Last lap of ALMS Laguna Seca race

klipless wrote: I think this will be my last year watching F1 for a while. That ALMS race just reminded me of what it should be about. At least I can start sleeping in on Sundays.

Dude, you've been skipping sportscar racing? Oh, what you've been missing!

Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta 10hrs), 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXq8rkf9HKI

I'm one of those guys who got hooked on Le Mans as a kid. I still respect F1, but Sportscar Endurance racing has always been the thing for me. And when the coupes come back they'll look a lot like the ones I got hooked on as a kid.

Dude, you've been skipping sportscar racing? Oh, what you've been missing!

Naw, I haven't skipped it. I've watched ~70% of the Grand Am and ALMS races the past five years or so. Always catching the big ones, Petite, Sebring, LeMans, Daytona....but I've made it a point to watch damn near 100% of the F1 races during that stint. The tech in F1 is great, but if doesn't produce interesting races, then why bother?

I doubt that there's been a time in F1 where the field has been so close in speed (1.5 seconds covering this Friday's practice IIRC), but the races have been so blah. I'll be sure to watch Monaco, but that's about it next year.

friedgreencorrado said: I'm one of those guys who got hooked on Le Mans as a kid. I still respect F1, but Sportscar Endurance racing has always been the thing for me. And when the coupes come back they'll look a lot like the ones I got hooked on as a kid.

Ha, weren't we just talking about "back in the day" earlier?

It was nice to be able to put a name with a face finally.

The race was amazing, first race in a while that had me standing in my living room acting like a crazed football fan. I was jumping, yelling, screaming, and everything else in between.

I think it's the Corvettes fault really. I mean the Porsche started moving over soon, it's defensive driving, the Vette never let up.

maroon92 wrote:

friedgreencorrado said: I'm one of those guys who got hooked on Le Mans as a kid. I still respect F1, but Sportscar Endurance racing has always been the thing for me. And when the coupes come back they'll look a lot like the ones I got hooked on as a kid.

Ha, weren't we just talking about "back in the day" earlier? It was nice to be able to put a name with a face finally.

We're all in the greater Atlanta area and from FGC's accounts, I know I attended some of the same events - on different sides of the fence, though.

Definitely "back in the day".

Jog looked a little slow in that turn, but either way the Vet was obviously faster. Jog pushed him off the course in the first turn of the last lap, and the Vet managed to make all that distance back in one lap. They both touched each other in turns, sometimes that's racing. Driving into the wall of a strait away is not.

ronbros wrote: i met the Flying Lizard people in 2007, Road america , also 2008, my opinion they are a bunch of jerks, arrogant shiny happy people, came close to a fight in stands, and pits. just dont like people who think they are better than everyone else. and try to shove it down your throat. Corvette will kick there ass next yr.

Thats interesting. I have had the complete opposite experience. They have let my son sit in the cars a couple of different times. In 2007 at Mid Ohio while setting his posters signed Johannes van Overbeek gave my son the hat off his head. Ian had on a FL tee shirt and a Ferrari hat and Mr. van Overbeek said Ian should match and gave him the hat.

Either way, the ALMS folks are some of the best when it comes to the fans, for the most part they seem to be very patient and willing to take time to talk with you. Fan for life.

Its too bad that the season ended that way and thankfully there will be next year for both of them.

klipless wrote:

Dude, you've been skipping sportscar racing? Oh, what you've been missing!

Naw, I haven't skipped it. I've watched ~70% of the Grand Am and ALMS races the past five years or so. Always catching the big ones, Petite, Sebring, LeMans, Daytona....but I've made it a point to watch damn near 100% of the F1 races during that stint. The tech in F1 is great, but if doesn't produce interesting races, then why bother? I doubt that there's been a time in F1 where the field has been so close in speed (1.5 seconds covering this Friday's practice IIRC), but the races have been so blah. I'll be sure to watch Monaco, but that's about it next year.

Yeah, there's been volumes written about the lack of passing on-track in F1 these days. IIRC, most of the weird rule changes in F1 over the last fifteen years have been because the FIA wants to preserve the high-tech nature of the World Championship, but also wants to turn it into racing again.

Again, IIRC..half of the reason the Group C/IMSA GTP era ended in the 80s was because Bernie was pissed there were more people watching sportscar racing than F1.

Of course, the other half was because it was so stinking expensive, and the manufacturers all quit at once...

maroon92 wrote:

friedgreencorrado said: I'm one of those guys who got hooked on Le Mans as a kid. I still respect F1, but Sportscar Endurance racing has always been the thing for me. And when the coupes come back they'll look a lot like the ones I got hooked on as a kid.

Ha, weren't we just talking about "back in the day" earlier?

Yeah, you're right! I think we were actually discussing the difference between GTP/Group C vs. modern LMPs before I realized it was you!

maroon92 wrote: It was nice to be able to put a name with a face finally.

Same here!