Oh yeah I've got the US Open on and Le Mans on the other tv.The mechanical problems on the #2 Porsche is a big hit on the LMP1 battle. There's now just one Porsche against the Toyotas. LMP2 doesn't really hold my interest. The best racing will be in the GTE classes where balance of performance dictates closely matched competition.
It's really not exciting viewing for a casual viewer but it's perfect for streaming as background over the 24 hours.
Eephus said:The mechanical problems on the #2 Porsche is a big hit on the LMP1 battle. There's now just one Porsche against the Toyotas. LMP2 doesn't really hold my interest. The best racing will be in the GTE classes where balance of performance dictates closely matched competition.
It's really not exciting viewing for a casual viewer but it's perfect for streaming as background over the 24 hours.
Speculation was, that after the whole Volkswagen AG emissions scandal back in 2015, Volkswagen decided to cut the sports car program. Total speculation, of course, but it wouldn't surprise me.Why did Audi drop their program? Tired of winning?
Money is the short answer for any question involving factory involvement in motorsports. The TDI scandal sped up the timetable but it didn't make long term sense to have two divisions battling it out.Speculation was, that after the whole Volkswagen AG emissions scandal back in 2015, Volkswagen decided to cut the sports car program. Total speculation, of course, but it wouldn't surprise me.
The official word is that they wanted to devote more time to the Formula E Series because that's where the future of auto sports is going. So they say
Edit: It was a very unceremonious end to such a great program. People like Dr. Ullrich, head of the program, and other key individuals were allowed to stay on but their focus would be turning to other endeavors inside V-AG
Agree about the money, Audi spent a great deal of loot on all the cars from the R8 to the R18.Money is the short answer for any question involving factory involvement in motorsports. The TDI scandal sped up the timetable but it didn't make long term sense to have two divisions battling it out.
Although Porsche is reportedly mulling over a Formula E program.
Watched some of this with a friend who has recently gotten super into it all. More entertaining than I thought, seems kinda ####ty all the other Toyota got killed so early.
Going to drop the good ole, "Dot," here and add some commentary.Porsche is pulling its factory team out of LMP1 at the end of the season. They're going to go to Formula E which has lower costs and different PR. There are also speculation about Porsche reentering Formula 1 when the regulations change in 2020.
This leaves only Toyota in LMP1 for 2018 which doesn't seem sustainable. Le Mans will survive, it always has, but only one team competing for first overall will diminish the race a bit until the situation changes.
Well, I hope she and the child are doing well. Best wishes to you and yours.We went through it but the wife ended up having a C-section.
I had the Petit LeMans on as background noise for most of the race. BoP and full course yellows make for manufactured competition but close and exciting racing in every class.
I agree w/ Drunken Slob about the old Daytona Prototypes but they kept the sports car racing flame burning in the this country. The new DP cars are a big improvement. I can live without the LMP1s because those megabucks factory programs are only out for themselves. The current LMP1 formula is dead, I hope the 2019 specs are better but that really only matters for one race a year.
At a lower level of megabucks, hats off to Corvette for winning GTLM constructors once again. Considering all the miles they ran over the season, a few seconds here and there and BWM or Ford could have won.
Can't wait til the Rolex 24. I hope the established DP teams are up to the challenge from Joest and Penske.
Thanks man, I'm just some snaggletooth out here in the hills of West-By-God (there's a saying about that).Love the drunken slob takes, even though I don't understand half of them. Glad I have this starred, will be interesting to see what Le Mans is like next year.
I don't think any form of motorsports circa 2018 would be improved by a tire war. I want see races decided by drivers, cars and teams, not tires. The shoes first have to be safe and then function with some kind of predictable grip/degradation curve. I don't ever want to see a fiasco like the 2005 USGP ever again.
