984 replies to this topic

[paulb]

A buffet for 2020 US sports car racing including

 

IMSA https://www.imsa.com

• WeatherTech Sportscar Championship
• Michelin Pilot Challenge
• Prototype Challenge
• GT3 Cup Challenge USA
• Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America
• Ferrari Challenge

First action, the ROAR at Daytona Jan 3 – 5. 

 

 

SRO Motorsports America http://www.world-challenge.com/

• GT World Challenge America
• GT4 America
• TC America

First action, COTA March 6 - 8

 

 

Trans Am http://gotransam.com/

 

First action, Sebring Feb 29 – Mar 1. Underrated series imho, top classes are tube-framed, V-8, no traction control fun.

 

Sweet looking Ligier, http://gotransam.com...nnamed (57).jpg

 

...and whatever else might pop up like the 25 Hours of Thunderhill (December timeframe).  FYI, Colin Braun drove an LMP3 in the 2019 race.

 

 

Lets have some fun lads and laddettes!

Edited by paulb, 14 December 2019 - 18:34.

[AustinF1]

SRO Motorsports America (GT World Challenge America, GT4 America, TC America)

 

First action, COTA March 6 - 8

Be advised, if you're thinking of attending: At the SRO and WEC events at COTA this year, COTA is restricting fans to the Main Straight and Turns 1-3 ... so roughly only 25% of the circuit will be accessible. Which sucks. Same price as before, but access cut off from the best parts of the circuit, minus Turn 1.

[paulb]

Be advised, if you're thinking of attending: At the SRO and WEC events at COTA this year, COTA is restricting fans to the Main Straight and Turns 1-3 ... so roughly only 25% of the circuit will be accessible. Which sucks. Same price as before, but access cut off from the best parts of the circuit, minus Turn 1.

Genius. Shooting one foot is not enough?

[red stick]

Be advised, if you're thinking of attending: At the SRO and WEC events at COTA this year, COTA is restricting fans to the Main Straight and Turns 1-3 ... so roughly only 25% of the circuit will be accessible. Which sucks. Same price as before, but access cut off from the best parts of the circuit, minus Turn 1.

 

Saw the reschedule.  

 

Briefly thought of going, having had a blast at the 2015 Lone Star Le Mans event.    *

 

Saw the limitations on spectator access.  

 

Saw that you couldn't see the cars slow down and shoot out of turn 11.  Or going uphill through 8-9-10.  Or the passing zone at 12.  

 

Tried to comprehend holding a sports car race at a road course where you couldn't walk the track.  

 

Wondered if anyone at COTA has ever met the people who run Barber.  Road America.  Road Atlanta.  Mid-Ohio.  Watkins Glen.  You know, places where watching sports car racing is fun.    

 

Assume they have met, and may be in daily contact with, the people who run NOLA.  

 

Then wondered why anyone would go.  

 

 

 

 

* My newish avatar is a dusk shot at a low shutter speed of the Audi R18 e-tron at speed from this event.

Edited by red stick, 14 December 2019 - 21:43.

[red stick]

Genius. Shooting one foot is not enough?

Recall that these are the same people who limited paddock access passes at an IndyCar race . . .

 

I have to assume this place will be condominiums within 5 years of the F1 contract lapsing. 

[paulb]

Recall that these are the same people who limited paddock access passes at an IndyCar race . . .

 

I have to assume this place will be condominiums within 5 years of the F1 contract lapsing. 

Good point. It appears they still consider alien the curious species that is the racing fan.

[PayasYouRace]

Feeling like I want to add IMSA to my regular viewing for 2020. I’ve been out of the SportsCar/GT loop for a while and recently I remembered how much I enjoyed the FIA GT in the Eurosport Super Racing Weekend days. I love US road circuits so seems like a good match.

[AustinF1]

Saw the reschedule.  

 

Briefly thought of going, having had a blast at the 2015 Lone Star Le Mans event.    *

 

Saw the limitations on spectator access.  

 

Saw that you couldn't see the cars slow down and shoot out of turn 11.  Or going uphill through 8-9-10.  Or the passing zone at 12.  

 

Tried to comprehend holding a sports car race at a road course where you couldn't walk the track.  

