Big changes in IMSA for 2019 | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Big changes in IMSA for 2019

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by RWatters, Aug 6, 2018.

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  1. stever

    stever F1 Rookie
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    'Series' I'll accept, racing is a 'NO'. With BOP changes every race, full course cautions for a 1 corner 'off'(Road America is 4 miles), which allow the P1 cars to pass all the others, and bunch up...there must be more....

    Oh yeah...I was talking to a Continental Tire team guy at dinner on Sat. night....I was curious why anybody would choose a McLaren over a Mustang to race, since you's start with a $200,000 deficit. He said Multimatic makes all the cars, throtles them down to parity. A different kind of spec series, you could say. The maximum price is $250,000(I think that's the number) and Multimatic charges 249,999. Me: But aren't the replacement parts more expensive on the McLaren? He said actually the McL from bumper is $12xx and the Mustang's is $3xxx. Is this close to true, F-chat?
     
  2. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    Is there room for improvement in IMSA, of course. But I still believe it is way better than others. Min and Max stint lengths, Min pit stops, guaranteed victory for Totyota, mandatory 5min pit stops for brake changes even if it isn't necessary...you get the idea.

    I don't think anyone has a great solution for safety cars yet. Think back to Le Mans and how that basically decided the race for GTE Pro. I would rather have the cars get bunched up then to split them up so they can never catch up to each other.

    As for the Mustang vs Macca question Ky1e would be the best person to ask. He switched from a Macca to a Mustang in CTSSC last year. Can't think of anyone else that has that direct experience.
     
  3. RWatters

    RWatters Formula 3

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    There's room for improvement in any series. IMSA has improved quite a bit. They give the spun/crashed/stalled car time to clear before throwing a caution, give the cars on track time to try to hit the pits before a caution, aren't nearly as caution trigger happy anymore, have given more leniency to accidents where in the past a penalty was pretty heavy and given without much justification, etc. The racing in each class is pretty damn good at every single race as well. Compared to seasons in the past this has been a VERY enjoyable season to watch.

    That said, the TCR situation is absolutely stupid. They cut the balls off of the cars so they can't compete. Let them compete. Production cars against bonkers little econoboxes sounds like a blast to me. There's more participation over in PWC and it makes more sense to race there IMO. At least when you're on track you're the top dogs and not relegated to being a neutered slow class.

    Every year the WEC finds a way to given certain teams an advantage at LeMans. Drives me absolutely insane.

    IIRC Ky1e changed because of reliability concerns with the McLaren.
     
  4. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    TCR is a whole other conversation... I miss the old ST class where you could run just about anything. GS going to GT4 was a good move, but TCR isn't doing it for me. You already see TCRs in the hands of pros being faster than GS cars in the hands of AMs. I think that is what IMSA is trying to keep from happening.

    This is all starting to get interesting. The article about United Autosports not returning to Daytona mentioned they don't want to do it if they can't win overall, but they would be interested if they had a DPi. Well, ESM is making the Nissans available. Would love for United to take them up on that offer.

    https://racer.com/2018/08/10/esm-to-relinquish-nissan-onroak-dpi-exclusivity-for-2019/
     
  5. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

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    Don't you know that bakery racing is the new norm? Nothing says loving like 25 cars come from the same oven ! Enjoy the future of racing. It's designed for the mindless and the brain dead.
     
