Speed is reporting that the American Le Mans Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will announce an agreement that will see the two series race under a single banner, likely beginning in 2014. EXCLUSIVE: ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
I've see a story or two a year lately suggesting this unfortunate alliance. Looks like it might be serious this time. rrr:
I think it will be to both series advantage. Look what the CART vs IRL years of fighting did to both series. Indy racing is a shadow of its former self. Here's hoping a combined Grand Am & ALMS makes for a stronger road racing series here in the USA.
One more update before the press conference tomorrow. I don't imagine we'll learn how this will really pan out until it actually begins to happen. I suspect that means some time during 2013 when they start to publish rules for the new combined series. I'm actually more worried about how it will be handled, managed, etc, than I am about the classes and how they'll be equalized. Don't think we'll get a feeling for the "flavor" of the series until the first combined season is well underway. Details Of ALMS Unification Emerge (auto-racing.speedtv.com)
This scares me... GRAND-AM co-founder and NASCAR Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President Jim France is expected to serve as the Chairman of the unified series. It reeks of NASCARification of Road Racing in the US.
After posting the above I went over to Autoextremist.com. It's Wednesday, the day the new columns are posted. I was curious as to what they had to say since the editor there has been harping that US Road Racing needs to be unified for years. It's a rather long read to take it all in since they reprise some of the columns about the subject but any of us that are Road Racing fans ought to take a few minutes and read it all in full. Fumes - Autoextremist.com ~ the bare-knuckled, unvarnished, high octane truth... Discuss at will after reading...
I am not sure why there is so much concern about France being the head of this new series. I feel that the Rolex/Continental Tire series are the most competitive and participant friendly series in the states right now. I mean, just look at the attendance numbers along side the number of competitors. The ALMS is IMO a second tier series simply as a way for teams to compete in the LeMans race. Everyone can jump on the NASCRAP wagon (as I do....) but you have to admit they put on one hell of a show. I am really hoping this works out as it could be a real boost to the sports car racing here in the states. I also disagree with the author at Autoextremist about the DP cars. These cars allow teams to get into a top tier VERY competive class w/o a huge amount of money and engineering.
I've seen those articles at Autoextremist and I agree with most of what they say, particularly the praise of ALMS GT racing and hope for its continuation. The focus on DP cars is one of the reasons I click away from the Rolex series, the GT action is the only draw for me. On the other hand, given a choice between Rolex and ALMS GT I'll take the ALMS every time. It's not just the cars and the action either, it's the deterioration (in my mind) of the way Rolex is covered. In truth, I wouldn't mind a GT-level series, don't really care what happens to the big prototypes. On the other hand, I like De Lorenzo's idea for cars and classes: It won't work out that way though.
From the ALMS announcement article, here's a snip to help understand how much is involved in / affected by this merger:
If you'd like to suffer through the full, official press conference: The Future is Unveiled | American Le Mans Series
I've been thinking a lot about this merger/take-over and I realize I've really liked the idea, in principle, since I first heard it proposed. But the cynic in me says if it can be done wrong the egos involved will make that happen. As Tommy Milner writes (This racer is pumped for the ALMS/Grand-Am merger), "...this has massive positive potential for our sport." The important word there IMHO is potential.
The Frances are used to running the show and Panoz doesn't seem like he likes to take a back seat.... So I think you may be right Steve.. ....and after this whole batmobile racecar thing, me questions Mr Panoz's ......well, never mind. But I is looking forward to watching ALMS race at VIR this Saturday!!!
Here is just one sample of the issues I expect to cause trouble. Let's say you have no bias for either Grand-Am Rolex or ALMS. You're asked look into the sticky issue of how to merge the various classes, and you decide to start with the prototypes. So, you look at how they compare on the track, using qualifying times by class on a track used by both series' in 2012. I just took a look at the schedules and they both ran at Mid-Ohio. Here are the times for the leading car in each class: ALMS P1: 1:11.019 ALMS P2: 1:13.230 ALMS PC: 1:15.107 Rolex DP: 1:18.079 And, just for reference: ALMS GT: 1:19.298 Rolex GT: 1:25.083 3 prototype classes in ALMS is about 1 too many already. So, how to pare 4 classes down to 2 or 3? Maybe start by combining P1 and P2...or maybe not, depending on level of interest in working with the ACO, Le Mans participation, etc. Then, given the PC class was added to bolster the prototype field by providing a relatively cheap way for teams to get into prototypes (sounds a lot like DP to me), it seems to me PC and DP make a great combo. Easier said than done, obviously, even without considering the egos and politics. I can't imagine the Grand-Am bigs buying into a scheme that puts DP into a non-leading group.
Bring the level of the Rolex DP up to the ALMS P1 range? You would not want to dumb down ALMS P1, but you would want Audi back and other manufacturers to join in.
Problem is the cost of P1, exactly why team participation is low in that class....I mean how many P1 cars actually compete on a regular bases? I'd bet that 80% of the teams that compete in DP would disappear if it is made into P1...they just couldn't afford it. 2cents ....and then how many would drop out if DP wasn't the top class and race in a GT class or another series all together?
While the cost of P1 is higher, it may behoove the manufacturers to enter such a program. Assuming there is an agreement with the Le Mans group (ACO) that cars of that spec are eligible then it allows for the cars to enter more events with a lot of those in the US Market. Toss in a round in China and then you have the worlds number 1 and 2 markets covered. Add in the NASCAR marketing to bring the series a better TV package, cross sell with Saturday races at the NASCAR road courses and add another one or two road courses into the NASCAR schedule. Put a few of the NASCAR drivers in the P1 cars on that Saturday too. Just think of all those Jimmie Johnson fans that would cheer him on at Sears Point in a Gannasi run Chevrolet powered P1 car.
Bingo. The ALMS P1 numbers dropped when the big manufacturers pulled out a few years ago. There are only 2 (or 3?) teams in P1...I think I've seen 3 P1s in some races. Those teams seem content to run though even without much competition, so it seems like keeping P1 around would hurt no one, even if the field is small. That is, no one other than DP teams and fans... I'll say it again, PC is a formula-based class, designed to make it easier and cheaper to enter the series. These are the same kind of words used to describe DP. You'd need to speed the DPs up to make the two competitive but I think it would be more interesting that way with more than 1 car type in the class. Problem is, that relegates Rolex's premier class to a lower category. While I think the P1 class could be easily retained, another option is to drop P1 altogether and try to bump the DPs up to P2 equivalent without a cost bump that's enough to drive half the teams elsewhere. As above, let the DPs and P2s run together, seems like that would be entertaining. Another option I've seen proposed is to simply drop P1 and PC and keep P2 and DP as they are, as the 2 separate prototype classes for the new series. Very little would change and it would be easy on the P2 and DP teams. The expensive P1 category would go away but so would the cost-effective PC. I'm not fond of this option, plus it still leaves the DPs as the non-leading class. I haven't mentioned slowing the P1, P2 and/or PC cars to match the DPs and of course this is because I'm one of those who like the idea of maintaining the class connections with the WEC. I like the idea that European teams might decide to bring their cars to the Sebring 12H or Petit Le Mans or maybe even the Daytona 24H. And I like the idea that teams in the new series might be able to qualify to run in other endurance series races...yes, like Le Mans. I can't personally imagine a way that would possibly continue if all the ALMS prototypes (P1, P2 and PC) disappear, as suggested by some, in order to keep DP at the top without significant changes to the DP formula. It should be no surprise that I wouldn't mind if the DPs end up as something other than the premier class. I'm sure this means the France family wouldn't like to hire me to help work out this merger.