2015 TUDOR United Sportscar Championship

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What about a Canadian, American, Mexican series? :P It doesn't have to be US DTM, what about a NA DTM series?
That budget would be ridiculous. The only way I possibly see it working is for the series to be basically PWC with just 1 class being the DTM/Super GT spec. Traveling all over NA just for sprint races wouldn't get anyone to buy in. An endurance series would be way too expensive
 
Too close to PWC imo...

...All it would do is pull entries from PWC...

Uh, yeah, that's the point. PWC isn't IMSA's series, so while there would be some concern about overlap, if they did it, it would be to steal teams from PWC, since running costs for GTD are too high for endurance racing. That would be the least of their concerns for them not including GT3 cars.

Better reasons for them to not include GT3 machinery would be if the German or American manufacturer's objected to it.

Plus, all the US mfrs have too much invested in GTE/LM and that other touring car series that races ovals to have factory DTM cars if you ask me ;)

GM always seems capable of forking up money to support racing in the US, but with Cadillac not only in PWC, but developing a new car to continue to participate there, I don't see that brand being represented. Buick could be a possibility, with Opel returning over in Germany if they shared a common car. I don't see Ford (or Lincoln) participating, and the Chrysler group would also likely not participate.

But all it takes is any number of the six existing brands to participate to make the series interesting, and that's before any non-American brands take interest in the racing now that it's in the US (Alfa Romeo could use a marketing boost whenever it returns, for example).
 
Uh, yeah, that's the point. PWC isn't IMSA's series, so while there would be some concern about overlap, if they did it, it would be to steal teams from PWC, since running costs for GTD are too high for endurance racing. That would be the least of their concerns for them not including GT3 cars.

Better reasons for them to not include GT3 machinery would be if the German or American manufacturer's objected to it.
But GTD will be GT3 next year. Honestly, GT racing in America will soon become the same GT3 teams racing PWC and IMSA. Win win situation, but with a 3rd series having GT3 as the sideshow class will only hurt both IMSA and PWC.

GM always seems capable of forking up money to support racing in the US, but with Cadillac not only in PWC, but developing a new car to continue to participate there, I don't see that brand being represented. Buick could be a possibility, with Opel returning over in Germany if they shared a common car. I don't see Ford (or Lincoln) participating, and the Chrysler group would also likely not participate.

But all it takes is any number of the six existing brands to participate to make the series interesting, and that's before any non-American brands take interest in the racing now that it's in the US (Alfa Romeo could use a marketing boost whenever it returns, for example).
I don't see the benefit of having it to begin with. GM could have their factory team which would be cool, but it would be just as easy to brand the car as Opel and race in Germany where a series is already established and would actually boost sales by racing.
 
But GTD will be GT3 next year. Honestly, GT racing in America will soon become the same GT3 teams racing PWC and IMSA. Win win situation, but with a 3rd series having GT3 as the sideshow class will only hurt both IMSA and PWC.

I'm sorry I'm not doing a good enough job of explaining my point to you, because you're still not understanding it. GTD teams are leaving IMSA, because they've found a home where they're not the fourth class in line for TV coverage, and where the running costs are drastically lower, that being World Challenge.

These teams are only sticking around IMSA for the NAEC, if they're staying around at all.

So why wouldn't IMSA create an opportunity for them to race sprint races in a series they sanction, where they would benefit from them racing in their series. Why would they just allow teams to fly to another series and all they'd say is "Welp, nothing we could possibly do about that. Good for World Challenge!"

If I heard the proverbial water that is GTD running down the drains, I'd make a new tub that it might wanna stick around in. If they want lower running costs, better television coverage, and are making money doing sprint races, I'm going to create an opportunity for them to keep racing in IMSA. To keep them happy.


I don't see the benefit of having it to begin with. GM could have their factory team which would be cool, but it would be just as easy to brand the car as Opel and race in Germany where a series is already established and would actually boost sales by racing.

Opel's budget would never justify a program to develop a car to race in DTM by itself. Hell, BMW was bullish about running in DTM given the expense and the low exposure. They wanted to amortize the costs of developing their cars by running them in more markets than Europe. That kind of thinking would allow other brands to justify participating in the series. And if Buick and Opel pooled their marketing and motorsports budgets together, the program would make a hell of a lot more sense than just Opel or just Buick.
 
If I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying since like 4 teams left GTD, it's doomed and IMSA should drop it. Then make a DTM spec series with a GT3 class as a second class? I really do not see a DTM series on this side of the Atlantic at all happening, so I don't think that's practical to begin with.

The way I see it, when GTD goes full GT3 next season, the same teams leaving IMSA for PWC will come back because they have the budget for GTD and a car that can race there or PWC. We'll get the same teams racing both series which is a win-win for the fans.
 
GTD is in a lame duck year between regulations so, yeah. Because while GT3 equipment is still good in GTD right now baring the modifications, it makes the car a completely different animal so the teams are going to other series' to see how a full fledged GT3 car in FIA spec (or close too) feels.
 
