2014 IMSA TUSC - Round 1 - Rolex 24 at Daytona

[Beetle]

CIRCUIT WEBSITE•TICKETS•WEEKEND SCHEDULE•ENTRY LIST•EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST•HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATIONS•TRACK MAP•LAP OF DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY•ANDY BLACKMORE'S SPOTTER GUIDES•FRC PREDICTION COMPETITION

COUNTDOWN AND TIME CONVERSION PAGES
PRACTICE 1•PRACTICE 2•QUALIFYING•PRACTICE 3•PRACTICE 4•ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

Racing fans had to nostalgically bid farewell to the American Le Mans Series, which quit operations after Petit Le Mans, 2013, but the series successor, the Tudor United SportsCar Championship, is poised to impress the world with unprecedented competition and interest from expert teams and organizations from around the globe.

There have already been important historical milestones set this year, but January 25, when the green flag drops for the 52nd annual Rolex 24 at Daytona, will undoubtedly be the most pivotal we've seen in some time. Over 60 cars are expected to take to the grid, competing throughout four different, ultra-competitive classes.

PRO CLASSES
Prototype (P)
- A merger between ALMS LMP2 and Grand-AM DP.
- America's top-tier sportscar class.
- No categorical restrictions on drivers.
- 13 full-season entries, +4 NAEC/Daytona

GT Le Mans (GTLM)
- The American Le Mans 'GT' Class continued and renamed.
- America's fastest grand touring class; i.e. cars you'd see on the street, except with a lot more aero mods.
- No categorical restrictions on drivers.
- 10 full-season entries, +2 NAEC/Daytona

PRO-AM CLASSES
Prototype Challenge (PC)
- ALMS-spec Oreca FLM09 with Corvette power
- Cost-capped, slightly slower version of Prototype (P) Class... ideal for beginning drivers or gentleman drivers.
- Maximum of 1 Platinum OR Gold-ranked driver in 2-3 driver squads, max of 2 in 4-5 driver squads (endurance races only)
- 12 full-season entries

GT Daytona (GTD)
- Merge of ALMS GTC and Grand-Am GT, GX
- A less expensive version of GTLM; cars have less downforce and aero packages
- Maximum of 1 Platinum OR Gold-ranked driver in 2-3 driver squads, max of 2 in 4-5 driver squads (endurance races only)
- 24 full-season entries, +4 NAEC/Daytona

This year's Rolex 24 proves to be one of the strongest to date, with drivers from all walks of life coming together to compete at the hallowed Speedway. 68 cars, 4 classes, 1 winner. The question is... Are you ready?

The Prototype Class is set to be one of the most competitive ever as the inaugural Tudor United SportsCar Championship kicks off at Daytona. 2013 DTM Champion and sportscar ace Mike Rockenfeller will join Michael Valiante and Richard Westbrook in the Spirit of Daytona No. 90 Corvette DP, which will be racing on home soil as the team is based just down the road. ChampCar legend and IndyCar star Sebastien Bourdais, who has massive experience in high-downforce racing machines, will co-drive with Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 5 AXR Corvette DP, which dominated the Roar Before the Rolex tests earlier this month. Additionally, team owner Wayne Taylor, who made his living racing in the Grand-Am Series, will return to high-class prototype competition at the Rolex 24, competing with sons Jordan and Ricky as well as long-time co-driver Max 'The Axe' Angelelli. Among the newcomers: Sage Karam, Alexander Rossi, Tristan Vautier, Tom Dyer, Kyle Larson, and James Hinchcliffe.

Despite the 'pro-am' element, Prototype Challenge is threatening to be one of the most competitive classes at the Rolex 24. Vincente 'Enzo' Potolicchio, who blasted into American endurance sportscar racing in 2011, will partner with Le Mans Prototype stalwart Tom Kimber-Smith, a 3-time winner at La Sarthe. IndyCar racer E.J. Viso joins the rapid young Sean Rayhall and Chapman Ducote at BAR1 Motorsports, another solid lineup. Starworks Motorsport has perhaps collected the most impressive crop of drivers in their two-car assault: open-wheel standout Renger van der Zande, World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff, and 2013 GP2 Series runner-up Sam Bird. Among the newcomers: Huff, Van der Zande, Bird, Viso, Rayhall, David Cheng, and Doug Bielefield.

