USCC (leave your axe outside)

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

How hard is it in the drivers meeting to say...

"...There is no split pit procedure, you can all enter when pits open..."

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but, I feel like things are just way, way too complicated sometimes.

Because in a race you don't always have time to think about it, it's automatic for almost everyone. There is a LOT going on. If they change the procedures up from race to race there will be a lot more mistakes.

-mike

[Dodge_Swinger]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

Because in a race you don't always have time to think about it, it's automatic for almost everyone. There is a LOT going on. If they change the procedures up from race to race there will be a lot more mistakes.

-mike

I watched the replay of the St. Petersburg PWC race last night. I noticed that there were a couple of incidents during that race that resulted in noticeable debris as well as a disabled car that pulled off the racing line, but was not behind the safety barrier. These were handled by local yellows or, in the case of debris, no flag at all. The only FCY periods were when cars were truly blocking the track. I commented to a friend that certainly all the local yellows and probably all the debris incidents would have resulted in a FCY in TUSCC. Also, the FCY period was much shorter. I know that part of the "shortness" is due to not having 4 classes on track, but still. As someone that races in both series, do you see a difference in philosophy regarding cautions? I came away satisfied with an entertaining race, even though Enge benefitted from the unavoidable FCY. Pilgrim was running away with the race and after being conditioned to TUSCC, I kept expecting to see an FCY, but it looked like SCCA was letting you guys race.

I also got the impression that PWC has a traveling safety team.

See you at Road America!

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

Because in a race you don't always have time to think about it, it's automatic for almost everyone. There is a LOT going on. If they change the procedures up from race to race there will be a lot more mistakes.

-mike

Sure, I understand that, but, when I was still involved in the ALMS from a team persepective we always had the lead engineer/strategist/crew chief in the meeting. Unless that has changed, that should fall under their responsibility.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

Because in a race you don't always have time to think about it, it's automatic for almost everyone. There is a LOT going on. If they change the procedures up from race to race there will be a lot more mistakes.

-mike

They are supposed to be professionals, that is not excuse.

Just leave the pits open at all times and problems are solved.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Bob Riebe

They are supposed to be professionals, that is not excuse.

Just leave the pits open at all times and problems are solved.

That was the response I wanted to make but chose to be somewhat nice...

[Mike Hedlund]

And you guys wonder why more drivers/team personal don't frequent the forums to contribute? I'm just giving you the reasoning behind it. :-)

-mike

[Rodger Davies]

Not to mention that the biggest class in the field requires a non-professional as per the rules.

Nether the less, I agree with the assertion to just leave the pits open as it used to be.

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

And you guys wonder why more drivers/team personal don't frequent the forums to contribute?

+1

[Ken_T]

Manufacturers are concerned as well.

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/10244...-led-coalition

[FLGTFAN]

I think the teams/drivers want FCY's, closed pits, and wave-bys. It improves their chances. End of story.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Ken_T

Manufacturers are concerned as well.

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/10244...-led-coalition

I love Atherton's spin on it.

"We have a manufacturers' advisory council that's made up of senior members of our official automotive partner group, and the core group, which is the vast majority, we did have a call with them that was welcomed. "We're fortunate to have such incredible support coming from all our manufacturer partners and had a very productive call for what will be an ongoing exchange that will be more formalized but will be left with enough unstructured-ness to allow topical items to be brought up without long lead times. We don't want to make it too formal. There's that group, there's also plans that will both embrace the technical side and the marketing side that goes to a different group of people involved."

Translation: "We got our a** handed to us by the manufacturers, we spent hours making apologies, we hope they know how bad we are screwing the pooch."

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

I love Atherton's spin on it.

"We have a manufacturers' advisory council that's made up of senior members of our official automotive partner group, and the core group, which is the vast majority, we did have a call with them that was welcomed. "We're fortunate to have such incredible support coming from all our manufacturer partners and had a very productive call for what will be an ongoing exchange that will be more formalized but will be left with enough unstructured-ness to allow topical items to be brought up without long lead times. We don't want to make it too formal. There's that group, there's also plans that will both embrace the technical side and the marketing side that goes to a different group of people involved."

I'm glad you translated that, because that there ^ is the most meaningless pile of fluff I've read in a long time. Holy crap what a load of doublespeak. :P

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

And you guys wonder why more drivers/team personal don't frequent the forums to contribute? I'm just giving you the reasoning behind it. :-)

-mike

Yes I trust Mr. Hedlund for sure and I am grateful that you are on here talking amongst fairwether joe schmo fans like me.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by FLGTFAN

I think the teams/drivers want FCY's, closed pits, and wave-bys. It improves their chances. End of story.

No they don't. They want to race, not have a bunch of gimmick crap cluttering up the actual racing.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by rwintle

I'm glad you translated that, because that there ^ is the most meaningless pile of fluff I've read in a long time. Holy crap what a load of doublespeak. :P

Gotta love the word 'unstructured-ness.' They better be paying serious attention to their customers, or they will lose them.

