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pchall
06-10-09, 07:18 AM
Le Mans » Le Mans 24 Hours – Provisional entry list

The full list of 55 cars invited to take part in administrative checks and scrutineering for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours

1. Capello/Kristensen/McNish Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDi LMP1
2. Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner Audi Sport North America Audi R15 TDi LMP1
3. Bernhard/Dumas/Premat Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDi LMP1
4. Campbell-Walter/Ickx/Iannetta Creation Autosportif Creation Judd LMP1
6. Tomlinson/Dean/Moore Team LNT Ginetta Zytek LMP1
7. Minassian/Lamy/Klien Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi LMP1
8. Bourdais/Montagny/Sarrazin Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi LMP1
9. Brabham/Gene/Wurz Peugeot Total Sport Peugeot 908 HDi LMP1
007. Charouz/Enge/Mucke AMR Eastern Europe Lola Aston Martin LMP1
008. Davidson/Turner/Verstappen Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin LMP1
009. Hall/Primat/Kox Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin LMP1
10. Senna/Ortelli/Monteiro Team ORECA Matmut AIM Courage-ORECA AIM LMP1
11. Panis/Lapierre/Ayari Team ORECA Matmut AIM Courage-ORECA AIM LMP1
12. Ragues/Mailleux/Andre Signature Plus Courage Judd LMP1
13. Belicchi/Jani/Prost Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola Aston Martin LMP1
14. Karthikeyan/Zwolsman/TBA Kolles Audi R10 TDi LMP1
15. Albers/Bakkerud/Mondini Kolles Audi R10 TDi LMP1
16. Tinseau/Jouanny/TBA Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo Judd LMP1
17. Boullion/Treluyer/Pagenaud Pescarolo Sport Peugeot 908 HDi LMP1
23. Hardman/Leventis/Watts Strakka Racing Ginetta Zytek LMP1

5. Ara/Kunimoto/Massen NAVI Team Goh Porsche RS Spyder LMP2
24. TBA/TBA/TBA Oak Racing Pescarolo Mazda LMP2
25. Newton/Erdos/Dyson RML Lola Mazda Coupe LMP2
26. Bruneau/Rostan/Greaves Bruichladdich Bruneau Radical AER LMP2
30. Piccini/Bobbi/Biagi Racing Box SRL Lola Judd Coupe LMP2
31. Elgaard/Poulsen/Collard Team Essex Porsche RS Spyder LMP2
32. Barazi/Rees/TBA Barazi Epsilon Zytek 07S LMP2
33. Kane/Leuenberger/Pompidou Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola Judd Coupe LMP2
35. TBA/TBA/TBA Oak Racing Pescarolo Mazda LMP2
39. Noda/de Pourtales/Marsh KSM Lola Mazda Coupe LMP2
40. Amaral/Pla/Smith Quifel-ASM Team Ginetta Zytek 09S LMP2
41. Ojjeh/Gosselin/Peter GAC Racing Team Zytek 07S LMP2

63. O'Connell/Magnussen/Garcia Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R GT1
64. Beretta/Gavin/Fassler Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R GT1
66. Lichtner-Hoyer/Gruber/Muller Jetalliance Racing Aston Martin DBR9 GT1
68. Apicella/Yogo/TBA JLOC ISAO Noritake Lamborghini Murcielago GT1
72. Alphand/Gregoire/Goueslard Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R GT1
73. Jousse/Maasen/TBA Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R GT1

