ALMS 2009 Current News and Standings

[Ackmann]

PTG Racing had a tough Long Beach Race and slipped from second to third in the season standings so far. But I'm sure they're adjusting and will be ready for Utah.


2009_GT2 standings.pdf

[LeManns67]

I didn't see footage of it, but I thought I heard that Domonick had a heavy shunt in practice and it through the car off. Perhaps they were just lucky to get it back in good enough shape for the race.

[Ackmann]

ALMS: IMSA Responds to Highcroft’s Long Beach Protest

Written by: ALMS Communications http://www.americanlemans.com 04/30/2009 - 12:36 PM
Braselton, GA

At the conclusion of the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach on April 18, the entrant of the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Racing LMP1 car filed a protest following the penalty assessed by the Race Director for a pit infraction during the competition. The Stewards found that in accordance with the rules, the issue is not protestable and communicated this to the team.

According to IMSA, Highcroft's over-the-wall fire bottle attendant's helmet didn't conform to 2009 regulations. (LAT) » More PhotosThe Race Director, Stewards and IMSA Management did, however, conduct a thorough investigation into the issues brought forth by the entrant. It was determined that the alleged infraction, as reported to Race Control by the IMSA Pit Marshal, did occur and the penalty assessed by the Race Director was correct in-so-far as it followed the "Standard Penalties" as listed in the IMSA Code. The comment to the Patrón Highcroft entrant during the race by the Pit Lane Supervisor that the “penalty was not a good call” was not correct in that the Pit Lane Supervisor was not aware of the entire situation before his opinion was offered.

Matters that are not subject to protest are also not subject to appeal and subsequently the team has elected not to file an appeal. Therefore, from a rules standpoint, the matter is considered closed. However, an ongoing investigation of the circumstances is being completed by IMSA.

In summary form:

The penalty stemmed from the use of a motocross-style helmet, as opposed to a “full coverage helmet with face shield that is positioned down” by the over-the-wall fire-bottle-attendant of the No. 9 car during the pit stop. This is a violation of Art. 16.1.2.2 of the Standing Supplementary Regulations of the American Le Mans Series. From this standpoint the call of the pit official was correct, and the rules (Attachment 1) call for a standard penalty of a 20 second hold, which was correctly applied by the Race Director.

IMSA inspects certain pit crew fire resistant clothing as part of its pre-race inspection process. In 2008 the rule did not require a helmet with visor for fire-bottle-attendants, only balaclava and goggles. For 2009 the rule was changed. At Sebring the No. 9 team, wore the 2008 configuration, as did many teams. At St. Petersburg, the team added a helmet for the fire-bottle-attendant, but without a visor.

At Long Beach, IMSA’s technical staff discovered that they had not been correctly inspecting the teams’ equipment. However, rather than re-inspecting every team’s equipment, only the team’s that didn’t have a helmet indicated on the Long Beach inspection sheet had their equipment re-inspected and adjustments made. While the No. 9 team had presented their helmet during pre-race technical inspection, there was no notation about the visor, and consequently the team was not given the opportunity to make a change before the race.

Therefore, while the team violated the rule and suffered the consequences, had IMSA’s inspection procedures not broken down, the violation would probably not have occurred in the first place.

An extensive investigation and report has occurred and is being shared with the team. The report contains several recommendations which IMSA intends to follow up on to prevent re-occurrence of this incident.

[Ackmann]

ALMS: 10 Questions with Scott Atherton

ALMS: 10 Questions with Scott Atherton

Written by: John Dagys 05/01/2009 - 10:44 AM
Chicago, ILPage 1 2American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton sat down with SPEEDtv.com’s John Dagys to discuss a number of hot topics in the Series today. Atherton provided insight into the Series’ car count and cost-cutting initiatives, and also took a glimpse into the future with the likely addition of more entrants and possible new race venues for 2010. It’s all a part of the latest installment of “10 Questions.”

DAGYS: There’s an obvious decline in prototype entrants this season, for a variety of reasons. What is the Series doing to ensure a healthy future for both LMP1 and LMP2?

Despite the obvious economic challenges for everyone involved in the Series, Atherton is hopeful to see improved car counts after the Le Mans break in June. (John Dagys) » More PhotosATHERTON: The focus has been there forever, really. It’s always been my primary responsibility. Over the years, we’ve had some wonderful success as a result of that focus. There are peaks and valleys; there always have been. Clearly we’re in a very challenging time right now. My focus has been unwavering in my dialogue of those currently racing with us, but also with others.

It takes three years to bring a manufacturer into any motorsports series, certainly at a prototype level. The frustration right now is that there’s cars capable of racing in the prototype class, but for whatever reason, are not.

DAGYS: What additional prototypes do you see making it onto the grid this season?

