What I would like to see IMSA do....

[ZzZzZz]

They should be more like the SPEED World Challenge, their (frequent) support series?

[trumperZ06]

The GT2 and even the GT1 cars are more stock than anything in NASCAR but they could still be closer the showroom version. To me it is ridiculous that the GT2 Corvette costs 10 times more than a ZO6. No wonder there is so little interest in the class. Maybe GT should be more like Grand-Am Cup only for the so called "supercars". It might open the door for some of the small exotic speciality car builders.

You are thinking of the C-6R Corvette which is in GT1 and entered by GM. This is a factory prototype and is more than 10 times the cost of a factory stock Corvette. LG may be running a GT2 Vette next year which should cost about the same as his Speed World Challenge Vettes... which he ran for the past three years or so. GT2 is much closer to factory stock... than is GT1.

[wmcot]

GT2 is much closer to factory stock... than is GT1.

Yes, GT2 is very close to factory stock. The Ferrari F430 does not actually have a flat bottom and a diffuser built-in, but the "bolt" onto the underside of the chassis which is pretty close to stock. (See photo attached) The other GT2 cars are similar.

[BrentJackson]

The best bet right now might just be upping the purses for privateer entrants. Any financial help will likely translate into additional entries. As far as GT1 goes, I say if you can't get competition for Corvette, scrap it and tell them to go run in GT2, which would become just GT.

I'd like to see the P1 and P2 merged into one class (they run similar speeds anyways, correct?) and this just becomes the Prototype class.

This sort of schedule would help too.

1 - Sebring (12 Hours)
2 - Long Beach (500 miles, Saturday into the night, street circuit)
3 - Las Vegas (6 Hours, Saturday into night, street circuit)
4 - Miller Park (4 Hours)
5 - Mid-Ohio (4 Hours)
6 - Indianapolis (12 Hours)
7 - Mont-Tremblant (4 Hours)
8 - Pacific Raceways (4 Hours)
9 - Road America (500 Miles)
10 - Mosport (8 Hours)
11 - Watkins Glen (1000 Miles)
12 - Road Atlanta (1000 Miles/10 Hours)
13 - Laguna Seca (6 Hours, into night)
14 - Mexico City (4 Hours)
15 - Miami (500 Miles, street circuit)

[wmcot]

The best bet right now might just be upping the purses for privateer entrants. Any financial help will likely translate into additional entries. As far as GT1 goes, I say if you can't get competition for Corvette, scrap it and tell them to go run in GT2, which would become just GT.

I'd like to see the P1 and P2 merged into one class (they run similar speeds anyways, correct?) and this just becomes the Prototype class.

This sort of schedule would help too.

1 - Sebring (12 Hours)
2 - Long Beach (500 miles, Saturday into the night, street circuit)
3 - Las Vegas (6 Hours, Saturday into night, street circuit)
4 - Miller Park (4 Hours)
5 - Mid-Ohio (4 Hours)
6 - Indianapolis (12 Hours)
7 - Mont-Tremblant (4 Hours)
8 - Pacific Raceways (4 Hours)
9 - Road America (500 Miles)
10 - Mosport (8 Hours)
11 - Watkins Glen (1000 Miles)
12 - Road Atlanta (1000 Miles/10 Hours)
13 - Laguna Seca (6 Hours, into night)
14 - Mexico City (4 Hours)
15 - Miami (500 Miles, street circuit)

Agreed! No point in keeping P1 and P2. Porsche revolutionized the P2 class, but unfortunately, they also made it obsolete barring artificial means to disadvantage the P2's like added ballast, more inlet restrictions, or fuel capacity restrictions similar to the P1 Audi's.

I see no point in GT1 unless Chevrolet has that big of an advertising budget that they will back 2 cars racing against nobody.

One prototype class and one GT class would be nice, just don't make them one-make classes like the DP's in Grand-Am.

[ZzZzZz]

But there are plenty of P1 and GT1 entries at Le Mans. Things change. Why tie your own hands?

Corvette themselves may leave. It may be worth them moving to GT2, but that's their choice. They are clear they want to continue in GT1 at Le Mans. Why take away an option for a valued team? Wouldn't it be better to work to strengthen the GT1 class?

I wish IMSA would move to restore P1 and GT1 and the headlining/pro/factory classes. Heavily restricing the Audis hasn't worked to bolster P1. They have a loophole that allows P2 cars to win regularly. Porsche and Acura would quickly move to P1 if their chance of winning overall in P2 dropped signifcantly. Though, Highcroft would probably remain, and there would be room for a few privateer Acura and Porsche teams.

So the question is: could P1 Posches and Acura be competitve with a less restricted Audi? Any safty concerns with the higher speeds? Or should some restrictions be eased into the P2 class?

[BrentJackson]

^ Until we KNOW for a fact that somebody else will run in P1 don't give them such an advantage. I'd rather have to see the race before I know who won, thanks.

As far as GT1 is concerned, its just too expensive for most teams. Find them sponsorship and maybe we'll have more of them.

[wedge]

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=271607

GT1 looks like its about to die in ALMS. I remember Dave Richards saying he wanted Aston back at ALMS when he bought the company.

Strangely, they're not using the full course at Millers Motorsport Park

GT2 is getting strong. Some Ford GTs and Riley running C6s.

[ZzZzZz]

^ Until we KNOW for a fact that somebody else will run in P1 don't give them such an advantage. I'd rather have to see the race before I know who won, thanks.

As far as GT1 is concerned, its just too expensive for most teams. Find them sponsorship and maybe we'll have more of them.

The Audis have such an advantage in P1 that they are regularly beaten by P2 cars?

My point is those P2 cars should be in P1, leaving P2 to privateers.

GT1 should be too expense for privateers to expect to win. But, do you want to close the door to Aston Martin, Maseratti, etc. showing up? Do you want the huge budget factory team running GT2? I think that would like cause a mass exodus of teams and could kill the series. Having 4 classes is a strength. It allows you the flexibility to continue (and even grow 40%) while a class or two are underrepresented. So, in not having a crisis, they have the time to fix these issues without doing anything wrash.

It seems like eliminating a class or 2 would be a rejection of the deal with the ACO. One big value a lot of teams get in running ALMS is the opportunity to secure an invitation to Le Mans. Reject the ACO and you might lose a lot of the top teams.

[Jag_Warrior]

The great thing is the boys & girls at Ford have a solid sports marketing plan in place, so that the world won't (continue to) see the Blue Oval as a company that is nothing more than a maker of some really mediocre taxi cabs, police cruisers and family haulers... or not.

The third and final team announcing plans for 2008 was Doran Racing. The Ohio-based organization is in the process of building two Ford GTs for customer Oliver Kuttner.
"The first car should be on the track in November or December for a shakedown run," said Doran. "Then, the first public debut should be at the January winter test."
Doran explained he would like to run one car all-season long, but they don't have the funding in place at the moment. A debut in the Twelve Hours of Sebring is planned. Although not giving its full blessing, Ford has been cooperative with the homologation process.

"It's not their favorite project for competition but they seem to be somewhat accepting of the inevitable outcome," Doran stated. "They're not trying to kill us or anything but they're not going out of the way to help us either."

Amazing. Just amazing. Someone else offers to do the heavy lifting for them, and they still don't have the good, common sense to get behind it.