My Take On USCR 2014

"SteyrTMP" (SteyrTMP) 08/06/2013 at 17:12 • Filed to: USCR

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I've kept my mouth shut so far, but the more I see about new regulations and classes with the new "merger" USCR, the less I like it. I like to follow ALMS, but haven't payed attention to the Grand Am series since the '08 Brumos Porsche Fabcar DP... (Do want).

I don't even know where to start. I will be surprised if this is going to last past 2018.

First off, a lot of people are going to lose out. From a combination of 22 races, obviously, only a little over half of those will be able to be held. So from the start, there's money lost by the race tracks. That's big bucks, and some of the tracks can't afford to lose big bucks. Then there's the vendors. Weither it be tire vendors, food vendors, local hotels and restaurants, they will all lose business otherwise bringing in big cash on race weekend. Then there's the race teams. Some teams aren't going to fit in the new categories, and will not be able to afford to upgrade/replace their cars to the new standards. They're now stuck with race car(s) that no longer have venues to race in. What about sponsors?

Which brings the second big issue I have. How is this class setup going to work? The biggest spenders, Audi and Toyota, are now without any US races. That leaves them to 24 Hours of Le Mans, and WEC. On top of that, current regulations (engine sizes, now all below 4-liters) is strangling what has been the most interesting class since Group C. I'll bet Porsche has a few choice words...

As for the smaller classes. P2 is considerably more powerful than the cheaper DP's. So either P2 manufacturers are going to have to dumb down the P2's, the owners are going to have to restrict them to death, or the DP's are going to have to get beefed up, raising the price of the cars. As long as they don't fuck up the ALMS GT series, that should be the only class that goes unchanged. They say that GTC and the Grand-AM cars will be together in a class, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that. Someone said the difference between a GTC car and a Grand-AM Porsche is almost $200,000. ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! - This guy knows a lot more than I do, definitely a good read) So someone's going to lose out, and most likely, the privateers.

So let's sum things up. The new USCR is going to get rid of the LMP1 cars, who knows what's going to happen with P2/DP, ALMS GT will hopefully stay the same, and GTC is going to get screwed, while the Grand-Am GT cars will be useful... for one race series only. I really would think they would have learned from history... I mean, come on... This is all being sanctioned by IMSA, who had similar issues in the 90's. I guess technically, this is more like Champ Car and IRL.

I'm bummed, if you haven't figured this out yet. I really wish the Group C cars would come back. It seems like every time a race class hits the peak of it's heyday, some beancounter has to come and screw it all up. Group B Rally cars. Group C LM cars (my favorites). Can-Am (Yes, I'm talking to you, Porsche 917/30...). V12 F1 cars. What next?

Fred Smith > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:21

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P1 is leaving the US because there would have been, at maximum, four teams competing in the class in 2014 and only two of them would have been genuinely competitive. That's fine on it's own but a four to six car class doesn't look good directly above a twenty to twenty five car class...

SteyrTMP > Fred Smith 08/06/2013 at 17:27

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It may be a small class—but it's what a lot of people are there to see. Everyone want's to see Audi get knocked over. And, once Porsche starts doing something, everyone and their brother has to follow suit. Had Porsche been able to enter in ALMS, I would highly expect at least Ferrari would have followed. Nothing pisses other manufacturers more than watching Porsche top something. Case in point: GTC. Or the fact that the GT3 Cup is the benchmark for... the world.

SteyrTMP > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:28

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And then there's the big bucks. There are some serious dollars in the P1 class, not only from the manufacturer's standpoint, but from the sponsors as well.

Bakkster, touring car driver > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:36

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Sure, people might want to go see the Audis, but they only showed up for Sebring anyway. That's no way to build a series structure, around a part time entrant.

For what it's worth, there are rumors that if the three LMP1 manufacturers each committed at least one car to the three big endurance events (Sebring, Daytona, and PLM) that they would host P1 for those three events. Not sure if it's true, but I would imagine it's feasible. Fewer and fewer European teams have been coming over for Sebring, though. Just three this year, Audi, Greaves, and AMR.

SteyrTMP > Bakkster, touring car driver 08/06/2013 at 17:42

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True. I think one of the biggest advantages of being able to enter P1's has been to prepare them for Le Mans. I think a 3-race is possible, but I'd definitely like to see more than that. Oh well. He who has the gold makes the rules...

Autolegend86 > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:48

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That's what happens when Nascar gets to make choices. They want artificial motorsport.

Without green/white finishes and destruction derby level crashes, the rednecks get bored.

desertdog5051 > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:49

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My sentiments as well. Why Panoz would consent to this merger is beyond me.