ATHERTON: The Corsa hybrid, unless there’s a unprecedented problem with the mechanics and technology, should be added by the next round at Miller Motorsports Park. There’s a very interested and capable organization that is reportedly close to acquiring the ex-Dyson Porsche RS Spyder, which in a very short period of time could be put back on the grid.

We have a private team that is bringing a car over from Europe and has plans to run it post-Le Mans. And if Audi makes a decision to come back at the Petit Le Mans and finish out the season at Laguna Seca, with the intent of a full return in 2010, suddenly we’ve doubled the LMP count.

DAGYS: What kind of support is the Series providing to the small privateer teams in these tough economic times?

ATHERTON: We recognize the challenges everybody is facing right now, including ourselves as an overall organization. We’ve always been a Series that’s embraced both manufacturer involvement and strong privateer teams. Many of our independent teams have been very much affected by the economic conditions that we’re all operating in.

Each of our relationships are unique. We don’t have a blanket statement we’ve made or a blanket program that we’ve initiated. We have met with each of them individually, we’ve looked at what their unique circumstances are and we’ve crafted solutions for each of them that has enabled them to continue racing.

It’s not as simple as discounting entry fees or something like that. In some cases, we have resources that we can provide to them, technical and otherwise, where it’s not hard dollars, but in some cases more valuable to them to keep them on our grid.

DAGYS: Other Series, such as NASCAR, have put a ban on testing to help limit costs. Has a testing ban in the ALMS crossed your mind at any time?

Moving IMSA’s open test at Mosport from the weekend before to the Tuesday and Wednesday before the race will help cut down on expenses for teams. (LAT) » More PhotosATHERTON: IMSA has been very careful in how they crafted their rules and regulations to, in some cases, save the teams from themselves. Because if you give one of them an opportunity to test, then the others automatically feel obligated to follow. We have not implemented an across-the-board testing ban, and that’s really to try and hit a balance.

When you restrict teams’ ability to test, it clearly reduces their budget. But when you make a decision like that, you automatically transfer a negative impact to our event promoters and track operators. They have come to us and asked us not to ban testing because it’s an important revenue component for them.

Teams also want to continue testing to develop their cars and drivers. For some of them, their only testing are the sessions we’ve formally organized for them. We’re now taking a smarter approach in scheduling these open tests to help cut down on expenses.

Banning testing is something that I’ve never understood, because all you effectively do is take the revenue opportunity away from your closest partners, your own track promoters, and send it to someone you don’t do business with. So we’re going to continue to test in a restricted way, sensibly using the tracks we’re doing business with.

DAGYS: Long Beach marked the final race for Corvette Racing’s GT1 program in the ALMS. What are your thoughts over the end that category, at least for now?

ATHERTON: We don’t look at that as a negative or bad thing at all; I think it’s very positive. We now have a single GT class in the American Le Mans Series that has frankly never been stronger. We’ve never had more diversity, never had more manufacturer involvement, never had the strength in that category we have now.

Three Porsche Cup cars from the Patron GT3 Challenge have been entered for next weekend’s debut of the ‘ALMS Challenge’ class at Miller Motorsports Park. (IMSA) » More PhotosDAGYS: How will the ‘ALMS Challenge’ for Patron GT3 Challenge Porsche Cup cars fit into the Series?

ATHERTON: Right now, the American Le Mans Series has one GT category (GT2) as recognized by the ACO. The ‘ALMS Challenge’ Series is racing autonomously within the Series. We’re treating that as a standalone class and it will instead be competing within itself.

DAGYS: What were some of the deciding factors in introducing the ‘ALMS Challenge'?

ATHERTON: I’ve been very candid about the criteria of why we elected to bring that category into the series. First and foremost, I’ll be the first to admit, it was to provide more cars on the grid. But that was by no means the only reasoning behind it. It was not and is not a knee-jerk reaction to the car count issue.

The Patron GT3 Challenge was originally created to provide an incubator situation not just for entrants, but for drivers, crew members and team owners with the intent that they would begin their career at that level and evolve into the American Le Mans Series.

We see what’s happening in Europe, with the FIA GT program and the success of GT3 and how they’ve incorporated multiple GT classes and recognized what’s happening on a global scale of GT1 effectively going away.

This is, frankly, an experiment. We’re fortunate to have had the blessing of the ACO. I think we’re the canary in the coal mine for them. Let’s see how it works in the American Le Mans Series. We’re not looking at this as a ‘one and done’ situation in that I expect it will continue next year and possibly evolve from there.

DAGYS: It’s been tough times financially, not only for teams in the Series, but for fans as well. Has that been reflected in the attendance numbers this season?

ATHERTON: Our event promoters are affected in the same way that every other business has been by the economic conditions. But we’ve been fortunate that so far our events have been at last year’s attendance numbers, in some cases above. At Sebring, we were down three or four percent. We were up at St. Pete and Long Beach. There’s not a lot of motorsports, or any sport for that matter, that is reporting increases from last year. So we’re encouraged by that.

