USCC (leave your axe outside)

[hondafan37]

The R8 rumor for GTE homologation data of 2011

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...-homologation/

The rumor of the DP is January 2013

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105349

Both of them may be possible

[HORNDAWG]

As to IMSA sanctioned series in 2014....."In 2014, IMSA will sanction United SportsCar Racing, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Cooper Tire Prototype Lites, IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, Ferrari Challenge and Lamborghini Super Trofeo"

http://www.grand-am.com/News/GA_News...explained.aspx









L.P.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

Still don't understand why a manufacturer would build a new DP.

To win Daytona24 without spending the effort and resources required for...

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

Demonstrating their capability to produce something beyond state of the art

i.e. have some publicity on the cheap.

However I would agree that such an approach would be completely against 'vor*ehem*something*something*d'uh technik' slogan that Audi are spinning right now.

[Speed-King]

However I would agree that such an approach would be completely against 'vor*ehem*something*something*d'uh technik' slogan that Audi are spinning right now.

So is their whole DTM-program.

And even with a DP you can demonstrate the excellence of your engineering staff - just not that of your technical innovations, but then that leads as back to that whole unholy "Relevance" debate, so I am gonna bite my tongue on that...

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

Demonstrating their capability to produce something beyond state of the art (from the perspective of the road car), demonstrating capability to handle tomorrow's technology (energy recuperation just being one example), or demonstrating the power of your chosen platform (audi and diesel, e.g.), just to name a few.

So again, why would a manufacturer build a DP? It must not be any faster or better than anything else that's out there already, and being the new kid on the block, it won't get the same BoP boost as whatever box the ganassis are hustling around will get. There's nothing to be proven except that if you build a DP you can build a clunky car that an inspired, independent workshop could've built some 25 years ago... but we're not talking about an inspired, independent workshop, but about AUDI (i.e., thrice the opposite). So, again, why?

For the same reason every other racing program exists, for marketing purposes. Maybe when it comes out, you can ask them directly yourself.

[seanyb505]

For an audi dp to exist it would mean audi na would be footing it. They've already elected to not pay for an entry in a top class. I doubt that running below the P1 program would do the trick and convince them to pay for it. Realistically in think we can expect audi in gagt, where they have already been running. I think an LMS in GTLM would add to a sweet smorgasbord of top flight gt cars

[Ephaeton]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Maybe when it comes out, you can ask them directly yourself.

If it comes out, I shall!

[TF110]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

USCR is not a sanctioning body, IMSA is! We are in the USCR thread talking about SportsCars, not Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. As to the rest of the post's suppositions...... they are possible, but I do not believe them to be.





L.P.

Excuse my specifics in terminology, I haven't seen anything about the IMSA in regards to a DTM series in the U.S. Maybe you could post a link? I've seen that the USCR will hold a press conference discussing the future of DTM in America. So that's a part of this thread. If you don't like that it's discussed here maybe a new thread can be opened when the DTM series is announced. DTM is just a name, do you really think they're 'touring cars'?

[TheMightyM]

While Audi has several possible paths they could choose to pursue, they all come with big question marks.

DP — OK, but what exactly does a DP look like for 2014? And much more to the point, what happens from 2016 on?

GA-GT/GTD — Yeah, Audi is in this. And yes they won the class at Daytona. But after Daytona, only one customer car seems to running in GA-GT this year. To have a sustained impact, Audi simply needs to do more here. That's especially true next year, as post merger, there may well be more cars in GTD than is in GA-GT currently while GTLM will still get more press.

GTE/GTLM — Obviously there's some interest here, but the Audi isn't a popular customer car in GA-GT so I suspect it also won't be a popular customer car in GTLM either. Now if Audi NA wanted to back a factory or semi-factory team...

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by TF110

Excuse my specifics in terminology, I haven't seen anything about the IMSA in regards to a DTM series in the U.S. Maybe you could post a link? I've seen that the USCR will hold a press conference discussing the future of DTM in America. So that's a part of this thread. If you don't like that it's discussed here maybe a new thread can be opened when the DTM series is announced. DTM is just a name, do you really think they're 'touring cars'?

I am not the one who brought up being informed. There is no link to post, as I posted what IMSA is saying it will sanction in 2014 in post #152 of this thread. A link to discussing DTM in the US has already been provided in this thread but is being ignored evidently! Here it is once again from within its proper forum, the WTCC & European Touring Car Series .

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125157






L.P.

[Purist]

Does the GA GT Audi suffer from poor fuel mileage like the regular GT3 has? That would certainly put a damper on customer interest outside series with serious pit window/pit stop restrictions.

So, if NA DTM cars end up looking more like SuperGT (it is a common chassis) than DTM itself, will that thread then get moved back in here? The semantics just seem laughable on this thing, and putting it in the "right" category. Sheesh!

