ALMS Pre-Season 2013 thread

[Shifty]

[MOTV8]

Fehan: Work is Progressing on the Corvette C7.R

The Corvette Racing program has really become the textbook case of how (and why) a car company goes racing. Not only does the Chevrolet Corvette benefit from the “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” strategy that Zora Duntov outlined nearly 60 years ago while making his case that Chevrolet needs to be a performance brand. Racing also provides a developmental role in validating the car and its individual systems. Those systems that can improve the performance of a car in a 24 hour race can just as well improve the performance of the production Corvette you’re driving on the street right now.

However, the technology transfer with Corvettes and its racing program isn’t a one-way street. The production Corvette also provides its proven technology right back to the racing program. Corvette Racing’s Program Manager Doug Fehan is so much a believer that technology transfer benefits both programs that he dubbed the phrase “Cascade Engineering”. Cascade Engineering, according to Fehan, continues to improve both the racing and production programs with each iteration of the car.

For example, the C5 Corvette was used as the basis for the Corvette C5-R racer. What the racing program learned during the C5-R years was then built into the production C6 Corvette. The racing program then develops the C6.R Corvette and what is learned and tested on the track helps validate the engineering for the production Corvette ZR1.

As Fehan says during his regular-occurring talks at Corvette Corrals and at the yearly NCM Bash, Cascade engineering has brought us the 505 hp LS7 V8 engine, dry-sump oil system, carbon ceramic brakes, wider use of carbon fiber, better aerodynamics and Michelin tires.

Now that the production C6 Corvette is winding down and the next-generation C7 is coming next year, Fehan was asked in an article appearing in Modern Tire Dealer about the future of Corvette Racing and he responded with the following:

“I think, on the horizon, probably one of if not the most exciting time awaits us and that is the introduction of the next generation Corvette, for the street, which I know our fan base, our customer base is very, very excited to see and then of course after that is introduced we’ll be competing with that version on the race track. Once again, the fan base is really excited about that. That's something that will all come down oh probably in the next twenty four months, which for us is right on the horizon. It seems like a long time but in racing time that seem like it takes about twelve minutes. A year goes by faster than you can think, so we are already working on the race car, I know the production car is very, very close to being finalized, it’s going to be a very exciting twenty four months for everybody who enjoys racing and loves Corvette.”

Exciting times indeed!

I take this to mean Pratt & Miller have a mule or two already. Can't wait!

I also heard a rumor that Pat Long molests collies.

[Shifty]

From what I understand, it was a border-collie...

[MOTV8]

Breaking News:

I vader sh!t from teh interwebs, film at eleven.

[Shifty]

With teh right wrap-job, that might be pretty rockin'....

[MOTV8]

Mebbe Dawg can fire up his photochopper and make it nasssty.

As in not orange.

[Shifty]

Everything I've read says that they are sticking with teh colors, but hopefully they do something different than teh current yeller front/black rear-with-something-between pattern. Prediction: Mags will be going elsewhere (which totally sucks if I'm right)

[MOTV8]

Just a hunch, or you got an angle?

I hope Dawg likes reading rampant speculation as much as we do, but just in case I sprinkled in some visual stimuli.

SPORTSCAR: Manufacturers, Series Weigh In On Proposed GT Merger

John Dagys gets reactions from some of the key players to be involved with GT merger talks...

John Dagys | Posted November 05, 2012 Chicago, IL

The FIA and ACO’s proposal to create a single GT platform has received a mix of early reactions from manufacturers, series and competitors in all branches of sports car racing worldwide.

The concept, which would fuse the ACO’s manufacturer-driven GTE regulations with the popular GT3 category, primarily comprised of privateer entries, could be introduced into GT racing globally by as early as 2015, according to technical officials from both organizations, who unveiled the plan last month in Japan.

While manufacturer representatives, along with officials from the major championships and sanctioning bodies will hold their first “Working Group” meeting on Nov. 14 in Geneva, Switzerland, to begin formal discussions, SPEED.com caught up with some of the key players to get their initial thoughts into the proposed merging of the regulations.