 

Wondered if anyone at COTA has ever met the people who run Barber.  Road America.  Road Atlanta.  Mid-Ohio.  Watkins Glen.  You know, places where watching sports car racing is fun.    

 

Assume they have met, and may be in daily contact with, the people who run NOLA.  

 

Then wondered why anyone would go.  

Yep. It's a joke, and embarrassing AF.

[jonpollak]

For continuity.....



Jp

[jonpollak]

TV info for the series.

https://sportscarcha...a.com/how-watch

In addition to the Int’l free webcast with Hindy and Shaw ..
NBC Sports dot com will show all races in their entirety

https://sportscarcha...mestic-coverage
Jp

Edited by jonpollak, 14 December 2019 - 21:23.

[red stick]

It might be useful if one of the mods could adjust the title to include IMSA, Trans-Am, SRO, etc., as we did last season.

[paulb]

It might be useful if one of the mods could adjust the title to include IMSA, Trans-Am, SRO, etc., as we did last season.

you’re crushing me man. I got too casual with the title, so yes mods please change the title to add specificificity.

[red stick]

If you squint, and frankly, even if you don't, this Ligier looks a lot like a 2005-06 Ford GT to me, which of course drew heavily on the original GT40 Mark I.  Or have I spent way too much time thinking about the Ford v. Ferrari movie?

 

https://racer.com/20...ed-at-pri-show/

 

Edited by red stick, 15 December 2019 - 00:28.

[red stick]

you’re crushing me man. I got too casual with the title, so yes mods please change the title to add specificificity.

 I don't mind the title--I'm just finding it a little difficult to locate already, without a helpful "IMSA" signpost.  

 

[paulb]

I don't mind the title--I'm just finding it a little difficult to locate already, without a helpful "IMSA" signpost.

It’s a good call.

Hey, I have an idea: if I put Al**so in the title, everyone will find the topic!!

[red stick]

It’s a good call.

Hey, I have an idea: if I put Al**so in the title, everyone will find the topic!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Seriously, now you're just baiting Henri.  

[PayasYouRace]

If you squint, and frankly, even if you don't, this Ligier looks a lot like a 2005-06 Ford GT to me, which of course drew heavily on the original GT40 Mark I.  Or have I spent way too much time thinking about the Ford v. Ferrari movie?

 

https://racer.com/20...ed-at-pri-show/

Gives me more of an obscure 90s supercar vibe. 

[jonpollak]

Yeah... we need IMSA in the title.
Jp

[red stick]

Porsche, McLaren aiding IMSA's cause in pushing for a global role for DPi 2.0?

 

 https://racer.com/20...ar-convergence/

 

 

Dyson Racing to return?

 

https://racer.com/20...da-dpi-program/

 

 

It was a useful day to open this topic!

[Dan333SP]

Gives me more of an obscure 90s supercar vibe. 

Venturi minus the F40 wing for sure.

[B Squared]

Thanks for the opener Paul, but "sporty" cars? We are not all hicks lost in the terminologies of 1961 USAC. 

[paulb]

Thanks for the opener Paul, but "sporty" cars? We are not all hicks lost in the terminologies of 1961 USAC.

Ha! Man, I did not realize the sporty car crowd would be so brutal!

[paulb]

Thank you to the anonymous moderator who created title poetry.

Edited by paulb, 15 December 2019 - 20:06.

[jonpollak]

Your thread deserved better than McInternetmeme name...
Jp

[ArnageWRC]

Feeling like I want to add IMSA to my regular viewing for 2020. I’ve been out of the SportsCar/GT loop for a while and recently I remembered how much I enjoyed the FIA GT in the Eurosport Super Racing Weekend days. I love US road circuits so seems like a good match.

The coverage online is great, thanks to the IMSA tv website/ app. Friday - Sunday night coverage is brilliant. And the tracks in the US are mostly fabulous, without the parking lot run offs as seen in Europe.

[PayasYouRace]

The coverage online is great, thanks to the IMSA tv website/ app. Friday - Sunday night coverage is brilliant. And the tracks in the US are mostly fabulous, without the parking lot run offs as seen in Europe.

The readily available coverage is a big plus.

