IMSA Race 2018 Petit Le Mans

**joeb** · 25 Sep 2018, 02:50 (Ref:3852524)

It is nearly here, the first Petit without Don P.

Lots of battles still to be decided on track. Core still has a chance at the title, with the 31 Caddy in the lead. Their job will be to stay ahead of the Core car at all cost. This is also a NAEC round so there are weird bonus points for leading in the middle of the race. The 3 Corvette has a 9 point lead over the 67 Ford, so this isn't done either. Risi is expected to be back after missing most of the season to add a little more variety to the GTE class. In GTD the 48 Lambo has a 6 point lead over Legge in the Acura.

I'm expecting a lot of yellows this year, the drivers haven't been the most well behaved all year and people are going to be taking chances with the championships still on the line. Nonetheless, I'm sure going to enjoy the hell out of it Wed-Saturday.

Schedule

Entry List

**joeb** · 26 Sep 2018, 01:10 (Ref:3852691)

Chaves in for 3rd driver in 31 Caddy.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/c...petit-le-mans/

Could make it break the championship for them. Core has Dumas as third driver, but still with Bennett as second driver. Strategy will be important.

broadrun96 · 26 Sep 2018, 01:28 (Ref:3852693)

Posted in the 2018 thread but HART has pulled out of Petit due to financial concerns.

https://racer.com/2018/09/21/hart-ac...petit-le-mans/

MaskedRacer · 27 Sep 2018, 15:07 (Ref:3852978)

The Petit Le Mans could be jammed with safety car periods for sure. It will make the race worse if so. I am going to pick Penske Acura, Porsche GT, and Land Audi for the victories.

We have gotten a few races that have been clean though. Not coincidentally, they have been the best races of the year: Daytona, Mid Ohio, Lime Rock, and VIR are the 4 that stand out for me. The rest have been junk or 'eh'. Laguna left a bad taste in me for some reason. After a great 2017 event, the 2018 edition will NOT go down as one of IMSA's finest races thats for sure.

At this point I really really hope that the 2019 Daytona 24 has no more than 45 entries.

Akrapovic · 27 Sep 2018, 16:40 (Ref:3852993)

I'm pulling for CORE for the title. Because it'd be ridiculous and awesome.

**joeb** · 27 Sep 2018, 17:30 (Ref:3853009)

Imsa has a contest to allow a fan to be the Grand Marshall of the race:

https://www.imsa.com/news/092018/mot...tra-next-level

You have to write about how much Don P meant to you! lol

broadrun96 · 27 Sep 2018, 18:10 (Ref:3853015)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Imsa has a contest to allow a fan to be the Grand Marshall of the race:

https://www.imsa.com/news/092018/mot...tra-next-level

You have to write about how much Don P meant to you! lol

I'm guessing you will have to be sober to be the grand marshal so there's that drawback

**joeb** · 27 Sep 2018, 18:12 (Ref:3853016)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I'm guessing you will have to be sober to be the grand marshal so there's that drawback

The thought crossed my mind, but I don't have any desire to write an essay today. Guess I'll have to watch trackside instead.

fieldodreams79 · 27 Sep 2018, 18:22 (Ref:3853018)

https://twitter.com/VanthoorLaurens/...25623919067136

Can't wait. Hope to make it through the entire weekend this year.

fieldodreams79 · 27 Sep 2018, 18:27 (Ref:3853020)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I'm guessing you will have to be sober to be the grand marshal so there's that drawback

You also must write a 350 word essay. While that's easy for many in this subforum

, that ain't happenin.

broadrun96 · 27 Sep 2018, 18:38 (Ref:3853021)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

https://twitter.com/VanthoorLaurens/...25623919067136

Can't wait. Hope to make it through the entire weekend this year.

Only if someone adds a muffler to that thing they call an engine. I know I'm the minority but I HATE the RSR engine note. Although it is better than the GT at FCY speeds, that's pathetic.

Road Atlanta is a busy place this week, think most everyone is testing there one day this week or next. And then Michelin testing on Monday after Petit.

MaskedRacer · 3 Oct 2018, 17:59 (Ref:3854348)

Entry list is posted now. Should update the first posting with a hyperlink.

37 cars overall. Not a bad number. We are at a point where we don't want grids to be too large. Mechanical reliability is not the issue it used to be. Plus more cars means more potential for safety car periods. A place like Road Atlanta has had lots of them in the past.

broadrun96 · 3 Oct 2018, 18:10 (Ref:3854352)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Entry list is posted now. Should update the first posting with a hyperlink.

37 cars overall. Not a bad number. We are at a point where we don't want grids to be too large. Mechanical reliability is not the issue it used to be. Plus more cars means more potential for safety car periods. A place like Road Atlanta has had lots of them in the past.