GTD is in a lame duck year between regulations so, yeah. Because while GT3 equipment is still good in GTD right now baring the modifications, it makes the car a completely different animal so the teams are going to other series' to see how a full fledged GT3 car in FIA spec (or close too) feels.
Yep and they'll mainly race both next season. Should get a few Euro teams for Daytona and Sebring too
 
Also I think IMSA did expect this the happen (or they should have). So, it's no *big* deal. GTD will be in full force (maybe even need more entry room) in 2016. Meanwhile...any definitive info on whether RLL is going to be running the BMW Z4 GTE's next season?
 
Also I think IMSA did expect this the happen (or they should have). So, it's no *big* deal. GTD will be in full force (maybe even need more entry room) in 2016. Meanwhile...any definitive info on whether RLL is going to be running the BMW Z4 GTE's next season?
We'll they're not going to P in anything...I think I heard it was on Racer :sly:

That leaves GTLM pretty much as their only other option
 
While I know it's early to predict the GTD field for next season, I suspect we're going to see 8-9 full season GTD cars next year, and most of those are going to be GT America's.

I evaluated the GTD silly season numbers, and there's only 9 confirmed entries at this point, with a possibility of seven more (though I suspect most of those are optimistic "We can run a car if you give us money" type possibilities).

Of the confirmed entries, six of the nine are running the GT America, and I just don't see those teams making the switch to GT3 machinery unless manufacturers swamp to the series to throw support in for running their cars or unless Porsche's next GT3-R is as much of a value over other GT3 cars as the GT America is.

That, I think, is going to be the crucial factor on how successful GTD is going forward. Porsche is historically well supportive of it's North American racing operations and teams, and if the GT3-R represents a small financial jump over the GT America, then GTD may be in business. But if they price the car alongside Audi's, Ferrari's and other GT3's, and if GM is restrictive on supporting Cadillac's in TUSC AND if IMSA keeps running costs for any car high with their incredibly long schedule, then I'm afraid GTD will be as dead as it is now. There's no TV coverage, there's three classes in front of them, there's going to be a question about driver ratings next year since IMSA will be re-evaluating them then (and they may meet the same level of popularity they met this year).
 
I just read that the driver ratings have been changed in that class as well as in the PC class.
 
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I just read that the driver ratings have been changed in that class as well as in the PC class.
IMSA changed the driver ratings, but they've changed them back after every team other than CORE and 8Star pitched a fit in PC and every team in GTD except for one or two pitched one also.
 
So as far Eric Curran & Dane Cameron are in the AER Corvette Prototype with Barbosa and Fitipaldi in the second AER car, Negri and Pew are in the Michael Shank Racing Riley and it is Nunez/J. Miller and Bomariti/Long in the two Speed Source Mazda's (who I will be backing 101% since I own a Mazda).

In the PC class RSR have Jack Hawksworth and Chris Cummings and Performance Tech has just Jerome Mee (with a team-mate TBA).

And in the GTD class Scuderia Corsa will run Bell/Sweedler, Paul Miller has so far Bryce Miller and TRG-AMR will compete in 2015 with James Davidson and Christina Nielsen.

Can't wait for 2015 already!
 
Riley racing is coming back with the GTD Vipers. At least 1 full season with all the ex factory guys other than J-Bom racing the endurance rounds. A second car is possible too but no words on funding or an am renter for that car so far.
 
what @cnd01 means to say, is that Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen are back, and if they can get the ex-factory guys in the cars, they're going to try. But I imagine most of that hinges on the second car being able to hit the track.

I'm really glad the GT3-R is going to keep on trucking and I hope Riley can manage to put a few more together and sell them.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/riley-moving-forward-with-viper-gtd-program/
 
what @cnd01 means to say, is that Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen are back, and if they can get the ex-factory guys in the cars, they're going to try. But I imagine most of that hinges on the second car being able to hit the track.

I'm really glad the GT3-R is going to keep on trucking and I hope Riley can manage to put a few more together and sell them.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/riley-moving-forward-with-viper-gtd-program/
I agree. I hope we see some more. As the article was saying, the full GT3 spec one was testing with the other 2 vipers they have. Hopefully, IMSA is using that as some preliminary data acquisition for 2016.
 
http://m.speedcafe.com/2014/11/25/van-gisbergen-set-daytona-return/
weather-tech-e1416891361395.jpg
 
Weird, I was always under the impression there was far more then one thousand race drivers given how long auto racing has been around.
 
I think he means full on professionals, those actually getting paid to race rather than paying to race, even if it's in a pro series with a pro team.
 
Weird, I was always under the impression there was far more then one thousand race drivers given how long auto racing has been around.

I think he means in any current year but if you actually start thinking about top series in the world that stand out. His numbers aren't completely off by any means.

I didn't know who he was till he joined Flying Lizard, but he has impressed me this year before ever hearing that. I have alot of respect for that kid and hope to see him have a long career at the top!
 
I think he means in any current year but if you actually start thinking about top series in the world that stand out. His numbers aren't completely off by any means.

I didn't know who he was till he joined Flying Lizard, but he has impressed me this year before ever hearing that. I have alot of respect for that kid and hope to see him have a long career at the top!
He's a good guy. I've never really talked to him before, but he was always genuinely happy when I've said Hey! in the paddock before. He was the guy who nailed the pit wall at the Rolex 24 though in 2010.


 
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