2015 TUDOR United Sportscar Championship

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Took the mumz (she's a hardcore fan) and my niece to Long Beach yesterday. The noise and vibrations set out from these machines is breath-taking. Made the IRL stuff seem like toys. Last time I heard cars this loud was the Japanese GT race at Fontana. Sadly, the P2 machines were pretty quiet comparable, and down on power more-so than I think they should be. We were sitting on the front stretch and I noticed the GT cars closing on them slightly every time they passed.

I feel like the rules weigh heavily in favor of the DP cars in that the supposed aero advantage of the P2 cars didn't seem to allow them to keep up in the corners. Have there been additional changes to the regulations since the merger? I stopped following the series after the first race. I imagined that they would do everything in their power to keep the Rolex teams at the top after including ALMS, and I'm wondering if such has been the case. The GT race was pretty good, though.

The guys sitting next to me were confused the entire time watching the split times not knowing about the different classes. One of them heard somebody mention the classes, then I heard them talking about how some cars are less modified than others. They would get super excited whenever a DP car passed a GT car. I think organizers should include series information in the little booklet handouts for track visitors that don't follow the racing elsewhere.
 
Basically, the DP engines give them the advantage at a street circuit. The stop-start nature is heavily in favor of the cars with more power. Aerodynamics doesn't help in a 50 mph turn. The LMP2 cars are in the same configuration as they are overseas. John Pew just sucks compared to the rest of the field. Pro-am LMP2 lineup won't be able to compete with the really good pros in the DP cars. LMP2 cars had the most pace at Sebring qualifying 1, 2, 3, but mechanical failures and Tracy Krohn being stupid cost those chassis. If Ganassi or WTR had an LMP2 chassis, they would be untouchable with the current BoP assuming no mechanical failures
 
I see. Thanks for clearing that up. It's just a shame how they seemed to just be there. I really like the Le Mans stuff and I was hoping to see them be competitive. I guess we could always make the trip to Texas sometime in the future.
 
LancerEvo7
Don't the P2s have to run Le Mans aero though?
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The aero yes, they just have to revert back to the original bodywork the chassis uses. But at least it seems like the engines here are legal for Tudor teams going to Le Mans...that's what Racer.com said so could be wrong there.

I hope Chevy uses their V8 in the DP or in the C7.R in their P2's. :drool:
 
LancerEvo7
Don't the P2s have to run Le Mans aero though?
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No they can run any aero configuration they would like to. It would be much much better if they were forced to run Le Mans kit everywhere, but IMSA decided against it. The only place that they run the Le Mans kit is at Daytona and the DP is basically in pre merger spec in order for the LMP2 to not be abysmally off pace. I'd love to see the DP evo race against the LMP2 at Le Mans. All that power would be hard to beat
 
I'm assuming iforce did not see the date on the tech bulletin being after Daytona and the words "high downforce prototype AoP". The pre-Daytona AoP is here

http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/files/uploads/IMSA Tech Bulletin #15-03.pdf

Notice how LMP2 cars had to run the Le Mans kit.

The comment about LMP2 being abysmally off pace is because the pole time from this season is a whole second slower than last season. Alex Gurney ran a 1.38.270 in 2014 running what would be much closer to the high downforce configuration now. The weather was roughly the same too.
 
I still stand by my opinion of 18 months ago where I said the DP and LMP2 couldn't properly be balanced and that they should have run both classes separate for the first 2 seasons,

Then IMSA could have collaborated with those manufactures to build bold on body work resembling the corvette and other cars etc,
I think that would be a better way to go with P2 world wide anyway, male them look like an actual road car, like the Corvette DP, but you know, done properly,
 
TDZdave
I still stand by my opinion of 18 months ago where I said the DP and LMP2 couldn't properly be balanced and that they should have run both classes separate for the first 2 seasons,
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Or not even included LMP2 at all seeing as how there weren't really any racing here to begin with and that number definitely didn't increase with the merger.

TDZdave
I think that would be a better way to go with P2 world wide anyway, male them look like an actual road car, like the Corvette DP, but you know, done properly,
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That's what IMSA is looking at doing with the 2017 rules. Allowing specific bodywork and open engine configurations with the new car. The only thing I do not like is the 4 constructor limit is being adhered to with only 1 being from North America. This means that of what's running now, basically the prototype chassis business (DP chassis business as barely anyone bought LMP2s in America) is now black balled by the rules. Time to invest in Oreca and Onroak!!
 
