IMSA 2022: Looking to the present?

[broadrun96]

I mean it's interesting for us right? But it's becoming a pattern like MSR winging it for fuel strategy last year and being off from everyone else, often requiring that last splash costing them positions. But they did that yesterday in Nashville by holding Pags in the pits instead of immediately going out on the alternate tires, sometimes doing something to be "smarter" that everyone else isn't good, there is a reason everyone else said nah, not for us.


I caught the start and finish, missed about the mid 90 min of the race. Maybe I'll listen to the RLM audio this week to catch it. Seemed like a decent race for everyone, nothing too crazy and weather just kinda mixed things rather than ruin things. And trackside they still get a Super Trofeo race to end the day while packing up.

Definitely a better track for sportscars over stock cars. BUT I would like some kind of runoff limitations by reg or structure at T1, T3 and T5. Wondering how a grass/turf strip in there would limit the use for racing but allow cars to use it to recover. Something about going wide like they do just feels like Cup cars at Watkins Glen going a mile wide of the corners. The Busch cars put on an interesting show but the Cup guys just weren't a good race.

[S griffin]

The series has been through troubled times, but there's still enough to keep us interested. Still have enough quality in the series. We shouldn't really compare it to other series, it's good in it's own way

It still has it's exciting moments, I just hope the series can survive a bit longer. We will get less exciting races from time to time, but overall the series is doing well under the circumstances

Certainly it's not an easy track to pass on, but it's fun to watch them round a classic like Road America. Certainly not one for the faint hearted. I think the runoff areas are fine, like most American circuits.

[joeb]

The weirdest part of this race was that when I opened the newspaper this morning, there was a short column about the race results! I don't remember ever seeing IMSA news in the paper outside of Daytona. Must be a slow news day.....

[NaBUru38]

August in North American sports is basically baseball, golf, soccer, motorsport and NFL preseason.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

August in North American sports is basically baseball, golf, soccer, motorsport and NFL preseason.

Nope, it is college football, NFL preseason, dog racing, underwater basketweaving championships, paint drying semi-finals, then golf, baseball, motorsport and in MLS cities ONLY and even then only a few soccer.

And where joeb is it is LSU football, LSU cheerleading, LSU gymnastics and how much the gymnast made this month on NIL money, then ah crap we still have the Aints without Drew and then how bad are the Falcons and Panthers. The rest don't ever register, hell NOLA motorsports park supposedly had almost open gates instead of charging for the SRO race last month from some reports.

[Adam43]

I don’t think how bad the Falcons are is a story anymore

Shout-out to Dean Pees, who hears all your pitying takes about the prospects of the 2022 Atlanta Falcons and is having NONE of it.

Scroll down to the bottom:
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-r...m-their-kickof

The important thing from this is that sportscar racing is not a major sport. At all. Ever. But hey ho. Be awful if it was!

[S griffin]

Some big teams go through a bad patch and the Falcons are no exception

But yeah, sportscars is a great sport, but it's not a major sport. It's got some great series, including the WEC and of course the great races like Le Mans, but it's more for the die hards. And that is a good thing is a lot of ways.

[joeb]

There was a Gt3 race at ViR today. I didn't watch. A Porsche won.

sent during haircut

[broadrun96]

Yeah, didn't myself either. May put the RLM coverage on the radio today in the car and have a listen but VIR just doesn't get me excited. Laps are great, racing not so much for GT3

[fergus_r]

VIR is a great circuit but IMSA doesn't do it justice with it being GT-only. At least they had a decent support package with Lamborghinis and MX5s joining the Michelin Pilot Challenge race - unlike Lime Rock, which has IMSA GT and MPC only.

[JT240Z]

VIR is in the history books. It's now Petit time and I can hardly wait. Doing the daily countdown. Getting prepped and ready for one fantastic week of racing and comradery. This will be my 25th year and the 25th year of the Petit. Never missed a year yet and don't plan to this time around.

Use to go to Sebring and Daytona when I lived in FL. Ever since I moved to the Atlanta area I just fell in love with Road Atlanta. Arguably one of the greatest tracks on the circuit for both the fans and the drivers.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by joeb

There was a Gt3 race at ViR today. I didn't watch. A Porsche won.

sent during haircut

We did - and liked it. Same with the support package.