70. TBA/TBA/TBA IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 RSR GT2
75. O'Young/Hesnault/Kralev Endurance Asia Team Porsche 997 RSR GT2
76. TBA/TBA/TBA IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 RSR GT2
77. Lieb/Lietz/Henzler Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 997 RSR GT2
78. Companc/Russo/Bruni AF Corse Ferrari 430 GT2
80. Bergmeister/Neiman/Law Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 997 RSR GT2
81. Kitch/Foster/Dempsey Advanced Engineering Ferrari 430 GT2
82. Melo/Kaffer/Salo Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT2
83. Krohn/Jonsson/van de Poele Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT2
84. Mansell/Ehret/Rusinov Team Modena Ferrari 430 GT2
85. Coronel/Bleekemolen/TBA Snoras Spykder Squadron Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2
87. Drayson/Cocker/Franchitti Drayson Racing Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2
89. Simonsen/Farnbacher/Montanari Hankook Team Farnbacher Ferrari 430 GT2
92. Bell/Sugden/Kirkaldy JMW Motorsport Ferrari 430 GT2
96. McInerney/McInerney/Vergers Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 GT2
97. Babini/Malucelli/Ruberti BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 430 GT2
99. Rodrigues/Lebon/TBA JMB Racing Ferrari 430 GT2

chop456
06-10-09, 07:58 AM
Supposedly Peugeot has their protest of the R15 ready to go. :rolleyes:

Methanolandbrats
06-10-09, 08:25 AM
Supposedly Peugeot has their protest of the R15 ready to go. :rolleyes: Fillettes.

NismoZ
06-10-09, 10:53 AM
Protest ready to go? It's in! Gosh, what a shock!:rolleyes: Taking it all the way if they have to. So, how's Spec Miata doing? Things running smoothly, are they?

opinionated ow
06-10-09, 10:54 AM
We've got tv coverage in AUSTRALIA for the first time ever! *no sleep*

Methanolandbrats
06-10-09, 11:48 AM
Since all the Pugs will break, why not wait to do the paperwork till half way through the race and save a lot of bother. :gomer:

oddlycalm
06-10-09, 01:15 PM
So Honda/Acura can manage a budget to run unopposed (aside from Sebring) in ALMS but not to actually compete at Le Mans...?

oc

cameraman
06-10-09, 01:15 PM
We have a homologated car, which has passed scrutineering.

Methanolandbrats
06-10-09, 01:20 PM
So Honda/Acura can manage a budget to run unopposed (aside from Sebring) in ALMS but not to actually compete at Le Mans...?

oc No way that junk will run for 24 straight hours.

TravelGal
06-10-09, 07:31 PM
When I saw the list, my first instinct was to see if Paul Newman were running this year. :(

pchall
06-10-09, 09:14 PM
When I saw the list, my first instinct was to see if Paul Newman were running this year. :(

I remember catching updates from the BBC World Service through the night in June 1979 just because Newman was racing.

This year I'll follow the Lola Aston-Martins until they break in the wee hours. ;)
P2 will be interesting with the Lola Mazda coupes and the Pescarolo Mazdas (until they break as well) and the Porsche P2s nipping after the big dogs.

pchall
06-11-09, 07:42 AM
Condensed cut&paste from crash.net (http://www.crash.net/le+mans/news/148125/1/audi_paces_practice_at_le_mans.html)


Audi has drawn first blood in the battle to secure victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours after setting the pace during practice for the La Sarthe classic.

At the head of the pack, defending champions Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen posted the quickest time at the wheel of the #1 Audi R15 – McNish stopping the clock with a best time of 3min 30.708secs. That allowed the Scot to end the session just ahead of the Audi Sport North America entered car of Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner, while the first of the Peugeots – the #9 of David Brabham, Marc Gene and Alex Wurz – completed the top three. The session wasn't without problems for the closed coupe machine however, with Brabham forced to return slowly to the pits mid-way through with a clutch issue.

The Pescarolo Sport-run Peugeot slotted into fourth place ahead of the #8 Peugeot, which produced some impressive wet weather lap times in the hands of Toro Rosso Formula One driver Sebastien Bourdais. The third of the factory Audis completed the top six, while the quickest petrol powered car was the Pescarolo Judd in seventh...