I would also argue that most people won't buy a new car until they absolutely have to. Most of the teams with DPs will probably use them until the legislation kills them off for good. Also, most teams would rather join when the rules are stable, and with a prototype regulations change soon approaching, why join the Prototype ranks now when the rules will soon be different?
 
@cnd01, yeah there were stuff all entrants in ALMS prototype divisions, but it would have been easier to make BoP changes to the P1 cars to slow them down to P2 machinery, they then could have had the option to make it cheaper for the teams by only having them all on circuit at 1 or 2 events through the year, the rest of the season could have been entirely split and mix matched as they went, an all prototype or all GT weekends would have been heavenly, this would also have cut the costs down and prevented ao many teams leaving, plus in most weeks it would have been either a prototype or Dp winning depending on the selected classes for the weekend,
It also could have motivated blokes like Ganassi to purchase a P2 chassis for 1 or 2 races, which then could have led to seeing a Ganassi car at Le Mans,

*only using the word "Ganassi" as an example*
 
AnthonyD1993
I would also argue that most people won't buy a new car until they absolutely have to. Most of the teams with DPs will probably use them until the legislation kills them off for good. Also, most teams would rather join when the rules are stable, and with a prototype regulations change soon approaching, why join the Prototype ranks now when the rules will soon be different?
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Buying a Oreca 05 or a Ligier JS2 is probably a safe bet but they would be limited to the Nissan,Judd,or HPD engine until '17.Starworks is a likely place for the flawed HPD 04 coupe later this year if the car hasnt been stripped down and turned into a modern art piece.

Ford is shifting to the GT program so there will only be 4 DP's left,and they are all factory drivers who will have nobody to race but themselves.I bet the 2016 Corvette DP program will turn into a year of on track P2 engine development like Ford is doing with the Ecoboost in the DP.

2016 IMSA will be the year of the GT's.LM will have new and improved C7,Ford,488 Ferrari,Porsche,and the likely M6.GTD moving to GT3 spec will add everything but Range Rover and Tesla.
 
LancerEvo7
Questional BoP and being forced to use a tire you wouldn't dare use anywhere else would do that imo.
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Granted more LMP2 chassis competed full season in IMSA than in the WEC in 2014, but that's irrelevant at this point given the growth this season overseas. Too bad the FIA/ACO is killing that off now with the new rules at least in the short term.

TDZdave
@cnd01, yeah there were stuff all entrants in ALMS prototype divisions, but it would have been easier to make BoP changes to the P1 cars to slow them down to P2 machinery, they then could have had the option to make it cheaper for the teams by only having them all on circuit at 1 or 2 events through the year, the rest of the season could have been entirely split and mix matched as they went, an all prototype or all GT weekends would have been heavenly, this would also have cut the costs down and prevented ao many teams leaving, plus in most weeks it would have been either a prototype or Dp winning depending on the selected classes for the weekend,
It also could have motivated blokes like Ganassi to purchase a P2 chassis for 1 or 2 races, which then could have led to seeing a Ganassi car at Le Mans,

*only using the word "Ganassi" as an example*
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The ALMS used to have both P1 and P2 machines capable of roughly the same speeds. That was when the ALMS was fun to watch. Then the economy tanked and just like any series based primarily on manufacturer involvement, it crapped the bed. Don Panoz was tired of subsidizing the field, so he sold the series.

I think the PC class should be a support race with IMSA Lites. That would solve a lot of problems right there. I'd have one or two GTLM only races too. Honestly, the only time I would have all 4 classes racing the same weekend would be the 4 Patron cup races, VIR, and COTA. I'd make it 8 races for each class in all to cut the season operating budget which is the killer with 52 hours of racing just in the Patron cup. That's roughly equivalent to what a full season of racing in Grand am or the ALMS was to begin with in just 4 rounds. I'd cut Road America from the schedule as it's in the middle of nowhere and the teams don't really like going. Send the P class to Mid Ohio and Laguna Seca in addition to the 6 combined races. Send GTLM to the 6 plus LB and Belle Isle. Send GTD to Barber and Sonoma in addition to the 6. That's 3 whole events cut from each schedule and the big races still have the huge multiclass feel to them with 4 classes while the shorter rounds will be much easier to cover from a tv perspective not having to jump from class to class.
 
catamount39
4:00pm EST, P/PC/GTLM/GTD race at Monterey. 👍

After watching the WEC race yesterday I need to remind myself to lower my expectations for Tudor... :boggled:
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Are they splitting the field again like last year?
 

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