P.s. you must be very bold by now - remember to put lots of sunscreen on next month!

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

We did - and liked it. Same with the support package.


P.s. you must be very bold by now - remember to put lots of sunscreen on next month!

Yes, it will be an interesting year to year comparison of Petits. Last year it was almost Christmas and this year it is near the end of Summer!

Hey if it is sunny I will be fine with it, much better than the opposite weather.

[broadrun96]

I'm terrified of the weather now, it's been reasonable here lately and not blisteringly hot. Could be interesting as last year was mid 40s by the end of the race, this year no chance of that

[Coach Ep]

Weather will be fine, hot during the day, nice and cool during the nights. Wet grass for the first sessions of the day.

[Coach Ep]

Petit schedule https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...PLM-022322.pdf

[broadrun96]

Some new perks for the Carrera Cup winners

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/porsch...age-announced/

Hartley in at WTR for Petit

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/h...petit-le-mans/

[JT240Z]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Petit schedule https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...PLM-022322.pdf

I noticed that they're showing a track walk on Weds morning 7:15-8:45am. I'm assuming that it's not open to the spectators. I remember a couple of years ago they had a track walk that was open to everyone. I loved it and would love for them to do it again. Really gives you a different perspective of the track when you have to walk up and down those elevation changes.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by JT240Z

I noticed that they're showing a track walk on Weds morning 7:15-8:45am. I'm assuming that it's not open to the spectators. I remember a couple of years ago they had a track walk that was open to everyone. I loved it and would love for them to do it again. Really gives you a different perspective of the track when you have to walk up and down those elevation changes.

Check with the track. And don't assume, just ask an official friendly, maybe spectators are allowed and if not, (s)he might let you in anyway because you were nice (or you offered coffee & donuts ). Chances of getting to join are much better in the morning than at the end of the day I'd think. Plus people are not yet extremely stressed (hopefully) on Wed as they'll probably be later on in the week. Good luck!


I'll probably skip the walk(s) since I'll be flagging 4 long days (well, 2 long [Thu + Sat] and 2 shorter [Wed + Fri] ones).

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

I'll probably skip the walk(s) since I'll be flagging 4 long days (well, 2 long [Thu + Sat] and 2 shorter [Wed + Fri] ones).

Do you know what corner yet? We can stop by and say hello if we see you.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by joeb

Do you know what corner yet? We can stop by and say hello if we see you.

Probably 10/11 for Thu-Fri-Sat but not sure yet. No clue about Wed. I'll keep you posted.

[FIRE]

I doubt Racing Team Nederland will start at Petit Le Mans, maybe even the team's future is uncertain.

Driver and main backer Frits van Eerd is a suspect in a money laundering and tax fraud case. Yesterday there were several house raids and 9 arrests, apparently including Van Eerd.

Google translation:
https://www-omroepbrabant-nl.transla..._x_tr_pto=wapp

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I doubt Racing Team Nederland will start at Petit Le Mans, maybe even the team's future is uncertain.

Driver and main backer Frits van Eerd is a suspect in a money laundering and tax fraud case. Yesterday there were several house raids and 9 arrests, apparently including Van Eerd.

Google translation:
https://www-omroepbrabant-nl.transla..._x_tr_pto=wapp

Van Eerds' arrest has been confirmed, I'm fully expecting his race project to come to a premature end, their recent test at Rd. Atlanta is more than likely the last bit of activity we've seen. Too bad but that's the way it is.

[JT240Z]

Such a shame for all of the team members who had nothing to do with it but are now suffering as a result.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by JT240Z

Such a shame for all of the team members who had nothing to do with it but are now suffering as a result.

The RFN operations are/were run by TDS which basically translates to 95% of the staff, only a handful of Dutch key figures were brought in to highlight the project (Mark Koense being the most well known of them). They will be fine. I'm also confident TDS will find another client to run a car for next year whether it'll be ELMS, WEC or IMSA. So will the drivers. Nothing new in the racing world, participants come and go all the time.