Bill Riley Announement Soon...

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by JAG

Tim your more informed on potential US teams.

Who has the resources to step upto LMP1 in the US.

There is at least one LMP1 announcement due soon, no clue who it is however.

There would be a number of possibilities here, based on resources as well as a previous relationships with the Rileys

I wouldn't dare to speculate on it....because I don't want to start any rumors....I wrote the Wayne Taylor post above because Bill Riley engineers their SunTrust DP in Grand Am, and they go way back to the mid-1990s together with MkIIIA's, followed by the initial Cadillac effort designed by the Rileys....

But I would think that this time around, the Rileys will want to work with the "right" team that comes along for this initial effort, and not necessarily "any" team that comes along....

If the people in the program are not the "right" ones, and the car does not do well, they won't sell any more of them...

As of now, they hae invested design work....the next steps would be where the real money will come into the equation, and time is on their side, IMO....

Bill and Bob are smart, experienced businessmen as well as designers....they will do this effort in what they feel is the "right" way...

[skycafe]

While you first thought is Dyson, you almost have to feel that after the recent time working with Lola and AER, they will continue those relationships, using a new Lola LMP1 and the new AER V8.

Taylor would be interesting as he was apparently considering the Maserati MC12, but there wasn't a depth of support on the car so the deal didn't come to fruition; so we were told.

I am curious what anyone's speculation would be as to engines for the Riley. Is it Elan, and then is there the possibility of a Panoz entry? Does the Elan fit? Judd, which would be great as that engine note would be good for the ALMS. Is it the AER, which I would think would be badge engineered and funded, but by whom? What other engines are out there that can drop into place in this car, and would also appeal to a team to run?

robert

[paul-collins]

Robert, about all I know is that the fit for the renderings was what Mulsanne Mike mentioned - the turbo v8, which a friend has called "worst case". Whether the Elan will be fitted is I suppose up to the customer, just as a Judd option or any other engine would be; but I gather the first car will be with this FIV8.