OT: Death of Innovation, Continental Tires spec for 3/4 of USCR classes next year Options

[ThePaintedMan]

http://www.alms.com/articles/imsa-tire-str...zed-2014-season

Sorry, this is a couple weeks old, but since no one else has brought it up yet, I figured I would. So the worst fears of many have been realized - NASCAR and it's spec mindset has made it's way solidly into the new USCR series next year. Every class but the GTE cars will have to run on spec Continental Tires next year. Not Michelins, not Dunlops. Continentals. I guess money talks, but this is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) . Hey, it'll be an easy way to make sure the DPs are still competitive with the P2 cars. If the P2 cars have to run on bicycle tires and they give the big fat slicks to the DPs, surely the France family can remain happy with their investment staying at the front of the field.

[carr914]

But they DO NOT plan to dumb down the LMP2 cars, the plan is to give more downforce to the DP cars and maybe up the power allowable for the LMP2 cars.

I don't think they plan on doing anything on the LMP2 Cars (they do need to be Enclosed next year) except the Tires as these cars are still eligible for LeMans & the WEC. They are considering more power & Traction Control for the DPs. If they essentially running in the same USCR Class they have to equalize them. Tires, HP, Traction Control are all in the equation.

The idea is also to still keep the P2 cars around so they still have the option to go over in June to Le Mans, if they are able/invited. In that case, what is the team supposed to do? Take their Continental Tires with them to Le Mans? Switch to Michelins after running all season on Continentals?

They would open themselves up to running other Tires, but the Downside would be very limited Testing.

I don't have a Problem with Continental being a Spec Tire for a few years. Money makes this Racing Merry-Go-Round moving and Conti is trying to get a return on investment. No one has been complaining about the Tires in Grand-Am, the ALMS PC class is already running them, so the only class that is changing is the LMP2s and any cars coming from the GTC class.

I was keeping track of the Cars on Track last weekend at Road America as both Series were running there - I think you could easliy reach 50 Cars at most races, with 65 - 70 at Daytona & Sebring

No LMP1 - so take away 2 Cars. Will Dyson & Muscle Milk play in a Smaller class?
LMP2, Delta Wings, & DPs = 20+ Cars
LMPC = 6-10 Cars
GTLeMans = 15 Cars
GTDaytona = 20 Cars

[Zimms]

I don't have a Problem with Continental being a Spec Tire for a few years. Money makes this Racing Merry-Go-Round moving and Conti is trying to get a return on investment. No one has been complaining about the Tires in Grand-Am, the ALMS PC class is already running them, so the only class that is changing is the LMP2s and any cars coming from the GTC class.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I was at RA last weekend. The PC guys seem to all like the Conti's, and to be honest, our top class is going to be a hoge poge until 2016. I am excited about a combined series because they left the GTLMs alone, and they are looking to bring the DPs out of the '80s. My pessimism has been changing to optimism with the last few announcements about how the organization will be structured.

I love the ALMS, but last weeks Prototype race was essentially this: plan for MM's Honda to win, a race for the Dyson or DW to blow up (To my surprise they both lasted and did reasonably well). and then watch the Level vs ESM battle, or Honda vs Honda, vs Honda vs Honda, wait, this sounds like a spec series.

The Grand Am race had tight racing and not a lot of banging into each other in both classes. I do miss hearing he higher revving cars, but the P2 Hondas should add that next year. The DPs look a lot better than they did, and I am excited to see what they do to speed them up. (6 seconds slower than the P2s on a course with a lot of straights).

My biggest hope is that they streamline the yellows, and the next generation of DP is a contender in LMP1 category. I always hated how GA would dumb down anything that competed with the DPs, like the immediate reduction of fuel capacity to the GT Porsches after they beat the DPs ion 2003. If that starts up again, I'll start following the WEC a lot more.

5-6 months until Daytona. Then we get a real idea of what to expect.