[ezequiel]

Less that a month to the roar and Juncos hasn't confirmed anything (slightly OT, they weren't there in the latest Indy Lights test either)

[juicy sushi]

Gives me more of an obscure 90s supercar vibe. 

Big Venturi Atlantique vibes (which was an obscure 90s French supercar).

[juicy sushi]

I think I'm most looking forward to the Michelin Pilot Sport races.  The grids were much better than the SRO GT4/TCR series, and the racing this past year was brilliant.  The GT4s aren't as easy to drive as the GT3s, so the racing seems to be better as a result.  

[paulb]

Van Gisbergen in Lexus for Rolex, https://sportscar365...us-for-rolex-24

[Peat]

Are Joest still running the Mazdas? Or will the Dyson one be it?

[jonpollak]

Shane’s a good racer..
Jp

[red stick]

Are Joest still running the Mazdas? Or will the Dyson one be it?

Joest is on the way out.  Multimatic in.

 

https://racer.com/20...hidden-message/

[Peat]

Wow, I have been totally out of the loop. Big heads rolling there. 

[red stick]

There's a lot going on.  Ford GTs out.  Joest on its way out.  Bourdais reunited in a paddock with Helio and JPM.  Corvette debuting a mid-engined car. 

 

Fasten your seat belts.

[PayasYouRace]

Ford GTs out.

 

Oh that's a shame. It's my favourite GT car of recent years.

[Dan333SP]

Wow, I have been totally out of the loop. Big heads rolling there. 

Sounds like the Joest group did not live up to expectations for Mazda and the Mutlimatic people were doing most of the work in making the car competitive last year anyway. Should be a net positive for the team, and having Dyson possibly run a privateer effort would be brilliant. 3 or 4 Mazdas on the grid would definitely offset the lack of a Nissan and a Caddy DPi or two.

[jonpollak]

Wait... where’s Bourdais going ?
I thought it was JDC Miller ?
Jp

[red stick]

I meant the broad sense of "reunited in the paddock."

[jonpollak]

Ok thanks.... so much movement... hard to keep up.
Jp

[Docc]

Really want to see the new Corvette.. Will it still need the motor neutered to compete..?

[red stick]

Less that a month to the roar and Juncos hasn't confirmed anything (slightly OT, they weren't there in the latest Indy Lights test either)

 

Skipping Daytona, looking to sell its car.

 

https://racer.com/20...20-imsa-season/

[red stick]

Kyle Busch looks forward to the 24.

 

https://racer.com/20...g-race-odyssey/

[paulb]

Man, more great driving talent added to the 24 with Busch, Catsburg (factory Corvette), and Van Gisbergen.

 

40 cars set for the ROAR which I just learned is mandatory if you want to be in the big race, https://racer.com/20...-before-the-24/ . Eight DPi and seven LMP2 cars.

 

BoP for Daytona, https://sportscar365...ocess-for-2020/ .

 

And NASCAR driver of note, Hailie Deegan will race in the Michelin Pilot race in a GT4 Mustang. Hope she can keep it rubber side down.

Edited by paulb, 20 December 2019 - 20:34.

[jonpollak]

So the Rufus Legacy thing was devised by JR Hildebrand ??!!!!
And Shrub wants to do LeMans ...!!!
Respect!
Jp

[red stick]

Roar Before the 24 entry list, sans drivers, which will be released December 30.   8 entries in LMP1, 7 in LMP2, 7 in GTLM, 18(!!!!) in GTD.

 

https://racerdigital...19/12/roar1.pdf

[paulb]

GTD is going to be a battle royale. The former chubby bees should do very well with Grasser who know how to win the 24.

[jonpollak]

We need that after last year.
I know you’ve been a Grasser fan and now so am I.
Jp

[red stick]

The continuing chase for the Holy Grail of sportscardom--one formula to rule them all . . .

 

https://racer.com/20...gence-in-sight/

[Dan333SP]

7 LMP2 cars for Daytona versus 8 DPi, quite the shift from last year. It would just take a couple of incidents between the Acuras/Caddies and the inevitable Mazda BBQ for an LMP2 car to have a shot at the outright win.

 

I know the overall count is down compared to past years (and the Ford GT will be sorely missed), but this is certainly a quality entry! Glad that Risi are back.