- 44,185
- Blackburn
- Furinkazen_54
2014 United Sports Car Championship
- Thread starter Earth
- 6,133 comments
- 267,210 views
- 3,585
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
Glad to hear he's okay, but that's terrible news given they most likely worked their butts off to get that car ready and spend the money to upgrade it... only to have it wreck before the season even began. I hope this isn't the death blow to their season.
- 10,276
- Sacramento CA
- cnd01
The Conquest LMP2 ran a 1.39.000 back before 2013. By comparison, Starworks set the track record at a 1.39.9 for a DP in the same test. You can't tell me that 100 lbs, a difference downforce kit, and conti tires cost the LMP2 cars 5 seconds and the really expensive upgrades to basically double the downforce on a DP along with more power only give it half a second. There's enough sand at the Speedway for all of Daytona Beach!
Edit: Westy's crash was caused by a blown tire in the tri-oval as per SoD's social media. I hate to see any car crash like that, but I'm glad for Westy's sake that it was a closed cockpit car
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- 1,680
- Great White North
- I_powerslide
Tires are the easiest way to change performance. Going from hi-tech Michelins to Continental rocks could very well cost them 2-3 seconds a lap. (On a road course, maybe not at Daytona). I do believe all the teams are sandbagging, but I think people don't realize how much of a difference tires make.
And good to see Westbrook is okay, looks like it was a big crash.
- 10,276
- Sacramento CA
- cnd01
AXR had a tire failure in the same part of the track as SoD did later in the session! Fall-Line also crashed. This is the first time continental has had multiple massive crashes as a result of their tires since they became the tire supplier of grand am. I have a feeling the LMP2 tires have the same issues, but since not a single team has gone close to full tilt on them yet, they haven't blown out yet. Hopefully I'm wrong, but this is atrocious by continental regardelss
- 44,185
- Blackburn
- Furinkazen_54
More details. Continental Tyres risk becoming the Pirelli of USCR at this rate. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/barbosa-uninjured-after-airborne-accident/
- 44,185
- Blackburn
- Furinkazen_54
- 10,276
- Sacramento CA
- cnd01
The aero kits have a lot to do with it. The tire is under way more stress now as the same car as before is now running way more d/f than it previously was but using the same tire which baffles me as to how continental didn't think this would happen. I have a feeling the LMP2 tire will be the same way once the LMP2 teams stop sandbagging.
- 3,585
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
I'm not sure why they thought that absolutely no change in the tire compounds was in order despite making the cars more powerful and giving them high aero loads. Maybe they thought them being lighter would compensate?
This is terrible for the teams that have invested in the new parts. So much for IMSA trying to get the whole series started off on the right foot. They really should've been doing preliminary tests before the seasons ended.
This is terrible for the teams that have invested in the new parts. So much for IMSA trying to get the whole series started off on the right foot. They really should've been doing preliminary tests before the seasons ended.
- 10,276
- Sacramento CA
- cnd01
True, but the France family isn't nearly as involved as you think. I'd put it on Conti honestly before IMSA too because who in their right mind would think that the same tire can hold up the extra power and downforce?
If I was a team owner, as soon as Westy's crash happened, I would have parked my car until Conti fixed the issue regardless of what class and tire it is. Fall-Line had a tire failure as well if I'm not mistaken in the same session. The extra d/f on the GT cars is causing problems there too
- 3,585
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
As far as what I've read, the majority of the decisions have come from Scot Elkins. He's seemed quite adamanet that the decisions he and IMSA were making were the right ones... even though everyone else was scratching their heads.
And now there's going to be a lot of finger pointing.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
So do I cash my chips in now or hold them to see how much crazier this ride gets? Not to gloat too much, I'm glad everyone is okay but perhaps listening to other groups and seeing how they do thing would have gone a long way for IMSA, it's just horrible that so many cars have to be ruined when this could have been ironed out long ago rather than doing tons of name changes to the series instead.
