Grand Am at Homestead

[billnchristy]

Well, its a little over a week before the race weekend starts, so I figured I would post.

48 cars entered so far...not too shabby for a regular season entry list, and there are more cars and teams to come!!

race dates:
March 3-5th

entry list:
http://www.grand-am.com/Events/EntryList.asp?EventID=78

schedule:
http://www.grand-am.com/CONTENT/Docs/PDF/2005/2005 Homestead Detailed Sched.pdf

event page:
http://www.grand-am.com/Events/Event.asp?ID=78

live timing and scoring:
http://grandamerican.vfx.com/Rolex/G...erican_800.asp

[chocmonster7]

I think it's a great turn out. You expect a championship to tail off in numbers after such a big race to start with but if they can keep an entry list like that going over the whole season then it should be a good year.

[pederb]

Interesting to see Steve McQueen's son Chad driving the #25 DP of Westernesse Racing.

[Danske]

There are a few more cars that have announced but not debuted yet this season in both classes.

In DP there's the second Hyper Sport, Bingham, and Blackhawk cars on the way. I think the Davin car is still going forward but there's not been a solid announcement yet. The Margraf Riley is also out there someone (okay, they ran the finale last year but missed the 24, making them a car not at the 24 that we could see later). I've heard that Ten Motorsports may run their second car. The Labontes have also said they're going to run a few more races this season. The "factory" Chase and Multimatic cars should show up for some races. Car counts in the mid-twenties for the DP class are looking likely for the regular season. Throw in the odd Fabcar running a partial season and we might eclipse the 29 DPs at the Rolex 24.

In GT I know we're missing the Stevenson Corvette, I believe there's another RX-8 being built, and a Maserati Trofeo is looking to return. Of course there's also the P&M GTO's coming mid-season.

If you want to play the famous name game Alex Gurney has been announced as driving for Blackhawk Pontiac Riley as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing a sprint race with the cars running flat-out and not to a pace as they were in the 24.

[Jack Man]

Should be an awesome race. Only hope the multimatic boys get back soon.

[GP Racer]

Thats a very healthy field.

I'm with Danske, I love watching these DP's "go hard at it" (as Leigh Diffey says!), in the sprint races! Should be a great one...

[gttouring]

i frankly don't mind the "Rovals" as the action is good to see and the oval section are a delight to hear them all at full song. some infield are very clever as well (rockingham UK and lausitz fro a couple) Homestead isn't bd either- i feel the layout is better than Daytona which for allthe rehab money ou'd think they would have spruced up the infield some.
but on with the battle- no NASCAR boys this week? or anyon e else dipping into it?

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by gttouring

but on with the battle- no NASCAR boys this week? or anyon e else dipping into it?

No NASCAR, IRL, or CC stars this week. It looks like the NASCAR boys are already into their season and the IRL, and CC guys are getting ready for theirs.

Just a bunch of no-name sports car drivers this week...

[chocmonster7]

The Labonte brothers have said they will be back in Grandam later in the year but I think I can put up with it 'only' being the sportscar guys for now.

[Tim Northcutt]

Just a Note:

Theoretically, a couple of IRL guys could conceivably (but not likely) run at Homestead, because the GARRA race is on the undercard for the IRL's Season Opener there the following day...

But for a sprint race like this one, and with the IRL teams focusing on qualifying and their final practice that day to dial in their race set-up to prepare for their event on Sunday, I would think it would be very unlikely....IMO

[Danske]

Homestead may not have an abundance of character but at least it isn't littered with chickens.

Memo Gidley, Roberto Moreno, and Guy Smith aren't too far removed from openwheel drives, but I guess they're not stars.

[Snips1]

48???

That's pretty impressive!!!

['70 Mach 1]

Originally Posted by Snips1

48???

That's pretty impressive!!!

Especially impressive considering the 2003 Homestead race started only 16 cars total ...

[Danske]

Originally Posted by Danske

The Margraf Riley is also out there somewhere [...].

Huh, apparently it's going to be running some demonstration laps with Paul Edwards in California and Mexico City in the next two weeks. I wonder if it'll get any TV time.

[GP Racer]

I saw Scott Pruett on Windtunnel yesterday, and he said that he would extremely surprised if we do not see a Honda powered DP car in next years Rolex 24 and beyond. He said with the arrival of their new pick-up truck in there model line, they now have a V-8 to use in GA, and also NASCAR.

He rightly said, where Toyota goes, you can be sure that Honda will follow...

