Most liked posts in thread: ALMS - Grand Am to Merge in 2014

Those working on this merger have asked for fan input on the name. Strike that, not quite right, makes it sound like they have a name and want to know what we think...

Apparently they still need a name for the series. Give them a name and explain it (by 31 Dec), and you might win some prizes.

Name The Future

 

An excellent (IMHO) article on the merger.

The "Coverage" section is interesting with a couple points I hadn't considered, plus he intimates Speed will be covering some of the races live again next year.

Also, this is part 1, part 2 will cover potential classes and races. I'll be watching for it. Of course with 2013 fast approaching and given the big wigs already promised to announce some of the class and rule structures right around the end of the year, general speculation like this will soon lead to more pointed criticism and analyses. Looking forward to that stuff as well. :yesnod:

On The Merger of Grand-Am and ALMS (toomuchracing.com)

 

I don't know the origin but according to this Wikipedia entry [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Motor_Sports_Association"]this Wikipedia entry[/ame] (and we all know how trustworthy Wikipedia is :rolleyes5: ) Bill France wanted to follow his NASCAR start with something similar for road racing but for IMSA he was mostly the source of $$$$ and Bishop was in charge. Of course it doesn't matter how much someone like Bishop might have wanted to start up a new series, unless someone with money to burn likes the idea it's never going to happen.

 

Announcement of the new series class structure is scheduled for 4 Jan in Daytona during the upcoming Daytona 24H test.

 

Ok, John Dagys points out that stranger things have happened at Le Mans. For example:

Americans in Paris, Nascar goes to Le Mans

 

It's possible this means there's going to be a change to the DP class and cars to come with the merger of classes for 2014. I've been wondering how they would mix all those classes together; which will be "equalized" and what will be dropped altogether.

One of the issues of the class merge was figuring out how to keep the DPs from ending up as the lowest/slowest of the prototype classes since their lap times are slower than ALMS P1 and P2. P1 is almost guaranteed to go away but that still leaves DP following P2 and NASCAR is unlikely to let that happen. Coincidentally, it looks like the ALMS P2 class is struggling a bit in terms of numbers for 2013. Could be just the economy, etc, but it may also be because the teams have been in on the merger discussions and are reluctant to pour new money into programs that will be obsolete at the end of the season. The P2 class fits into the Le Mans prototype class structure. Maybe the DPs are going to get some additional performance and become the US series equivalent of P2...maybe.

Pure speculation. The new class structure plan is scheduled to be released this week during the Daytona test so we'll see.

 

Here it is, published early, ahead of the noon (Eastern) press conference.

GRAND-AM, ALMS Announce Class Structure For Unified Series (ALMS.com)

 

One of the telling bits above is DP and P2 as the leading class while keeping the ALMS PC class. Has to mean significant increased performance (and probably better aero) for DP by 2014 because they're not only slower at this point than ALMS P2 but also slower than PC. In other words, since the PCs will remain and run behind the DPs it's not likely about slowing down the P2s to "equalize" them to DP level.

 

Re P1 going away, Scot Elkins says teams "could downgrade engine and aero to compete at P2 level."

 

Split Races Being Considered For 2014 (auto-racing.speedtv.com)