[MitchZ06]

It might end up back here but not in this thread.

And it would appear there's more people expecting something other than NA DTM than there is (well only one person). GTD or GTLM class is my bet, I'd love an Audi Sport NA factory GTE car to go up against the likes of Corvette, BMW, Risi, Viper rather than DTM which I'm unlikely to watch.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by Purist

Does the GA GT Audi suffer from poor fuel mileage like the regular GT3 has? That would certainly put a damper on customer interest outside series with serious pit window/pit stop restrictions.

So, if NA DTM cars end up looking more like SuperGT (it is a common chassis) than DTM itself, will that thread then get moved back in here? The semantics just seem laughable on this thing, and putting it in the "right" category. Sheesh!

IMSA is the body that would sanction US DTM should it be launched, with its first year being 2015. People seem to be missing both of those points. US DTM would be very hard pressed to get established in advance of going racing in 2014. Ed Bennett himself has used 2015 as the likely start date for the championship.

USR is the name of the Rolex Series/ALMS going forward at the moment. Unless the US DTM cars compete as a class in the USR, it doesn't fit in this thread. It deserves its own thread.

Chris

[TF110]

There's no confirmation on anything yet. And there's the possibility of Super GT joining them. If they do join them who knows what the name will be. So I think a new thread of that would be good once the information is out.

Other than that it is anyone's guess what Audi will do, if anything different in 2014.

[Mechanic Z]

http://www.racer.com/opinion-back-to...rticle/285560/

Interesting opinion piece by John Dagys from Racer magazine. Especially these parts:

"But through this time of change, we should all take a step back to understand the direction the sport is headed as a whole. What mustn't be forgotten is the one pillar that has stood since the very early days of Le Mans: Innovation.
From the first use of windshield wipers to disc brakes and turbochargers, all were proven on the racetrack before making their way into the road cars we drive every day. The same goes for modern-day sports car racing, with flywheel-based hybrids, Isobutanol fuels and periscope camera systems, developed on the race track, that will help lead the automotive industry into the future. The elimination of the LMP1 class, which has fostered the majority of the technological growth over the past decade and a half, comes as a significant concern to some. While having struggled for an acceptable-sized grid in the ALMS for the last three years, the top prototype category drove innovation, while also producing a show on the track for the fans."


"What has to be recognized is the fact that the cars are the stars in sports car racing, especially in the eyes of the younger generation. If it wasn't for the exotic, no-holds-barred nature of prototype racing in the late ‘90s, there'd be a good chance I wouldn't be where I am today, fortunate enough to cover the sport that has grown extremely close to my heart."


If only the USCR board would listen to this!

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

If it comes out, I shall!

I'll stick with when. Thanks.

[Fogelhund]

http://www.racer.com/opinion-back-to...rticle/285560/

Good article by Dagys. Let us not forget that the Cars are the Stars.

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

http://www.racer.com/opinion-back-to...rticle/285560/

Interesting opinion piece by John Dagys from Racer magazine. Especially these parts:

"But through this time of change, we should all take a step back to understand the direction the sport is headed as a whole. What mustn't be forgotten is the one pillar that has stood since the very early days of Le Mans: Innovation."

If only the USCR board would listen to this!

Go Dagys! Go!

[NaBUru38]

John Dagys writes at Racer? That's odd.

[Ephaeton]

Contrast Dagys' article with the marketing blurb ALMS has posted on their site (maybe GA did so either but who'd know) about the USCR name.
How obvious does it need to become that they supply a different product than is in demand so they see it too?
We don't want marketing blurb, the deep sense of the word "united" explained by an ad shop that has zero relation to racing (reinforced by their previous work for NASCAR). We want racing. Sigh.

I keep thinking I'm over it (RIP ALMS), but then something like that happens (fan says fan-like things, series says the things they say), and I'm reminded of the pain coming onto us.

[fanta4]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

John Dagys writes at Racer? That's odd.

I think someone else wrote it and attached his name to it. Much different than the spin he writes for Speed. It was refreshing though.

[HORNDAWG]

The notion that the branding of the new combined series in any way effects the product itself is pure hogwash! While I do find it to not be an instant iconic masterpiece, it is not something that I find offensive.
The series has delivered on everything that they said they would, when they said they would.

As to wanting racing, both series season's are under way and have had good racing in them so far!




L.P.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by fanta4

I think someone else wrote it and attached his name to it. Much different than the spin he writes for Speed. It was refreshing though.

John writes for more than just SPEED.







L.P.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

John Dagys writes at Racer? That's odd.

Keep in mind that SpeedTV is going away...

[fanta4]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

John writes for more than just SPEED.


L.P.

Really? Was it the Racer article give that away? lol.