[gttouring]

ha the honda Ridgeline is transverse V6 mounted...a V8 maybe but not yet...
I like all the Sportscar guys doing their thing- it is just the races are so heated when interlopers show up from the ranks of OpenWheel and NASCAR- not to mention a bit more commercial and TV appeal....I watch all the same. Pruett and Theys and Wallace and ...
the idea for DP's is sound but they still messed up that roof-
that said i still would love to race a DP, or a 2CV in a 24 hour race, i don't care i just like racing.
the other Rovals get their act together and make it a multi weekend event

[Danske]

Pruett also said that the Honda people were at this year's Rolex 24, making their interest more than speculation.

Hmm, have their been any rumors of Honda-powered IRL teams showing an interest in Grand-Am? I don't follow the IRL at all; is AGR tied to Honda? Could we see the multi-generational Andretti entry in a Honda DP in 2006?

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by Danske

Hmm, have their been any rumors of Honda-powered IRL teams showing an interest in Grand-Am? I don't follow the IRL at all; is AGR tied to Honda? Could we see the multi-generational Andretti entry in a Honda DP in 2006?

Honda really kicked some butt in the IRL last year, and the tests this year so far seem to indicate that they will again.

As for Honda teams, AGR gets the most Honda support, but I havn't heard any rumors of GARRA from them. One team that might jump though, would be Fernandez Racing, who was seen at a few GARRA races last season. Adrian is now 41, and with no sponsor in the IRL, will not be driving. He also has driver Scott Sharp on his team, who has alot of sports car expierience. I think thats about it though from the IRL right now.

PS - Give the IRL a shot, its always fast and exciting!

[billnchristy]

I plan on watching the road races, but ovals just make me snooze...although during daytona i did watch the free preview of the incar channels, that was cool and i could actually get into NASCAR if it didnt cost 75 bucks (75 dollars more than NASCAR has ever gotten from me!!)

[Danske]

I swear the most recent quote from Michael Andretti on Grand-Am was that he was thinking about having a car in next year's Rolex 24, but Google isn't helping me find it. I heard the Fernandez rumor last year, tied the existence of a race in Mexico.

I don't have any philosophical objection to ovals, but my current theory is that there's just something about banking that decreases my interest. Maybe a flat track with two zero-radius 180-degree turns would have me riveted.

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

I plan on watching the road races, but ovals just make me snooze...although during daytona i did watch the free preview of the incar channels, that was cool and i could actually get into NASCAR if it didnt cost 75 bucks (75 dollars more than NASCAR has ever gotten from me!!)

PLEASE, don't compare what NASCAR does with what the IRL does, just because there both on ovals! Trust me, its different.

Could the Michael Andretti story come from the fact that his company will be putting on the IRL street race in St. Petersburg, a race that I believe GARRA was very interested in? Just a thought...

[billnchristy]

Not really comparing them, I watched one of the CART races on the ovals (milwakee) and I watched IRL at richmond for about 10 minutes or 50 laps whatever came first...

I think the thing that keeps me from watching besides watching the laps tick down like seconds is the fact that they race so close i would have a 2hr heart attack if i watched the whole thing and the couch wouldnt have an arm on my side because i would rip it off...

[GP Racer]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

I think the thing that keeps me from watching besides watching the laps tick down like seconds is the fact that they race so close i would have a 2hr heart attack if i watched the whole thing and the couch wouldnt have an arm on my side because i would rip it off...

I know what you mean, my wife won't even let me sit on the couch anymore when the IRL is racing!

[Danske]

Originally Posted by GP Racer

Could the Michael Andretti story come from the fact that his company will be putting on the IRL street race in St. Petersburg, a race that I believe GARRA was very interested in? Just a thought...

Mario had said he wanted to do the 2005 Rolex with Marco and Michael, but Michael shot down the idea saying that Marco was too young and Mario too old. Later I believe Michael said he might be thinking about a car in the 2006 Rolex, and I think Marco said he's looking to race in it as well. Really the only rumor is that various Andrettis have been thinking about it, not that anything is being done to make it happen.

Well, the first practice of Homestead is starting up soon. Live timing said it's cool and cloudy with a chance of rain.

[billnchristy]

some weekend links:

notes and updates:
http://www.grand-am.com/Events/RaceNotes.asp?ID=78

live timing and scoring:
http://grandamerican.vfx.com/Rolex/G...erican_800.asp

GA photos:
http://www.grand-am.com/Events/Gallery.asp?EventID=78

racesite photos:
http://www.theracesite.com/index.cfm...e=pa&pa_id=683