ALMS Rnd 8: Road America 9-11 Aug 2007

[HORNDAWG]

With about a week to go I thought I would start the race thread.


Schedule




Entry list



Track map




Timing & scoring




Hindy




Imsa site


L.P.

[Ferrari333SP]

I will be there from Friday morning until Sunday after the Champ Car race. Woooo hoooo!!!! Can't wait to get an autograph from Peter Dumbreck. I'll see if he'll sign a picture of his 1999 LeMans flip! Wonder how that car would compete against the Audi R10.

[HORNDAWG]

Audi feeling confident about overall victory at Road America. link
They have been fairly accurate with their race modeling/predictions so far, as I recall.

L.P.

[cmk]

The absence of the VDS Radical is disappointing. Should the 2nd Panoz drop out again, we'll be back to 26 cars even with the MC12...

[Jonerz]

Does anyone know if VDS gave a reason for not coming to Elkhart, I don't recall a shunt at Mid-Ohio. Perhaps budgetary reasons? They want to make PLM, LS, Mosport, Detroit or some combination of the affor mentioned and need to save up?

Chris

[Hugewally]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Does anyone know if VDS gave a reason for not coming to Elkhart, I don't recall a shunt at Mid-Ohio. Perhaps budgetary reasons? They want to make PLM, LS, Mosport, Detroit or some combination of the affor mentioned and need to save up?

Chris

Real life business schedule conflict with Rd Am. They plan on being at the rest of the races.

[dxk1]

If Prodrive was going to bring their AMs to the US to race this year, I would have thought that they would want to run them at Road America where they could take full advantage of their top speeds. It just seems they are not going to come. It's nice to see the MC12 but Corvettes, AMs, an MC12 and maybe a Viper or two. That would be some nice GT1. As a matter of fact, the way the Lambos are running this year, it would be nice to have one or two of them too.

DK

[broadrun96]

Anybody know how many hours NBC will be gracing their US viewers with this time around? Forgot it was a 4 hour race and I'm sure theres no way they will bump some infomercial for a race.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Anybody know how many hours NBC will be gracing their US viewers with this time around? Forgot it was a 4 hour race and I'm sure theres no way they will bump some infomercial for a race.

It looks like coverage starts at 1:30 pm CDT/2:30 pm EDT for two hours. At least that's what the NBC Sports web-site program guide lists.

DK

[cmk]

What a joke. They could at least provide a live simulcast on Speed for those of us who have it, alongside the NBC mangled snippet. Of course, then they would have to bump some ridiculously trivial Nascar panel show...

[dj4monie]

CMK I'm sure a the entire race shown elsewhere in the world, might end up being 4 hours of coverage.

Message to ALMS management, don't you dare put another even more than 2:45 on network TV unless you are going to cover it all.

We are the fans, we have final say over what happens. If we just don't watch it maybe they'll get the point.

[Purist]

It's a time-buy, and network airtime doesn't come cheap I'm sure, especially with all the other major sporting events the network could choose to cover.

[dxk1]

It would really be nice to have a cable/satelite channel that highlights sportscar racing. While I respect the skill it takes to drive 180-200 mph with the NASCAR Nextel-Cup cars one does get tired of seeing lap after lap around a large oval even if there is the occaisonal "roadcourse" race. Speed is OK, but they spend hours on NASCAR as does ESPN/FOX/NBC. I know they need to go where the money is but better "pure" exposure of sportscar racing would move its ratings higher. I don't believe a 4 hour race is too long for coverage, but NBC or another network in the US will certainly not pick it up for that long.

I remember, in the middle 60's, one of the networks, in the US, would always cover the first and last hours of Le Mans live and give periodic updates during the race. While this wasn't great coverage, it was a reasonable approach. I remember it was great to see Maston Gregory and Jochen Rindt upset the factory Fords and Ferraris in 1965 and it was great to see Ford's first victory live the next year. In later years, this petered out and now, even a mention of Le Mans is rare on the US networks, even during the race.

