Quote:
Originally Posted by cmk
Is the priority really just more cars on the grid? The one thing I worry about is that people are focusing on absolute car count as if it is somehow indicative of the quality (rather than health) of the series' racing. I think that's an oversimplification.
What we have is not so much a chronically low absolute car count as a chronically low car count in 3 of the 4 classes. The total number of cars on track is, of course, still an issue, but what's really at stake is whether there is sufficient depth on offer to provide a good show in each class. GT2 is the one to watch right now because there is a good scrap between many competitive cars, but while we have 6 protos, they are no longer able to compete on level terms and thus we have no prototype battle.
Adding in another GT class with a paltry number of cars (say 6) and another P class with an equal number does very little for the series unless those cars are very very well matched with each other, and even in that eventuality do nothing to mitigate the boredom of 2 Acuras tromping on Intersport in P1. The only thing you get is a yet more confusing, fractionated field with a bunch of bland battles and, of course, GT2. Is it really making things better, or is it just providing even less impetus to bolster numbers in the classes that really need them?
We'll always have 2008, friends...
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I tuned into the highlights at St Pete's, the lack of cars at the start was damaging from a PR and casual viewers perspective.
I wouldn't allow LMP3, you may end up with glorified club cars, but GT3 is an established class with recognisable, quick cars, and returns the ALMS to a two class GT structure.
P1 can only be sorted if Audi, Porsche or whoever step up next season. P2 must be on the agenda for both potential entrants and those looking to step up from GT2, but again only for 2010 and beyond. Manufacturer's are withdrawing and the class will use more cost effective GT2/Production engines