2014 United Sports Car Championship

[ITCC_Andrew]

Things I'm happy about:

#1 biggest thing: DP+LMP2+LMPC+GTLM+GTD... That should add to a massive grid for Petit Le Mans, Sebring 12 Hours, etc.

#2: better tracks; more classics, fewer failures. Sorry, Kansas.

#3: more cars, more teams

#4: more classes might mean more exciting races with more exciting race finishes.

#5: closer BoP specs for LMP classes


Things I'm not happy about:

#1: Grand-Am are still throwing full-course cautions every time the wind blows. At Road America, there are 2 minute laps. If someone crashes in Turn 2, you've got a minute and a half for the drivers involved to get the car re-fired. This isn't Bristol...


2: still awaiting specs. still


3: Watkins Glen 4 Hours is an awkward race length; too short to be endurance race, too long to be a sprint race


4: prototypes-only at Detroit. This sucks. I don't care about DP/LMP. I watch GT. I'm sure some people feel the same way about the GT-only race at Lime Rock.


5: DTM/Super GT postponed in Ameri-canada. I would love to see DTM at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park... If they came here. The ideas seemed so awesome...


Edit: does anyone agree/disagree?

 

[RACECAR]

Things I'm happy about:

#1 biggest thing: DP+LMP2+LMPC+GTLM+GTD... That should add to a massive grid for Petit Le Mans, Sebring 12 Hours, etc.

#2: better tracks; more classics, fewer failures. Sorry, Kansas.

#3: more cars, more teams

#4: more classes might mean more exciting races with more exciting race finishes.

#5: closer BoP specs for LMP classes

Don't forget Baltimore. Despite that its yet to be confirmed, I'm sure its off the USCR schedule.

Things I'm not happy about:

#1: Grand-Am are still throwing full-course cautions every time the wind blows. At Road America, there are 2 minute laps. If someone crashes in Turn 2, you've got a minute and a half for the drivers involved to get the car re-fired. This isn't Bristol...


2: still awaiting specs. still


3: Watkins Glen 4 Hours is an awkward race length; too short to be endurance race, too long to be a sprint race


4: prototypes-only at Detroit. This sucks. I don't care about DP/LMP. I watch GT. I'm sure some people feel the same way about the GT-only race at Lime Rock.


5: DTM/Super GT postponed in Ameri-canada. I would love to see DTM at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park... If they came here. The ideas seemed so awesome...


Edit: does anyone agree/disagree?

3. Totally agree. Its less of an endurance race and more of an slightly extended sprint race. Don't need a endurance race castrated to kick off a new chapter in American Sportscar racing.

4. Well refer to the thing you're happy about. When you get a huge boost in participants (which will likely far outnumber Indycar), a compromise has to be made somewhere.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

4: I understand, I just don't appreciate that they bother to return to Lime Rock (smallest pit lane in the series) and don't go to VIR, which is a more interesting course with a larger pit lane, and more possibility of extending the pit lane...


Seeing DPs at Detroit, and GTs at Lime Rock... That's East-coast, generally speaking, so why not try to fit the cars at VIR... The best East coast race course, which is also better than most courses on the West coast, too.


And, that's without mentioning some of the other courses that have larger pit lanes...


I'm just not sure what other options could've been, but, if I had been a member of the committee deciding that, my vote would've been no...

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Crap. Sorry!

 

[Sam48]

Things I'm happy about:
3: Watkins Glen 4 Hours is an awkward race length; too short to be endurance race, too long to be a sprint race

Like I said before, the promoters at WGI have not officially announced this yet, but it's certainly been discussed. I personally think they'll keep the six hours.

 

[cnd01]

Like I said before, the promoters at WGI have not officially announced this yet, but it's certainly been discussed. I personally think they'll keep the six hours.

It's staying six 99.99% from everybody I've heard.

 

[hawkeye122]

The best East coast race course, which is also better than most courses on the West coast, too.

Thats a pretty loaded statement, you may want to clarify what you mean by "best", and how you can qualify it.

 

[cnd01]

Things I'm happy about:

#1 biggest thing: DP+LMP2+LMPC+GTLM+GTD... That should add to a massive grid for Petit Le Mans, Sebring 12 Hours, etc.

#2: better tracks; more classics, fewer failures. Sorry, Kansas.

#3: more cars, more teams

#4: more classes might mean more exciting races with more exciting race finishes.

#5: closer BoP specs for LMP classes

Things I'm not happy about:

#1: Grand-Am are still throwing full-course cautions every time the wind blows. At Road America, there are 2 minute laps. If someone crashes in Turn 2, you've got a minute and a half for the drivers involved to get the car re-fired. This isn't Bristol...