DK

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by dxk1

I don't believe a 4 hour race is too long for coverage, but NBC or another network in the US will certainly not pick it up for that long.

A few years ago when NBC carried NASCAR for the last 1/2 of the season for two year, they told the powers that be, to continue the option on the NBC & NASCAR TV Contract, NASCAR will have to cut all races to 3 hours or NBC will edit the race on a tape delay to 3 hours plus 1/2 hour of pre-race show.

Boy did that raise a stick . . .. and guess what happened??

and there is another sports car TV network ( NON-NASCAR) The Racers Network planned for 2008.

[lukebarcelos]

I think that Panoz Team PTG will not be race with Panoz Esperante #21 next weekend!

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

A few years ago when NBC carried NASCAR for the last 1/2 of the season for two year, they told the powers that be, to continue the option on the NBC & NASCAR TV Contract, NASCAR will have to cut all races to 3 hours or NBC will edit the race on a tape delay to 3 hours plus 1/2 hour of pre-race show.

Boy did that raise a stick . . .. and guess what happened??

and there is another sports car TV network ( NON-NASCAR) The Racers Network planned for 2008.

I did see the message on that and added my Email to the list. I hope all of the PlanetLemans crowd has done that.

DK

[lukebarcelos]

In my opinion Road America is my favorite USA race track!!!

[Hugewally]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

We are the fans, we have final say over what happens.

You do? Not really...

[dj4monie]

If we didn't watch and didn't go to the races, Panoz doesn't have the deep pockets France Jr and J.C France does to keep a series afloat.

9 times out of 10 there more ants in the trash can than there is Grand Am fans at a track.

Montreal's turnout was more the likely the largest one day attendance they have ever seen for the series.

Look at the turnout Mosport has and it doesn't have NASCAR attached to it like Grand Am does.

So in the end, yes we the fans have final say in whatever happens with this series.

[Purist]

Huge, it's an indirect control that the fans have, but basically, the sponsors have to see that there are enough people watching to make their participation worthwhile.

[Hugewally]

Indirect - yes, final say - no.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by Purist

Huge, it's an indirect control that the fans have, but basically, the sponsors have to see that there are enough people watching to make their participation worthwhile.

Not all sponsorships are for the fans either. Many times sponsors put money into sporting events, for promotions to employees and customers.

A company gives spiffs promotions ( good job or atta-boy atta-girl, pat on the back) to an employee by giving them VIP tickets to an event, which they sponsor. ( company sponsored spiffs to employees are less expesive then giving raises to employees and makes employees FEEL special. But again no or minimal raise)

In addition this company will give x number of VIP tickets to big customes to say thank you for your business. Plus good way to smooze for more business.

For the fan side, Company A looks to see who the fans or spectators are? are the potential spectators likely to purchase Company A's product or service within the next week?

That is the demographics of the spectators, event and for that team.

[porsche45]

A very small portion of sponsorships are for "spiffs." What can a company expect to get by throwing thousands of dollars (or more) sponsoring an event so they can give spiffs? The spiffs are an incentive that the event organizer gives to the sponsor. For example, if company "X" sponsors our event, we'll give them 1000 free seats, which "X" gives as spiffs. It would be cheaper for a company to buy seats to give away than it woild be to sponsor something.
Sponsorship comes down to one thing... bang for the buck. How many people will see your logo for the money you're spending. The more TV exposure, the bigger the crowd at a race, the more bang for the buck.
But this might be fodder for another thread.

[jhansen]

Folks, this is a RACE thread. It's not a thread about the circuits the ALMS chooses to run on. And it's not a thread about the ALMS broadcast package. Thanks.

Edit: Circuit discussion moved to a new thread.

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99140

[yamato]

My spotter's guide for Road America is up:

http://lastturnclub.com/index.php?op...pper&Itemid=80