IMSA Race 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona

[AoB Special Stage]

So 7 GTLM's will line up at the front of the field (dry weather expected for raceday), or will IMSA put the Protos as the front of the grid?

[chernaudi]

They'll group them by class based on fastest time within class--DP/LMP2, LMPC, GTLM, GTD.

WEC often do the same as far as grouping LMP1/LMP2 and GTE-Pro/GTE-Am together, too, especially if a car doesn't set a qualifying time.

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

So 7 GTLM's will line up at the front of the field (dry weather expected for raceday), or will IMSA put the Protos as the front of the grid?

Protos to the front of the field and with a gap between protos and GTs.

[Rcz]

Since Daytona is a Power track, the GTLM could pose a threat against a P1 car in the wet. I assume downforce would be very minimal so mechanical grip might be more important.

But then again I don't know how P1 cars would handle in general at a dry Daytona.

Their driver might get smoshed by the high g load in the corners going around 220-230 mph. Everthing would get so stressed from the suspension, to the engine and most especially the tires. And the infield would be difficult because of the lack of downforce for those off camber corners. All that for 24hours.

[kvenom]

Hopefully the P2s don't get monstered by the DPs at the start like last year.

[Louie Loper]

Originally Posted by kvenom

Hopefully the P2s don't get monstered by the DPs at the start like last year.

Did Continental develope a tire for them in the off season or waiting til 2017?

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Johnny Mowlem said he was sideways on the banking. Apparently TC has not yet been installed in the PCs .....

Hey Mae! (et al)

In my usual style, I hafta correct you on the TC regarding the banking. (I presume TC is traction control) PM'd you.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Louie Loper

Did Continental develope a tire for them in the off season or waiting til 2017?

Same old tire it's always been. Who knows if they would even change in 2017? Dagys said tonight the GTD tire is the same as it's been since Conti came into Grand-Am years ago.

[Louie Loper]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Same old tire it's always been. Who knows if they would even change in 2017? Dagys said tonight the GTD tire is the same as it's been since Conti came into Grand-Am years ago.

That is wild to think they have not changed compound or anything in all that time...

[chernaudi]

Spec tire and just like Goodyear in NASCAR, the France family and ISC are spec'ing the tires and Continental/Hoosier are just building what the series is asking for.

Only GTLM is open tire, and is dominated by Michelin.

[Mike Hedlund]

Don't confuse TC with Yaw Control -- TC won't help you from crashing on the banking.

The GTD wet and dry tires are the same as last year.

The P and PC wet tires are the same as last year, but after Daytona Continental is switching to a new wet tire. I'd guess it's simply a softer compound which is why they won't run it at Daytona.

-mike

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

So 7 GTLM's will line up at the front of the field (dry weather expected for raceday), or will IMSA put the Protos as the front of the grid?

They qualify in/as a class and the grid will be lined up by class... P/PC/GTLM/GTD






L.P.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Johnny Mowlem said he was sideways on the banking. Apparently TC has not yet been installed in the PCs .....

The upgrade schedule is at the bottom of the article..

http://www.racer.com/imsa/weathertec...dates-outlined





L.P.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by kvenom

Hopefully the P2s don't get monstered by the DPs at the start like last year.

I don't remember them getting monstered.

[godlameroso]

We only get one practice session tomorrow to see where everyone stands. I kind of hate the weather today, literally a huge cloud hanging over Florida, especially when the rest of the weekend is going to be beautiful weather.

[fergus_r]

Suppose the track will still be wet in practice tomorrow, it was still raining near to midnight.

[Akrapovic]

Why would they practice and race in the rain but not qualify?

[fieldodreams79]

They did qualify in the rain for the first time in recent memory. iirc, they canceled all would be wet sessions in the previous 2 years, and I haven't the foggiest clue why they chose that other than they're imsa?

Also, it's been said here that they've had plenty of dry time during the Roar. I tend to agree they've got enough dry running to know what they have at this point. For the fans at the track, it may a drag for having to put up with the wet yesterday and little action today. Hopefully, the support series put on a good show today.

The start is what I am interested in seeing. I assume they are split this year, negating the gtlm out pacing P cars.

[Maelochs]

I had to reread the comments from Johnny Mowlem and I see I conflated things he was saying about Petit last year and Daytona this year. Hopefully, had I been thinking I would have realized they don’t do a lot of sudden acceleration on the banking.

Apparently IMSA ruled under Subsection 40.1 or some stuff (don’t smudge the ink—let it dry) that the session was “mixed,” meaning the GTLMs could run slicks, Inters, or Wets. When a session is declared “mixed” the cars are ordered by class and time in class.

That’s how it was explained to me. To me it makes more sense that “Mixed” means mixed weather conditions, so that the first group might have very different track conditions than the last group (too lazy to look it up.)

I am pretty glad. I’d hate to see the P leaders trying to pass PC and all of GTLM in the opening laps.

I wonder if anyone is going to really show their stuff today, or wait until the race to dump all the sand.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

And who won Petit Le Mans last year?

Michelin.

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Chiana

It's the ultimate LMPC simulator.

I am late to this, but I'd like to give you a BWAA HA HA for that.

[rwintle]

Also - schedule tweeted, in case anyone's missing it:

https://twitter.com/Rolex24Hours/sta...60355963101185

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Probably because it's a brand new car and Jim Bob's Towing in Daytona has never seen it. I'd be willing to bet a traveling safety team would have already done that at the Roar.

It was painful to watch wasn't it? (just saw the replay, had to look away after a couple of minutes). Can you imagine this happening during the race.... (don't answer that please)

Small correction: one of the IMSA fast intervention teams (they travel with the series, you'll see them in the Cayennes) was on the scene as well and didn't provide any guidance or info about the 'fold-out-tow-hook' [which have been common for many years now]. It's a lack of interest, especially from the IMSA safety guys who I think most (if not all) of them were newly recruited at the start of the 'new era' - I at least didn't recognize any of the faces I saw at Sebring '14. The old safety team wasn't much better in these kind of situations either btw...

[BullMan]

JFC the BR01 just blew its engine.

[DistortedSmile]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

It was painful to watch wasn't it? (just saw the replay, had to look away after a couple of minutes). Can you imagine this happening during the race.... (don't answer that please)

Small correction: one of the IMSA fast intervention teams (they travel with the series, you'll see them in the Cayennes) was on the scene as well and didn't provide any guidance or info about the 'fold-out-tow-hook' [which have been common for many years now]. It's a lack of interest, especially from the IMSA safety guys who I think most (if not all) of them were newly recruited at the start of the 'new era' - I at least didn't recognize any of the faces I saw at Sebring '14. The old safety team wasn't much better in these kind of situations either btw...

They also broke the left side mirror even though Bruni was making gestures with his hand.