The #008 Aston Martin was eighth quickest ahead of the #007, while the third factory Peugeot completed the top ten. Nicolas Minassian, Pedro Lamy and Christian Klien enjoyed a busy evening, completing more than 1000km of running during the six hours – the equivalent of a Le Mans Series race.

As expected, the Porsche RS Spyder was the car to beat in LMP2, with the Team Essex car emerging with the fastest time ahead of last year's class winner – now in the hands of Navi Team Goh. The pair were the only non-LMP1 cars to post top 20 overall times and were well clear of the Quifel-ASM Zytek, which was nearly ten seconds off the pace in third.





Le Mans » Le Mans 24 Hours – Practice times
1. Capello/Kristensen/McNish Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDi 3min 30.708secs LMP1
2. Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner Audi Sport North America Audi R15 TDi 3min 30.762secs LMP1
3. Brabham/Gene/Wurz Peugeot Total Sport Peugeot 908 HDi 3min 31.102secs LMP1
4. Boullion/Treluyer/Pagenaud Pescarolo Sport Peugeot 908 HDi 3min 33.028secs LMP1
5. Bourdais/Montagny/Sarrazin Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi 3min 33.426secs LMP1
6. Bernhard/Dumas/Premat Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDi 3min 34.716secs LMP1
7. Tinseau/Jouanny/Barbosa Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo Judd 3min 35.868secs LMP1
8. Davidson/Turner/Verstappen Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin 3min 35.996secs LMP1
9. Charouz/Enge/Mucke AMR Eastern Europe Lola Aston Martin 3min 36.732secs LMP1
10. Minassian/Lamy/Klien Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi 3min 37.980secs LMP1
11. Hall/Primat/Kox Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin 3min 38.490secs LMP1
12. Panis/Lapierre/Ayari Team ORECA Matmut AIM Courage-ORECA AIM 3min 44.474secs LMP1
13. Karthikeyan/Zwolsman/Lotterer Kolles Audi R10 TDi 3min 44.508secs LMP1
14. Belicchi/Jani/Prost Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola Aston Martin 3min 44.560secs LMP1
15. Senna/Ortelli/Monteiro Team ORECA Matmut AIM Courage-ORECA AIM 3min 46.202secs LMP1
16. Elgaard/Poulsen/Collard Team Essex Porsche RS Spyder 3min 46.426secs LMP2
17. Ara/Kunimoto/Massen NAVI Team Goh Porsche RS Spyder 3min 48.096secs LMP2
18. Albers/Bakkerud/Mondini Kolles Audi R10 TDi 3min 49.960secs LMP1
19. Ragues/Mailleux/Andre Signature Plus Courage Judd 3min 52.858secs LMP1
20. Campbell-Walter/Ickx/Iannetta Creation Autosportif Creation Judd 3min 54.552secs LMP1
21. Amaral/Pla/Smith Quifel-ASM Team Ginetta Zytek 09S 3min 56.200secs LMP2
22. Hardman/Leventis/Watts Strakka Racing Ginetta Zytek 3min 56.698secs LMP1
23. O'Connell/Magnussen/Garcia Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R 3min 57.876secs GT1
