2014 United Sports Car Championship

[cnd01]

Fixed that for you.

Although I do think it would be awesome to see it actually win, there's almost no chance of it actually happening.

Maybe it can be used as a bbq for the campers

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I'm reading through "Grassroots Motorsport Magazine" (November 2013 issue) and it says that Grand-Am and ALMS have $25,000 ECU systems.


A portion of that is the ALMS's Traction Control System, but why would Grand-Am have $25,000 ECU systems?

 

[RACECAR]

I'm reading through "Grassroots Motorsport Magazine" (November 2013 issue) and it says that Grand-Am and ALMS have $25,000 ECU systems.


A portion of that is the ALMS's Traction Control System, but why would Grand-Am have $25,000 ECU systems?

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that McLaren has something to do with those Grand-Am ones.

 

[polarbear345]

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that McLaren has something to do with those Grand-Am ones.

Someone posted a McLaren truck at Indy earlier this year. My guess is they have a deal with NASCAR, so grand am used them too.

 

[cnd01]

Someone posted a McLaren truck at Indy earlier this year. My guess is they have a deal with NASCAR, so grand am used them too.

This

 

[RACECAR]

Someone posted a McLaren truck at Indy earlier this year. My guess is they have a deal with NASCAR, so grand am used them too.

Well they supply the Cup series with ECUs so truck was likely collecting data to start supplying some Grand-Am ECUs.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I don't know if Bosch Motorsports would be happy to give up that lucrative contract with it... They've clearly got some contract or something, where Bosch is bigger than McLaren, and seems fully happy in the article to continue to work with the ALMS/Grand Am teams, even post-merger.


I'm pulling from the tone, the guy seems happy to mention those racing series, and doesn't actually make mention of the fact that almost every car in WEC/ELMS run with Bosch, including VLN and Blancpain. Want proof? Look it up, they sponsor via contingency decals, almost every European race car.

 

[Sam48]

GT3 Viper gets its first customer

 

[cnd01]

GT3 Viper gets its first customer

Beb Keating and jeroen bleekemolen(spelling?). I'm in love with the gt3 viper already. When I hit the powerball or when my pro racing career takes off, I'll be racing one

 

[hawkeye122]

Managed and run by Riley Technologies... Doesn't that make it a factory car? Kinda like if Joest ran a P2 Audi...

This also gives me the opportunity to complain (Again) about GT Class identification.
"Oh no, thats a GT3 Viper"
"How is it different?"
"Well anyone can buy one and run it, like privately. And it's slower."
"Who runs this one?"
"Errrrr, the same people who run the GTE cars."
"Why dont they just do another one of those?"
"Errr.... because they want a car in both classes?"
"But like do they have different engines?"
"... Not really."
"Then whats the difference?"

 

[cnd01]

Managed and run by Riley Technologies... Doesn't that make it a factory car? Kinda like if Joest ran a P2 Audi...

This also gives me the opportunity to complain (Again) about GT Class identification.
"Oh no, thats a GT3 Viper"
"How is it different?"
"Well anyone can buy one and run it, like privately. And it's slower."
"Who runs this one?"
"Errrrr, the same people who run the GTE cars."
"Why dont they just do another one of those?"
"Errr.... because they want a car in both classes?"
"But like do they have different engines?"
"... Not really."
"Then whats the difference?"

And that's yet another example of why the uscc won't ever make any sense to anyone who doesn't have a working knowledge of sports car racing

 

[RACECAR]

Pretty sure GTLM is for Factory cars while GTD (assuming they finally pull the trigger on the GT3 specs) is customer supported cars. I can only see this problem happening with the Viper since it appears to be the only car to be interloping in both classes.

 

[cnd01]

Pretty sure GTLM is for Factory cars while GTD (assuming they finally pull the trigger on the GT3 specs) is customer supported cars. I can only see this problem happening with the Viper since it appears to be the only car to be interloping in both classes.

Bmw possibly as well as Ferrari and Porsche

 

[Sam48]

Managed and run by Riley Technologies... Doesn't that make it a factory car? Kinda like if Joest ran a P2 Audi...

This also gives me the opportunity to complain (Again) about GT Class identification.
"Oh no, thats a GT3 Viper"
"How is it different?"
"Well anyone can buy one and run it, like privately. And it's slower."
"Who runs this one?"
"Errrrr, the same people who run the GTE cars."
"Why dont they just do another one of those?"
"Errr.... because they want a car in both classes?"
"But like do they have different engines?"
"... Not really."
"Then whats the difference?"

It's really not that complicated. Just tell them GTLM cars are built for Lemans, and GTD cars are built for Daytona.

EDIT: Oh and by the way, did I miss something, or is USCR now suddenly called USCC?

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

USCR = sanctioning body, USCC = championship?


Also, have they announced specs? I'm wondering if that's what is fueling the topic. It seems extra lively today.

 

[Sam48]

They're planning on releasing the schedule and specs for all classes between now and the WEC race at COTA this weekend.

 

[LancerEvo7]

IMSA = sanctioning body, USCR = championship?

Fixed for use of all. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[RACECAR]

Bmw possibly as well as Ferrari and Porsche

BMW has shown no interest in bringing their GT3 car to the US. Porsche's car for the GTD class will clearly look vastly different from the GTLM Porsche (which again will not be the new 991s in the WEC). There will also be a huge difference with the Ferraris as the GTD car will have a much shorter wing then the GTLM car (as well as have a much different front fancia.)

 

[Sam48]

Fixed for use of all. Correct me if I'm wrong.

