the entry list for this year Rolex 24 is huge : more than 70 cars !!! the double of the ALMS field !!
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the entry list for this year Rolex 24 is huge : more than 70 cars !!! the double of the ALMS field !!
Erm...the entry list was up on the official site for a couple days but it was preliminary and has since been taken down; what are you looking at? Last years?
Not that 70+ cars isn't likely, however. It would have been one greater were it not for Honda's involvement. :P
( http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=240392 )
Romain Dumas will join fellow Porsche works drivers Jorg Bergmeister and Pat Long in the #23 Alex Job Racing/Crawford Porsche.
Definitely a car to watch.
true but I think that Jorg Bergmeister is no longer a factory Porsche driver, or am I wrong ? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Abel Karaj
He is rumoured to be a factory driver again. But I haven't seen a confirmation yet (Porsche has yet to announce their new drivers after Luhr and Rockenfeller left for Audi).
the AJR Porsche could easly have won the DP championship in 2006 without the foolish rules adjustments that GARRA have done to prevent Porsche from completely dominating the Rolex Series.
for the 2007 I hope that AJR will win the Rolex 24 the whole Grand Am series and come back to ALMS in 2008, with an RS Spyder or the brand new 997 GT3 RSR
AJR finished on the podium every single race in which some incident did not otherwise take them out of contention. You can't blame the rules for the broken shift linkage at Laguna, the electrical difficulties at Phoenix and Mid-Ohio, getting pushed into the gravel by the Cheever Porsche Crawford at Watkins Glen, AJR setting themselves on fire in the pits at Infineon, or the broken control arm at Miller. They rules had nothing to do with all the points they threw away in those races.Quote:
Originally Posted by Subaru WRX
I agree on this one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danske
It was much the same in 2005 when the same kind of problems robbed Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard of the ALMS title they deserved.
Not to mention the fact that Job did not enter or race at Mexico City.
It's pretty tough to win a title when you score zero points at a race. The fact that the 23 even came close speaks volumes about their performance.
Interestingly, it also cost them the opportunity to participate in the Pacesetter bonus program, which is only available to teams which entered every race in the previous season.
I would love to go back to Daytona for the 24 hours. I am not a fan of the Rolex cars that are out there, but they do put on a good race.
Those who have been there will tell you hardly anyone sits in the stands except maybe for 10 minutes at the start. Are there 80000 people there? I doubt it. I suspect that is the total 3 day attendance, the most I think I could figure might have been there would be a little less than that.
Sebring and Daytona are however two classics, and any race fan who loves endurance racing could not go wrong by going to either one. It may not be LeMans, but Daytona is a spectacle even when you are there on a non-race day. To see that big oval and those stands makes one realize size does MATTER!!!
Do you go to a race to watch the on track action or the crowd? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by Subaru WRX
That fact that so many top line racing drivers from around the globe want to race at Daytona is enough to convince me it's still one of the best races in the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Subaru WRX
You could buy 10 Rolex cars for what Audi probably spent on one of their cars...the quality of race car in ALMS is a lot higher than Rolex. Rolex cars are more to show off the drivers, which is the mindset of NASCAR and Grand AM. The drivers are the stars, not the cars. It is working as a strategy, even if I find the cars ugly......for for most of the fans at the Daytona race anyhow, they are NASCAR fans looking to see THEIR heroes moonlighting.
Well put, Mark.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
:dozey: Family France wants to promote NA$CAR and put.... "fannies in the seats"...
so they are relying on the NA$CAR drivers to pull the crowd !!!
We no longer see Factory Teams at the Daytona/Rolex 24 hour...
Instead we have "Spec Race Cars" with an assortment of engines.
The International Flavor of Automobile Racing is gone...
Replaced by offering the fans another venue to see their favorite drivers.
well say what you will they do have a huge field of cars, and drivers from like everywhere. You go back to 'factory' invovlement you have ALMS ,incredibly sexy cars yes awesome fast yes. but so darn expensive you get what ALMS is .Smaller fields dependant on a few manufacturers that if they go then what?
Dont get me wrong I absolutely love ALMS racing , but Grand Am offers a different taste. You cant eat caviar everyday, some times you gotta go with a palin old cheeseburger.
Which teams do you all predict will be fighting at the end for the win?
