2014 United Sports Car Championship

[hawkeye122]

Guys, Scott Elkins says "A part of [the tracks decisions] comes down to which tracks have room for us."

Goodbye, and good riddance, Lime Rock and Laguna Seca. Hello Road America, Road Atlanta, Mosport, Montréal, VIR (with both pits,) Daytona (obviously,) Circuit of the Americas, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis (the biggest pits on the schedule?) and Sebring.

That track list... I'm in love.

But:

Lime Rock is out, way too small

Long Beach remains a possibility.

Laguna Seca's probably out.

Belle Isle (are the pits big enough?)

How did you arrive at that?

 

[cnd01]

Vir!!!

 

[Mac K]

When 75% of the prototype field for next year already runs a spec tire, keep it that way as well as the entire gtd class field.

Gagt car is an alms gtc car with 200 thousand dollars worth of upgrades but less aero. The gagt car is 2 seconds a lap faster than the alms gtc car at Daytona. Gt3 is a gagt car with extra aero, driving aids (BLAH!), and better tires.

Who said they're moving away from spec? The entire prototype field is essentially spec.
P2: cost capped
Pc: spec
DP: you'll argue until you're blue in the face that it's spec

It could change in 2016, but for right now that's how it is regardless of what you come up with.

An extra 200k? You must be joking..

 

[cnd01]

An extra 200k? You must be joking..

That's what Mike hedlund says. 150-200 K worth of engine upgrades over gtc car which is legal to compete in gagt.

 

[polarbear345]

That's what Mike hedlund says. 150-200 K worth of engine upgrades over gtc car which is legal to compete in gagt.

That has to be one of the most ludicrous statements I've heard here...

 

[cnd01]

That has to be one of the most ludicrous statements I've heard here...

He has funded teams in both, so I think he would know better than us... the 997 cup car comes with an engine allowed in alms gtc. You have to go get a larger displacement engine for gagt to be competitive. If I wasn't on the mobile app, I'd link the rules.

The trap speed data shows everything. When I get to a computer, I'll link the data to show what I'm talking about.

 

[RACECAR]

Gagt car is an alms gtc car with 200 thousand dollars worth of upgrades but less aero. The gagt car is 2 seconds a lap faster than the alms gtc car at Daytona. Gt3 is a gagt car with extra aero, driving aids (BLAH!), and better tires.

Well hell for that kind of money (if that's true anyway), why doesn't every Grand-Am Porsche team just get the GTC car? If the cars are compliant with the GTD rules as is, then there's no point of having the GAGT version.

Also, correction to your post:

The GT3 car is not the GAGT car. The Grand-Am car is a older, modified GT3 Cup car while the GT3 car is the 911 GT3R.

 

[freshseth83]

When 75% of the prototype field for next year already runs a spec tire, keep it that way as well as the entire gtd class field.

Gagt car is an alms gtc car with 200 thousand dollars worth of upgrades but less aero. The gagt car is 2 seconds a lap faster than the alms gtc car at Daytona. Gt3 is a gagt car with extra aero, driving aids (BLAH!), and better tires.


Who said they're moving away from spec? The entire prototype field is essentially spec.
P2: cost capped
Pc: spec
DP: you'll argue until you're blue in the face that it's spec

It could change in 2016, but for right now that's how it is regardless of what you come up with.

P2 is not spec. Cost capping =/= spec. DP will have to introduce upgrades to their cars to be on pace. Thats moving away from spec buddy. Especially if manufacturers are trying to be courted.

 

[cnd01]

P2 is not spec. Cost capping =/= spec. DP will have to introduce upgrades to their cars to be on pace. Thats moving away from spec buddy. Especially if manufacturers are trying to be courted.

Manufacrurers aren't trying to be courted in prototype...

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

How did you arrive at that?

Even if USCR doubled up the pit stalls by teams, as the FIA does in DTM and F1, for example, I don't think they'd have room at Lime Rock Park, in the pits. Let alone the track, which is "full" with 25+ cars. Putting 70+ cars in what's been described as a "bull-ring" with lap times of ~40 seconds is ridiculous. Try putting 16 cars on Autumn Ring Mini in GT5. Seriously, there's no room.


Big, long tracks, like Daytona, VIR, Sebring, etc., will be much more likely to host good races.


That's why VLN can fit 200+ cars into one race, while ACO can fit 100+ cars in on Le Mans. It's the track size.

 

[RACECAR]

Even if USCR doubled up the pit stalls by teams, as the FIA does in DTM and F1, for example, I don't think they'd have room at Lime Rock Park, in the pits. Let alone the track, which is "full" with 25+ cars. Putting 70+ cars in what's been described as a "bull-ring" with lap times of ~40 seconds is ridiculous. Try putting 16 cars on Autumn Ring Mini in GT5. Seriously, there's no room.

