Sebring...where are they?

almzkid · 31 Jan 2004, 02:37 (Ref:857129)

NO Rafanelli...where is he?
No Allegra, Creation Autosportif, Panoz (how could you not support your own series?), WR, Konrad.

GT field makes up almost half the grid and the number of teams that didn't enter is almost as large as those that did. Big time dissapointed.

Still Florida in March is to tempting to resist

Fogelhund · 31 Jan 2004, 03:01 (Ref:857138)

Did I miss something? Is the entry list final?

Es Nes · 31 Jan 2004, 04:35 (Ref:857202)

i wouldnt be surprised if Rafanelli didnt show up after olive garden and Rafanelli went theyre seperate ways at the end of 03

KA · 31 Jan 2004, 09:43 (Ref:857346)

Wasn't there something in the UK press (either Autosport or Motorsport News) this week regarding the Care Racing entries at Sebring which said that Care were expected to decide sometime in the next week or so which team would actually run the cars for them- both Rafanelli and Dave Price being suggested as contenders for the deal?

911gt1 · 31 Jan 2004, 14:33 (Ref:857603)

Quote:

Originally posted by almzkid
NO Rafanelli...where is he?
No Allegra, Creation Autosportif, Panoz (how could you not support your own series?), WR, Konrad.

GT field makes up almost half the grid and the number of teams that didn't enter is almost as large as those that did. Big time dissapointed.

Still Florida in March is to tempting to resist

Rafanelli probably won't be back. The Panoz LMPs are gone but there is supposed to be a factory GT (GTS?) effort this year.

I would expect the entry list to grow after Daytona this weekend.

Liz · 31 Jan 2004, 14:36 (Ref:857606)

Many of our driver contacts report that negotiations are still under way. I doubt that list is final.

19dodge · 31 Jan 2004, 14:38 (Ref:857609)

the deadline for the entries was jan 28th. i hope that imsa will let a few more teams enter if they went past the deadline. Its really strange to me that JMB USA and Konrad havnt enetered. Konrad now has 3 saleen chassis, why cant he run 1 car at sebring? And JMB USA should run 2 360's in GT as well.

EDIT: just checked that the first fia gt race is march 28th, a week after sebring. And Konrad plans to enter 2 cars there. Maybe he wont have enough time to move the crew from the usa to monza. (or hasnt taken delivery of the 3rd chassis yet)

Mags · 3 Feb 2004, 05:49 (Ref:861075)

Quote:

Originally posted by almzkid
NO Rafanelli...where is he?
No Allegra, Creation Autosportif, Panoz (how could you not support your own series?), WR, Konrad.

GT field makes up almost half the grid and the number of teams that didn't enter is almost as large as those that did. Big time dissapointed.

Still Florida in March is to tempting to resist

My take is they are still waiting for Sascha and Lucas to announce where they are going... even though everyone says they are leaving the series. If they leave Porsche.. EVERYONE will try to get them.

The Badger · 3 Feb 2004, 10:54 (Ref:861230)

There going to Freisinger as far as I know ... as for Raf , I got a funny feeling about a prodrive 550 . Its gone way to quite for Raf to be up to nothin IMO ....

I cant believe that no one is racing a Panoz LMP in any of the series !!! Its got to be the second best car out there

Duffacus · 3 Feb 2004, 11:29 (Ref:861262)

I know for a fact at least 8 Prodrive 550's will race this year and 3 are certain for FIAGT and at least 2 for LMES (maybe four). That leaves some left over, we might yet see one.

slicktsax · 3 Feb 2004, 16:35 (Ref:861529)

well one of the members of this forum i forgt who said he emailed care racing and said care racing was going to have 8 or 9 cars for 2004. we know that 3 are committed to teh fia GT so that leaves 5 or 6 cars left. also last year posted on the care racing site, the team that ran the yellow corn mclaren F1 in the JGTC championship is going to run a prodrive 550 so that leaves 4 or 5, i believe i read some where that larbre has secured 2 550 or vice versa so that leaves 2 or 3 left

on a different note where is the carsport of holland pagoni, i remember reading they were going to enter it at sebring and lemans. it would be a shame if tehy quit on it now after already spending so much money on it's development. i know the car has lots of potential. as far as JMB USA they have commited to running teh entire rolex grand am series so it doesn't look like they will be at sebring or the ALMS. and so far looks like only 4 cars are committed to the GTS class for the whole ALMS season the 2 works corvettes, the acemco saleen and the carsport america viper. that would make it the lowest GTS entry i believe in ALMS history even in 2001 there were 5 because american viper racing were racing 2 vipers

as for the spyker i read somewhere that they were taking the year off to do more development and because tehy still haven't built enough road cars. by 2005 they should have enough road cars so their race version will be up to speed. hopefully care racing will commit 2 550's this year because their battle with the vettes last year was one of the best GT battles in the world

Carousel · 3 Feb 2004, 16:36 (Ref:861530)

Well, two of Care Racing's 550s are entered at Sebring. No drivers are listed yet, and there's nothing definite about Care teaming with Prodrive as they did last year. But if I had to put money on it, I'd say that Care/Prodrive will be back for the full ALMS season with two cars and drivers who have experience in Ferrari 550s. M. Dor (like Sr. Rafanelli) isn't fond of racing without sponsors, but something tells me at least one of those gentlemen will find a way to race in North America this year.

Duffacus · 3 Feb 2004, 16:48 (Ref:861544)

The guy who emailed Care Racing was me, thats how I know! I do hope they have cars in the ALMS though, it would be a great shame if they didn't.

slicktsax · 3 Feb 2004, 16:53 (Ref:861553)

ah ok Duffacus. didn't someone post a while ago that reiter would bring a lambo to the ALMS like at Mosport or something? also Barron Conner racing might also do some other ALMS races like maybe road america and petit lemans

paul-collins · 3 Feb 2004, 17:10 (Ref:861567)

Mid-O is the supposed debut of the Lambo. The rumour also had Dick Barbour attached, although I've heard separately he's not definite on what exactly he'll be running, but that he will be back.

Care is running a customer program, sort of like American Spirit. Prodrive will provide logistical and technical support as far as I know. The aim is full ALMS depending on funds and drivers (as always).

JAG · 3 Feb 2004, 18:29 (Ref:861646)

In the UK press it has been reported that there will definetley be 2 'works' Care 550s in the ALMS and LMES. Rafanelli and Dave Price are in the running for the ALMS deal.

DAMS and Labre the LMES deal. Colin McRae will apparently drive for the chosen LMES team.

There have been rumours of at least one other team running Prodrive 550s in the LMES.

As for the Carsport Zonda, Force One will run a revised Zonda in the LMES. I suspect Carsport Holland will run at least one Zonda in the LMES as well. The car is not yet homologated for FIA GTs.

The Zonda has been totally revised over the winter and has been out testing.

slicktsax · 3 Feb 2004, 21:34 (Ref:861841)

yeah i thought DAMS was also getting a 550. too bad carsport holland didn't enter sebring, that would have been a good test for their revised zonda. and i heard colin mcrea was only looking into driving a care 550. i know prodrive wasn't running them anymore just providing service. have to remember that prodrive is also busy developing the new aston martin DB9 racer dor the GTS class that should debut in 2005

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