“I think it's a very interesting opportunity,” said Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan. “I've often, frequently, and for a long, long time, have indicated that GT racing around the world ought to be a single class with a single set of rules. That's what makes the most sense.

“The devils are in the details. How you attempt to achieve that is something entirely different. The attempted integration of GT3 into a GT category may not be the most effective way to accomplish that goal. I think we have to wait and see what the proposals are made of, what the different thought processes might be on behalf of all the manufacturers.”

Fehan confirmed Chevrolet’s new-generation GT racer, the Corvette C7.R, set for a 2014 debut, will be built to GTE regulations, despite the possibility of a unified set of regulations due out the following year.

By the same token, it’s understood McLaren is set to roll out a GTE version of its MP4-12C sometime next year, while SRT recently entered the manufacturer-heavy GTE ranks with its new Riley-built Viper GTS-R for the ALMS.

While questions remain over the time frame of the proposed integration, it’s expected current GTE and GT3 machinery would be grandfathered into the unified category for a minimum of two years.

Others, such as Aston Martin Racing team principal John Gaw, however, are not convinced the merger will actually happen, although like Fehan, remains optimistic of finding common ground.

“I think there is a lot of work to be done,” Gaw said. “It's good that there's going to be a forum to talk about with all of the manufacturers and the ACO. I think at this stage, it will be about asking questions as opposed to doing the 'how to.’ I don't think it's yet decided 'Will we?' I think the question is, 'Should we?'”

The fundamental difference between GTE and GT3 regulations is that GT3 cars are built to no common technical platform and are instead performance balanced by the FIA, usually at a pre-season official test.

GTE-spec cars, on the other hand, must conform to technical regulations laid out by the ACO, and more recently the FIA, which often results in a more structured platform for manufacturers, although Balance of Performance measures and technical waivers are also handed out in this category.

“What's really important to be defined early on is that if there's going to be a single class, what rules does it run under?” Gaw asks. “Does it run under the tight technical rules of GTE, or does it run under the looser rules of FIA? If you're going to have manufacturer racing, it has to be tight technical rules. Otherwise, costs will spiral out of control.

“If we get an agreement from all parties that it should be the tight technical rules, then I can see it working.”

One of the major opposers of the proposed merger has been Stephane Ratel, the brainchild of the GT3 platform, which was first introduced in 2006.

The founder and CEO of the SRO Motorsports Group, who launched the now-defunct FIA GT1 World and European Championships, along with the Blancpain Endurance Series, which has seen considerable growth in 2012, proposes stability within the GT3 formula.

A statement from SRO reads: “FIA GT3 [is] one of the most successful and fastest growing categories in motorsport, the only one ever to bring 14 different makes to a single class, with models developed and sold by the manufacturers or their official tuners. They should not be disturbed by the need to rescue the ACO GTE category which has never enjoyed anywhere near the success of GT3.”

Ratel’s group says that an attempt to merge the two categories would “tarnish the technical competition in GTE,” while also raising the costs in GT3 and “render some of the models uncompetitive.”

Instead, the SRO proposes to preserve GT3 and instead launch a new FIA GT2 category based on strict technical rules with limited waivers, similar to the objectives of GTE. However, Ratel offers the idea of limiting Balance of Performance to success ballast, a method his FIA GT Championship used nearly a decade ago.

The FIA and ACO, meanwhile, has outlined three main targets for the proposed merger: to retain the technical credibility of GTE; to achieve the reduced costs of GT3 and to allow manufacturers to build and develop one car instead of two.

Currently, Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Aston Martin all offer models for both platforms, with Corvette, Lotus and SRT focusing entirely on GTE. (*I guess he forgot about teh GT3 Vette posted above! - Dean) On the other hand, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini, McLaren and Nissan each have a heavy presence in GT3 but presently do not have cars built to GTE regulations.

According to the FIA and ACO, the potential for all manufacturers to develop cars under a single set of regulations currently exists, although WEC CEO Gerard Neveu has stressed that it won’t happen overnight.

“What we said is the FIA and ACO and the manufacturers and constructors and partners will [sit] around the table to think about the future of GT,” Neveu said. “Regarding GT, it costs a lot of money if some team or constructor has to provide a GT3 model and GTE model. In the end, it also starts to be confusing for the fans.

