Porsche 1-2-3-5 at Long Beach

[Boorish Grobian]

Good to see the Porkers dominate the results at the Beach, highest placed Audi was 7th!
Hope it continues.
http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=3070
Fax

[termietermite]

Pity the Acuras made some poor strategic decisions but no doubt they are on it too.  Not bad for straight out of the box anyhow.  Was mad at Jorg for his error but glad he managed to thump the right car. Thought the penalty was a bit harsh in the circs as it seemed like a racing accident to me.  But then I am biased!  Great race.

[Nordic]

Good effort from the Penske team, all it needs now is Dyson and HondaAcura to find a bit more pace and Audi to come back to Europe to face the Pugs then every one will be happy!!!

[Canada Phil]

Sunday was a 1-2-3-4-5-6....... for Panoz 
Phil

[Boorish Grobian]

Very well put Phil! I think Panoz (like many of us over here) would like to see Audi's backside heading out the door.  Come over here and spend your millions on two fricking cars, my ass!  If your going to make a commitment to a series, then supply customer cars as well as your big buck effort (goes for Corvette as well)
The best things to happen to the ALMS are the RS Spyders and Acura's.
Fax

[dks240]

Quite surprised the Audi was so far down. Did it have troubles, and was it a tight twisty circuit that may have given the more nimble LMP2 an advantage?

[Boorish Grobian]

It was on a street circuit (Long Beach) where the ridiculous torque of the Audi would be a big advantage, one would think.  The Porsche's and new Acura's were clearly faster all weekend than the Audi's.  The LMP2 cars from Porsche and Acura are simply put, bloody fast racing cars.
Fax

[termietermite]

Quite surprised the Audi was so far down. Did it have troubles, and was it a tight twisty circuit that may have given the more nimble LMP2 an advantage?

No doubt JB driving up the Audi's *rs* did not help!

[johnevans3]

I was happy to see the Porsche/Acura battle highlight the race at Longbeach.  I don't think Audi is going to let that happen again though.  I'll be in Houston this weekend to see this chapter #2 battle.  (street races)  As much as I love the sound of the 'vettes, I wish somebody could take them on and make this class interesting as well.  Where are the Aston's, Saleens, Vipers, anybody???  It just makes the whole race exciting with different makes competing. 

[termietermite]

True, je - a totally dismal GT1 and LMP1  entry at Sebring; luckily the other 2 classes more than made up for it.  All 4 battles are beginning to look stonking for June.  Roll on...

[Boorish Grobian]

LMP1 and GT1 are perfect examples of what happens when you have a big manufacturer enter a series, throw vast amounts of money and resources at project, enter a couple of cars, without bothering to supply privateer teams as well, and completely dominate.  Its great for Audi and Chevy, they can run all their TV and magazine adverts proclaiming how all-conquering they are but at the end of the day they end up racing against themselves because they effectively kill their own classes.
Its pretty damn boring watching two Audi's or Vettes droning around because nobody else has bothered to enter.  It never ceases to amaze me the way some of these big manufacturers think, they absloutley couldn't care less about the health of a racing series, its all about being able to pimp yourself on Monday morning.  Great! Good for you Audi and GM, you've guaranteed yourselves a class win everytime out, since no other teams are in your classes...After all, its tough competition racing yourself.
Fax

[Canada Phil]

LMP1 and GT1 are perfect examples of what happens when you have a big manufacturer enter a series, throw vast amounts of money and resources at project, enter a couple of cars, without bothering to supply privateer teams as well, and completely dominate.  Its great for Audi and Chevy, they can run all their TV and magazine adverts proclaiming how all-conquering they are but at the end of the day they end up racing against themselves because they effectively kill their own classes.
Its pretty damn boring watching two Audi's or Vettes droning around because nobody else has bothered to enter.  It never ceases to amaze me the way some of these big manufacturers think, they absloutley couldn't care less about the health of a racing series, its all about being able to pimp yourself on Monday morning.  Great! Good for you Audi and GM, you've guaranteed yourselves a class win everytime out, since no other teams are in your classes...After all, its tough competition racing yourself.
Fax

Hi Fax,
         Have a cigar... while I take you to task over the Vettes. I too would love to see more cars in this class in ALMS however 5 Corvettes at Le Mans shows they are available to teams. Aston took a good run at them so hardly GM's fault the others have slunk away. As Termie points out LMP2 & GT2 have both become very interesting. I believe a good reason for having the 4 classes and really too much to expect all 4 classes to be strong at any given era (few years).

Now start planning to attend Mosport in August. Cold Beer Cuban Cigars the company  of Canada Phil  well 2 out of 3 is not bad 
Ron driving the Caddillac in the SPEED race. There is a programme I don't think would exist if not for the success of the Vettes.

Phil

[Jem]

Nice to see Porsche back where they belong.

Jem

[Boorish Grobian]

Hi Phil,
Would love to do Mosport, will try if I can get the time off work.  Regarding the Vette's, perhaps I shouldn't lump them in with the Audi's because at the least they have the decency to sell off the older cars to privateers, rather than lock them up in a museum.  But I would like to see them sell same-as-factory-team cars sold to privateers, with tech support.  I think it would be a huge boost to the GT1 ranks.  I had hoped, after being in the ALMS from the outset, they would adopt a customer car policy, but as it is we end up with a two car yellow train in GT1, hardly thrill-a-minute stuff.  I suspect there are a number of teams that would jump at the opportunity to campaign a P&M spec C6R if they could get their mits on one.  Maybe I'm being unrealistic thinking this way, but over the years we've seen too many perfectly good road racing series here in North America killed because a couple of huge manufacturer's came onboard and drove off all of the competition.  The more constructors like Porsche, who are willing to supply customer cars in addition to their own factory effort, the better.
Fax

[termietermite]

Luc Alphand was very quick to point out that he has had support from the factory.  And look where it got him on Sunday....