  6. Gran Drewismo

    Gran Drewismo F1 Rookie

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    I watched a Spec Miata race in person a few weeks back and I have never been so bored at a race track. If that's the future I want no part of it! :)
     
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  7. Ky1e

    Ky1e Formula 3

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    I owned had 2 McLaren GT4's last year in Conti and the Mustang GT4 this year. All the GT4 cars are about the same price. For example the McLaren was $230K by the time it got to the USA with a couple options, the Mustang was ~$240K, Same with almost all GT4 cars ($220-$250K then add around $75K in spares). Some cars have more race parts (like the Mustang has a Hollinger race trans, adjustable ABS, TC, custom oil sump pump system, etc. And others are essentially a street car with a roll bar and air jacks (like the McLaren with power windows, a/c, stability control that cant be turned off, plastic parts throughout the engine area). The price differential of the car and of the parts is a non-factor. You have a team of 10 guys, prep, consumables, tractor trailers, engineers, data guys, and spend $50K-$100K per race to run the team when you include all costs (travel, consumables, car, equipments, fees etc), if one bumper costs $2000 and another $3000 it makes zero difference. The cost is in which car is going to be more reliable over the long term of an endurance season and which car can win. Note there are some cars that seem to need to be re-tubbed for somewhat average hits (like the MB and the Audi), so that can be a factor to some.

    But for me I dont look at the cost -- it is which car can you win in and rely on to get you thru every race without an issue. Most Teams have $1-2MM into a season and 11 people working hard and dedicated to one thing--winning. So that is all that matters (winning).

    And on that note we won last week at Road America :) It will be on TV tomorrow (see promo below).
    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    rdefabri, Devilsolsi, stever and 2 others like this.
  8. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    congrats on the win Alan :)
     
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  9. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Too many changes - too confusing to keep up.
     
  10. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

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    And with every change the cost keeps going up. When you have to appease those who do not build equipment, but purchase it from others the process can be rather expensive. Consider how many years Holbert Racing got out of the HR-1 Porsche 962 before its retirement. IMSA did not flip flop on its rules every month. We all know racing cost money, but you can't expect others to spending it when a few kids are unhappy because they are not winning.
     
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  11. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    Congrats on the win! That was an exciting race to watch.
     
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  12. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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  13. RWatters

    RWatters Formula 3

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    You have to wonder if potential investors are worried about it's reliability to be honest. It either seems to win or blow up/catch on fire and there doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground.
     
  14. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    I think next year you'll see mostly Caddilacs in Dpi and mostly Orecas in P2.

    so basically, two spec series.
     
  15. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    All of P2 is now Oreca. AFS is switching to it, and United isn't coming back till they have a DPi. P2 really did become the new PC. I wonder how many cars are actually going to be in the class next year.
     
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  16. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

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    Which only hurts racing that much more. But there is LeMons !
     
  17. RWatters

    RWatters Formula 3

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    Porsche GTLM domination is getting quite old this season.
     
  18. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    I want to see two factory-supported Ferraris in GTLM at every race. One car only in the endurance races is not enough! If Ford, Chevy, BMW and Porsche can do it, so can Ferrari (with a little help from FCA if necessary).
     
  19. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Agreed. With Ferrari's WEC involvement very much on point, why can't/won't Risi (for example)
    do a full season? Seeing a Ferrari (or two or three) mixing it up with the Porsches, BMWs, Fords
    and Corvettes would be epic.

    Also, evidently I hadn't been paying much attention but noticed during the Mid-Ohio race yesterday
    during pit stops that teams are allowed to change tires and refuel at the same time rather than the
    way they have to do it in WEC where the car can't be touched by any other mechanics until refueling
    is complete.

    BHW
     
  20. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    At Daytona they interviewed Risi who was blaming BoP as to why they weren't going to run any other IMSA events. He claimed that they hadn't adjusted the Ferrari BoP in a few years. I don't know if that is true or not, but with him only making a handful of races over the last several years and not committing to any championship, what does IMSA really have to go on?

    The other thing I have heard him blame is budget. If budget were an issue, why not run in GTD instead since the 488 can be converted between GT3 and GTE specs?
     
  21. stever

    stever F1 Rookie
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    How much is Ferrari involved in sports car racing elsewhere in the world?
     
  22. RWatters

    RWatters Formula 3

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  23. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    The only true factory program is F1. Sports cars is all customer programs.
     
  24. Turbopanzer

    Turbopanzer F1 World Champ

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    stever likes this.

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