New Race Series with ALMS- Unlimited Racing Championships

Time to buy that Chaparral Continuation!!

 

Cool.

 

Yes, that's the ticket for saving American sportscar racing. A $485k retro car.

http://www.unlimitedracingchampionship.com/home.htm

I checked the "videos" section of the maker's site, it says, basically: coming soon. Have they tested these babies yet? Any sales?

I like the car's looks, but I'm skeptical. We don't need another series, we need more cars in the series we have, and new rules for those series.

 

More info:

http://www.racer.com/unlimited-racing-championship-unveiled/article/212190/

An "arrive and drive" series for everyone, featuring 700hp cars.

 

Well, the car in the presentation certainly looks like a McLaren M8F. If that's the car they're going to use as a template, at least they picked a good one.

 

It is not my place to say anything, but yes the car has been tested and driven by some people who's names you have heard before And yes M8F is the inspiration.

 

So IMSA Lites and LMPC are so successful that, to handle the spillover, we need a new car that looks like an old car? We've completely run out of ideas in US racing? Now that it's clear Danica the bikini chick won't save US racing, we're going to reach back decades for a new idea?

The Racer story tosses around the name of Max Papis, a great guy. The car looks cool indeed. It's not for racers, it's a vanity thing. Will be interesting to see gentleman racers playing with their new 700hp toys, to be sure.

485k for a spec series car controlled by the manufacturer, plus whatever they charge for arrive and drive support. What's the point?

 

Come on Will, just think about how much fun this will be. Kinda puts a new spin on punting, huh?

Dale

 

I'm with Will, this is a silly idea. I particularly find the concept of spec CanAm cars hilarious (CanAm being one of the last true "open rule book" series).

ALMS needs to fill its own grid, not create another spec support series. the $$ involved in one of these deals will buy a decent LMPC or non-factory GT3 ride, I would think.

maybe if it was a "Walter Mitty" style historic CanAm class with all the old Lolas, McLarens, Chapparals, etc I'd dig it; but the idea as presented seems stupid.

 

I think it will look cool to see all those cars together and it will have the big engine sounds. I think the draw could be for those people who own the old cars, they can get the excitement and feelings of racing their priceless show pieces, without the monetary risk and with the number one benefit of being in a much safer car.
As far as benefiting ALMS, they may feel that it will bring in some different fans.
The grids will be filled when there are enough fans, you won't get more fans by just adding more cars, there needs to be some draw. I don't know whether this will draw different fans but ALMS must see some potential benefit, whether it is fans or cash or something else. If this series gets ALMS some money, that could be used to benefit the series by increasing advertising or for helping more teams to get involved etc.

 

"there needs to be some draw"

I agree with you about the cars, they're very cool.

But the search for a draw is part of what's killing US motorsports IMO.

The draw is the racing.

Make it close, make it high stakes, make it at great tracks, make it at different price points, and drivers, teams and spectators will come. Treat everyone well and they will stay. It will take time, and patience.

The search for a draw leads to at track slot machines and strippers and dwarf throwing - more effective than a tarted up vintage car piloted by guys like ... me?

Look at me, I have 700hp, I'm just like Mark Donohue.

No.

Photo by Mike Smith, for sale on his site:

http://www.turbosracingphotos.com/CANAM/mdonohue.htm
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I agree and I very much doubt this will draw fans.

 

I agree with what your saying about making racing thrive, I just wonder what benefit ALMS thinks this will have. Is it a "Hey, let's try this" (like slots and dwarfs) or is there more to it then that? The guy building the cars is a friend of mine, so for him, I hope it goes well. I do think there are guys out there who want to be like Donohue.

 

probably the last nail in the ALMS coffin (ok, 2nd to last -- loss of petit will be the last)

 

I work with the ALMS and believe me, they're more interested in the fee to be charged to Unlimited Series than the potential new fans it "may" bring in. As you might know with your racing effort, the ALMS pays pennies to its entrants in prize money (its beyond laughable) yet hammers them with various costs. And they wonder why they hardly have a prototype field and a grid filled with spec cars?

The ALMS is throwing anything within its reach at the wall & hoping something will stick.

Comparing the "Unlimited Series" to CanAm is an insult. Didn't CanAm feature multiple manufactures with all sorts of no-holds-barred insane engines & chassis'? This is nothing more than another spec series (the ALMS is becoming proficient at running those) Frankly, its worse than a spec racing in that its an arrive & drive event...an IROC series for non-champions if you will The only saving grace for the Unlimited Series will be if they're allowed to compete for the Michelin Green X Challenge-because that's what race fans want to see. Cross your fingers.

You know the ALMS/IMSA umbrella is about to collapse when Audi & Ferrari both agree to neuter their cars for the honor to race against RX7s, Camaros & Mustangs in front of tens of fans.

 

lol

 

really? is there some demographic study done that backs that up?

I love sports car racing, and I appreciate the tech transfer from track to street, but I couldn't care less about the "GreenX Challenge".

 

clearly it was a sarcastic remark

 

yeah probably.

it's Monday, my sarcasm meter is still warming up

 

Sarcastic x 1000

I could write volumes on how the the ALMS brass sunk the series by marketing it as the "Global Leader in Green Racing", etc. They hitched their wagon to this nonsense & partnered with the EPA to try to make endurance racing something it is not. The worst part is that fans don't give a **** about it nor does this rubbish do anything for the series participants. They tried to sell the best sportscar series the US has seen in decades as green instead of great racing bewteen V12 Aston LMPs at full chat, earsplitting Ferraris and earth shaking Corvettes puking flames out the exhaust on downshifts. Well, now the factory LMPs are history and the factory GT teams will surely bolt for the WEC...but we're still treated to two spec classes. Oh yeah, the races can only be viewed live online...which is an easy sell when teams try to attract sponsors. Don Panoz & Scott Atherton make Obama look like a competent leader.

As for the Green X Challenge, anyone who can explain how its scored wins a prize

 

Well said ! Perhaps in a couple short years we will be seeing a full field of Daytona Prototypes and GT cars at the 12 hour !

 

Good lord, for a half a million bucks you can buy a REAL Can Am car.

http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/1084-McLaren-M8FP-Dart%20510%20c.i.%20Alloy%20Block

 

yeah but you can't race it in a silly spec series

 

You can reach it venues with other REAL Can Am cars, like Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Goodwood Revival, Silverstone Classic, Lime Rock Historic Festival, Bobby Rahal's Legends of Motorsports and SVRA.

This new URC car is a joke. Somebody's been drinking their own spiked Kool-Aid.

Besides, what QvB says about recognized names having driven the car, most recognized names would drive anything decent or fun that they feel has been prepared properly and is reasonably well bolted together. That in itself is not a selling point.

As Will says, this just dissipates the brand... The observation that Ferrari and Audi would dumb down their cars to compete against tube-frame Mazdas and Camaros is telling.