ALMS going electric?

Yes. Do they seriously think they're going to find enough guys to fill a grid who are willing to cut a big check to race an electric car? My guess is that the ALMS brain trust is simply trying to drum up interest in the series to attract a new sponsor. I'd also bet that Dr. P's Elan Motorsports at the very least will make the composites for the car, if not the entire chassis.

No.

They'll make it through 2012. The problem is that the season & grid won't be much different than 2011. They still charge the participants too much $$$ & return too little to them ($1.795 million TOTAL prize money in 2011 - a single LPGA event pays out more than that!). They still have a laughable TV presence which offers sponsors no incentive to engage the platform. Also, if the WEC is a success it will surely siphon off more of the top teams next year.

With the right moves GA could put the dagger through their heart but I don't see it happening. Lets be honest - one finds more fans at a local Little League ball game than a GA race.

Even though the new prototype looks better its still essentially a tube frame spec car. As long as the ALMS doesn't fill their grid with spec cars they'll be fine...oops.

 

ALMS has jumped the shark IMO. Too many classes, it's just too confusing to a casual observer.

 

sports car racing in America (perhaps everywhere?) doesn't care about the fans because that's not where the money comes from. it comes from direct manufacturer involvement, and/or gentlemen drivers in privateer efforts (as opposed to ticket sales/ratings/sponsor $$).

so if the manufacturers want electric race cars, that's what we'll get. the question is, do the manufacturers want that? As an engineering/technology exercise I see the merits, IF your technology aligns with the rules.

as for the ALMS, GrandAm is going one direction, and WEC is going in another...ALMS seems stuck in the middle, and can't figure out which way to go so they're flailing their arms wildly. I agree the class structure is too complex, with too much speed differential between P1 and GTC.

I hope ALMS survives but I really don't see how they're going to pull it off.

 

ALMS deserves credit for looking outside the box. In order for racing to survive we need to attract young people. Upcoming generations aren't as car crazy as we are, but they are very interested in technology. If this will bring them into the fold, perhaps its a good idea.

 

Fair enough. But I firmly believe its simply a ploy to generate interest in the series & find another sponsor, as in, "Look at where we're heading. We're a forward-thinking, clean energy, tech savvy platform that's a perfect fit for your philosophy and electric technologies." Only to come back 6 months after they signed the client to say, "Sorry, we couldn't find enough participants to fill the grid, but our prototypes are still the most technologically advanced cars on the planet, blah, blah, blah."


The fact of the matter is that they're interested in selling the cars and collecting entry/sanctioning fees. The technology is nothing more than a way to market the series. If you called them and said that you have a group who's willing to pay seven figures to run a series of Porsche 550 replica's they would take your check and try to secure a Tupperware sponsorship.

The electric series has as much of a chance as a grid full of DeltaWings.

 

With all due respect, on the one hand you say they should pay more prize money and on the other you decry efforts to make money. Where do you think the prize money comes from?

It's easy for us to criticize from afar and much more difficult to create a business model that is equitable to the sanctioning body, the participants and the fans.