2011 American Le Mans Series

[Ryan Vickery]

Hes currently in the car in P2 in LMP2 class at the moment, Ryan 2 Laps down overall and on the same lap as leading LMP2.
http://scoring.americanlemans.com/scoring.php

Cheers for the link, makes it easier to follow!

 

[James Johnson]

This GT battle is gonna go on for the rest of the race and its already amazing!

 

[Mtommi Tam]

Result:

http://i56.tinypic.com/mc4zrc.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2gy1rur.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/15p0kmf.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/dhfj3k.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/ifqu4w.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/3299/12517974.jpg

 

[Chris Jacque]

Some action packed racing there, seriously sports car racing is just growing and growing on me. Those BMW's look rather ominous in a straight line. Shame about all the P1 incidents could have been more interesting at the front. HPD did extremely well though!

 

[Eric Estes]

(photo credit Scott Sharp)

 

[Ross Balfour]

1) First off, a Driver in the F1 Series is not, I repeat not, any more skilled than any other driver in thier respective disciplines.

I'm sorry, but it just is.. look at the FIA GT series for example, Roman Grosjean (An out and out failure in F1) steps in the GT scene and immeadiately wins races in a pretty crap car compared to the Maserati's and Aston Martin's... why? Because he has exceedingly more natural racing talent that any driver in that series, whether it be in GT cars, F1 cars or elsewhere. The finest 20-24 drivers in the world are in Formula One, maybe at an exception of Sebastien Loeb and Kimi Raikkonen from WRC who would be added to that list.

 

[Ramon Alonso]

I'm sorry, but it just is.. look at the FIA GT series for example, Roman Grosjean (An out and out failure in F1) steps in the GT scene and immeadiately wins races in a pretty crap car compared to the Maserati's and Aston Martin's... why? Because he has exceedingly more natural racing talent that any driver in that series, whether it be in GT cars, F1 cars or elsewhere. The finest 20-24 drivers in the world are in Formula One, maybe at an exception of Sebastien Loeb and Kimi Raikkonen from WRC who would be added to that list.

Put frenchie on NASCAR and see how crappy he is.

 

[Ross Balfour]

Put frenchie on NASCAR and see how crappy he is.

Put a fattie in a rally car and see how crappy he is

 

[Wayne Reed]

Ross you are wasting your time mate the is a convo with 3 people in it that have no idea what the hell there talking about. most of us read and learnt things where as many don't. It wont change you know it goes to show as Damein will only support the awesome vetts if Doug Fehan leaves the team if you know any thing you would know he is there to mange the team it will be there head of motorsport that sets out what he wants on the car to race he just has to make it work.

But hay never mind as long as we have motorsport fans like that who need common sense

 

[Wayne Reed]

Put frenchie on NASCAR and see how crappy he is.

Yep because nascar is the be and end all of motorsport lol dear dear me

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

First off, a Driver in the F1 Series is not, I repeat not, any more skilled than any other driver in thier respective disciplines.

Put a Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton or Alonso in any car against any driver from another series (with exception of rally) and I know on who to put my money

Why do you think those ace drivers in F1 earn money with their sport? Because they are exceptionally talented. GT Racing is awesome and sure there are some talented drivers. But if their talent was exceptional they werent be driving in the LMS, ALMS, IndyCar or NASCAR believe me

 

[Damien Walczak]

Ross you are wasting your time mate the is a convo with 3 people in it that have no idea what the hell there talking about. most of us read and learnt things where as many don't. It wont change you know it goes to show as Damein will only support the awesome vetts if Doug Fehan leaves the team if you know any thing you would know he is there to mange the team it will be there head of motorsport that sets out what he wants on the car to race he just has to make it work.

But hay never mind as long as we have motorsport fans like that who need common sense

I'm not sure if you meant it as such but I found that quite rude.

So, tell me what have you learned that the rest of don't know? I supported GM Racing in both SCCA and ALMS. Going as far as to purchase hats and swag, every year, and getting all our car maintenance done at GM Goodwrench (yeah, could've done it myself but I support my Team). Doug Fehan is detrimental to Team Corvette and I will not support that - if we do, then he stays. Did you even see the shots of Turn 10 - where Corvette owners hang out? There were maybe ten people there, so I'm not the only one who feels strongly about this.