The problem with IMSA teams going to Europe for more than Le Mans is it'll take a big chunk out of the summer schedule over here. I'd like to see the Americas, Europe and Asia can agree on common formulas for prototypes and GTs and use Le Mans as the Super Bowl/World Cup/Kentucky Derby of the sport. The sanctioning bodies can always find a way to screw things up but if the manufacturers set the standard and keep a unified front, they'll have tremendous clout.
I accept BoP as a reality of the times. Nobody wants to come in and get trounced every weekend, even Honda F1 will grow tired of it. I can live without the sandbagging and whining but the sport has always been about maximizing tiny advantages.
Jesus, even Bear Bryant made it longer than him. :(RIP longtime sports car team owner Johnny Stevenson.
He just closed his GTD operation down last week after Road Atlanta. His retirement lasted nine days.
x1000I'm not a fan of a season championship looping to the following calendar year. Every other form of world motorsport (except for one Formula E event in December) runs Jan-Dec, which means driver and sponsor contracts are on the same cycle. There are going to be cases where teams change during the winter break that will disrupt the integrity of the championship.
I understand why the FIA wants the WEC to climax at its biggest event but I think Le Mans is so big that it will overshadow the championship. They'd be better off IMO if they used the championship to build up some of the other events rather than make the series more dependent on Le Mans. An eight race super season spread over fourteen months seems kind of paltry too.
It's good to see Sebring back at the center of world sports car racing. It'll be interesting to see if the separate WEC 1500 miler can coexist with the traditional IMSA 12-hour race. That's an awful lot of racing over a weekend.
What's all this Lexington, OH talk?@Eephus
Been wanting to post this up since the Fuji race. Have you seen the 2018/2019 Super Season that revolves around Le Mans?
https://www.lemans.org/en/news/wec-evolves-super-season-in-response-to-competitors-and-fans/47455
The IMSA season will roll on with the usual Le Mans break.
All I know is, for the first time in many years, my #### will be in Lexington, Ohio
IMSA returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the weekend of May 4 to May 6.What's all this Lexington, OH talk?
I live a few hours away. Tell me more.
Missed this, thanks for the updateRIP to the great Dan Gurney. He was first overall at Le Mans in 1967 but also won his class in 1964 driving a Cobra. He won the first endurance event held at Daytona and would have won Sebring in 1966 if he hadn't been DQed for pushing his car across the finish line. He drove everything but I remember him best as a constructor of AAR Eagles. He was a global ambassador of SoCal hot rod culture who continued to innovate and tinker to the end.
I got a comped hospitality package at the 2000 USGP at Indy and ran into Gurney behind the garages. I shook his hand but was interrupted by Jack Brabham. I was able to get a picture of the two legends having a conversation. Gurney had to yell directly into Sir Jack's ears because he was apparently quite deaf. They're both gone now leaving Stirling Moss, Stewart and Ickx as the only living GP winners from the 1960s.
What's tix situation? Is it good viewing? Tail gate and watch some racing?IMSA returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the weekend of May 4 to May 6.
In the past, I'd get there Thursday afternoon and camp in a lot beside the designated camping area. Then on Friday morning I'd literally jump the fence to claim our parking/camping area for the weekend. This year I'll probably go alone, so I plan on staying with a friend in Tallmadge and just drive to the track each day. I may change my mind though.
1) Here's the tix info: https://sportscarchampionship.imsa.com/events/2018-mid-ohio-sports-car-courseWhat's tix situation? Is it good viewing? Tail gate and watch some racing?
I'd be seriously interested in going up for a day and taking this in.
The good ole days are gone pal.BOP changes announced for Daytona
The constant struggle for parity is part of modern motorsport. I guess it's required to control costs and keep the manufacturers involved but it's also antithetical to the innovation of Gurney's era. BOP would have crippled the early 70s Indy Eagles when lap speeds jumped by almost 20mph in a year, and his IMSA GTP Toyotas that won over 3/4ths of the races they ran.
BOP and full course yellows all but guarantees that the four classes in the Rolex will be closely fought for the entire 24 hours.