“Why can't we imagine to have a unique GT model considering all the technical best from GT3 or GTE, or a compromise, to make sure the cars can run in sprint and endurance?

“This is the discussion we'll have. The working group is just to have a reflection together, to provide the best answer. After that, you make sure you can have a final proposition, which is then next step.

“The target now for this working group is to provide a book of propositions in a couple of months regarding the future of GT. And if we have a general agreement around that, a calendar [will be created] to start the application of this modification.

“It means for the next one or two years, nothing will happen in GT for sure. I think this is what the GT teams are looking for."

Many questions still remain, including what impact, if any, discussions could have on the soon-to-be-announced class structure of the unified American sports car championship, which is due out by years' end.

And while a definitive direction will not likely come from the first meeting later this month, there appears to be optimism within some camps that a decision could eventually be reached that could transform the worldwide GT platform.

“I think both the FIA and ACO understand how important the role of the manufacturers play in the future of this business,” Fehan added. “To operate in a vacuum would place everything in jeopardy.

“But working together, I think we can come up with some sort of compromise that will work very well. At the end of the day, if we can do that, then it takes GT racing forward in quantum leaps.”

WeeelllLLL??? WTH?

[MOTV8]

Oops...AND...

Early drivers-musical-chairs news dud...

ALMS: ESM Retains Driver Lineup For 2013

Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek, Guy Cosmo, Ed Brown to return in pair of Ferrari 458 Italias next year...

The fourth time will be the charm for Florida-based Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) in the 2013 season of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón. For the fourth consecutive season, the team’s GT-class Ferrari 458 Italia race cars will be piloted by the fast foursome of Scott Sharp, Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek and Guy Cosmo.

ESM team owner and racer Scott Sharp will once again co-drive with northern California racer Johannes van Overbeek in the No. 01 Tequila Patrón Ferrari Italia 458 and Ed Brown will re-team with Guy Cosmo in the sister No. 02 machine.

“It's been so rewarding to watch the Tequila Patrón ESM team get stronger with each season and even each race," team owner Scott Sharp said. 'The continuity in our team has been the key to all of the success we’ve seen on all fronts and all positions."

Yada, yada, yada...sounds good Scotty. CYa at Sebring.

Back to your prediction. It's troubling me. If you got Mags leaving, who do you think they'll go after? Hand??

[Shifty]

Just a hunch, I sincerely hope I'm wrong... If I were to hazard a guess at who they would look at to replace him, it would be Jeroen Bleekemolen...I really hope my gut is lying, nothing against Bleeker, but I hate when my old heroes get retired, first Fellows, then O'Connell (though I saw that one coming a mile away). I also predicted Beretta would be gone too....

[Desertdawg]

I hope Dawg likes reading rampant speculation as much as we do, but just in case I sprinkled in some visual stimuli.

I'm catching up, and no photochop, even if I had the program right now I wouldn't chop that ferrari in corvette colors anyway!

[MOTV8]

I hope Dawg likes reading rampant speculation as much as we do, but just in case I sprinkled in some visual stimuli.

I'm catching up, and no photochop, even if I had the program right now I wouldn't chop that ferrari in corvette colors anyway!

Well thanks for nothing.

Der Bimmers will need tires if tehy want to play...

Dunlop Pulling Out of ALMS

Tire supplier Dunlop, which shod several cars in the American Le Mans Series for several years, has announced its withdrawal from the series, though the company will continue to supply the World Endurance Championship.

Dunlop, owned by U.S. tire giant Goodyear, provided rubber for the 2011 P1 champion Dyson Racing team, two-time GTE champion BMW Team RLL, Paul Miller Racing, as well as all P2 teams. Rumors hint that Dunlop owner Goodyear might be back in 2014.

“The U.S. racing schedule presents conflicts with several international championships in which we are involved, so we were obliged to make a choice,” Dunlop Motorsport Director Jean-Félix Bazelin told Endurance-Info.com. “I thank the teams of the ALMS for four years of support.”

Deeper reasons for Dunlop’s withdrawal are a matter for speculation. Last year Dyson was uncompetitive, the low-funded Miller Porsche is never a championship contender, and BMW’s plans for the future are up in the air.

