i dont know about this 4 hr deal. seems like it's a limbo time period. 2h45 minutes is a true sprint, but a race has to take more of an endurance flavor. I wouldn't mind seeing 2-3 4hr races, but I hope most of them stay sprints
sort of related to there being no elms, the alsm schedule will be more like last year, with 2 european races, 1 australian race(assuming one can be found, but panoz still wants one and is still trying), with the rest in north america. the rovals at texas and charlotte will thankfully be dropped, and panoz is looking at street races for detroit(bell isle most likely), miami and DC. here's a snipit from
speedvision
"The Automobile Club de l'Ouest would like to see the championship concentrate on the more prominent circuits, and it appears that Panoz has been receptive to their wishes. The teams were issued with a list of circuits from which to choose their preferred events, and the "roval" tracks of Charlotte and Texas were not on the list, though the street circuits of Miami and Detroit were. Sebring, Silverstone, the Nurburgring, Sears Point, Mosport, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, Road America and Portland are all believed to be up for selection."