24. Kane/Leuenberger/Pompidou Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola Judd Coupe 3min 58.210secs LMP2
25. Beretta/Gavin/Fassler Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R 3min 59.586secs GT1
26. Lahaye/Ajlani/Moreau Oak Racing Pescarolo Mazda 4min 00.428secs LMP2
27. Newton/Erdos/Dyson RML Lola Mazda Coupe 4min 01.378secs LMP2
28. Noda/de Pourtales/Marsh KSM Lola Mazda Coupe 4min 03.488secs LMP2
29. Lichtner-Hoyer/Gruber/Muller Jetalliance Racing Aston Martin DBR9 4min 06.606secs GT1
30. Lieb/Lietz/Henzler Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 997 RSR 4min 08.304secs GT2
31. Melo/Kaffer/Salo Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 4min 10.980secs GT2
32. Coronel/Bleekemolen/Janis Snoras Spykder Squadron Spyker C8 Laviolette 4min 13.196secs GT2
33. Narac/Pilet/Long IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 RSR 4min 14.340secs GT2
34. Bell/Sugden/Kirkaldy JMW Motorsport Ferrari 430 4min 14.584secs GT2
35. Babini/Malucelli/Ruberti BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 430 4min 14.858secs GT2
36. Bergmeister/Neiman/Law Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 997 RSR 4min 15.254secs GT2
37. Companc/Russo/Bruni AF Corse Ferrari 430 4min 16.846secs GT2
38. Simonsen/Farnbacher/Montanari Hankook Team Farnbacher Ferrari 430 4min 17.098secs GT2
39. Piccini/Bobbi/Biagi Racing Box SRL Lola Judd Coupe 4min 18.870secs LMP2
40. Drayson/Cocker/Franchitti Drayson Racing Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4min 23.262secs GT2
41. Ojjeh/Gosselin/Peter GAC Racing Team Zytek 07S 4min 23.788secs LMP2
42. O'Young/Hesnault/Kralev Endurance Asia Team Porsche 997 RSR 4min 24.420secs GT2
43. Tomlinson/Dean/Moore Team LNT Ginetta Zytek 4min 24.700secs LMP1
44. Rodrigues/Lebon/TBA JMB Racing Ferrari 430 4min 26.170secs GT2
45. Mansell/Ehret/Rusinov Team Modena Ferrari 430 4min 26.298secs GT2
46. Kitch/Foster/Dempsey Advanced Engineering Ferrari 430 4min 26.514secs GT2
47. McInerney/McInerney/Vergers Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 4min 26.784secs GT2
48. Bruneau/Rostan/Greaves Bruichladdich Bruneau Radical AER 4min 28.252secs LMP2
49. Felbermayr/Felbermayr/Lecourt IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 RSR 4min 29.856secs GT2
50. Nicolet/Hein/Yvon Oak Racing Pescarolo Mazda 4min 35.952secs LMP2
51. Alphand/Gregoire/Goueslard Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R 4min 38.342secs GT1
52. Jousse/Maasen/Clairay Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R 4min 42.802secsGT1
53. Krohn/Jonsson/van de Poele Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 4min 44.220secs GT2
54. Barazi/Bennett/Moseley Barazi Epsilon Zytek 07S 5min 00.760secs LMP2
55. Apicella/Yogo/Yamagishi JLOC ISAO Noritake Lamborghini Murcielago No time GT1