Pratt-Miller settled for nothing less than Victory, else they went back to the Drawing-board. Mr. Fehan only seems to care about pacing and he can't even do that well. For example, when interviewed Mr. Fehan said, "Yeah we could'a kept pace. I mean look at our Lap-times." Lap-times?! Are you kidding me? Fehan's 'new super-vettes' were two and a half seconds slower! Besides, fastest Lap don't mean squat if you don't Win. So I still don't see any advantage to full-sequential. It even makes the 'vettes sound like garbage. Again, I will not support a poor decision. You could argue that I should support my Team through thick-and-thin but I want my Team to Win .. and with Doug Fehan heading the Show, they won't Win. Pratt-Miller found a Winning conbination but Doug'gy thinks he's golden and he knows best, even though he already failed miserably at Mosport and now Sebring. He flat-out refuses to acknowledge his mistakes.

I would put Mag'gy or O'Connell against any F1 Driver, any day. I mean seriously, any Motorsoprt where the Drivers refuse to drive on certain Track because, "...it's too fast" [Spa Francochamps, Estoril and Monza - before refurbishment(s)] loses credibility in my eyes. I'm not hating on F1, they are what they are but the Drivers are not superior, in my opinion.

 

[Chris Butcher]

Let me break-down your Post so as to form a coherent response:

1) First off, a Driver in the F1 Series is not, I repeat not, any more skilled than any other driver in thier respective disciplines.

Such a ridiculous comment. look at all the Indy drivers that have come to F1 - and failed. Miserably.

I'd like to see one of your GT drivers be as quick as an F1 driver. Not going to happen. Remember a lot of F1 drivers have gone through that to get where they are now. There's a reason why they have progressed...

 

[Damien Walczak]

You are aware that Giancarlo Fisichella was a former F1 Driver, right? Where did he place? Oh, that's right, 24th. And if you followed the Team news, those Drivers never failed - they left. F1 is all corporate and rarely take Driver input. In fact the "Drivers" aren't even the one's who set-up the car, they have 'specialized' test-drivers. During Qualifying, the "Driver" is only tweaking. But you already knew all this, right? F1 is a pay increase, only and even now a lot of F1 Drivers have to bring thier own Sponsors or they don't get paid.

There used to a Series called IROC - "International Race Of Champions," where Drivers from every discipline would compete against each other. The Series lasted for several years and not one F1 Driver ever Won. It was [NASCAR's] Dale Earnhardt Sr. that Won it 5 years in a row. I'm don't want to turn this into a "My Series is better than Yours" Thread but each [Series] requires a different skill-set

 

[Wayne Reed]

I think your find that race you was was on about is still running its called race of champions and every year they ask all to come but no usa drivers do it cant be asred or somthing like that.

But after what you have put there about f1 it really does show you know nothing about motorsport. I have been following formula 1 for the most part of 30 years I have even rote 3 books on it. I can tell you know you know nothing about the sport.

As for Fisichella he should never have been in f1 its as simplae as that. I also do not conform to the f1 drivers are the best in the world crap yes they are better then some but if people would like to look at some of the champs from over the years many come form other motorsport. its just some on f1 or just awesome just like other sports Rosse is just as good on a bike or in a f1 car.Its like any think in sport the best team and car win look at Redbull last year Vettle should have never won the championship and he knows it but Alonso's team stuffed up and mark Webber was no where and so Vettel won. Does every one think that if Audi did not have the drivers they do they would have won it so many times.

But the point at what you get at is you do not see past the guy running the team. Right the GT1 cars our not road cars they are out and out race cars there is only about 6 things on the 2 cars that you will find to be the same. And that's the point it is progress yes the car is slow not but that was the same for ferrari when they was one of the first teams in f1 to do it. But what you don't think about is that all the stuff they are doing now will be done ready for the next gen car so it will get better and better. You also need to think of there car there racing BMW and if you look at them every thing they ever do is just better then others (Apart from f1) there German and they are awesome at that kind of thing why do you think Aston Martin's race and road car engines our made in Germany.

