Daytona here I come

[Rhino]

The DP cars would not pass the crash test to be able to race at Le Mans. A carbon tub and a decent crash structure on the front would have helped.

[Kristof]

Some interesting thoughts here :

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2014/the_way_it_is_no418.html

Last line says it all ...

The traditional form of racing as we knew it with some type of interesting, forward-looking formula and a clear rulebook set in stone for a few years and has passed into history.

[Grand_Fromage]

NASCAR / France enterprises, have never properly understood sportscars or endurance racing. Despite running Grand AM for a decade they still don't get it. I noticed the website coverage had driver names on the live leader board rather than car the names of the cars. Le Mans and ALMS, is and was, primarily car focussed racing, not driver-centric like open wheel formulae and NASCAR. Ask any endurance fan who won Le Mans last year and you will get the name of the car not the drivers. TUSC have yet to work this out. Grand AM introduced the 'spec car' Daytona Prototype to make sure that the series didn't evolve into a GT only grid, but the DP is a phoney prototype and 40 years behind the technology of prototypes that run at Le Mans and in WSC. The year the DP cars first ran (2003) at Daytona the GTs were actually quicker and it was a GT that won overall (Racers Group Porsche 911 GT3-RS). That is indicative of how good that organization is at regulating a series. Grand AM has always been a bit of a buggers muddle as far as regulations are concerned, and the unholy mash-up of ALMS / ACO / Grand AM rules is confusion squared. Don't expect it to settle down either, it is likely continue to be a regular game of tweak and catch-up to aggravate the teams, with random last minute BOP changes.

You only have to compare this shambles with the ACO/WEC gradual evolution strategy to see just how wrong they are getting it.

[gatordad]

Best quote I heard personally on this issue was from Kyle Petty (of all people) when he was driving a Porsche in the Rolex while the WSC cars were still there.  Someone asked him in the garages what was the major difference between NASCAR and sports car racing.  His reply was at NASCAR they all want your picture and autograph.  At The Rolex folks say, "Hi Kyle.  Good to see you.  Could you slide over a bit so I can get a shot of your car?"

At Sebring on Friday night many of the drivers walk over into the Zoo and get into the crowds and almost nobody really recognizes them.

I went to Daytona last weekend for the first time in 8 years.  I had a good time but missed a lot of the European flavor that used to be present (read: beautiful European women) in the garages before the race.  I also didn't hear much French.  In the Porsche garage it was mostly German as expected...but my sense was that all the mechanics there also spoke English.

I watched the start of the race from the Bud Fan Zone.  That is the platform above the bus stop that used to be bleachers on the back stretch.  Great place to view the race!  Everyone should try it at least once.  The tram takes you right to it.  Another observation...though there were lots of people; the limit on infield car passes made it much easier to get around.  Big improvement.  I still would love to see the P-1 cars on the banking at night.

[jimclark]

Some interesting thoughts here :

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2014/the_way_it_is_no418.html

Last line says it all ...

The traditional form of racing as we knew it with some type of interesting, forward-looking formula and a clear rulebook set in stone for a few years and has passed into history.

Another good read re: the demise of ALMS...

http://www.autoextremist.com/fumes1/2014/1/27/the-nascar-ization-of-major-league-sports-car-racing-a-bitte.html

[Boorish Grobian]

As many of us have said from the beginning of Grand-Am, its NASCAR's idea of sportscar racing.  They're going to go about it the same way they go stock car racing.  Low tech, lots of orchestrated racing.  I was seriously bent out of shape when they posted the schedule, and Mid-O wasn't on the calendar, but having watched that hot mess this past weekend, I don't feel so bad about them not going to the MOSCC this year.  And it'll be a cold day in hell when I burn a vacation day to go to IMS on a Friday to watch the France family dog & pony show.
Fax

[Fran]

It would be interesting to know how the arthursykes got on - being a fresh pair of eyes so to speak.

F

[Truck]

Oh dear.  This side of the pond sports car racing gets butphucked by F1 and Eckleston every few years so we're used to it, so don't worry about it.

And 911s always arise from the ashes, like cockroaches from a nuclear holocaust.  So I just hope you like 911s

[jimclark]

.  This side of the pond sports car racing gets butphucked by F1 and Eckleston every few years so we're used to it, so don't worry about it.

Successfully indoctrinated, are you? 

Next, I suppose you'll be enjoying soylent green.... 

[gatordad]

Oh dear.  This side of the pond sports car racing gets butphucked by F1 and Eckleston every few years so we're used to it, so don't worry about it.

And 911s always arise from the ashes, like cockroaches from a nuclear holocaust.  So I just hope you like 911s

I love 911's