The team to beat in GTLM comes in Velocity Yellow: Corvette Racing dominated the Roar Before the Rolex tests, with the sleek new C7.Rs sweeping 5 out the 8 practice sessions. SRT seemed to be their nearest competitor, with the Vipers taking a few top times of their own. IndyCar Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay will join Marc Goossens and Dominik Farnbacher in the No. 91, while GT expert Rob Bell will co-drive with Kuno Wittmer and Jonathan Bomarito in the No. 93. BMW and Porsche Team North America/CORE were down on speed during the tests, but consider them the dark horse of the field with some of the strongest lineups. Also, watch out for the single Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage; the vastly-improved Paul Dalla Lana could easily take a slew of AMR factory drivers to class victory. Among the newcomers: Michael Christensen, Kuno Wittmer, and Rob Bell.

It will be a mad dash right to the bitter end in GTD, with 28 cars expected to compete at the Rolex 24. The field is jam-packed with talent and diversity: factory drivers will be competing beside long-time Grand-Am veterans in a class representing six different manufacturers and 21 nationalities. An introduction? I wouldn't know where to start! Let's just say this - GTD will have any fan hooked from start till finish.

Talk about it all below... but keep it civil.
We don't want this to turn into another 'leave your axe outside' thread.



Bring on TUSC 2014!!!!

[The Happy Track Fan]

Thanks for the thread Beetle.

Looking forward to attending the Rolex 24 in a couple of weeks with my dad and best bud.

Weather permitting, we leave St. Catharines, ON at about 11:30 pm Thursday night and drive straight through to Ormond Beach and stay there Friday night. At the track Saturday and Sunday for the race, then leave Sunday afternoon and drive back and get back Monday evening.

This will be the 3rd Rolex for my dad and I. We attended in 1990 and 2002. It wasn't intended to be an every 12 years tradition to go, but here we are in 2014 ready to go again.

This could be an epic race for the ages. As a Canadian, I would absolutely love to see Michael Valiente and the rest of the Spirit of Daytona boys take the overall win. I have this funny feeling though that an LMP2 car is going to shock everyone and win the damn thing on reliability and strategy. Something tells me that you just might see one of the ESM cars take the outright win.

As for GTLM. I want the Vipers to win, but I think Porsche will rule the day. In GTD, I think you will see and Audi in Victory Lane. LMPC. Core Autosport is my choice.

Can't wait. Bring it on!!

[JacobP]

Have they reached the P2/DP parity yet?

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by JacobP

Have they reached the P2/DP parity yet?

Not quite. P2s are still around a second slower and still lack about 6 MPH on the top end.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Not quite. P2s are still around a second slower and still lack about 6 MPH on the top end.

But where the LMP2's running the 5% restrictor increase? Red somewhere the teams hadnt had a chance to make the changes before the roar.

[NelisB]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

But where the LMP2's running the 5% restrictor increase? Red somewhere the teams hadnt had a chance to make the changes before the roar.

If you read through this article: http://www.racer.com/imsa-roar-test-...rticle/328755/
You'll see that all the P2's were running to different spec. I expect the DP's to get a weight increase or a HP decrease because at this moment they are still to fast (according to the article).

[canamman]

Nice thread opening Beetle.

Been looking forward to this day for a long time. All these drivers on the same track finally. Still missing a few (Dyson),but they will just be fashionably late to the party.

I will be keeping my eye on the class champions of 2013 ALMS/GrandAm
teams and how they adjusted to the new TUSC set up.

[Maelochs]

DPs are already too heavy, and P2s probably don't need more power; easier to cut some revs (electronically) from the DPs to limit their top end on the oval portions of the track, without hurting their acceleration out of corners.

[robhollyman]

can't wait for this, last came over when I was 6 with my dad to see the Kremer chop top win in 1995. Going to have a week in the Keys first then head up to Daytona to see the Porsches win both GT classes.

[chernaudi]

Per Motorsports Mayhem forum, still no solid info from IMSA or elsewhere on the TV schedule.

If the worse case scenario plays out of a bare minimum of TV coverage, to paraphrase a post at MM, it could be easier for those of us in North America (or elsewhere for that matter) to watch a WEC race or an seemingly odd-ball GT race from Dubai than one of the main events for TUSCC. If that happens, that'd be embarrassing in my opinion.

[jasonjessica09]

I will be at the race myself in person. Watching from the grandstands at turn 1. I think the view will be great there. So I won't have to worry about the TV woes for the 24 at least.