NismoZ
06-11-09, 03:15 PM
Gee, LeMans organizers have thrown the door open to any F-1 teams (edit-manufacturers) that want to come on over! Pretty good timing!:D All "Proposals" will be listened to. Ferrari will likely propose they be allowed to win!;) Autosport.

Methanolandbrats
06-11-09, 04:11 PM
Gee, LeMans organizers have thrown the door open to any F-1 teams that want to come on over! Pretty good timing!:D All "Proposals" will be listened to. Ferrari will likely propose they be allowed to win!;) Autosport.

---------> ALMS :D

NismoZ
06-11-09, 05:18 PM
My thoughts exactly:thumbup:...and the ACO has ruled against the Peugeot protest but says they can meet and discuss new rules for '010!:D Pug goin' to the FIA!

oddlycalm
06-11-09, 07:33 PM
This year I'll follow the Lola Aston-Martins until they break in the wee hours. ;)

They'll look good right up until then though...:thumbup:

oc

Methanolandbrats
06-12-09, 10:30 PM
Watching the Audi documentary on Speed.........nice to get lathered up.....it will be a hell of a shock tomorrow morning to wake up to actual motor sport.....kind of an endangered species.

Fio1
06-13-09, 02:12 AM
Check out www.twitter.com/audir15tdi for updates from Audi throughout the race. I know it's cliche using Twitter, but it's a cool tool for race teams on updating race fans by just texting....

extramundane
06-13-09, 01:14 PM
Live feed while Speed's off covering some NASCAR pickup circlewank:

http://stream.speedtv.com/24-hours-of-le-mans/

Don Quixote
06-13-09, 01:24 PM
Live feed while Speed's off covering some NASCAR pickup circlewank:

http://stream.speedtv.com/24-hours-of-le-mans/ Thanks for the link. Very high quality! :thumbup:

Gnam
06-13-09, 03:26 PM
Awesome.
At 12:20pm there was a discussion about bacon briefcases and a heated debate about F1 vs. Endurance drivers. Racing at last. :D:thumbup:

Gnam
06-13-09, 03:31 PM
#2 Audi is done. Luhr backed into the tire wall.

Gnam
06-13-09, 04:49 PM
Interview with Dario Franchitti on Radio Le Mans:

He's never been to the 24 Heurus before. :saywhat:
He passed on a seat for this years race to go do a test in Iowa. :gomer:
Impressed with technology in LMP1/GT2 machines. Reminds him of DTM. Not Indy? :p
Dario's bro good enough for F1. Beat Vettel in F3.

extramundane
06-13-09, 04:55 PM
You know it's a crazy year when Peugeot seems better prepared than Audi. :saywhat:

Gnam
06-13-09, 05:16 PM
Seabass needs a new nose. May have bashed a GT2 Porsche.
Nose is stuck...

No interviews for Seabass.

Gnam
06-13-09, 05:41 PM
It's unfortunate that the Kolles team can't replace Narain during the race. With only two drivers Zwolsman and Lotterer, they can't rest their drivers.

Can a team qualify backup drivers? If not, maybe there could be a green room for drivers without rides.

extramundane
06-13-09, 07:32 PM
It's unfortunate that the Kolles team can't replace Narain during the race. With only two drivers Zwolsman and Lotterer, they can't rest their drivers.

Can a team qualify backup drivers? If not, maybe there could be a green room for drivers without rides.

Sounds like he could be cleared for tomorrow. They're running so much better than expected, it would be a shame to see them lose out on a good finish due to driver fatigue.

Methanolandbrats
06-13-09, 07:47 PM
The Gulf Car is beautiful.

miatanut
06-13-09, 08:26 PM
The Gulf Car is beautiful.

Aren't they always? :thumbup:

Methanolandbrats
06-13-09, 08:40 PM
If a Pug wins this thing the only upside is that ****ing Villenueve is'nt in it. The asswipe will crawl out of his nightclub monday and announce to the World he was responsible for the car and program, then he'll cut another Gold Record.

oddlycalm
06-13-09, 08:40 PM
The Gulf Car is beautiful.

Yeah, great livery and the Aston Martin Lola is a sweet design.

The goobers that keep saying cars don't matter and it's all about the driber can keep saying it until they turn blue...

oc

http://gallery.autosport.com/picture.php/dir/lm2009lem1/image/XPB_314102_HiRes-3

Don Quixote
06-13-09, 09:16 PM
The Gulf Car is beautiful.

Agreed. :thumbup:

extramundane
06-13-09, 09:21 PM
If a Pug wins this thing the only upside is that ****ing Villenueve is'nt in it. The asswipe will crawl out of his nightclub monday and announce to the World he was responsible for the car and program, then he'll cut another Gold Record.

:D

Speaking of awful music, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of Chickenfoot getting struck by a flaming meteor. :thumbup:

trish
06-13-09, 10:04 PM
Who just crashed?

redmist
06-13-09, 10:08 PM
the 17 pescaralo with Treluyer driving, looks bad.

extramundane
06-13-09, 10:16 PM
the 17 pescaralo with Treluyer driving, looks bad.