I am rooting for the Pruet/Montoya team.
Well normally there's no one in the stands unless it's the start of the race or the very end. I've never even seen a crowd around Sebring.Quote:
Originally Posted by harvick#1
I like MSR's lineup for the 24. Since I live near MSR's garage I will have to drive by and see if they have one of their cars out. Not likely this time of year but last year in the summer before midohio they had one of the cars out . Love to see P.T. and A.J. help pull them through for the win. Go MSR. Also is there anyone else going to MidOhio this year? I will be there for the Rolex, ALMS, and Indy races.
I agree there is room for everyone no matter whether it is alms or rolex. Both provide differenet but entertaining racing. I look at it like this, Champ and IRl arn't F1 in quality of cars, but it is damn good racing just the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by call_me_andrew
Never seen a crowd around Sebring? You watch the race? There is a solid one weekend city of tents and campers around the place for the 12 hours. It is one huge party with hard core race fans as the participants. I wont knock Daytona, it is a good show and the car count makes for some interesting racing, but Sebring has usually a more solid crowd from start to finish.
What is more, you don't have half the fans looking around the pits getting ready to squeal like kids when they see a NASCAR guy moonlighting. The ALMS fans are more hard core sports-car fans and love the cars as much as the drivers. IN Grand-Am, it is all about the drivers....
Sometimes a Cheeseburger is a lot of fun, but for me to spend the money, occasionally I just NEED a steak. Just wish it was bigger..
2007 Rolex 24 At Daytona entry list includes 21 former overall winners and 47 previous class winners of America's most prestigious endurance race in addition to a host of champions and superstar drivers from various forms of motorsport.
Of the 70 cars entered, 31 will include at least one driver with a class or overall victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. There are 28 Daytona Prototypes entered and 42 GT machines. The race will be televised live beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX on Saturday, January 27, followed by three parts on SPEED which begin at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 28.
Other notable entries include the No. 00 Vision Racing Porsche Crawford for IndyCar Series regulars Ed Carpenter, Tomas Scheckter and A.J. Foyt IV and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League CEO Tony George, the No. 3 Southard Motorsports Lexus Riley of Shane Lewis, Randy Ruhlman and rising open-wheel star Graham Rahal, the GT class No. 15 Blackforest Motorsports Ford Mustang Cobra GT for Tom Nastasi, Guy Cosmo, Lou Gigliotti and Champ Car standout Alex Tagliani, and the No. 77 Kodak/Doran Racing Ford Doran of Memo Gidley, Fabrizio Gollin and Champ Car race winners Michel Jourdain Jr. and Oriol Servia.
Tickets for the 45th anniversary of the Rolex 24 on Jan. 27-28 are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or by logging onto http://www.racetickets.com.
http://www.daytonaintlspeedway.com/n...ws/531074.html
the sound of the Corvette is worth the admission :D I don't like when other drivers have to come in for a popular series to try and bring in fans :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
besides the ALMS boasts some of the greatest racers in the world
The Vette makes your ribcage rattle!!!
The R10 on the other hand, well if it isn't by itsself, you don't hear it at all.....
silent and deadly ;)
:D Lou Gigliotti will be in a Corvette with Stevenson Racing !
;) Lou was testing with a Crawford chassis Mustang team... but will be driving the Corvette # 57, in the 24 hour race.
Lou runs his own Corvette team in the Speed World Challenge Series and his business specializes in modifying Corvette's as well as supplying after market parts.
Great stories.Quote:
Originally Posted by FormerFF
We had a bonfire at Laguna Seca in 2005, and every NASCAR race I've been to was pretty nuts...but in general people are pretty well behaved.
The R8 was great the first year I saw it, before all the restrictions hit...but nothing compares to those CorvettesQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
Almost time for the 24...racing is getting near :s mokin:
I missed those days.....but when a few of us T and S guys get drinking and camping up at Mosport, some joker usually starts the chant "THE BOG WANTS A BUS!" Of course we start laughing, because we are old and boring now...
Celebrate the start of the 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve Season and the 24 Hour Classic with a street party featuring race cars, drivers, autographs, merchandise and ticket giveaways.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 from 7-8 PM
Throughout this weekend’s race, Ruby Tuesday will stay open -- all 24 hours!
Ruby Tuesday
1808 W. Int’l Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL