.

Said this before and will again. I am not buying into any of the LMDH hype until I see what some of these cars look like. LMH too. And I'm not really impressed so far as Toyota and Glickenhaus still look too LMP'ish to me. Peugeot looks cool though and Ferrari is the Great Red Hope.

the s365 article shows the front

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...s-of-lmdh-car/

[broadrun96]

Well MP says IMSA has 60 entries with reserves beyond that for Rolex.

25 prototypes, 7 DPi, 10 P2s and 8 P3s
35 GTDs, 13 in Pro

He also claims 20 (6/6/8) prototypes and 19 (7/12) GTs for the season

https://racer.com/2021/12/20/rolex-2...s-to-capacity/

[WyldStallion]

Turner BMW confirmation. But I got to tell ya, Auberlen/Foley/Dinan/Klingman seems like should be a GTD Pro driver line-up to me. Foley especially.

Foley and Dinan were in the pro class of GT World Challenge. Is IMSA scared to recategorize drives now after the Madison Snow controversy a couple years back?

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/k...-for-rolex-24/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Well MP says IMSA has 60 entries with reserves beyond that for Rolex.

25 prototypes, 7 DPi, 10 P2s and 8 P3s
35 GTDs, 13 in Pro

He also claims 20 (6/6/8) prototypes and 19 (7/12) GTs for the season

https://racer.com/2021/12/20/rolex-2...s-to-capacity/

It is going to be great to see a full grid at Daytona! No official entry list yet, which is normal this far ahead of the event. Also, many teams have yet to announce programs/drivers so I'm sure IMSA doesn't want to announce things before the teams do. Would be cool to see the wait list for Daytona. the ACO publishes the reserve list for Le Mans but I can't see Imsa doing the same.

For the full season 39 cars is a lot!

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Well MP says IMSA has 60 entries with reserves beyond that for Rolex.

25 prototypes, 7 DPi, 10 P2s and 8 P3s
35 GTDs, 13 in Pro

He also claims 20 (6/6/8) prototypes and 19 (7/12) GTs for the season

https://racer.com/2021/12/20/rolex-2...s-to-capacity/

A field of that size almost guarentees the first 23 hours will be just a parade. Oh boy the safety car drivers are going to be busy. You won't see any separation between the cars. All 7 DPI cars on the lead lap in the last hour is a big possibility now. Does not feel very endurancy anymore doesn't it.

I do like that we got a big GT3 grid though. Just think in this day and age of super reliable cars plus IMSA's history of throwing safety cars if gum wrapper is on the track, an overall grid in the 40's is better for the race as a whole.

They really better split the qualifying races between prototypes and GT cars now.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Turner BMW confirmation. But I got to tell ya, Auberlen/Foley/Dinan/Klingman seems like should be a GTD Pro driver line-up to me. Foley especially.

Foley and Dinan were in the pro class of GT World Challenge. Is IMSA scared to recategorize drives now after the Madison Snow controversy a couple years back?

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/k...-for-rolex-24/

Because they are only in for Daytona and there are allowances for them in GTD. Dinan is Silver and Klingmann is Gold so they will have 2 silver and 2 gold in the car, that's a GTD lineup not GTD-Pro. They aren't going to go down the road of making up their own ratings and wasting time defending them. There are far better things to do than defend decisions to people who will pay lawyers to burn money.

More teams and cars they demand, now more teams and cars mean more traffic and cautions so it's not racing. PICK ONE DAMN LANE and stick with your decision

[joeb]

Wow, Dragonspeed is not messing around with their 2nd LMP2 car for Daytona,

O'Ward, Herta, DeFrancesco, and Lux

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/t...daytona-squad/


While a Pro Lambo in GTD for TR3 Racing

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/t...ry-at-daytona/

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

A field of that size almost guarentees the first 23 hours will be just a parade. Oh boy the safety car drivers are going to be busy. You won't see any separation between the cars. All 7 DPI cars on the lead lap in the last hour is a big possibility now. Does not feel very endurancy anymore doesn't it.

I do like that we got a big GT3 grid though. Just think in this day and age of super reliable cars plus IMSA's history of throwing safety cars if gum wrapper is on the track, an overall grid in the 40's is better for the race as a whole.

They really better split the qualifying races between prototypes and GT cars now.

I know it's like why bother watching much less posting about it.

/s

Getting really excited for the well received GTD pro class. Imagine who and how many would show up to Le Mans if ACO went GT3 route.

[WyldStallion]

Well it is worth being excited for GTD for sure. We might as well treat it as one single GT category with potetially 35 cars. Kinda like SRO as I never paid attention to this Pro Cup/Silver/Pro am thing they got. More for the drivers and teams than the specatators. The only difference I guess is that GTD Pro and GTD Am will have seperate wave around for safety cars. So if the GTD Am leader is 1 lap down to the GTD Pro leader, there is no wave around for them. But if a GTD Pro car was 1 lap down they would get it.

Uggh safety cars...thoughts on that expressed more in the sporting regulations thread.

But with 35 GT cars and a 60 car grid overall. Having a single qualiyfing race like last year can get very messy. Unless they split it up, I would consider parking the car after a few laps if I was a team manager. Hope IMSA will split it up. I would certainly watch if there was a GT only Q-race.

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

More teams and cars they demand, now more teams and cars mean more traffic and cautions so it's not racing. PICK ONE DAMN LANE and stick with your decision

Hope it does not happen but if the race has 15-20 safety car periods with some of them lasting 15-20 minutes each time. I will have to say "I told you so". I am not saying that now. But am holding that one in reserve come end of January 2022.

[bella]

Originally Posted by joeb

Wow, Dragonspeed is not messing around with their 2nd LMP2 car for Daytona,

p2 full stop is going to be mega. i reckon aside from the obvious lady luck it's going to be all about the bronze drivers...

[broadrun96]

Yeah, Bronze has become the new Silver. Some of these lineups are making me wonder who is paying for the drivers or if some guys are driving for the fun of it at a massive discount from what you would assume they get from the "day job"

Lux aint bad behind the wheel for a businessman, he can peddle a vintage RSR and MB SLS GT3. He often laps everyone but the other RSR in Hostorics and in the rain he is QUICK in both

[Simmi]

https://twitter.com/EraMotorsport/st...74256057298949

Era back for a full season. Oreca spares department licking their lips.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Simmi

https://twitter.com/EraMotorsport/st...74256057298949

Era back for a full season. Oreca spares department licking their lips.

Meanwhile, at the Oreca fabricators department...

It looks like a decent line-up for Daytona, but when almost every other LMP2 team has levelled up their driver squad considerably, I do wonder how much Era will be relying on caution periods.

Edit - Caused by other drivers.

[Coach Ep]

Era won the Rolex last year correct? Seems they know how to win/compete/play the game to me. Yes, using the FCYs to your advantage is a big part of it nowadays but it's the same for everyone.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Simmi

https://twitter.com/EraMotorsport/st...74256057298949

Era back for a full season. Oreca spares department licking their lips.

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Era won the Rolex last year correct? Seems they know how to win/compete/play the game to me. Yes, using the FCYs to your advantage is a big part of it nowadays but it's the same for everyone.

They also won the Asian Le Mans Pro Am champ last season I believe. They can run the car, just at times the driver has had some issues keeping the car under himself. (Petit, and Large Le Mans)

[WyldStallion]

A thought here about the Daytona 24 as well...If the GTD-AM cars don't get lapped by the GTD Pro cars by the last hour. The hotshoes can get in there and compete for the overall GT victory.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

A thought here about the Daytona 24 as well...If the GTD-AM cars don't get lapped by the GTD Pro cars by the last hour. The hotshoes can get in there and compete for the overall GT victory.

That is a good point, and it has probably already been decided in the regulations. if they treat GTD and GTD Pro as one class in the wave around procedure it will be an issue. But if they treat them as separate classes and you only can get laps back vs your class leader than it will unlikely be an issue in a 24 hour race. Possibly on the shorter rounds depending on how things play out, the GTD cars may stay within a lap of the Pro cars and then the fun could arise.

[bella]

don’t know if this assists? it’s all i can find that’s relevant.

Originally Posted by IMSA regs

46.5. (SSR) DPi and Prototype Class Split: In a mixed-class Race, prior to the restart, Race Control shall conduct the DPi and Prototype Class Split. Tire scrubbing is prohibited during the Class Split.
46.5.1. (SSR) LMP2, LMP3, GTD PRO and GTD Cars must remain in running order, move left, and when instructed by Race Control, eligible DPi Cars must move right and in Single File, pass any non-DPi Cars to take position at the front of the field behind the Safety Car. Cars behind the Safety Car must fall back to facilitate the DPi Class Split.
A. (SSR) DPi Cars that pit during the DPi Class Split may overtake other class Cars until they reach the end of the DPi Class Split prior to the restart or as instructed by Race Control.
46.5.2. (SSR) GTD PRO and GTD Cars must remain in running order and remain left, and when instructed by Race Control, eligible LMP2 and LMP3 Cars must move right and in Single File, pass any GTD PRO and GTD Cars to take position ahead of all GTD PRO and GTD Cars and behind the DPi Cars. GTD PRO and GTD Cars must fall back to facilitate the Prototype Class Split. Cars not following the instructions of Race Control in a timely manner may lose their positions to Cars responding as instructed.

[broadrun96]

Sounds like repeated use of GTD Pro and GTD makes it appear 2 classes not one super class but I'm often wrong a logic plays no part here.

