ALMS at Laguna Seca

[Tim Northcutt]

It's been kinda quiet this week in the forum considering there is a race this weekend....

A piece of news:

Some straightaway at Laguna Seca will be renamed the "Rahal Straight" today in ceremonies at the track...

So...do you think they are working pretty hard to get Bobby's racing operation to join the series with a full-time effort????

A Thought:

I read the piece on the ALMS site about "A Lap at Laguna" with one of the Audi drivers, and throughout the piece, he talked about how "This is a fast corner" or "this is a fast straight"....

I guess when you're driving an Audi, you can take many sections of the course "Fast"...or at least a lot faster than your competitors...

Overall...

There also should be good action in the various classes....and I'm interested most in seeing how tthe Dyson team fares in the overall picture in both qualifying and in the race...

The real battle to watch, again, will be the Corvettes and the Ferraris....but I don't know if they can top the action they had in the final laps at Mosport a few weeks ago....

To me, this is the last "race" until Petit...Nogaro probably will draw minimal cars as everyone prepares for LM Bugatti in November, and I thought that the Miami Race was boring last year...a tight, slow race course....a pretty-looking street setting, but the racing action did not excite me at all last year....

[Dauntless]

Tim wrote: I guess when you're driving an Audi, you can take many sections of the course "Fast"...or at least a lot faster than your competitors...

Actually, due to Laguna Seca's design (mostly fast corners with positive camber), much of the track can be taken at high speed in most any car. AWD just adds to the fun...

[gttouring]

I was at laguna hot lapping last weekend, wow.
when you are there on TV it is absolutely flat looking, this place is a real cracker of a track.
the first turn (not the kink which for some reason is called turn one) the hairpin, who knew it drops out from under you and you go down -it has banking- and swing fast left and back up, the next corner in was flatish if i can get the right gearing.
then the uphill climb is like scaling a building! so high and long just to drop off at the corckscrew, i almost wet my pants!
spun twice there. and then down down down,
what a track!
anyways, my money goes on Torque monsters here, Vettes for sure
and the small Dysons should prove well, if they get out in front of Audis, the panoz is a wild card, i would think they would do well but who knows with their current luck and lack luster results...

[Liz]

I'm not at the race (for a change) but do have a correspondent on the grounds who is just off to do interviews. We should have some good reading on our website tonight if she gets her homework done before the Pig Roast. It's hot and sunny and the action is starting to pick up, so lets hope for a good crowd for NBC on Sunday!

[Tim Northcutt]

Top Five in Today's Practice:

1. Joest Audi 1:16.6????
2. Champion Audi 1:17.8????
3. #16 Dyson - Leitzinger -- low 1:18s
4. #10 Panoz - Beretta -- mid 1:18s
5. #20 Dyson - C. Dyson -- high 1:18s

Notes:

The Bucknum Pilbeam was 6th (1:19s for best lap)
Intersport 675 Lola was 7th
The Other Panoz 8th
American Spirit R&S was 9th (1:21)
Intersport R&S 10th (1:23)

Let's see who will run well tomorrow....but it looks like a lot of time to make up for a lot of cars....the proto race may be for the third spot on the podium....

The surprise....the Pilbeam being 6th and ahead of the Intersport Lola...

Maybe we need to go to Confession...the Apocalypse must be upon us ...or coming VERY soon...

[Fab]

There's a FIA-GT race too... too bad that Eurosport don't show the Laguna Seca race, at least this week-end... maybe later ?

The top of the grid promises a good fight again...