Also up in the air is the 2014 season. NASCAR has bought ALMS and plans to merge it with Grand Am, which uses Continental tires exclusively.

Tell that to Michelin, Neckcar.

[Shifty]

What do you bet that Bimmer won't be in for 2013?

[Desertdawg]

I bet teh Bayerische Motoren Werkes will be back but with an advantage again, You know, loosing Dunlop should let them run less weight or something...

[MOTV8]

I don't know what they're gonna do. They already had a nice team in Grand Am beating up the Mazdas. I think they take a last stab at ALMS in 2013 and then Team Rahal goes away.

In other news, the Flyin Lizards Chief Engineer 'retired' - no indication given it was due to the Porsche getting busted on that cheating, ahem...er...post-race stall test failure.

And...the merger begins, awkwardly

GRAND-AM: Conquest P2 Car Completes Daytona Test

Martin Plowman turns historic first laps around Daytona International Speedway in modern-day Le Mans Prototype...

While 20 cars from the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series were on hand testing, the star of the show Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway was a lone P2 car from the American Le Mans Series, which took part in a historic first test on the Florida high banks.

Conquest Endurance rolled into the paddock, unloaded its Morgan-Nissan and went to work this morning, with Martin Plowman handling driving duties of the ACO-compliant prototype contender.

It marked the first public test between ALMS and GRAND-AM cars, which are set to merge into a single sports car championship in 2014.

“We were like the black sheep of the paddock,” Plowman told SPEED.com. “It seemed that everybody came over and was staring at us. I guess I now know what it was like to be the DeltaWing at Road Atlanta! Everybody was just so curious.”

With the majority of the paddock looking on in anticipation, Plowman completed more than 50 laps between the morning and afternoon sessions, setting an unofficial best time of 1:40.569. It was unofficially 0.765 seconds faster than Joao Barbosa’s Action Express Racing Corvette, which set the pace among the Daytona Prototypes in action.

Tuesday’s test, however, was not about finding the full potential or outright speed of the P2 car, but rather going through a checklist of verifications, according to Richard Buck, GRAND-AM’s managing director of competition.

“This was really a test of the validation of the simulation information,” Buck explained. “We've got a lot of instrumentation on the car and some different configurations. This was absolutely not a comparison test; we're not looking at speed or anything.

“We've put a pretty rigid plan in place coming here and have not had to deviate from it from any unknowns. That in itself is pretty good. We're very pleased with the simulation and data we have and the direction we're headed.”

Running in the Morgan’s high-downforce package used in the ALMS (minus front diveplanes), Plowman and the team concentrated on adapting the cost-capped prototype to Continental’s Daytona Prototype-spec tire in the morning, before being able to fine-tune the car in the afternoon, where the quickest laps were set.

“The entire morning, we were working on the setup of the car and adapting the setup to the tires,” Plowman explained. “We worked pretty hard and ended up with a very, very different setup than what we ran all year. But after lunch time, we were 95 percent happy with the car and were getting down to the nitty gritty of getting it down to the last three or four tenths.”

Despite some initial concern over the adaptation to the GRAND-AM spec tire, both Plowman and team owner Eric Bachelart praised the Continental DP rubber, which held up better than expected and didn’t provide significant drop-off in grip.

“The tires performed beautifully,” Bachelart said. “They were very consistent and we could do a lot of changes on the chassis. The car responded very well to the changes and the track was very consistent so we could read the changes very well.”

While Tuesday marked a major step in the unification process, it also saw the first public display of officials and representatives from GRAND-AM and ALMS working together.

Buck indicated additional tests could be planned in the future, while it remains their objective to announce the 2014 class structure by the end of this year.

“It's a big family [now],” Bachelart said of ALMS and GRAND-AM. “We got a really good welcome from all the guys at GRAND-AM here. It's been a very nice collaboration between everybody. We're all working towards the same direction.

“There was a mix of people from Continental and GRAND-AM and ALMS. It was very interesting to see. GRAND-AM showed the car to all of their safety guys. It's very exciting to be in Daytona here with an LMP2 car.”