Yeah, car surrounded by tarps usually is a bad sign. :(

Edit- apparently Eurosport reported he's conscious and talking,

Methanolandbrats
06-13-09, 10:26 PM
Yeah, car surrounded by tarps usually is a bad sign. :(

So is no IVs. :(

trish
06-13-09, 10:31 PM
They just said he was conscious.

extramundane
06-13-09, 10:31 PM
ACO confirmed that he's conscious and talking, so that's great news. :thumbup:

Methanolandbrats
06-13-09, 10:34 PM
Great news. This coverage is amazing, as much as Speed sucks, it shows what they could do.

Fio1
06-13-09, 10:34 PM
Trulier is talking, so he should be ok. I wonder what happened.


I have a stupid question. But why is that Japanese Lamborghini always given an entry? They can't even make it to 24 minutes, let alone finish 24-hours. The last two years they were the first out on the first lap. With so many good teams denied an entry it is quite stupid. A few teams with Saleen's were denied. lame. :shakehead

redmist
06-13-09, 10:36 PM
that is good news, i didn't see the shunt, just the aftermath. must have been a big hit.

Fio1
06-13-09, 10:36 PM
Interview with Dario Franchitti on Radio Le Mans:

Dario's bro good enough for F1. Beat Vettel in F3.

:rofl: now that's funny! wasn't good enough to beat Danica in Vauxhall jr....so he dated her! That in it self should get him an IRL seat.....

extramundane
06-13-09, 10:45 PM
that is good news, i didn't see the shunt, just the aftermath. must have been a big hit.

Apparently there's been no airing of the crash thus far. Dunno if there is no footage, or if they're just waiting for a diagnosis on Treluyer before showing it.

Only report (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76165) I've seen so far:


He only made it as far as the Esses after after the Dunlop Bridge on his out-lap before the Peugeot left the road and struck the barrier at high-speed. The car was destroyed in the accident with only the cockpit shell remaining in tact.

Gotta think it was mechanical failure.

opinionated ow
06-13-09, 10:56 PM
Apparently there's been no airing of the crash thus far. Dunno if there is no footage, or if they're just waiting for a diagnosis on Treluyer before showing it.

Only report (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76165) I've seen so far:



Gotta think it was mechanical failure.

According to my man at the track....he's alert and concious. Pescarolo's body language implies he is ok.

Fio1
06-14-09, 12:20 AM
Lucky for him he just left the pits and probably wasn't going full blast when he crashed.

trish
06-14-09, 08:34 AM
Does anyone have worse luck? :mad:

Ah, a ploy.

Methanolandbrats
06-14-09, 08:48 AM
Vette guys are stoopid to clean their car. Three Pugs nose to tail.........would be a shame if the first one blew up and oiled the track :D

NismoZ
06-14-09, 12:01 PM
Fio...I think it was Hobbs who talked a little bit about the Japanese Lambo entry, saying the whole purpose of the exercise might be to sell the thing for 4 times it's value because it was "raced at LeMans!" (probably paid a double entry fee, too!) :laugh:

NismoZ
06-14-09, 12:11 PM
Also have to say I enjoyed the coverage I did see (a few hours & checked out the live streaming stuff, very good quality:thumbup:) but I LOVED the Geoff Brabham phone interview toward the end. His racing stories were priceless, esp. the one about David working hard to get the Peugeot ride 16 yrs. ago but Geoff got it out of the blue and suggested they had asked for the wrong Brabham over the phone!...and he WON! So, little bro gets his too, a little late but just as sweet, I'm sure!:)

opinionated ow
06-14-09, 01:15 PM
Also have to say I enjoyed the coverage I did see (a few hours & checked out the live streaming stuff, very good quality:thumbup:) but I LOVED the Geoff Brabham phone interview toward the end. His racing stories were priceless, esp. the one about David working hard to get the Peugeot ride 16 yrs. ago but Geoff got it out of the blue and suggested they had asked for the wrong Brabham over the phone!...and he WON! So, little bro gets his too, a little late but just as sweet, I'm sure!:)

That just goes to underline how awful motorsport coverage is in australia....they had a call from the australian winner's australian brother on the american telecast! I think we were getting eurosport. David Addison is fantastic, but the other guy was hopeless and they didn't have a clue about much as they had no pitlane crew! I ended up turning the sound off and cranking up radio le mans.