An active effort is still ongoing to bring back the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix for 2010. (LAT) » More PhotosDAGYS: With the cancelation of the Detroit round, the ALMS is down to a ten race schedule for this season. Do you see it expanding again in the future, or are these economic times all about stability?

ATHERTON: We need to be very conscious of the costs of going to an incremental event. The last two years, for our purposes, we’ve had had the perfect schedule. We’ve been in all the right markets that we want to be in and our manufacturers and sponsors want to be in.

For us to add an event, there has to be a very compelling reason. It has to be a new market we’re currently not impacting. It has to involve a promoter that’s capable and prepared to put forth the type of event we’ve been accustomed to. It has to be in a market that our teams and sponsors have a reason to go to.

DAGYS: Are you in any serious discussions with race promoters for possible new events that meet that criteria?

ATHERTON: We’re currently working with three incremental events that are currently not on our schedule (not including the effort to bring back Detroit). Of the three we’re looking at, two of the events would be held on a temporary road course, while one would be at a permanent facility. If one of those became real, such that it was on our 2010 calendar, I’d be happy.

If we had ten successful, solid, professionally executed, well-run, top quality events like we have this year, I would not consider that anything other than satisfactory. If we were to add on top of what we’ve got this year, it would make it just that much better.

We have no indication from any of the event organizers and promoters that they’re not retuning. Some of them are up for renewal, in terms of sanctioning agreements and contract. Everybody in every business has a critical eye on everything. What’s the television going to be? What’s the car count going to be? What manufacturers are going to be involved? These are all questions that we’re answering ourselves and then communicating to our event promoters so that they understand what the future holds

[Ackmann]

Corsa Team Getting First Look At Hybrid

CORSA TEAM GETTING FIRST UP-CLOSE LOOK AT HYBRID
Ginetta-Zytek to make historic debut at Miller Motorsports Park

Johnny Mowlem (left) and Steve Pruitt (right) are counting down the days to the debut of Corsa Motorsports' Ginetta-Zytek 09HS.
The countdown to Corsa Motorsports’ history-making debut this weekend with a hybrid prototype in the American Le Mans Series is ever decreasing. The Utah-based team is going through the inner workings of its new Ginetta-Zytek 09HS LMP1 entry just three days before it hits the track for the first time at the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix.

Johnny Mowlem, who will team with former F1 ace Stefan Johansson, shook down the prototype a week ago at England’s Silverstone circuit. Pruitt said the car ran on both E10 power and electrical power on separate occasions.

“The car has arrived,” team owner Steve Pruitt confirmed from the team’s base in Sandy, Utah. “And that’s beneficial because our guys are getting to see something they haven’t seen before. Our requirements are that everything be gone through - wiring, harnesses to make sure there is no friction or rub to make sure the car can go through an endurance race. We’re in the process of putting the car back together today.”

“I’m absolutely delighted that the car ran so well at it’s first ever track test,” Mowlem said. “It’s a testament to all the hard work from everybody at Ginetta-Zytek that technology as new and as complicated as this could run so well and effectively on its debut. This now allows us to take this brand new technology and demonstrate it at Miller Motorsports Park. This is very important for Steve and the whole Corsa Motorsport team, as it is the home track for this team. This car is a technical marvel and it is going to turn a lot of heads.”

The Corsa Ginetta-Zytek will employ a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that enables the collection and conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. It permits the use of an electric motor resulting in more efficient power and a lower carbon footprint.

“It’s like a cordless drill under electric power. It’s something that will be interesting to hear and see it come down pitlane for the first time under battery power,” Pruitt said. “We know how it works in theory and on a computer. Going from the drawing board to asphalt is where everything is unknown. We still haven’t driven the car with both systems engaged. Then there are other dynamics; if it works as it should, what’s the impact and effect on a driver?”

The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix from Miller Motorsports Park is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. MDT on Sunday, May 17. SPEED will broadcast the race starting at 10 p.m. EDT on the same day, and satellite radio subscribers to can listen to the race starting at 4 p.m. ET on Sirius 126 and XM 242. American Le Mans Radio and Live Timing and Scoring will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com. You can also follow the Series on Twitter.

[LeManns67]

Anyone heard any word on the Hybrid that Panoz is working on?

[Ackmann]

Link to ALMS Online Magazine

Here is a link to the Michelin Magazine of ALMS.

http://thealley.michelinmedia.com/Issues/2009_04_Alley_Salt_Lake.pdf

[Ackmann]

Utah Race Results

After changing an engine the Panoz Team finished 4th in this weeks race.

http://www.americanlemans.com/events/current/results/09%20Miller%20Race%20Summary.pdf