Yeah, the larger fields tended to end up with full course cautions with drivers passing in places it doesn't work, like at the bottom of the Esses. 35-40 seems about right, maybe up to 45. Sitting in an "employee appreciation" session that's really a look how great we are as a city makes me want to be at the track now instead of next week

Sucks that SoD won't have their send off race to wrap things up. Not having the money to race after a supposedly good test with other Caddy DPis at Road Atlanta recently doesn't sound good for the continuation of the team

fieldodreams79 · 3 Oct 2018, 18:13 (Ref:3854353)

Agreed on the numbers. I like green sessions.

Akrapovic · 3 Oct 2018, 18:23 (Ref:3854357)

Petit is so small (ha) that 37 will still feel good. That's a nice number.

Mazda loses two drivers to WEC and DTM Clashes, which is a shame.

gert · 3 Oct 2018, 18:26 (Ref:3854358)

I'm quite looking forward to this one. I have made sure I am at home that weekend (and that my friends/colleagues know I'll be "busy"

)

**joeb** · 3 Oct 2018, 18:45 (Ref:3854361)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Entry list is posted now. Should update the first posting with a hyperlink.

37 cars overall. Not a bad number. We are at a point where we don't want grids to be too large. Mechanical reliability is not the issue it used to be. Plus more cars means more potential for safety car periods. A place like Road Atlanta has had lots of them in the past.

Thanks, I have updated the first post now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Petit is so small (ha) that 37 will still feel good. That's a nice number.

Mazda loses two drivers to WEC and DTM Clashes, which is a shame.

The driver clashes are unfortunate, but also can give new drivers a chance to prove themselves. Or at least we get to see proven talent in different cars

Akrapovic · 3 Oct 2018, 19:03 (Ref:3854370)

Di Grassi and Franchitti are in the cars. For Di Grassi I guess it isn't that important, but for Marino he really has to impress given his lack of drives recently.

Purist · 4 Oct 2018, 02:34 (Ref:3854431)

Just 45 entries would be a bit thin for Daytona.

I wouldn't mind if it was up to 40 for Road Atlanta, but this is alright. I'm definitely glad to see Risi back in there. And though it's unfortunate to see them not make it, I can't say that another Cadillac, from SoD, was something I'd especially be looking forward to. I wish someone would wave the flag for Ligier in the LMP2 ranks, but that's not happening this time. I wouldn't have minded seeing another Lambo in GTD as well, so the #48 doesn't have to go it alone. I like Turner being out there, but I hope there's an M8 GT3 in the pipeline, as that car grabs my attention rather more than the M6.

In general, I'm just hoping IMSA's adjustments help to get healthy, season-long grids in the 4 classes for 2019.

broadrun96 · 4 Oct 2018, 02:48 (Ref:3854435)

Looks like the Yac Attack has been benched by the team after Laguna and punting Tincknell after being warned in the radio he was approaching and let him pass. He's out and Will Owen and Jose Gutierrez are in the car with Saavedra. I'd forgotten how Gutierrez ended the race nose high over the tires last year.

https://racer.com/2018/10/03/owen-gu...s-yacaman-out/

**joeb** · 4 Oct 2018, 12:56 (Ref:3854510)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Looks like the Yac Attack has been benched by the team after Laguna and punting Tincknell after being warned in the radio he was approaching and let him pass. He's out and Will Owen and Jose Gutierrez are in the car with Saavedra. I'd forgotten how Gutierrez ended the race nose high over the tires last year.

https://racer.com/2018/10/03/owen-gu...s-yacaman-out/

I forgot that too, but seeing that picture brought back the memories!

broadrun96 · 4 Oct 2018, 23:20 (Ref:3854580)

New livery for the GTD challenger 86 to celebrate, maybe not the right word but that's what they used, Continental Tires.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/n...l-tire-livery/

CyberMotor · 5 Oct 2018, 18:55 (Ref:3854742)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Entry List

That link is broken. This one works... https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...trylist_v2.pdf

**joeb** · 5 Oct 2018, 19:50 (Ref:3854749)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

That link is broken. This one works... https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...trylist_v2.pdf

Imsa sucks at keeping entry list links working, but thanks for letting me know. I've made the update

CyberMotor · 7 Oct 2018, 22:15 (Ref:3855302)

Thanks, Joeb, for your work in getting the threads posted.

This one is tough. About a month ago, I had a student from Braselton sign up for our classes. When I heard that she was from Braselton, I asked if she knew Don Panoz or of him? She had moved in from out of state and knew Chateau Elan and Road Atlanta but not Don.

Three weeks ago, she came in at the start of our Saturday morning class and showed me the Braselton newspaper while saying, "Is this the Don Panoz you were talking about? He died two days ago!"

I was hit with a brick and it knocked the wind out of my sails. Here I was standing in the middle of a class about to get started and I got hit with this shock. So many stories, so much history, so much...

As tears welled in my eyes, I had to leave the classroom.

As I returned a few minutes later there is no way I could explain and simply said, "Good morning, class!"

I still have lots to say and hope I can find the time in my schedule to do so this week.

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