ALMS has something GA does not and has stated they "Don't need" Fans................Look at ALMS attendence! This is the real motivation for motorsports, FOR THE FANS.

While GA has started as a competitor focused series, it still has attracted an audience. If you believe TV numbers on comparable networks, the ratings seem to indicate the majority of sports car fans watch both. TV Ratings are nearly identical, but the ALMS enjoys more TV exposure in total as it chose to pay to put more races on Over-The-Air networks which have an automatic larger audience over cable channels.

Both series have also struggled with attendance on the same tracks, indicating, the lack of fans at these tracks is not a GA problem, but a promoter problem.

comanche - 25 June 2009 03:32 PM

If they start next year with the marque team being Dyson in P2... Cancel Christmas.

that is exactly where the series is headed... calling it a 'merger' is just being kind.

Miller has a conduit of info from teams who race in the IRL. That conduit also stretches to those teams who will be moving into the IRL. I believe that sources have intimated to him that both Fernandez and DeFeran will be racing in IndyCar next season with the support and blessing of Honda, effectively ending the Honda/Acura ALMS effort. That effort also means the loss of marketing dollars which might force the IMSA to selloff the ALMS. As far as Miller knows, the wheels may already be in motion.

comanche - 25 June 2009 11:09 PM

Miller has a conduit of info from teams who race in the IRL. That conduit also stretches to those teams who will be moving into the IRL. I believe that sources have intimated to him that both Fernandez and DeFeran will be racing in IndyCar next season with the support and blessing of Honda, effectively ending the Honda/Acura ALMS effort. That effort also means the loss of marketing dollars which might force the IMSA to selloff the ALMS. As far as Miller knows, the wheels may already be in motion.

It's not just the loss of Honda and their marketing Dollars, but also the loss of Patron and Lowes, both series and event sponsors. Honda has been paying for the ALMS to run at St. Pete and Mid-Ohio and Patron has been paying for Long Beach. VAG is almost certainly going IRL racing, making a full season return of Audi in the ALMS a very very long shot. I am sure they will run in Europe next year, but the North American arm of VAG is going to concentrate on IRL. There is no Porsche LMP1 coming anytime soon due to Porsche's financial situation and Porsche may end up being one of the VAG brands anyway. GM will not be able to step up in 2010, they will be lucky to maintain their 2009 budget, so this begs the question, what is going to support any kind ALMS season?

Panoz has taken some public losses on investments prior to the financial meltdown last year. How much was he financially hurt by the economic crisis since? The version of this rumor I heard is that DP approached JF last week and IF there is something to this rumor, right now Daytona Beach is just about the only viable source with interests that can afford to pay cash for whatever is left of value in PMG. And that value appears to be the race tracks only.

There was an almost implosion in 1999 just prior to Grand Am's season and DP funded everything to keep it going. He also bailed out the failed Trans Am deal, so one never knows if he is willing and able to step up again and maybe he will keep it going. But it's almost a 100% certainty that next year will be a very different year in NA sports car racing.

I love both series. In the long run if it makes for a better series which a merger just might do then I certainly have no problems with it. However attendance at alms events is certainly higher then rolex. That being said it is obvious not matter how much scott atherton does to keep the series going( and I think he has done a very good job) things can't go on the way they are. If this is the only way to save road racing in the u.s.a. then go for it.

david

This won't really save road-racing in North America. It will "Americanize" ("Nascarify") road racing, and eventually people will get tired of ugly low-tech cars circling slowly.

IRL is certainly doing well with the spec formula, eh?

The NASCAR crowd might not mind identical cars using 1950's technology trundling around in a circle, but most real road-racing fans look to the various LM series as the F1 of sports cars. Selling us the Formula Vee of sports cars won't get it.

I think the only reason people watch both series is because ALMS has a huge whole in their schedule, and because there is not enough good road-racing on TV, so fans suck up whatever they can. But if the best is gone and all that is left is a spec series ... will road-racing fans go the NASCAR route, and only care about the drivers' Media personae?

I doubt it. For sports-racing fans, the cars are a huge part of the draw.

Maelochs - 26 June 2009 11:21 AM

This won't really save road-racing in North America. It will "Americanize" ("Nascarify") road racing, and eventually people will get tired of ugly low-tech cars circling slowly.

IRL is certainly doing well with the spec formula, eh?

The NASCAR crowd might not mind identical cars using 1950's technology trundling around in a circle, but most real road-racing fans look to the various LM series as the F1 of sports cars. Selling us the Formula Vee of sports cars won't get it.

I think the only reason people watch both series is because ALMS has a huge whole in their schedule, and because there is not enough good road-racing on TV, so fans suck up whatever they can. But if the best is gone and all that is left is a spec series ... will road-racing fans go the NASCAR route, and only care about the drivers' Media personae?

I doubt it. For sports-racing fans, the cars are a huge part of the draw.

Big manufacter involment cant survive in this economy, after this year its either Grand-am or no big time sports car racing in the country. I actually think grand am puts on great racing, and has world class drivers.

What does one make of this?

http://www.imsaracing.net/2009/events/lime%20rock/series%20stakeholder%20meeting.pdf

I realize this is for the "Lites" series, but if Patron is buying the Porsche series as has been rumored, this is the only other series owned by IMSA. Star Mazda, Formula BMW, and Formula Atlantic are sanction agreements only, owned by other parties.

waterboy_09 - 26 June 2009 11:25 AM

Maelochs - 26 June 2009 11:21 AM

This won't really save road-racing in North America. It will "Americanize" ("Nascarify") road racing, and eventually people will get tired of ugly low-tech cars circling slowly.

IRL is certainly doing well with the spec formula, eh?

The NASCAR crowd might not mind identical cars using 1950's technology trundling around in a circle, but most real road-racing fans look to the various LM series as the F1 of sports cars. Selling us the Formula Vee of sports cars won't get it.

I think the only reason people watch both series is because ALMS has a huge whole in their schedule, and because there is not enough good road-racing on TV, so fans suck up whatever they can. But if the best is gone and all that is left is a spec series ... will road-racing fans go the NASCAR route, and only care about the drivers' Media personae?

I doubt it. For sports-racing fans, the cars are a huge part of the draw.

Big manufacter involment cant survive in this economy, after this year its either Grand-am or no big time sports car racing in the country. I actually think grand am puts on great racing, and has world class drivers.

I love the elegance and innovation of ALMS, and would much rather hang out in the ALMS paddock than GA's, but GA puts on a great show. After seeing them both at Laguna I'd have to say that I preferred the GA race, it was totally balls-out fun. I also like how the Gainsco and Ganassi teams really seem to genuinely dislike each other: HATE IS GOOD!!!! ALMS needs more HATE!