I've seen better and seen worse, possibly better on an Indy car over DPi.

https://racer.com/2021/12/22/msr-par...2-imsa-livery/

[Bcarr6]

First run at tracking roughly what the entry for Daytona is going to look like:

24 Hours of Daytona 2022 - 36 Cars

DPI Class - 6 Cars

Action Express - Cadillac DPI-V.R -
CGR - Cadillac DPI-V.R - Sebastien Bourdais / Alex Lynn / Scott Dixon
CGR - Cadillac DPI-V.R - Renger van der Zande / Earl Bamber / Kevin Magnussen
JDC-Miller Motorsports - Cadillac DPI-V.R - Tristan Vautier / Loic Duval / Richard Westbrook / Ben Keating
Meyer Shank Racing - Acura ARX-05 - Tom Blomqvist / Oliver Jarvis / Helio Castroneves / TBC
Wayne Taylor Racing - Acura ARX-05 - Ricky Taylor / Filipe Albuquerque / Will Stevens / Alexander Rossi

LMP2 Class - 6 Cars

Dragonspeed - Oreca 07 Gibson - Pato O’Ward / Colton Herta / Devlin DeFrancesco
Era Motorsport - Oreca 07 Gibson - Dwight Merriman / Ryan Dalziel / Kyle Tilley / Paul-Loup Chatin
G-Drive Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Rene Rast / Ed Jones / Oliver Rasmussen / Francois Heriau
High Class Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Nico Mueller / Anders Fjordbach / Dennis Andersen / Fabio Scherer
Racing Team Nederland - Oreca 07 Gibson - Frits van Eerd / Giedo van der Garde / Dylan Murry / Rinus VeeKay
United Autosport - Oreca 07 Gibson - Guy Smith / Jim McGuire / Phil Hanson / Will Owen

LMP3 Class - 3 Cars

Andretti Autosport - Ligier JS P320 Nissan - Josh Burdon / Jarett Andretti / Gabby Chaves / Rasmus Lindh
AWA - Duqueine D08 Nissan - Kuno Wittmer / Frey Fidani / Lars Kern / Matt Bell
Riely Motorsports - Ligier JS P320 Nissan - Gar Robinson / Felipe Fraga / Michael Cooper / Kay van Berlo

GTD PRO Class - 8 Cars

Corvette Racing - Corvette C8.R - Tommy Milner / Nick Tandy / Marco Sorensen
Corvette Racing - Corvette C8.R - Antonio Garcia / Jordan Taylor / Nicky Catsburg
Heart of Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT3 - Ross Gunn / Alex Riberas / Maxime Martin
Pfaff Motorsports - Porsche 911 GT3 R - Matt Campbell / Mathieu Jaminet /Felipe Nasr
Team RLL - BMW M4 GT3 - TBC / TBC / TBC
Team RLL - BMW M4 GT3 - TBC / TBC / TBC
TR3 Racing - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 - Mirko Bortolotti / Andrea Caldarelli / Marco Mapelli / Rolf Ineichen
Vasser Sullivan - Lexus RC F GT3 - Ben Barnicoat / Jack Hawksworth / Kyle Kirkwood

GTD Class - 13 Cars

CarBahn with Peregine Racing - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 - Robert Megennis / Jeff Westphal / TBC / TBC
Cetilar Racing - Ferrari 488 GT3 - Roberto Lacorte / Giorgio Sernagiotto / Antonio Fuoco / Alessio Rovera
Crucial Motorsports - McLaren 720s GT3 - Paul Holton / TBC / TBC / TBC
Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports - Mercedes AMG GT3 - Guy Cosmo / Mike Skeen / Stevan McAleer / Scott Andrews
Heart of Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT3 - Roman De Angelis / Tom Gamble / Darren Turner / Ian James
Magnus Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT3 - Andy Lally / Spencer Pumpelly / John Potter
Paul Miller Racing - TBC - Madison Snow / Bryan Sellers / TBC / TBC
TR3 Racing - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 - Jeff Segal / Bill Sweedler / Giacomo Altoe / John Megrue
Turner Motorsport - BMW M4 GT3 - Jens Klingmann / Michael Dinan / Bill Auberlen / Robby Foley
Weathertech Racing - TBC
Weathertech Racing - TBC
Wright Motorsport - Porsche 911 GT3 R - Ryan Hardwick / Jan Heylen / Zach Robichon / TBC
Vasser Sullivan - Lexus RC F GT3 - Aaron Telitz / Frankie Motecalvo / Richard Heistand / TBC

[Racing Harz]

T3 Motorsport will race in Daytona.
https://gt-place.com/2021/12/23/sais...t3-motorsport/

[broadrun96]

Add 2 PR1-Mathiasen Oreca LMP2s to Daytona

https://racer.com/2021/12/23/pr1-mat...-lmp2-program/

Would bring your list to 8 so according to MP there are 2 more to be announced.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Add 2 PR1-Mathiasen Oreca LMP2s to Daytona

https://racer.com/2021/12/23/pr1-mat...-lmp2-program/

Would bring your list to 8 so according to MP there are 2 more to be announced.

Gotta be happy for the team to be able to put a second program together. And I can't believe Ben Keating runs into cars every year for Daytona. That guy is legit tough and in shape.