You are aware that they can split the classes, right? Grand-Am did this before when it had a lot of cars by having a seperae race for DPs and a separate one for GT, no problems. No reason they couldn't do it for this series.

 

[cnd01]

You are aware that they can split the classes, right? Grand-Am did this before when it had a lot of cars by having a seperae race for DPs and a separate one for GT, no problems. No reason they couldn't do it for this series.

This.

They split the ctscc race at lime rock because it's the bull ring of sports car racing and there's roughly 55 cars a race

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

That's the part I don't like, and the least wanted decision.


I would rather see them avoid the track than to split up the multi-class races. With 5 classes, 2.5 hour races, that's suddenly 12.5 hours of racing for spectators to watch. And, there's no guarantee that the racing will be interesting to watch, either.

 

[polarbear345]

That's the part I don't like, and the least wanted decision.

I would rather see them avoid the track than to split up the multi-class races. With 5 classes, 2.5 hour races, that's suddenly 12.5 hours of racing for spectators to watch. And, there's no guarantee that the racing will be interesting to watch, either.

I agree with no splitting up.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Nothing wrong with expanding the pit lane at some tracks, (Sebring's got plenty of room for pits, for example) or making/using second pit lanes.


If a track wants it bad enough, they'll make a second pit lane (Bristol, TN), expand the current one (Spa, Nurburgring) or something similar.

 

[cnd01]

I agree with no splitting up.

If we get huge grids which will cause chaos and torn up racecars, a split is more than necessary especially with two classes that are mandatory pro-am

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

So, no Lime Rock Park. Or they could extend it... I hate LRP anyways, so...

 

[polarbear345]

If we get huge grids which will cause chaos and torn up racecars, a split is more than necessary especially with two classes that are mandatory pro-am

Like, I'd rather not go to lime rock if splits would be needed

 

[cnd01]

Like, I'd rather not go to lime rock if splits would be needed

I'm in the same boat tbh

 

[Snaeper]

Let's not forget that Lime Rock has recently announced a pit lane and paddock expansion. So they're at least trying to show that they want a race.

http://www.racer.com/lime-rock-announces-program-of-expansion/article/298614/

Though 45 pitboxes certainly doesn't fix the issue. And money talks when you're essentially BMW's home track. I think they'll be getting a race and it'll be split. P vs PC, GTLM vs GTD.

 

[hawkeye122]

I'm not sure if/how you could expand the pits at Mrls. Tacking onto the existing one puts you up the hill. But, that wide apron on the way to turn one...

Also the straight bit before the turn onto the front straight could have a few stalls.

The track IS on the small side, but the SCCA plan to have runoffs there in 2014. While that is club racing, there are many more teams and classes...

 

[LancerEvo7]

Perhaps like this? The bridge at the end of the front stretch would need some changes, but there'd be a lot more room.

 

[cnd01]

Perhaps like this? The bridge at the end of the front stretch would need some changes, but there'd be a lot more room.

As long as that chicane is there, I'm not thrilled with the track being on the schedule.

 

[Sam48]

Perhaps like this? The bridge at the end of the front stretch would need some changes, but there'd be a lot more room.

Even so, the track itself seems too small for hosting a race with so many cars. The track would just be one giant logjam during the race.

 

[hawkeye122]

As long as that chicane is there, I'm not thrilled with the track being on the schedule.

Which chicane? Or are we talking LRP

 

[cnd01]

Which chicane? Or are we talking LRP

The chicane at lime rock. It castrates the track although it does give another passing zone

 

[RACECAR]

As long as that chicane is there, I'm not thrilled with the track being on the schedule.

Which Chicane, the one before the last corner or the one going up the hill?

 

[cnd01]

Which Chicane, the one before the last corner or the one going up the hill?

Either or. The flow of the track is ruined by both

 

[Mac K]

Either or. The flow of the track is ruined by both

They no longer use the one before the downhill, but the one before the uphill is needed to stop cars from getting airborne, the World Challenge cars were doing wheelies and getting 4 wheels off the ground during their sessions, so the ALMS cars would be even worse and far to dangerous.

 

[cnd01]

They no longer use the one before the downhill, but the one before the uphill is needed to stop cars from getting airborne, the World Challenge cars were doing wheelies and getting 4 wheels off the ground during their sessions, so the ALMS cars would be even worse and far to dangerous.

Would the alms cars have enough df to keep them grounded out of curiosity?