ALMS Round 5: Mosport

[Mechanic Z]

THAT WAS TOTALLY MEGA!!!!
Best GT finish of the year! Great to see Corvette vs Viper again!

Only one caution, too. Really, really good race!



Next up: Road America! I can't wait!

[Carsandmotorracing]

Great race in GT, byt man, it's just depressing to look at P1.

[dxk1]

Nice job by Tommy Milner holding off the Viper! It's like 2000 all over again: Corvette - Viper duking it out in the GT (GTS at the time) Class. Nice to see the Vipers up to speed now and competing for wins! Bodes well for the rest of the season.

DK

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by EricS

Funny how coverage of the racing for the last 10 minutes was so good. So, they know how to do it, but choose not to for the entire time?

I think they have to give each class a certain amount of TV time.

[Purist]

I'm NOT going to just be okay with the tarmac simply because you tell me to be. It takes away too much for it to be worth it just for the "convenience" of, potentially, fewer stranded cars during a race.

I've said it before, don't start gravel immediately at the track's edge. Have a grass verge, so if you get just a little off, you are penalized grip-wise, but you can get back on. Frankly, ALL run-offs should have that grass verge, so you CAN'T use the tarmac merely as an extension of the track.

Something as fundamental as track boundaries shouldn't freakin' need adjudication! It should be apparent, automatic, and unconditional. Something has gone VERY wrong when you NEED Race Control to tell people where the edge is!

[EricS]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

This is not an ALMS issue, all the TVs have this behaviour. They give maximum importance to the winner in the last lap.

Yeah all TV race directors do that. Just like their fascination with trying to get live reaction shots from the pit crew when something happens on track.

[Maelochs]

I am 100% with purist here. That little strip of grass keeps drivers honest but shouldn't cause more crashes because ti would be backed by all that asphalt people like.

Poeple say, "Well, there was only one yellow because of the asphalt." I say, yes, the asphalt prevented one caution period ... but did it make the whole race better? And would there have been an accident if there had been three or four feet of grass before the asphalt run-off?

As for time to all the classes ... yes, and they try to mention each car, which is good for sponsorship. However, When they mention all those cars make a difference. Also, when and how often the series inserts puff pieces is important.

How often did the director show a couple of cars fighting hard and then cut away because there wasn't immediately a pass? The thing is, the director doesn't understand the Build-Up of tension needed before a Release.

The broadcast is not a highlight reel---every second doesn't have to be a crash or a pass. race fans like anticipation---watching drivers trying to overtake is as exciting as the actual pass.

In fact, without the build-up the pass tends not to be as exciting---Tension---release is how it works. No catharsis without tension, and no meaning without context.

[Beetle]

Wow, what a race! That was the best ALMS event I've seen in a long, long time. I'm really pleased to see that the Vipers are up to Corvette and BMW pace, possibly even faster on high speed tracks like Mosport and Road America. That was such an epic battle at the end between Corvette and Viper; that's the first time I'm screamed at my TV since Vettel got taken out at Interlagos last year.

I don't give a damn about run-off or whatever... that was one hell of a race and there is absolutely nothing to complain about!

It just struck me now: if Mosport doesn't have a future in world class American sportscar racing, then what a way to say a final goodbye to what will most likely be considered as one of the most epic tracks the ALMS ever went to. It always produces great racing, and it's really quite sad to see it go. But what a way to end the show with a bang.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

That's was a great race as always,good finish or not alms has always been great.and only one caution at this track is awesome.im a littler bummed that I had to watch most of the race through in car cameras of the 551,4,91,and 55 also with timing and scoring to expierance actual racing.also good that delta wing didnt cause a caution, when I saw it slow down I was about to get ****ed if it caused a caution.anyways can't wait for road America should be another good track for corvette and viper and hopefully risi and rebellion return

[chernaudi]

And it seems that in the USCR circuit thread that Mosport will be back next year. Toronto Sun says that the documents are in route to the main office of Canadian Motorsport Ventures and are expected to be signed shortly.

So even though the ALMS as we know it won't be back at Mosport, USCR will be there next year.

[Mechanic Z]

Really impressed by Farnbacher. After that order to Wittmer basically telling him to knock other cars out of the way, I expected to see the 91 car racing very roughly, but Farnbacher never put a fender on the Corvette. Really classy driving, and an equally classy interview after the race.

Any official report on Drissi's condition? Sounded like he was OK on the broadcast.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by HJJ

That was awesome. As was Johnny O's comment before the pass; "Wolf's just being a jerk"!

