31 replies to this topic

[OvDrone]

US GT racing baby!

 

I don't know about you guys but I need something to get me dialed in for Pocono and this is the real deal.

 

Just GTLM and GTD today, but I'll take it. Too much open wheel shenanigans with F1, GP2, GP3 and Indycar is bad for ya. And too much poorly advertised WRC and silly Rallycross is equally bad for ya.

 

Race starts at 6pm GMT / 1pm ET. So pop open a beer and let's check out them oak trees.

 

 

Virginia

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Autosport's USCR darling, Christina Nielsen, is at the top of the standings in GTD, and is lining up 5th in class for this event. I think it's been a total breakout season for her.

 

Also, Porschewinslol

[OvDrone]

I do hope that a 'vette wins.

 

Christina

[JHSingo]

The Oak Tree Grand Prix with no Oak Tree.

 

 

RIP Oaky.

 

(Yes, I know it wasn't there last year either)

Edited by JHSingo, 23 August 2015 - 14:00.

[OvDrone]

That Falken livery looks so damn good. It's so tumblr.

[JHSingo]

It's a sad picture. Something that isn't there (the tree) with something that we won't see for much longer - in this series at least (the Falken Tire livery).

 

Also, I now have this in my head thanks tot his thread.

 

[Afterburner]

Yay! Somebody else picked it up and did a thread!

The Conti race yesterday was amazing. Something like three lead changes in the last two minutes and plenty of action, non-stop, through the whole field, and an Indycar style finish that left me with no idea who won.

Also, as something that may appeal to Christina fans, check out Ashley Freiberg's recent results in CTSC; she's had a good year this year and it would be cool to see her in the big series soon.

All GT, all the time. I'll be doing the double today and streaming this in the background while I watch Indycars. Maybe we can get a few Tudor VIRgins into the series with some cross-thread action.

[OvDrone]

I'd love that.

 

With Indycar ending next week, we need other series and threads to keep us going.

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Problem is, only about 5 people here watch GT racing and the threads fall off the front page faster then Tracy Krohn off the circuit.

 

Reckon there should be a unified Sportscar/GT racing thread next year?

[OvDrone]

It's falling off because there just was a Formula 1 race and people need to complain about how horrible Nico Rosberg is.

 

We could do that next year, yea. But I much prefer individual threads.

 

I'd love it if WRC, MotoGP, BTCC, WTCC, GT, whatever  threads would be individual for each race.

Edited by OvDrone, 23 August 2015 - 16:26.

[Afterburner]

Barely past the green flag and we already have our first Christina moment as she can't find her drinks bottle.

Reminiscent of Yacaman at the Glen two years ago spilling Red Bull all over himself and then giving a thumbs up to the camera.

Edited by Afterburner, 23 August 2015 - 17:19.

[JHSingo]

Got done watching BTCC, and now this, then IndyCar a little later.

 

What better way to spend a lazy Sunday, when the British summer weather is being typically...well, British.

[OvDrone]

Porsche really got their act together this last couple of races.

[JHSingo]

GTD Porsche attempts some rallycross...

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Ams out, Pros in in GTD

[Afterburner]

Porsche is just killing it. Bamber turns in the quickest lap while Tandy runs out in front.

Great fight for the lead in GTD right now. Still no yellows.

[Afterburner]

'I like your question but if I answer it I have to kill you.' Lucas Luhr, with his 1,000 Watt smile.

Who said Germans don't have a sense of humor?

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Haase spins off out of 2nd in GTD

[OvDrone]

Bamber, Tandy, hmmm, they sound familiar.

[Afterburner]

No luck for Paul Miller in the small-grid races.

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Are they friends with LE MANS WINNER NICO HULKENBERG?

[OvDrone]

That Kuno Wittmer kid is the real deal.

 

Shame about the #48.

[Afterburner]

Kaffer's flying. Apparently Ferraris in America prefer cooler temperatures.

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Really good race.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Christina's championship lead is extended

[OvDrone]

That was a nice little race. Really happy for the #911 and #63.

 

Tandy and Bell were mega today.

[Dan333SP]

So I mentioned in another thread a few weeks back that I was thinking of going to VIR for the TUSCC race, but was reconsidering because I found out that IMSA was only sending the GT classes (GTLM and GTD) without the prototypes.

 

A couple people here encouraged me to go, and with a friend flying in to town for the weekend I figured we might as well, as it's a 2.5 hour drive from my house and I've never been to the track.

 

I'm very glad that I did. I've been to a decent number of venues on this continent (Montreal for F1, Sebring, Road Atlanta, Homestead, Moroso/PBIR, Miami street circuits, COTA) and I have to say that VIR is the best of the lot as far as spectating and grounds. It's like being at a rustic country club for racing.

 

The crowd wasn't huge, so we never had a problem getting in or out of the track or moving from place to place to watch the racing. Lots of elevation, very little catch fencing that gets in the way of your camera lens, nice vendor facilities in what look like old red barns scattered around the venue... Very nice experience. Too bad it was very, very hot and sunny without a hint of a breeze all day, everywhere you went you just kept getting that "sweaty crowd" smell, which isn't my favorite thing in the world.