2: still awaiting specs. still

3: Watkins Glen 4 Hours is an awkward race length; too short to be endurance race, too long to be a sprint race

4: prototypes-only at Detroit. This sucks. I don't care about DP/LMP. I watch GT. I'm sure some people feel the same way about the GT-only race at Lime Rock.

5: DTM/Super GT postponed in Ameri-canada. I would love to see DTM at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park... If they came here. The ideas seemed so awesome...

Edit: does anyone agree/disagree?

Happy part:

1.) Rolex 24 will have 75 cars or more my prediction

2.) Won't necessarily be the best tracks. Kansas and Belle isle is probably returning while Mid-O, Barber, CTMP, and Montreal won't be.

3.) See #1

4.) It's going to make it more difficult to keep up with. Less good racing will make it on tv

5.) BoP will be a nightmare for 2 years

On the sad part:

1.) Have you watched a grand am race lately? At road America there was an entire bumper laying in the racing line in the blind corner into the brake zone for Canada corner laying there for 10 minutes with no caution.

2.) This should be #1

3.) 99.99% sure it's still going to be the Sahlens 6 at the Glen

4.) Split races are a dumb idea especially when one is at a street course.

5.) Don't count of dtmna ever becoming real. It's already been conveniently delayed once

 

[ElBarto86]

4: I understand, I just don't appreciate that they bother to return to Lime Rock (smallest pit lane in the series) and don't go to VIR, which is a more interesting course with a larger pit lane, and more possibility of extending the pit lane...


Seeing DPs at Detroit, and GTs at Lime Rock... That's East-coast, generally speaking, so why not try to fit the cars at VIR... The best East coast race course, which is also better than most courses on the West coast, too.


And, that's without mentioning some of the other courses that have larger pit lanes...


I'm just not sure what other options could've been, but, if I had been a member of the committee deciding that, my vote would've been no...

I thought the latest rumors were that the GT only race was going to be at Long Beach and that Lime Rock wasn't getting a race next year. VIR's contract with ALMS is good for another year so they will probably have a race next year.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/uscr/2014-schedule-taking-shape/

I think Lime Rock would be a better choice than VIR. It's not far from New York City and they always get a big crowd. The southeast already has three races with Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta, but the only race in the Northeast is at Watkins Glen which is in the middle of nowhere.

 

[MrWednesday]

1.) Have you watched a grand am race lately? At road America there was an entire bumper laying in the racing line in the blind corner into the brake zone for Canada corner laying there for 10 minutes with no caution.

I assume the reason for that call was that if they threw a FCY at that point, the race was likely to finish under yellow. I don't think anybody actually hit said bumper, meaning that a combination of a surface condition flag (presumably) thrown at the previous corner station and spotter radio work took care of it.

[MrW Edit: This quote is from the post by ElBarto86 immediately above]
I think Lime Rock would be a better choice than VIR. It's not far from New York City and they always get a big crowd. The southeast already has three races with Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta, but the only race in the Northeast is at Watkins Glen which is in the middle of nowhere.

VA isn't really "southeast", to my way of thinking, though VIR is practically into NC. Then again, VIR is closer to NYC than it is to Daytona or Sebring (by a Google Maps eyeballing).

 

[cnd01]

I assume the reason for that call was that if they threw a FCY at that point, the race was likely to finish under yellow. I don't think anybody actually hit said bumper, meaning that a combination of a surface condition flag (presumably) thrown at the previous corner station and spotter radio work took care of it.

VA isn't really "southeast", to my way of thinking, though VIR is practically into NC. Then again, VIR is closer to NYC than it is to Daytona or Sebring (by a Google Maps eyeballing).

VIR is fine. If the track list was Daytona x2, barber, road Atlanta, homestead, VIR, COTA, and Sebring then there would be an issue I was of the impression that lime rock is on the schedule as part of the split race. The west coast and Canada are the markets I think need to be tapped a little more. Mont-Tremblant would be excellent. I'm surprised Sonoma didn't make the schedule either

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Canada would be a far trip for the yanks and confederates. Mont-tremblant, especially. CTMP (Mosport) would be better for an NYC race outside of Watkins Glen; we have enough room for both classes.


Just don't expect TRG, Dempsey Racing, and several other California-based teams to go all the way to New York (see also: Buffalo, NY) and then across the border, and another 400+ km. After that. And, if you go around the north end from Wiscon- nope. And from Montana, that's an extra 1000+ km to go around Lake Michigan... And Lake Superior. And then gravel forestry roads. North of Lake Michigan is the stereotypical lumberjack part of Canada, with moose and aboot.


So, even if they only went to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, that'd be hard to work.

 

[RACECAR]

I'm surprised Sonoma didn't make the schedule either

It hasn't been on any Sportscar schedule for years.

 

[hawkeye122]

It hasn't been on any Sportscar schedule for years.

Didnt they run Grand Am there recently?

 

[Northstar]

Didnt they run Grand Am there recently?