- 10,276
- Sacramento CA
- cnd01
I've been all but convinced the USCC is going to hell in a hand basket for quite some time now. The lack of direction and competence in the management is what leads to stuff like this. More #IMSAlogic
On a much better note: I think these crashes today are a testament to how safe the DP is. Today has proven how safe the design of the car is. I think all motorsports should take notes. Had he been in an open cockpit machine, I have serious doubts that he would be ok. The impact split the top roll bar in the car.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
No one doubted the DP cars were safe, even if they are called archaic and what not they are still durable space frame race chassis. I don't see why all should take note since this technology is and has been implemented in all premier racing, also why do you say that about open cockpits? Did you never see the back flip Webber did a couple years back over a Lotus(Caterham), or the BMW LMR doing it's back flip like the two LM cars before it (GT1 Porsche, Merc GT1 LM).
Both open cockpit cars. And there have been others, like Robert Kubica's crash back in 2008 in Canada. Not sure on the year...
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
I've seen open cockpit LMP crashes where nothing remained to identify it as a car other than the cockpit and driver, who walked away.
I've even seen a Turn 1 mayhem accident back in Champ Car where a car was on too of another, on the driver compartment. The driver basically had is head pinned down until they moved the other car, but he drove the rest of the race.
I've seen little to ever suggest open cockpit cars with current racing safety technology are any more dangerous.
As for DP safety, was that at question? I have fairly high confidence in any race car with safety technology made in the last 10-15 years. Sometimes tragedy happens, but I see more amazing walk aways than injuries.
I've even seen a Turn 1 mayhem accident back in Champ Car where a car was on too of another, on the driver compartment. The driver basically had is head pinned down until they moved the other car, but he drove the rest of the race.
I've seen little to ever suggest open cockpit cars with current racing safety technology are any more dangerous.
As for DP safety, was that at question? I have fairly high confidence in any race car with safety technology made in the last 10-15 years. Sometimes tragedy happens, but I see more amazing walk aways than injuries.
- 567
- S. Shields
Isaac Tutmulu signs for Starworks in the PC Class. Bit of a shock. GT Open's loss is the USCC's gain. And Starworks have a talent I rate. We only have four others in Chris Cummings, Kyle Marcelli for BAR1 Motorsports, Jon Bennett and Charlie Shears but I already see him battling at the top.
http://www.planetlemans.com/2013/11/17/spanish-gt-champ-isaac-tumumlu-joins-starworks-for-2014/
http://www.planetlemans.com/2013/11/17/spanish-gt-champ-isaac-tumumlu-joins-starworks-for-2014/
- 35,487
- Addison,Texas
- GTP_RACECAR
Just read about the incident, scary but glad nobody is hurt. What the hell made Continental think that having the compound of tire on a car with revised aerodynamics was a good idea? This is far more careless then what Pirelli did and unlike them, Continental went forced to do it. What excuse do they have for this?
- 3,948
- Sturgis, MI
- GTP_ty00123
The obvious counter to this is Dan Wheldon's IndyCar accident in 2011. That being said, the manner of impact suggested that a closed top probably wouldn't have saved him either IMO.
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
If Continental screwed up the tires, to a degree of being dangerous, could seeking a new manufacturer, or allowing manufacturer competion (competition always produces better results) be possible, or are we too close to Daytona at this point?
If they have to redesign the tires I don't see how making a change now would have a negative impact.
Hopefully this was just a one-off screw up or something different than it seems, otherwise IMSA and
the USCR will be written off as a failure by many fans before the first season is out.
@TheBook it's an exception to the rule. It would require a history of similar incidents to show fault with a specific design.
If they have to redesign the tires I don't see how making a change now would have a negative impact.
Hopefully this was just a one-off screw up or something different than it seems, otherwise IMSA and
the USCR will be written off as a failure by many fans before the first season is out.
@TheBook it's an exception to the rule. It would require a history of similar incidents to show fault with a specific design.