 

The actual racing wasn't spectacular, the factory Porsches (#911 and #912) qualified 1-2 and finished in that order after battling a little with the #62 Ferrari, and the grid was small-ish (18 cars), but all of the cars that did race looked spectacular and  the aural variety reminded me why I enjoy sportscar racing so much. The usual Porsche flat 6 howl, the mechanical bass of the BMW, the Corvette rumble, the flat-sounding Viper, the shrieky Aston V12, the somewhat dull Audi V10... all of them unique and loud enough to follow most of the way around the track. The BMW is probably my favorite in that regard, the GTD (basically GT3-spec) Turner car in particular.

 

The speed that the factory GTLM cars were carrying into the uphill esses headed towards the far end of the circuit was mind blowing. You could hear that the 911s were just barely feathering the throttle through a series of sweeping uphill corners with no braking and no downshifting, probably entering the complex at 140-150 mph. You could almost feel the compression forces watching them as they bottomed out with a puff of undertray smoke and swept into the right hander.

 

I've been to many endurance races with mixed fields including prototypes, and I actually enjoyed having the GTs as the "main event". It lets you appreciate the speed that these "lesser" cars can carry around the track, and the skill of the drivers is on display when they can stretch their legs and don't have to move off line 5 times a lap for protos. That said, I can only imagine what it would have been like to watch the Acura LMP car from a few years ago hurtling through those corners-

 

 

Anyway, enough rambling, if you ever have the chance to attend a race at VIR I can't speak highly enough of what a lovely venue it is. My photos are on an SD card and unavailable to me at the moment, so I'lll have to co-opt a shot taken yesterday by a professional-

 

[Afterburner]

Was an average race by the series standards this year, and not quite as thrilling as last year's, but it's sportscar racing, which is fun even if it's sometimes just the filler event between bigger series. I still love it.

I'll be working the Petit Le Mans again this year. Any of you guys planning on being there?

[Dan333SP]

Cool, my post got merged, thanks mods!

 

One other thing about these races- I just love the open paddock/grid access. I happened to be standing near the pit lane entrance filling a water bottle during a Lambo Super Trofeo race when the #911 pulled up about 10 feet from me under an awning and stopped. One by one the entire grid came rumbling out of the paddock and lined up in that area for staging. No restrictions on access to the cars. It felt like a private showing until a few dozen others showed up to take pictures. Mostly they were being driven by the mechanics, but Billy Auberlen was in his BMW so I got to give him a hand shake and wish him luck.

 

I really need to watch this whole race again on IMSA.com. I enjoyed the battle between the 458 and R8 for the first half of the race in GTD, but I lost track of the gaps during pit stops and have no idea how Townsend ended up with such a big lead. Happy for him though, when you hear him in the commentary box for Indy races you can forget what a talented driver he is.

Edited by Dan333SP, 24 August 2015 - 19:18.

[Afterburner]

Cool, my post got merged, thanks mods!

One other thing about these races- I just love the open paddock/grid access. I happened to be standing near the pit lane entrance filling a water bottle during a Lambo Super Trofeo race when the #911 pulled up about 10 feet from me under an awning and stopped. One by one the entire grid came rumbling out of the paddock and lined up in that area for staging. No restrictions on access to the cars. It felt like a private showing until a few dozen others showed up to take pictures. Mostly they were being driven by the mechanics, but Billy Auberlen was in his BMW so I got to give him a hand shake and wish him luck.

I really need to watch this whole race again on IMSA.com. I enjoyed the battle between the 458 and R8 for the first half of the race in GTD, but I lost track of the gaps during pit stops and have no idea how Townsend ended up with such a big lead. Happy for him though, when you hear him in the commentary box for Indy races you can forget what a talented driver he is.

Did you see Freddie Hunt at all? He was in the Maserati Trofeo race.

[Dan333SP]

Did you see Freddie Hunt at all? He was in the Maserati Trofeo race.

 

We only attended yesterday, and I think the last Maserati race was on Saturday . We did see their tent, which was enormous, maybe 30 cars in various states of dis assembly, they were even swapping engines on at least one car. Very impressive. I'm still sometimes amazed at how this country can sustain so many high-dollar one make series like the Lambos, Masers, Ferrari Challenge, the various Porsche cup races with GT3s or Caymans... there is just so much money flowing into racing. Makes your head spin.

[Dan333SP]

I uploaded a few of my pictures. I have a little pocket point 'n shoot with some zoom, so they're not exactly professional shots, but it gives you an idea of the sightlines at the track. Sadly my little camera can't handle noise, apparently, because all my videos just have static once the noise of the cars gets above a certain level, so basically right as they pass. Need to invest in something better in the future.

 

http://s1326.photobu...brary/VIR TUSCC

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Dan333SP, 25 August 2015 - 10:24.

[OvDrone]

Whoa, thanks for the pics and comments, Dan. Cheers.