The last GA race there was '08, ALMS ran there last in '05.

 

[cnd01]

It hasn't been on any Sportscar schedule for years.

But the NASCAR conglomerate owns the place if I'm not mistaken, and it makes marketing sense to tap into the west coast more than once unless long beach is on the schedule then there is no reason or want to go

 

[MrWednesday]

The bigger issue marketing-wise is that Sonoma would overlap with Laguna Seca. With a very limited schedule, I don't think it makes sense to have two races within 150 miles of each other.

 

[hawkeye122]

The bigger issue marketing-wise is that Sonoma would overlap with Laguna Seca. With a very limited schedule, I don't think it makes sense to have two races within 150 miles of each other.

Seeing as those are the 2 tracks closest to me, I'm all for having a race at both.
Let's do a GT-Only round at Thunderhill also!

 

[cnd01]

The bigger issue marketing-wise is that Sonoma would overlap with Laguna Seca. With a very limited schedule, I don't think it makes sense to have two races within 150 miles of each other.

Daytona and Sebring being the exception to that rule

 

[RACECAR]

Daytona and Sebring being the exception to that rule

I'm guessing they can due to both of them holding two of the biggest endurance races in the US (Both of which are always set in stone).


Even then, why not have both Sonoma and Laguna Seca? Both have history (unlike a certain street circuit) and plenty of fans.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I'd be happy with Sonoma, but, didn't they run Sonoma last year? It feels like a fresh track, with good racing.


Thunderhill pit lane too small, but that would be an absolutely epic addition to West Coast schedule.


Long Beach is my favourite ALMS-only course. I'm happy that at least the GT cars are going there. That fountain corner is simply epic! I love that corner.

 

[RACECAR]

I'd be happy with Sonoma, but, didn't they run Sonoma last year? It feels like a fresh track, with good racing.

No they didn't. Grand-Am hasn't run at Sonoma since 2008 and ALMS hasn't been there since 2005.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Why aren't they going there, this year? I still remember the '08 race like it was yesterday; surely, then, that's a good sign that there's something awesome about it, right?

 

[cnd01]

I'm guessing they can due to both of them holding two of the biggest endurance races in the US (Both of which are always set in stone).

Even then, why not have both Sonoma and Laguna Seca? Both have history (unlike a certain street circuit) and plenty of fans.

Makes truck loads of sense to me.

 

[Sam48]

Makes truck loads of sense to me.

There are two issues with Sonoma. First off, the west coast already has two races going for it (Long Beach and Laguna Seca). And secondly, if they decide to go with Sonoma, I believe they would have to drop their initial choice, Mosport. This is due to the fact that Mosport, Sonoma, Mid Ohio, Kansas, and Lime Rock are all tracks which are on the bottom of the list, and only one can make it into the final schedule. Therefore, they're better off appealing to the Canadians than heading back out west again.

 

[cnd01]

There are two issues with Sonoma. First off, the west coast already has two races going for it (Long Beach and Laguna Seca). And secondly, if they decide to go with Sonoma, I believe they would have to drop their initial choice, Mosport. This is due to the fact that Mosport, Sonoma, Mid Ohio, Kansas, and Lime Rock are all tracks which are on the bottom of the list, and only one can make it into the final schedule. Therefore, they're better off appealing to the Canadians than heading back out west again.

I'm not sure long beach is 100%. I was of the impression P/PC would be at belle isle and Gtlm/gtd would be either lime rock or long beach on the split weekend. I do agree that if long beach is on the schedule, there is no need for Sonoma. I'm looking at things from a marketing perspective, and ctmp would be a good place as it's pretty much a new England states race too. With the 3 biggest races all taking place in the deep south and the 4th biggest in the middle of nowhere, it's hard to balance 8 races over America and Canada. It makes it worse when an oval with a hairpin and a meaningless street course like belle isle are on the schedule.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Belle Isle isn't bad. I like the circuit. The design is fun.

 

[cnd01]

Schedule releasedno particular order)

Daytona
Sebring
PLM
The Glen
Ctmp
Long beach (P and gtlm)
Belle isle (pc and gtd)
VIR
Road America
Laguna seca
COTA
IMS

This is as per sportscar 365.

Thoughts?

 

[RACECAR]

Kinda bummed to see Lime Rock Park AND Mid-Ohio won't be there. Interestingly, both weekends with Split classes are races shared with indycar. Am glad Baltimore is nowhere to be found.

 

[cnd01]

Kinda bummed to see Lime Rock Park AND Mid-Ohio won't be there. Interestingly, both weekends with Split classes are races shared with indycar. Am glad Baltimore is nowhere to be found.

Yea and also the VIR race won't include the P class for some reason as per Dagys. I am satisfied with the schedule although it sucks that belle isle is there instead of mid-o. My head would have exploded had Baltimore been on the schedule