[MoMedic9019]

What's the difference between the "major automotive group" and the "vast majority core group"

Actually.....WTF does that even mean?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

What's the difference between the "major automotive group" and the "vast majority core group"

Actually.....WTF does that even mean?

The first one is actually important? Im lost on all this. Ill just watch and hope half-hour long cautions go away soon. Wec starts in 2 weeks anyway

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

What's the difference between the "major automotive group" and the "vast majority core group"

Actually.....WTF does that even mean?

Judging by how daytona and sebring went down.....I'd guess the “major” is Porsche and the “vast majority” is everybody else!

[Maelochs]

Close, Laguna ---Chevy and Porsche are the main ones, and Ferrari, BMW, and SRT are allowed to listen in. Audi has already gotten such bad BoP they probably don't care, and Aston is already mostly gone.

TUSC needs Chevy as the only successful U.S. manufacturer who cares and they need Porsche for half the GTD field. If they can keep those two on board (in their minds) they can probably survive.

"Unstructred-ness": "The Car companies told us they'd be setting the agenda because we can't run a meeting any better than we can run a series."

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

TUSC needs Chevy as the only successful U.S. manufacturer who cares and they need Porsche for half the GTD field. If they can keep those two on board (in their minds) they can probably survive.

This is so bias... It seems that NASCAR/IMSA wanted those two companies to become successful while leaving others in the dust, especially the former with their Corvette DPs.

[FLGTFAN]

Originally Posted by BullMan

No they don't. They want to race, not have a bunch of gimmick crap cluttering up the actual racing.

Ask the dramatically increased number of teams/drivers who are on the lead lap at the end of 12 or 24 hours. They don't have a problem with it.

[chernaudi]

GM, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW and SRT/Chrysler means 5 manufacturers. Reportedly, there's at least half a dozen manufacturers who formed this pressure group. I'd bet that Ford is the 6th. Like GM, they're heavily involved in NASCAR, thrown a lot behind the Ganassi and MSR programs, and are pushing their EcoBoost stuff in TUSCC.

As for others, as mentioned, AMR are only supporting 1-2 entries in GTD, and Audi only seem to be providing support for a handful of GTD entries, and as we know, Audi left the ALMS--one of the precursors to TUSCC--full time after '08 after they won about everything in site by then and got tired of the game that Panoz Motorsports Group was playing, which was skimping on funding and supporting IMSA, and getting OEMs to pay for the shortfalls. IE, Audi felt that the ROI wasn't what they wanted compared to LM and the future WEC, so they left aside from running the endurance races.

That all being said, if it's a six manufacture committee, then Ford is probably the 6th member. Audi could be also the 6th member, but they don't have many dogs in the fight here, though the stuff going on in TUSCC would probably leave them PO'd, considering that they reportedly a bit ticked at the ACO and WEC over some BoP that got announced to the teams prior to the Paul Ricard WEC test. Considering that, Audi would be taking what's happened in TUSCC with a dim view for sure, since the TUSCC stuff is worse by comparison, not only as far as BoP, but more fundamental and important matters.

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

GM, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW and SRT/Chrysler means 5 manufacturers. Reportedly, there's at least half a dozen manufacturers who formed this pressure group. I'd bet that Ford is the 6th. Like GM, they're heavily involved in NASCAR, thrown a lot behind the Ganassi and MSR programs, and are pushing their EcoBoost stuff in TUSCC.

As for others, as mentioned, AMR are only supporting 1-2 entries in GTD, and Audi only seem to be providing support for a handful of GTD entries, and as we know, Audi left the ALMS--one of the precursors to TUSCC--full time after '08 after they won about everything in site by then and got tired of the game that Panoz Motorsports Group was playing, which was skimping on funding and supporting IMSA, and getting OEMs to pay for the shortfalls. IE, Audi felt that the ROI wasn't what they wanted compared to LM and the future WEC, so they left aside from running the endurance races.

That all being said, if it's a six manufacture committee, then Ford is probably the 6th member. Audi could be also the 6th member, but they don't have many dogs in the fight here, though the stuff going on in TUSCC would probably leave them PO'd, considering that they reportedly a bit ticked at the ACO and WEC over some BoP that got announced to the teams prior to the Paul Ricard WEC test. Considering that, Audi would be taking what's happened in TUSCC with a dim view for sure, since the TUSCC stuff is worse by comparison, not only as far as BoP, but more fundamental ahand important matters.

Yeah I think TUSK is way down Audi's list of racing priorities behind: WEC, SRO, VLN, DTM.

[Jack Spratt]

Originally Posted by FLGTFAN

Ask the dramatically increased number of teams/drivers who are on the lead lap at the end of 12 or 24 hours. They don't have a problem with it.

Then ask them again when their sponsorship disappears because no-one is watching this mickey mouse parade any longer.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by FLGTFAN

Ask the dramatically increased number of teams/drivers who are on the lead lap at the end of 12 or 24 hours. They don't have a problem with it.

Who cares how many cars are on the lead lap? The "entertainment instead of racing" people. That's it.