NismoZ
06-14-09, 01:43 PM
Yeah, it was Radio LeMans on the Speed live streaming, right? The viewer was left pretty much on his own while they droned on about something quite different from what was on the screen, then every so often he'd say "And there you see the GT-1 leading Corvette..." or something similar, which must have made the radio listeners wonder what was going on as well.:D Still good, though. I really like Diffey, except for his pronunciation of Maaazda!;) and Varsha, Hobbs and Dorsey are just fine. And they do that from 6 time zones removed? Man, I'd like to see 40 cars or so again at RA some day. The Road America 500, "The Month After LeMans":D

Methanolandbrats
06-14-09, 01:57 PM
Yeah, it was Radio LeMans on the Speed live streaming, right? The viewer was left pretty much on his own while they droned on about something quite different from what was on the screen, then every so often he'd say "And there you see the GT-1 leading Corvette..." or something similar, which must have made the radio listeners wonder what was going on as well.:D Still good, though. I really like Diffey, except for his pronunciation of Maaazda!;) and Varsha, Hobbs and Dorsey are just fine. And they do that from 6 time zones removed? Man, I'd like to see 40 cars or so again at RA some day. The Road America 500, "The Month After LeMans":D

If F1 implodes you will see ALMS swell. Montezemelo was taking about building an LMP1 car. :thumbup::thumbup: That would force everyone to run ALMS. I think it's possible. Only hope for decent road racing in the near future.

SteveH
06-14-09, 03:33 PM
Man, I'd like to see 40 cars or so again at RA some day. The Road America 500, "The Month After LeMans":D

According to the bear (http://murphythebear.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/13/127-le-mans-edition-a-bears-fable-gt-punters-guide-a-road-america-farewell/), that might never happen. :shakehead


Farewell Road America?

You already know the ALMS race a Road America will be cut to a sprint of 2 hours 45 minutes, from the announced 4 hours. That rumor’s been floating around a while – from Long Beach on, actually. Finally, this week they sent the memo to teams and partners, and once again couldn’t help themselves, they had to spin it. In addition to admitting that it’s “a problem” for television (Murphy suspects that means “too much money we don’t have) – blames ‘survey data.’ Huh? They found a human – more than one – who would opine that Road America’s four hours is “too long?” Where did they run this survey? In Daytona Beach?

What’s the real story here? It should come as no surprise that the top two races in attendance are Sebring and Petit Le Mans, both true enduros; Monterey’s attendance has more than doubled since it changed its format to “four hours into dusk.” Road America has only Utah to thank for keeping it from being the worst-attended ALMS race. Given the history of the iconic Wisconsin track, what gives? If you’ve been reading the Bear for long you know his answer.

Sadly, after this year’s failed event, Road America will likely be off the ALMS calendar in 2010.

oddlycalm
06-14-09, 05:46 PM
This coverage is amazing, as much as Speed sucks, it shows what they could do.

I was thinking the same thing near the end of the race. The announcers had 18hrs of air time to fill and the near total lack of idiotic comments was striking. It was coverage by race fans for race fans, something that is an all too rare but much appreciated. :thumbup:

oc

NismoZ
06-14-09, 05:52 PM
Yes, been hearing stuff like that, (bear) thus my call for a return to the days of yesteryear with some homeless F-1 mfgrs. I can dream, can't I? Ah, 21 yr. old Jean Alesi in the F-40! Fun times. What seems to be actually happening is more like a continuing nightmare!:shakehead. Who'd a thunk, The June Sprints as the "big" weekend at RA again.

