12 Hours of Sebring 08

C5Rick · 10-07-2007, 09:23 AM

was just wondering if anyone else is planning on going next year. i camped there last year, but this year will probably drive over Friday and back on Saturday. i also went over for spring practice alms & champ cars.
thinking about corvette corral parking for 08
http://www.sebringraceway.com/

Joe, tickets are not on sale yet for St Pete

vett boy · 10-07-2007, 09:41 AM

I might go ,Sebring is a great place.

TR6speed · 10-09-2007, 03:58 PM

I will be there, but there may not be a coral if Corvette Racing is not around next year. They announced at Atlanta this past weekend, that if the was no other entries in the GT1 class Corvette could not compete against each other.
Lou Gigliotti is going to field 2 Riley chassis C6R in the GT2 class, but they will not be factory backed. They will receive help from GM, but not outright sponsorship the Pratt and Miller cars have in GT1

Z06 Rocket · 10-09-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TR6speed

I will be there, but there may not be a coral if Corvette Racing is not around next year. They announced at Atlanta this past weekend, that if the was no other entries in the GT1 class Corvette could not compete against each other.
Lou Gigliotti is going to field 2 Riley chassis C6R in the GT2 class, but they will not be factory backed. They will receive help from GM, but not outright sponsorship the Pratt and Miller cars have in GT1

I heard the Pratt and Miller boys may loose a few HP and join the GT2 class....

Kap142 · 10-09-2007, 11:31 PM

Rick I'd love to go but if the Vettes are no longer competing.........

I have never been to Sebring (even though I live all of about 2 hours from there). Please let me know if the GT1 class will be running and I sure will join you.

Ken

Suicide King · 10-09-2007, 11:58 PM

I should be there. We rent an RV and stay the weekend. It's a non stop party.

TR6speed · 10-10-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z06 Rocket

I heard the Pratt and Miller boys may loose a few HP and join the GT2 class....

I do not see Chevrolet/GM involvement in GT2, at least not as a full backer of the team. GT1 is not only used as a marketing tool, but it is also the test bed for development for production Corvettes as well as other models. GT2 would be limited in that scope.
P2 or P1 would give them the ability to test innovations, but you loss the true Corvette look. GM had a GTP back in the 80's but it only lasted a few years.
The loss of GT1 in ALMS would be a real tragedy for the sport. We can only hope that IMSA and ALMS can get some more teams involved. Ford and Dodge have committed to the GT2 ranks for next year; it would be nice to see them go GT1 instead. For some reason the Aston Martin Prodrive, team is not willing to come back unless they get a lot of concessions and the Masaratti for some reason just cannot run with the C6R's. I believe the main reason is the cost of fielding teams in GT1 is just not possible without factor backing, or a large private bankroll.

C5Rick · 10-10-2007, 08:29 AM

Here's a link to the Team Corvette & 2008 season. Wish I could have seen
the ad they mention jabbing the Aston team

http://www.sebringraceway.com/newsde...KeyValue=32903

TR6speed · 10-10-2007, 11:02 AM

That sounds a lot like what I stated in my previous post. I did not know about that statement. The new proto type class of closed coupes in 2010 is viable option. The Corvette proto type that ran in GTP was a true test bed for GM. Active handling was one of the innovations that came from that series.

With Lou Gigliotti fielding two C6R's with some GM backing, I am not sure you will see Pratt & Miller jump into that class. They are considered a factor team, and that may take away some resources that Lou would be looking for.

I sure will miss the Corvette Racing Team if AM does not return (which I doubt) to the series. If they (Aston Martin) get the performance breaks they want, you know Corvette will complain and possible pull out. They thought of that this year if IMSA granted AM what they wanted continued from the past year when that added weight and restricted the air intake on the C6R's. The trouble there was, they never relaxed the restrictions on the Corvettes and Aston Martin took command of the division.

I have always had a hard time agreeing with the different racing organizations adding weight to winning cars or some of form of punishment for winning. It seems to me if you have a set of rules that everyone must go by, and then it should be up to each team to build a competitive vehicle. I know they all do it (except F1); NASCAR is constantly changing the rules to benefit a manufacturer that is not competitive, with frontal area or spoiler size. The road racing groups seem to love the weight adjustments. At least in F1 (and I know there are a lot of politics in F1) you do not see them impose weight restriction or air restrictions on McLaren or Ferrari. You know each race that these two teams will be on the front two rows and will battle for the win. The other are just there as also ran. It is up to the individual teams to improve and try to catch the two front-runners. Sorry, I guess I need to get down off my soapbox now.

98 softtail · 10-10-2007, 10:24 PM

Hey TR6, I'll jump on that soapbox with ya. I hate when crybaby losers get to punish the winners for winning.