This is the thing with motorsport things change and sometimes we don''t like but that's that

 

[Chris Butcher]

You are aware that Giancarlo Fisichella was a former F1 Driver, right? Where did he place? Oh, that's right, 24th. And if you followed the Team news, those Drivers never failed - they left. F1 is all corporate and rarely take Driver input. In fact the "Drivers" aren't even the one's who set-up the car, they have 'specialized' test-drivers. During Qualifying, the "Driver" is only tweaking. But you already knew all this, right? F1 is a pay increase, only and even now a lot of F1 Drivers have to bring thier own Sponsors or they don't get paid.

There used to a Series called IROC - "International Race Of Champions," where Drivers from every discipline would compete against each other. The Series lasted for several years and not one F1 Driver ever Won. It was [NASCAR's] Dale Earnhardt Sr. that Won it 5 years in a row. I'm don't want to turn this into a "My Series is better than Yours" Thread but each [Series] requires a different skill-set

2 words. Sebastien Bourdais

 

[Damien Walczak]

As for Fisichella he should never have been in f1 its as simplae as that. I also do not conform to the f1 drivers are the best in the world crap yes they are better then some but if people would like to look at some of the champs from over the years many come form other motorsport. its just some on f1 or just awesome just like other sports Rosse is just as good on a bike or in a f1 car.Its like any think in sport the best team and car win look at Redbull last year Vettle should have never won the championship and he knows it but Alonso's team stuffed up and mark Webber was no where and so Vettel won. Does every one think that if Audi did not have the drivers they do they would have won it so many times.

But the point at what you get at is you do not see past the guy running the team. Right the GT1 cars our not road cars they are out and out race cars there is only about 6 things on the 2 cars that you will find to be the same. And that's the point it is progress yes the car is slow not but that was the same for ferrari when they was one of the first teams in f1 to do it. But what you don't think about is that all the stuff they are doing now will be done ready for the next gen car so it will get better and better. You also need to think of there car there racing BMW and if you look at them every thing they ever do is just better then others (Apart from f1) there German and they are awesome at that kind of thing why do you think Aston Martin's race and road car engines our made in Germany.

I wrote nothing that was untrue.

You also expressed my point, you just wrote it in a better manner. Each Driver has their own niche. I also agree whole-heatedly about Fisichella, I can't name one Series that he is profficient at.

My original point in the opening-post was that Mr. Fehan is too ready to accept 2nd or further down the ladder. Paddle-shifters are 'optional,' so why would Mr. Fehan choose a method that lowers the Team's chances of Wining? This decision also has the negative effect of disassociating the Corvette from its roots. Removing Magnessun from primary Driver position plus losing O'Connell just compounds an already fragile situation. Mr. Fehan's biggest problem is that he refuses to accept that, instead believing that he is the brains of the operation when he should be relying on his Team. No 'Team' can Win if they are not given the proper tools - regardless of effort. Our GT2 cars [ALMS] are essentialy cars-in-white built around a race-chassis. Everything must work as it would for its Street counterpart. Aside from Airbags, mufflers & catalytic converter, tempered wind-screen and a rearview mirror they could basically be deemed street-legal.

2 words. Sebastien Bourdais

Seriously? He drove for F1 in '08, got bumped around between Teams and not a single Victory. He's got talent, yes and maybe he could have Won an IROC Series, not just a single race, if the Series was still alive. But then again, that kind of still makes my point .. doesn't it? Considering his Win was before his F1 career and now he drives in the ALMS.

 

[Chris Butcher]

Not really. He came into F1 and was a resounding failure. He wasn't bumped around teams at all. Remember that Vettel got a win in the same car as Bourdais....

 

[Damien Walczak]

In all fairness you can't name his F1 career, "...a resounding failure" based on only one Season. Jan Magnessun had [combined] 10 years Touring car and GT experience before he came into his own. The point is that a GT Driver would not do well in F1 just like an F1 Driver would not do well in NASCAR. Each Series has a different set of Skills that Driver must aquire in order to perform well. For example, when Team-Corvette transitioned from GT1 to GT2, it took a full Season for Mag'gy and O'Connell to get used to the lower downforce and heavier weight restrictions. I mean comparing a Seasoned F1 Driver to a [F1] Rookie is nonesense and poor reason for a Driver to be fired, in my opinion. Also, Vettel drove for Sauber that year.

 

[Chris Butcher]

Vettel was still a rookie at the time. Not a seasoned driver at all.