Plowman added: “I'm positive that they're going to make solutions and everyone's going to be happy with it and it's going to be a strong series. There's still a lot of questions to be answered but... we have to trust in the management and the way they are going to see this out. Hopefully I'll be there driving one of those cars in the future.”

[Shifty]

I'm not reading between teh lines....are they gonna stick teh GT2 cars with teh stinkin' ######inetals?

[Desertdawg]

I'm hoping ALMS cars survive too.....

[Shifty]

I'm hoping ALMS cars survive too.....

NASCAR, even with teir piles of money, would be stoopid to kill off teh GT2 class at teh very least, and sever their connection to LeMans...teh P1's and GTC's are gonna get kilt...

[Desertdawg]

Hate to see GTC go away, but the protytpe needs to. Heck with only 2 to 5 cars in each P class at some races, I'm surprised ALMS didn't do something...

[Shifty]

Hate to see GTC go away, but the protytpe needs to.

Heck with only 2 to 5 cars in each P class at some races, I'm surprised ALMS didn't do something...

Besides teh ALMS being money whores, they wanted teh distinction of being able to say 5 classes on teh track.

[Shifty]

My question is this: What's going to happen to teh John Hindaugh and Jeremy Shaw? I truly believe that they are teh best in motorsports...

[Shifty]

Well this makes me chuckle... Thirteen teams automatically selected for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours By Series Update ⋅ November 14, 2012 ⋅ E-mail this post ⋅ Print this post ⋅ Post a comment Taking into account the results of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours as well as those of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series, thirteen teams have won invitations to take part in qualifying practice for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours, which represent a maximum of 16 cars out of the 55 places on the grid for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours. The following teams have been awarded this much sought-after invitation. One invitation for: Starworks Motorsport: LM P2 category winner in the Le Mans 24 Hours. An invitation in LM P2. Larbre Compétition: LM GTE Am category winner in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Invitation in LM GTE Am. Thiriet by TDS Racing: European Le Mans Series LM P2 winner. Invitation in LM P2. OAK Racing: 2nd European Le Mans Series LM P2. Invitation in LM P2. JMW Motorsport: European Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro winner. Invitation in LM GTE Pro. JMB Racing: 2nd European Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro. Invitation in LM GTE Pro. IMSA Performance Matmut: European Le Mans Series LM GTE Am winner. Invitation in LM GTE Am. Boutsen Ginion Racing: European Le Mans Series LM PC winner. Invitation in LM P2. Conquest Racing: designated by the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM P2. Level 5 Motorosports: designated the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM P2. Extreme Speed Motorsport: designated by the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM GTE (this entrant can choose between GTE Pro and GTE Am.). Two invitations for: Audi Sport Team Joest: winner in the LM P1 category in the Le Mans 24 Hours and winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Two invitations in LM P1. Three invitations for: AF Corse: winner in LM GTE Pro in the Le Mans 24 Hours, second in the European Le Mans Series in LM GTE Am and winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge in the FIA World Endurance Championship. This gives one invitation in LM GTE Pro and one in LM GTE Am: for the third the entrant can choose between GTE Pro and GTE Am. To validate these invitations the teams in question must enter for the 2013 Le Mans 24 hours, and in 2013 they must enter for at least one of the following championships: the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series or the Asian Le Mans Series. The complete list of entries for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours and FIA World Endurance Championship will be announced on Thursday 31st January 2013 in Paris. Really?

[MOTV8]

LMAO, are you feeling snubbed by teh French? I would imagine Team CR will hop in a Larbre vette for teh 'practice' just like last year. Teh logistics of getting CR's C6.R's over and back in time don't work, iirc.

[VenomOnWheels]

I have a feeling teh Viper's are going to be a lot closer in 2013....

Me too. Were testing, learning, and probably sandbagging a bit this past season. Stryker's got his eye on Jake.

[Shifty]

LMAO, are you feeling snubbed by teh French?

I would imagine Team CR will hop in a Larbre vette for teh 'practice' just like last year. Teh logistics of getting CR's C6.R's over and back in time don't work, iirc.

Yabut...we won teh bloody championship, that should be an auto invite right there...