Methanolandbrats
06-14-09, 06:29 PM
According to the bear (http://murphythebear.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/13/127-le-mans-edition-a-bears-fable-gt-punters-guide-a-road-america-farewell/), that might never happen. :shakehead Is George acting up again? BTW, I ain't buying a raceday ticket for this years Tour d' Acura, going on friday only. So I guess I'm part of the problem ;)

Gnam
06-15-09, 12:44 AM
Great race. More please.


At the end of the Speed broadcast one of the Peugeot's was spinning donuts on the front straight. Was that Bourdais?

SteveH
06-15-09, 09:06 AM
Is George acting up again?

What's the story with him? I have my suspicions following the CART/CC years and now this.

oddlycalm
06-15-09, 06:56 PM
Was that Bourdais?

Yes, that's what someone said and then remarked that it wasn't much of a job in a diesel...:laugh:

oc

pchall
06-15-09, 07:51 PM
http://www.motorsport.com/photos/lemans/2009/24h/lemans-2009-24h-re-0693.jpg

Fio1
06-16-09, 01:59 AM
Who's the idiot on radio le mans who kept saying that F1 drivers didn't make good endurance drivers? :saywhat:

Gnam
06-16-09, 02:19 AM
scoreboard? :p

JohnHKart
06-17-09, 02:54 PM
Dario's bro good enough for F1. Beat Vettel in F3.


Hmm....maybe not: At Oulton Park the Simon Cowell style announcer once said:

"He's the slow Italian, who's not as quick as his brother"

Brutal.

Trevor Longman
06-17-09, 07:12 PM
http://www.motorsport.com/photos/lemans/2009/24h/lemans-2009-24h-re-0693.jpg

WOW! That is a fantastic picture! Easily one of the best le mans pictures I've seen.

Easy
06-18-09, 11:42 AM
Interesting article on Peugot's protests of the R15. HERE (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/pruett-smokestack-lightning/)

opinionated ow
06-18-09, 11:54 AM
WOW! That is a fantastic picture! Easily one of the best le mans pictures I've seen.

I'm quite partial to the Peugeot swallowing the man pictures.

pchall
06-19-09, 07:44 AM
Interesting article on Peugot's protests of the R15. HERE (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/pruett-smokestack-lightning/)

It's also inaccurate about the aerodynamics.


To be a wing, the element would need to be asymmetrical – to have a curved surface on the bottom that was longer than the top surface. In fact, the “front wings” Peugeot is protesting is a symmetrical piece of curved carbon fiber. It does not have a wing profile, and thus, is not illegal. That’s the piece itself.

Where the grey area comes into play – what’s caused Peugeot to get upset – is that this symmetrical flap acts to extend the splitter’s surface area on the bottom of the nose, helping to generate more downforce. The flap is also adjustable (a long and painstaking task, as I’ve learned.)

So like the nose/chassis interaction with the chimney, the splitter and flap interaction is also one of happy coincidence. There’s no doubt Audi has pushed the rules to the limit here, but the flap does comply with the regulations the ACO has written.

http://assets.speedtv.com/images/article_assets/101/1013947/1013947_article_img_large3.jpg

Symmetrical airfoils are used all the time and are wings. The are used for vertical fins and horizontal stabilizers and as main planes for aerobatic aircraft. A symmetrical airfoil at a negative AOA will produce significant downforce as used in the R15 nose cone. Since the flap is adjustable it is clearly intended to provide downforce. In conjunction with the shaped extractor (dubbed 'the chimney' in the article) portion built into the chassis it must be a very effective unit for producing downforce in the nose.

The only way that the flap/wing could be "legal" is if the ACO regs defined a wing exclusively as an asymmetrical surface presented to the air flow. And that would be a just plain stupid mistake in rules writing on the part of the ACO and some smart reading by Audi's aerodynamicists.