Anybody out there following the Grand Am?

[RACECAR]

They will be. It has been rumoured for some time. Two drivers in each of their two cars. Think it will be the R8 Ultra?

Don't think the R8s will be the Exact cars in the FIA GT3 championship, think'll basically be just like how they were this season (unless Grand-Am has finally accepted full-on GT3 cars).

 

[Diehardracer]

Any word on those Speedsource Mazdas; car numbers, liveries?


Anything to tell me if the legendary seventy is coming back?


And, just to check, Spirit of Daytona is still in, right?

Yes. It is Mario Franchitti, Jonathon Bomarito, James Hinchcliffe and Sylvian Tremblay.

 

[LancerEvo7]

Don't think the R8s will be the Exact cars in the FIA GT3 championship, think'll basically be just like how they were this season (unless Grand-Am has finally accepted full-on GT3 cars).

They won't accept pure GT3s, they'd be too close to DP performance.

 

[Mac K]

They won't accept pure GT3s, they'd be too close to DP performance.

Really? I don't believe they're that quick.. (GT3s)

 

[SKIDMARX]

They won't accept pure GT3s, they'd be too close to DP performance.

I don't think GT3's are that quick.... I do believe a GT3 spec car raced in one of the races earlier this year but I may be wrong....

 

[Sam48]

I don't think GT3's are that quick.... I do believe a GT3 spec car raced in one of the races earlier this year but I may be wrong....

Errrr, no. Pretty sure they don't allow that. That would be like allowing a DP car to compete as an LMP2 car in ELMS. They just don't do that.

EDIT:
Not sure if this was posted earlier, but Scuderia Corsa will be running a full season of GA Rolex with one of their 458s

 

[SKIDMARX]

Errrr, no. Pretty sure they don't allow that. That would be like allowing a DP car to compete as an LMP2 car in ELMS. They just don't do that.

I swear the commentator said there was, I'll have to look again, just can't remember which race it was. Hell, I can't even remember what the car was, but I do remember hearing 'GT3' somewhere....

 

[Sam48]

I swear the commentator said there was, I'll have to look again, just can't remember which race it was. Hell, I can't even remember what the car was, but I do remember hearing 'GT3' somewhere....

I watched every race, and their were no GT3 cars. There were some GT3 teams who converted the car to GA specs (Like APR who bought a GT3 spec Audi before converting it for last year's 24). This, as we know, led to many issues, especially clutch issues.

 

[RACECAR]

Perhaps the 458s? (which are much closer to there pure GT3 counterparts then the Audi R8 is)

 

[Sam48]

Perhaps the 458s? (which are much closer to there pure GT3 counterparts then the Audi R8 is)

Yes, that to. And the Astons coming at COTA will also resemble GT3 cars, but, as before, are built to GA specs.

 

[Furinkazen]

In performance they are essentially GT3.5 really, half way between GT3 and GT4.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Porsche: 911 GT3 Cup, guys. The chassis code of the Porsche.

 

[LancerEvo7]

And their GT2 car is the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Doesn't mean anything.

 

[cnd01]

The Porsche is the 911 GT3. That's probably where the announcers mentioned GT3. In fact, I think the Porsche is the only car that can compete in any other series besides Grand-Am. Why they decided to have tube framed cars I will never know. Those tumors are finally disappearing with Mazda being phased out in GT and only 1 Camaro running all year.

 

[hawkeye122]

Isnt the Wheelen corvette also a Tube-frame?

 

[cnd01]

Isnt the Wheelen corvette also a Tube-frame?

Might be. I don't think so. What are you guys' car count predictions by class for the Rolex 24?

 

[RACECAR]

Isnt the Wheelen corvette also a Tube-frame?

Yep, it is.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Isnt the Wheelen corvette also a Tube-frame?

The history of Sonny Whelen's SCCA Corvette is the SCCA's old series... (insert name) that is now "SPEED World Challenge by Pirelli" or something...

 

[cnd01]

Gotcha. Even though I like that corvette, I still don't like the tube frame chassis.

I'm still searching the internet for the latest on Dr. Jim Lowe/Doran racing's Daytona prototype. I think there is an unofficial test at Daytona next Tuesday. Maybe more news will come then.

 

[Northstar]

Doran Racing — A potential full-season entry for 2013, the Kevin Doran-owned organization is in the process of upgrading its Dallara to a Gen-3 DP. Look for Dr. Jim Lowe to return to the wheel, while former AXR drivers David Donohue and Darren Law, along with Lowe's 2012 stablemate Paul Tracy, appearing to be possible candidates for the Rolex 24.

From here.

 

[Sam48]

What are you guys' car count predictions by class for the Rolex 24?

DP- 17
GT- 35
GX- 10

62 Total

 

[Furinkazen]

What's GX?

 

[Sam48]

What's GX?

Grand Am added the GX class for 2013. It's more an experimental class that has less restrictions.

 

[hawkeye122]

62 cars could be quite massive. I know Daytona is big, but... Thats alot.

 

[Sam48]

62 cars could be quite massive. I know Daytona is big, but... Thats alot.

Obviously that's not confirmed yet, but it's a pretty good estimate I'd say, judging by last years turn out.

 

[cnd01]

DP- 17
GT- 35
GX- 10

62 Total

This is probably pretty close to what it will be. There were 59 cars that started the race last year. I thing 60 or 61 were on the entry list.

My prediction:

Dp: 17-19

GT: 34-40

GX: 7-10

Total: 64 (18 DP, 38 GT, 8 GX)

 

[Mac K]

You guys don't think GX will be that popular?

 

[Sam48]

You guys don't think GX will be that popular?

Well they put a 10 car cap on the class. Mind that, they'll probably dump or split GX cars into CTSCC and what will become a merger between ALMS GTC and GA GT for 2014.

 

[Mac K]

^Really? I didn't even know. Then again it's an experimental class.

 

[Sam48]

According to GA's website, Michael Shank Racing is running a Corvette DP (#6) and Ford Riley DP (#60). I didn't know one team could run two cars of different makes like that. Must be a pain for the engineers and for their people in the booth (Where I presume the Ford guys and Chevy guys are separated by all the corporate sponsors in the middle).