|
Written by Tom Kjos
|
|
Jul 31, 2011 at 01:35 PM |
|
Where is North American sports car racing as of the 24th of July, 2011 when the American Le Mans Series was racing at Mosport in Canada, and Grand Am was racing New Jersey Motorsports Park (nee Thunderbolt)?
This is a look at a racing day in this season for the two series. It intentionally is not a discussion of history (with the necessary exception of the “Events” section), and importantly says nothing about the trends and decisions that will determine what sports car endurance racing looks like in 2012 and beyond.
Prototypes
Grand Am put ten Daytona Prototypes on the track in New Jersey. They were nearly all on the pace, and they were mostly there at the finish, too. Score one for close racing, mitigated a bit by the fact that most fans hate these cars. It’s also somewhat questionable whether all those entries – perhaps even the series itself – would exist at all without the life-support of the France family. No need, even, to go to the rumors. Three entries are wholly owned or supported – or nearly so – by Jim France; the two of Action Express and the one of Spirit of Daytona. A fourth entry, Wayne Taylor’s Sun Trust Racing, is sponsored by NASCAR’s “house bank.” That’s 40% of the field, even if all rumors of financial support to other DP entries are ignored. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Miles Geauxbye
|
|
Aug 16, 2011 at 11:43 AM |
|
Miles Geauxbye is a respected motorsports executive uniquely positioned to assess the prospects of the American Le Mans Series. This is Mr. Geauxbye's third commentary to be published by Last Turn Clubhouse.-Editor-
Is it over for the American Le Mans Series?
It's been a while since I last took a close look (aim?) at the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), but at the approximate mid-point of the 2011 season (after 5 races of a 9 race schedule), now is as good a time as any to consider the future of the American Le Mans Series.
I now have every reason to believe that ALMS is a series circling the drain, not the track, and in 2011, the death spiral has begun in earnest. Here are 8 reasons why it's all over for what once was America's premier sports car road racing series. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Tony Dowe
|
|
Aug 04, 2011 at 06:10 PM |
|
We received this article this morning before world markets fell so precipitously. If racing has been in a recession, what next if there's no upturn in sight? What's next if the business environment for racing gets worse, not better?-Editor-
Much like America, sports car racing is broke, or very nearly so.
In whichever series you support the signs have been there for some time that people were spending money they didn’t have. Manufacturers in particular have been reined in by accounting departments and boards needing to squeeze more from a their Dollars, Euros, and Yen. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
