2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar ChampionshipSports Cars 

  • Thread starter Northstar
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Sounds like Ford is done with the GT program. It's certainly one of those cars where I'm happy to say I was able to see it race in person.

https://racer.com/2019/03/01/ford-preparing-for-le-mans-gt-swansong/

I'm doing it, boys. Going to my first ever IMSA race weekend at Mid-Ohio this May!

Mid-Ohio is close to the top of tracks I would like to visit if I ever decide to go on a longer trip (Road America is already 5.5 hours). The nice thing with IMSA weekends too is that they do a really good job of making sure something interesting is always going on.
 
Mid-Ohio is close to the top of tracks I would like to visit if I ever decide to go on a longer trip (Road America is already 5.5 hours). The nice thing with IMSA weekends too is that they do a really good job of making sure something interesting is always going on.

It was down to either Mid-Ohio or Road America as my finalists for attending an IMSA race this year. It was either drive to the Middle of Nowhere in Ohio, or drive through Chicago and Milwaukee to Elkhart Lake. Middle of Nowhere won out. And yes, looking forward to experiencing IMSA live.
 
Sounds like Ford is done with the GT program. It's certainly one of those cars where I'm happy to say I was able to see it race in person.

https://racer.com/2019/03/01/ford-preparing-for-le-mans-gt-swansong/

Same for me. I'm also glad I got to see the Audi R18 & Peugeot 908's run during their heyday along with the V10 era of Formula 1. The Ford GT's were very unique in how they sounded at the track and also how their accent lighting looked at night. This year at Road Atlanta I might try to get a few pictures of them running during the dark.
 
I won't miss the Ford GT. For some reason it never appealed to me (I think mainly because it didn't seem to be within the spirit of the class, personally). It was attractive "enough". However, between them the likelihood of BMW leaving, the GTLM class will be in a bad way. Unfortunate.
 
I kind of wonder if GTLM will eventually just be scrapped for an all-pro GT3 class with factory teams allowed. It could get some manufacturers to increase their support of the series while at the same time possibly getting some more international teams for Daytona since they won't have to worry about driver ratings.

Not really sure where that would leave the Le Mans relationship as WEC's GTE class will be fine without BMW and Ford though.
 
I kind of wonder if GTLM will eventually just be scrapped for an all-pro GT3 class with factory teams allowed. It could get some manufacturers to increase their support of the series while at the same time possibly getting some more international teams for Daytona since they won't have to worry about driver ratings.

Not really sure where that would leave the Le Mans relationship as WEC's GTE class will be fine without BMW and Ford though.
Normally, I'd say no way this is happening as long as GM has a say but then I predict one of two things will happen: Either GM adopts the Callaway GT3 Vette or P&M GT3-ize the C7/8/whatever R and the private teams get to use the Callaway Vette possibly with limited assistance from GM.
 
Normally, I'd say no way this is happening as long as GM has a say but then I predict one of two things will happen: Either GM adopts the Callaway GT3 Vette or P&M GT3-ize the C7/8/whatever R and the private teams get to use the Callaway Vette possibly with limited assistance from GM.

IIRC only one model from a manufacturer/brand can be internationally homologated at a time, so if GM did ever make a GT3 Corvette, Callaway wouldn't be able to. That's actually the reason Callaway hasn't done much stateside as the agreement they have with GM limits where they can race (I know they weren't allowed to race against the Cadillac in PWC, not sure what other restrictions there are/were).
 
The restrictions were off the Callaway GT3 when the Cadillac program was shut down.

They haven't done much here themselves because they don't have the money to, with the PWC program getting cut back multiple times until it was axed and the cars they said they would have at the COTA 24hr never showed up.

It is cleared to run in IMSA as a GM product, meaning that Callaway doesn't have to pay the manufacturer fee. Still wouldn't expect to see it though, GT3 is too full of factory-built cars with factory pressure helping ensure the BoP isn't too awful, huge databooks, and lots of support options for a team to spend money on a relatively unproven car from an independent team with little North American infrastructure.
 
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Savage.
 
Just arrived back from work, and so begins what might be the longest single racing binge of my life.

Dual monitors with non stop racing on the left and finance report work on the right as I watch.
WEC 1000 miles of Sebring > Formula 1 FP3 > Sleep > 12 Hours of Sebring > Australian GP. :cheers:
We'll see how productive I am on the right side monitor throughout :rolleyes:
 
The pre-race is about to start on CNBC.

Edit: It's the race itself.
 
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Radio LeMans mentioned it some time ago. #67 Ford and #25 BMW according to them, it wasn't shown on camera i think.
 
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