2017 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship - General Season Discussion ThreadSports Cars

[catamount39]

What other brands still have cars to show?

None. That was it for now. We began with a "bang" and the amazing Mazda, kept hyped by the insane Cadillac...and ended with the ugly duckling Nissan.

 

[RACECAR]

I don't care if it looks like a Nissan or not...this is awful. It reminds me of THIS.

Wow, that is godawful. I don't think anything from today can be worse then that.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Lone Star Confirms Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Skeen, Knox

 

[Snaeper]

I think the Ligier needs/needed the GT-R's "lightning bolt" LED in the headlights to really tie it together.

I do like the way it looks, but it doesnt say "Nissan". But then again, with ESM basically funding it, it makes sense.

 

[TheElbows]

Good to see Skeen with a driver. Regarding the Nissan...meh. I'd say Mazda "got it" with the styling approach. Cadillac while a bit lazy is second place, and the Nissan a distant third. Personally I don't care as long as the racing is good, but that is a joke of an effort compared to the other manufacturers.

Now, because the Mazda is the looker of the bunch - I can only assume it'll end up being the worst.

 

[Northstar]

but that is a joke of an effort compared to the other manufacturers.

I don't know that ESM had much in the way of incentive to make it look too much like a Nissan.

Personally I'll wait until I see it's livery as it could go either way.

 

[Eh Team]

I don't care if it looks like a Nissan or not...this is awful. It reminds me of THIS.

I am literally sitting here marvelling in wonder at how fugly this is.

 

[AnthonyD1993]

I guess it's not too bad, but it is reall

I don't care if it looks like a Nissan or not...this is awful. It reminds me of THIS.

Still better looking than the Youabian Puma.

 

[catamount39]

We have another Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the way!
http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/137318-imsa-lone-star-racing-returns-to-gt-with-mercedes-amg-gt3

 

[CodeRedR51]

Lone Star Confirms Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Skeen, Knox

^^^

We have another Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the way!
http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/137318-imsa-lone-star-racing-returns-to-gt-with-mercedes-amg-gt3

 

[catamount39]

^^^

...son of **** I ****ed up ******. Got caught up in this whole Nissan DPi mess.

 

[trustjab]

The Nismo Ligier will look better when it's finished. Put that badge on it's front end and some wrap, should turn out nice. All three have their uniqueness, but I think the Cadillac is the most basic.

 

[sumbrownkid]

I like how all three look. I just personally hope the Nissan Ligier has enough time to test out the bugs.

 

[Diehardracer]

First chance I have had to get on here and chat about motorsport. I have just broken up for Christmas at work so I am a bit behind on who is running what but I think the Acura's of MSR look the nicest in the GTD class.

 

[AnthonyD1993]

In track news, Laguna Seca is still muddled in management chaos.....http://www.racer.com/north-american...a-seca-management-solution-back-to-square-one

 

[Panoz]

“We worked closely with our partners at FOX Sports to build an extremely strong schedule for WeatherTech Championship telecasts in 2017,”

Hahaha...no.

 

[IforceV8]

"We’ve more than doubled the number of hours of live FOX Network coverage over 2016" OK from 3hrs up to a whopping 6hrs. The starting 3hrs of Sebring gets dumped to the app that never works properly.

 

[catamount39]

IMSA stap, please. This is just stupid.

 

[GTFan24]

Imsa learned NOTHING from last year didn't they....

 

[AnthonyD1993]

Imsa learned NOTHING from last year didn't they....

Not much IMSA could have done since Fox only has the IMSA TV package because they got stuck with as a result of the NASCAR coverage. No amount of lobbying from IMSA would actually be effective to a network that flat doesn't give a :censored:about the series. I just hope that when this deal ends, the France family decides to shop IMSA to a network that actually cares about motorsports (basically anyone other than FOX and ESPN).

 

[FutureF1]

Great little christmas story from IMSA. Enjoy

‘Twas the Roar Before the Rolex
And in the paddock today
Not a racecar was stirring
Not even a Ligier

The transporters were parked
In the infield with care
In hopes that the green flag
Soon would be there

The drivers were waiting
Camped out on their beds
While visions of apexes
Lined up in their heads

Crew chiefs and their trustworthy
Engineers in the shop,
Were done with their checklists
From bottom to top

When down from the tower
Came some radio chatter
Teams put on their headsets
To hear over the clatter

The message came through,
Race control was very clear
“Drivers get to your cars,
The start of testing is near!”

The paddock was alive
With commotion to and fro
Team owners called to their drivers
“Come on, it’s time to go!”

V8 engines roared to life
And turbos, they hissed
By fans’ cheers you could tell
That these sounds had been missed.

Drivers strapped into their cars
They looked left and looked right
As they lined up on pit road
It was an incredible sight

The radio cracked to life
And the commands, they came
The tower told teams to get set
And called them by name

“Now Riley
Now Risi
Now Ganassi
Now Mazda
On Stevenson
On Starworks
On Magnus
And Porsche”

“Prototypes and Grand Tourers.
Get out there, ya’ll
Now green flag, green flag
Green flag for all!”

Out of pit exit
The field of cars drove
Around the high banks of Daytona
Then back to the infield they dove

Oh the iconic corners
They powered on through
Like the Bus Stop, the Tri-Oval
And International Horseshoe

Ferraris fought with Fords
For control of the quickest route
There were Audis and Lambos
And Vipers to boot

So many cars circled
Around the vast track
With this kind of excitement
For the fans, there was no going back

The action continued all weekend
But eventually it had to cease
Time to study the notes
And find any performance increase

For here’s what is known
The Rolex 24 is in sight
And 2016’s WeatherTech Championship
Will be a season that’s sure to delight!

EDIT: Looks like I'm blind and this was from last year. Still nice though if you haven't seen it...

 

[DesertPenguin09]

I just saw that post on Facebook. Good stuff

 

[Leadfoot530]

Thay was a nice read. Yeah, it took me a minute to realize it too. I was just thinking "Someone's still running a Viper?"

Sadly, nope.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Sorry if this has been posted already.

 

[IforceV8]

 

[CodeRedR51]

Well, one positive with the Nissan cars is that they should have zero issues with the engine.

 

[trustjab]

Here's a picture of the rear

 

[IforceV8]

Breakdown of the JS P217/ ESM DPi. http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/ligier-js-p217/?platform=hootsuite

 

[IforceV8]

 

[trustjab]

The Ligier has a Magnesium transmission casing... sounds like it should be a good drop in weight vs an Aluminum one.