So to sum it all up,

IMSA - Sanctioning Body

USCR - Sires

USCC - Championship

NEAC - The Championship within the USCR under the USCC.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

*sticks tongue out, says "nanananananaaaaa, I was right"*





Lancer, you're as right as I am, but USCC is apparently the championship name.


And, are we sure the NAEC is returning? Really? Crap. The long races are too long, even for me. I'm not watching LM24. I'm not watching D24. I'm not watching N24. I might watch 6 Hours of Glen. Maybe. sucks that the long races are going to be just as long, apparently.

 

[Wilbur]

*sticks tongue out, says "nanananananaaaaa, I was right"*





Lancer, you're as right as I am, but USCC is apparently the championship name.


And, are we sure the NAEC is returning? Really? Crap. The long races are too long, even for me. I'm not watching LM24. I'm not watching D24. I'm not watching N24. I might watch 6 Hours of Glen. Maybe. sucks that the long races are going to be just as long, apparently.

Don't watch it, I like to see a few long races....I think the 6 hours is a weird one because it's like crappy endurance based event but that's just me.

I don't stay glued to the TV or race in person even at those events anyway, which is why I tend to like them too. They allow for breaks but action still happens.

 

[RACECAR]

And, are we sure the NAEC is returning? Really? Crap.

I'm not even sure if that is coming back, at least I've yet to see a definite confirmation of it.

The long races are too long, even for me. I'm not watching LM24. I'm not watching D24. I'm not watching N24. I might watch 6 Hours of Glen. Maybe. sucks that the long races are going to be just as long, apparently.

What does Le Mans 24 or Nurburgring 24 have to do with NAEC?

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I'm speaking of endurance races in general. I can't get into endurance races the same way as I can get into the races that last about 2 hours.


I can get into rallies, too, where the intrigue is the car control, even though they're like 10 hours long, at least... But endurance racing is just a bunch of lights going around. Nnnaaaaaaaahhhhhh.


I'm not looking forward to the possible return of NAEC. Daytona 24 is fine, and will probably be worth watching to see how P2 and DP mesh together, but I don't want to see 4 endurance races. No, thanks.

 

[Sam48]

I'm not looking forward to the possible return of NAEC. Daytona 24 is fine, and will probably be worth watching to see how P2 and DP mesh together, but I don't want to see 4 endurance races. No, thanks.

Just to confirm, the NAEC is back, but the race lengths may be altered. Being that I live very close to Watkins Glen, I know a few people who work at the track, and word is, the 6 Hours of the Glen could become the 4 Hours of the Glen come 2014. It's not set in stone, but that's the word on the street around here.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Sorry I'm a bit lost here. So, the entire USCC has 12 races (one is GT-only, one is Prototype-only) and within these races 4 of them make the NAEC.

My question is (sorry I looked but didn't quite get this) ... do these NAEC races have a separate points system, is it a championship within the championship, or is the NAEC just a common denomination to a selected - more prestigious - number of races, like the Grand Slam in Tennis?

 

[Sam48]

... do these NAEC races have a separate points system, is it a championship within the championship, or is the NAEC just a common denomination to a selected - more prestigious - number of races...

It had a separate points system last season, and I suppose we can expect the same next year as well.

 

[Snaeper]

My question is (sorry I looked but didn't quite get this) ... do these NAEC races have a separate points system, is it a championship within the championship, or is the NAEC just a common denomination to a selected - more prestigious - number of races, like the Grand Slam in Tennis?

That is correct. It was developed to add cars to the endurance races in Grand-Am (Daytona, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis) and assist in justifying the cost of operating a car for all of those hours.

Considering now that you have the Sebring 12 Hour and Petit Le Mans (two events that are set in stone) it's even more relevant to car and team owners, and it's even more attractive to manufacturers who don't compete regularly in North America, as evidenced by Aston Martin Racing who will be coming over to contest the NAEC rounds exclusively.

Aston Martin Racing Poised for NAEC Campaign

 

[hawkeye122]

Aston Martin Racing Poised for NAEC Campaign

I think that was posted a few pages back

 

[cnd01]

That is correct. It was developed to add cars to the endurance races in Grand-Am (Daytona, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis) and assist in justifying the cost of operating a car for all of those hours.

Considering now that you have the Sebring 12 Hour and Petit Le Mans (two events that are set in stone) it's even more relevant to car and team owners, and it's even more attractive to manufacturers who don't compete regularly in North America, A's evidenced by Aston Martin Racing who will be coming over to contest the NAEC rounds exclusively.

Aston Martin Racing Poised for NAEC Campaign

100,000 bonus to the team that wins in DP, 50,000 in Gt, and 25,000 for Gx. That allured the Audi presence this season, and they were pretty close to winning. We'll see a similar system more than likely in the future.

 

[Morgoth_666]

Just to confirm, the NAEC is back, but the race lengths may be altered. Being that I live very close to Watkins Glen, I know a few people who work at the track, and word is, the 6 Hours of the Glen could become the 4 Hours of the Glen come 2014. It's not set in stone, but that's the word on the street around here.

This would be a real shame if it were to happen although I'm sure they have some sort of justification for it. The six-hour is always great fun with lots of entertaining drama, and of course personally attending it makes it one of my favorite days of the entire year. 4 hours wouldn't even really be an endurance race anymore, and doesn't seem like it would be nearly as attractive to extra teams and drivers who tend to show up just for endurance events. Yes it would be longer than the offensive joke that was Indianapolis, but it would still just feel like a slightly more drawn-out standard round. The Glen deserves better than that.