Everything NASCAR touches, goes wrong and we, as fans, stand to lose some of the greatest sports car/endurance racing we have ever had.

Bakkster, touring car driver > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 17:58

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Just to correct a few pieces of information you're concerned about.

The reason for the reduced schedule is that the number of running hours are increasing. Yes, it sucks for the tracks and drivers, but the teams couldn't afford all that extra running time (not yet, anyway).

Audi only came over for one race anyway, and prior to this year they only came over because races were part of the WEC/ILMC. Audi instead campaigned R8s at Daytona and will likely continue to do so (as well as possibly producing a Daytona Prototype or IndyCar engine).

A lot of press has been given towards P2/DP performance balancing, that's the big unknown currently. And yes, the DP owners are complaining a lot about the cost of proposed upgrades (though Marsh is leaving GT and will be racing a Corvette DP next year, so there's that). So long as there's a decent field size left over then faster more exciting DPs is a good thing.

ALMS GT will be completely unchanged, as will PC. So fear not. GTC and Grand Am GT cars aren't far off on speed, the BoP will be simple. Their combined GTD class will mirror the GTC class and be Pro-Am. The GTCs aren't getting screwed, if anything they came out on top. You're right that the Grand Am-spec cars won't be used anywhere else, but that has been the case for years already. Instead, GT3 cars are being allowed in the class with 'minor modifications'. At a minimum this means adding the same spec wings and splitter the other Grand Am cars have. This means that (in theory) you can buy a used GT3 car and throw the spec aero on it and go racing. And before losing all hope, remember that SCCA World Challenge went from GT3-with-spec-aero to allowing full GT3-spec in just one year.

The last piece of hope for you is to remember that the ACO has new P1 rules this year anyway. The current P1 teams (aside from the DeltaWing) would need new hardware anyway. But more importantly, IMSA plans to build a new unified prototype spec around 2016. I'm still holding out hope that it will be at least somewhat compatible with LMP1 (in the same way Group C was), presuming of course that privateer teams in Europe find P1 a cost effective and competitive formula. Otherwise I'm expecting P2-level technology with DP-style body shapes and the option to put any body on any chassis.

And one quibble: it was the spending of too much money that killed Group C and Can-Am. Someone spends too much money so nobody else shows up with a car since they already know they won't be competitive.

Bakkster, touring car driver > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 18:01

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Well, there was nothing preventing Audi from showing up to every single ALMS race before Le Mans, but they didn't. It isn't USCR's fault that's ending, it just didn't get used in the first place. Why should they put in lots of effort to retain something that was squandered before?

Bakkster, touring car driver > Autolegend86 08/06/2013 at 18:02

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Haven't watched Grand-Am this season? They're handing out the same 1-minute penalties for avoidable contact as they do in ALMS.

SteyrTMP > Autolegend86 08/06/2013 at 18:03

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What makes it worse is the fact that cars for this, most likely, will not be FIA sanctioned for any other series, which is financially stupid and limits privateers.

Bakkster, touring car driver > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 18:13

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You will be able to buy FIA-spec cars for any of the classes: and LMP2, an FLM, a GTE, or a Porsche Cup car or GT3 with the aero bits replaced.

Autolegend86 > Bakkster, touring car driver 08/06/2013 at 18:34

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....Was at the Rolex 24. 24 straight hours not enough for ya?

SteyrTMP > Bakkster, touring car driver 08/06/2013 at 18:43

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Yeah, good points. I think the biggest money issue is going to be from the little guys, not the big brands. If they are going to get picky about what's allowed and what's not, I think a lot of the space-fillers are going to pack up and go home, leaving only the big name teams.

Like you said. Nothing's set in stone yet, I just don't like the way it's looking from here.

Bakkster, touring car driver > SteyrTMP 08/06/2013 at 19:43

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The only class that seems posed to lose teams is going to be DP. And that's due to the upgrades. The GT classes won't be seeing much change, the biggest is actually going to Pro-Am with the Grand Am GT teams, meaning they need to pick up amateur drivers or change classes. Hopefully that gets offset by new amateurs coming in with GT3 machinery.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Autolegend86 08/06/2013 at 19:43

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So then what makes you think they're looking to spice things up with big crashes?

Autolegend86 > Bakkster, touring car driver 08/06/2013 at 21:01

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In endurance racing, the principle is go hard around the clock.

At the modern Rolex 24, you can't allow a car to get away from the pack. The Nascar mentality comes in and says this is bad for TV.

SO....you call a debris caution for a tire 40 ft off the banking and off the racing line. Because again, you need tv time.

Been to the last 4 Rolex 24 and its the same story year after year. Petit LM and Sebring don't have the anomaly of cautions for lady bugs off the line.