I missed a bit of that battle, but the parts I saw I really didn't take much exception with. Garcia was clearly much quicker, but it was a fight for position, and I really didn't see the 17 do anything blatant like Sean Edwards' blocking in the GTC late stages. Did I miss something?

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

Really classy driving, and an equally classy interview after the race.

+1, that was great stuff and a nice post-race interview. Reminded me of Bourdais last weekend after the first IndyCar race in Toronto - acknowledging that a win would have been nice, but that the winner deserved it and really happy for the great result for the team.

More of this please, and less from whining drivers.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

Really impressed by Farnbacher. After that order to Wittmer basically telling him to knock other cars out of the way, I expected to see the 91 car racing very roughly, but Farnbacher never put a fender on the Corvette. Really classy driving, and an equally classy interview after the race.

Dominik is really just an all around good guy... had the pleasure of talking to him a couple of times at the 24hours at the Ring or some ADAC GT-Masters races and he has always been very approachable and humble, no matter if you had a press pass or not. Really happy to see his talents recognized by a factory team.

[FstrthnU]

By the way, whatever happened to (Hankook) Farnbacher Racing? Did he run out of money or is it still racing in Europe?

[Mechanic Z]

Okay, I watched the bit I missed on the ESPN3 replay. I can see why Garcia- and O'Connell- would be a little upset with Henzler for when he cut in front of the 3 right before the 6 hit the 17. Really not a big incident, though.

Greg Creamer used the nonsensical term argey-bargey.
I really wish they'd change the broadcast teams to last year's line-ups.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

By the way, whatever happened to (Hankook) Farnbacher Racing? Did he run out of money or is it still racing in Europe?

Hankook switched their European budget to DTM (being the control tire there). Farnbacher Racing, however, is still going strong, fielding a fleet of three 997 GT3 R in ADAC GT-Masters this year - one of them driven by the late Allan Simonsen, so I am not quite sure if we'll see that particular car again for the remaining races.

Dominik's little brother Mario is one of the team's drivers - and at least before the Viper program went fully online, Dominik was also involved with the management of the team.

[Adam43]

An argument where you barge into someone one else. Seems to fit the bill

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

A summary of this user's 3,000 posts:

You miss Crapwagon, why not post there with the 9 remaining users? Must feel bad to have your 2 favourite series which were shadows of their former self die within half a decade, hopefully you don't bring your misfortune to the WEC as I enjoy that.

I must be the oldest person in the world under the age of 35.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

If Sharp can't pass Tucker ... maybe hang up the helmet?

Sharp was doing a lot better towards the end of the race. He had pulled right up to Franchitti's wing, and had Luhr not split the two before the line, he could possibly have fought him for the lead.

Also, Sharp's speed deficit to Franchitti was pretty similar to Franchitti's speed deficit to Conway!

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

I missed a bit of that battle, but the parts I saw I really didn't take much exception with. Garcia was clearly much quicker, but it was a fight for position, and I really didn't see the 17 do anything blatant like Sean Edwards' blocking in the GTC late stages. Did I miss something?

This was after the #4 passed the #17 to put it a lap down. The #4 was able to gap the 2nd and 3rd place cars because they couldn't get around Wolf. The sentiment was that once you are a lap down he should have let the leaders go.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

This was after the #4 passed the #17 to put it a lap down. The #4 was able to gap the 2nd and 3rd place cars because they couldn't get around Wolf. The sentiment was that once you are a lap down he should have let the leaders go.

In fairness, he also held the #4 up for a bit, so it probably evened out. In principle I agree though, at that point there's really no need to keep fighting.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

You miss Crapwagon, why not post there with the 9 remaining users? Must feel bad to have your 2 favourite series which were shadows of their former self die within half a decade,

Oh, a shot at my (supposedly) 2 favorite series of CART and ALMS dying; from someone with the username: Ford....Cosworth....Panoz.

That's a good one.

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

hopefully you don't bring your misfortune to the WEC as I enjoy that.

From your posting history, it doesn't seem like you enjoy anything. If that is the case, then why are you here?

[TF110]

The Viper had a shot, stupid spec cars getting in the way!

[freeballin]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

You miss Crapwagon, why not post there with the 9 remaining users? Must feel bad to have your 2 favourite series which were shadows of their former self die within half a decade, hopefully you don't bring your misfortune to the WEC as I enjoy that.

I must be the oldest person in the world under the age of 35.

This is incredible.