General predictions: 1) Corvette DP to win overall 2) Corvette C7 to win GTLM, beat the LMPC class winner and potentially finish in the top 5 overall 3) Porsche to win GTD 4) Attrition in the Prototype categories to be very high

I hope there are as few full course yellows as possible. I actually want to see us go back to the days when a car wins by 10-20 laps. These manufactured cautions that allows us to have 4 cars on the lead lap in the last hour really stinks. Lets make the whole 24 hour race relevant. Unlike NASCAR where 490 of the 500 miles is a parade and only the last 10 are worth watching. (not that NASCAR is worth watching for even one minute anymore)

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Per Motorsports Mayhem forum, still no solid info from IMSA or elsewhere on the TV schedule.

If the worse case scenario plays out of a bare minimum of TV coverage, to paraphrase a post at MM, it could be easier for those of us in North America (or elsewhere for that matter) to watch a WEC race or an seemingly odd-ball GT race from Dubai than one of the main events for TUSCC. If that happens, that'd be embarrassing in my opinion.

I'm sure come race day somebody will find a good live streaming link from somewhere and post it to the good folks following this forum Might take some patience until then though.

[Sput]

Originally Posted by The Happy Track Fan

Thanks for the thread Beetle.

Looking forward to attending the Rolex 24 in a couple of weeks with my dad and best bud.

Hey Happy Track Fan - you and I have crossed paths on forums for years, but I'm not sure we've ever met, have we? (Watkins Glen?) Anyway - please find me Saturday morning. Text me when you get there - nine one zero seven four two seven two zero four.
Sput

[The Badger]

I used to dispise the first generation of DP's ..... but Im really looking forward to this series .

How will DP's and P2 pare up against each other ?

How will GTLM and GTD , LMPC battle it out ?

I really hope they get the parity between DP & P2 ..... cuz there will be a lot of unhappy campers doing a lot of shouting .

I reckon DP/Corvette will have a clear 1 2 3 podium ..... just a gut feeling .

Porsche to win GTLM ..... a big Yes .

[Articus]

Any news on Risi Ferrari driver lineup?

[FstrthnU]

They will be announcing drivers sometime this week, per their Facebook page

[extramundane]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Per Motorsports Mayhem forum, still no solid info from IMSA or elsewhere on the TV schedule.

If the worse case scenario plays out of a bare minimum of TV coverage, to paraphrase a post at MM, it could be easier for those of us in North America (or elsewhere for that matter) to watch a WEC race or an seemingly odd-ball GT race from Dubai than one of the main events for TUSCC. If that happens, that'd be embarrassing in my opinion.

Fox Sports 2 is showing from 2-9PM on Saturday. Oddly, they're showing the Continental race at 9. Nothing on FS1 Saturday- they have College Basketball, UFC and live Motocross all night. My guide peters out at 3am Sunday, so no clue after that.

[FstrthnU]

TV Guide says FS1 will be broadcasting the race from 7 AM to 3 PM EST on Sunday. (the last 3rd of the race). FS2 says TBA for the time the race would be broadcast, except the 1st hour which is Motocross. (FS1's schedule is already full)

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

TV Guide says FS1 will be broadcasting the race from 7 AM to 3 PM EST on Sunday. (the last 3rd of the race). FS2 says TBA for the time the race would be broadcast, except the 1st hour which is Motocross. (FS1's schedule is already full)

I must say, I'm a bit confused. Does that mean we won't be seeing the start of the race live?

Getting impatient... Joeb, Andy Blackmore, where are you?

[extramundane]

Originally Posted by Beetle

I must say, I'm a bit confused. Does that mean we won't be seeing the start of the race live?

Race starts at 2:30...

[scottypinthemix]

this is going to be a dreadful season for me unless comcast decides to put fs2 in the line up here in atlanta.
with all the markets that don't have fs2, i am still confused at how happy tusc to announce the tv package.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by scottypinthemix

this is going to be a dreadful season for me unless comcast decides to put fs2 in the line up here in atlanta.
with all the markets that don't have fs2, i am still confused at how happy tusc to announce the tv package.

We are in the area and our AT&T Uverse has both. I am guessing FS1 or
FS2 will(also) carry the final 5 or 6 hours. They have been doing heavy
promotions during the NASCAR testing this weekend.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Thissucks.unless there a stream, looks like I won't be watching

[Lagunaseca_4life]

By the way the Imsa app is up and running.

Meh, have to wait and see how it turns out.if timing and scoring work good it would be cool.

But the grand am app didn't turn into Imsa like it said it would, just so you know In case you were waiting like me.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Thissucks.unless there a stream, looks like I won't be watching

I'll most likely be watching a race for a North American series that takes place in America on a channel from England on a stream on the internet. At least I won't have to suffer through commercials, I guess.