Car news / Grand-Am 2008 season preview |
28.03.2008
Grand-Am 2008 season previewCar News /
The Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix, Daytona 500, NHRA U.S. Nationals and the 24 Hours of Le Mans stand on their own. After all, those races attract new competition, pay large sums of prize money, have a separate fan base, and the winners" fame rivals that of the season champions in their respective series.
The same is true of January"s Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Grand-Am Sports Car Series teams spent four months preparing for a race that ended before most championships even began. Cars were damaged, engines wore out, spare parts were used, and supplies depleted. Teams now work to undo this damage for the second Grand-Am race of the year this Saturday, March 29, at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
But this year"s Rolex-24-winning team owner, Chip Ganassi, sees the win as vital to his championship quest.
"It"s a hell of a start to the season," Ganassi said. "We are first in the points."
That"s obvious, but the reality is the Rolex 24 overall winner has historically failed to claim the Grand-Am championship. Only one team in the past five years turned their win into a drivers" title. Ganassi knows this well, since both his Daytona 24 wins in 2006 and 2007 didn"t culminate with the championship. Granted, his Riley-Lexus that won the 2006 race didn"t compete in every race that season, but, nevertheless, the odds seem to be against the championship-leading duo of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas.
The current second-place points holders, Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, are proof of the dichotomy between the 24 Hours and the full season. They finished 22nd in last year"s endurance classic but fought back all season to steal the title from Pruett in the final race. If they could do that last year, the Gainsco/Bob Stallings machine could mean trouble for Ganassi.
"I think we are a little more focused on the points this year," Gurney said. "Once the regular season started last year, that"s when things started happening in a good way."
In the GT-class, Porsche also hopes for a different tune in the "regular" season, because it starts in an unfamiliar position: not atop the points standings. Last year"s GT champion and arguably Porsche"s best hope, Dirk Werner, will continue driving with Dominik Farnbacher for Farnbacher Loles Racing after the duo"s eighth-place Daytona finish.
Werner believes that the Mazda RX-8 and the Pontiac GXP.R will be his toughest competition. SpeedSource"s Mazda RX-8 dominated Daytona by leading the last seven hours, and drivers Sylvain Tremblay and Nick Ham think more experience will help them this year.
The biggest question is how many of the 25 Daytona Prototype and 41 GT entries in the 24 Hours will survive the transition to the regular season. Last year, full-time entries hovered at about 19 and 27 respectively, but more cars competed because the races were class-separate events. Besides two stand-alone prototype races and one stand-alone GT race, the remaining 12 races this year will see prototypes fighting through slower GT traffic. The full-time return to multi-class racing at least removes one difference between the Grand-Am season and the Rolex 24.
Must-See Races
Planning to attend a Grand-Am race this year? Make it one of these five
LIME ROCK GT CLASSIC 250
May 23-26, Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut
If you can"t get tickets to see the Indy 500, you can still get your racing fill on Memorial Day weekend by visiting Lime Rock Park for the GT race on Monday. The race is the only time you will see the GT cars compete without the Daytona Prototypes on the track. In years past, this has created intense battles and close finishes between Porsche, Pontiac and Mazda. If you love production-based racing, this is the event for you. Camp out on the skidpad inside the West Bend turn for a great view.
BRUMOS PORSCHE 250 AT DAYTONA
July 3, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
For many race fans, this could be the most convenient Grand-Am race to attend. It occurs on the Thursday before the Nationwide Series" Daytona 250 and Sprint Cup"s Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Teams take over the racetrack Thursday morning, practice, qualify, race into the night and leave the same day. The small amount of practice time makes the race a guessing game. If you missed the Rolex 24, here is your last chance this season to watch Daytona Prototypes battle traffic under the lights.
CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENUEVE
July 30-Aug. 1, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
The picturesque man-made island of Île Notre-Dame in Montreal comes to life three times a year during race weekends at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Last year"s Grand-Am race was no different, with fans filling the stands. While the track is a 2.708-mile road course, it is more like a street circuit because of concrete barriers that line the track. This makes for close racing and daring passes. Be sure to stay Sunday for NASCAR"s Nationwide Series event. And when the races are over, head into the heart of Montreal for shopping, gambling and fine French dining. If you needed an excuse to renew your passport, this race is it.
GRAND PRIX OF NEW JERSEY
Aug. 29-31, Thunderbolt Raceway, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, New Jersey
Grand-Am"s debut at the 3.98-mile Thunderbolt Raceway will be the facility"s first major spectator event. The track opens in June, boasting 100 garages, a clubhouse, classic-car gallery, VIP suites and a go-kart track more than one mile long. When fully completed, the park will have three restaurants, eight go-kart tracks, 500 hotel rooms and nearly 1500 employees. Since no teams have tested here, it is sure to be a Labor Day weekend filled with surprises.
DISCOUNT TIRE SUNCHASER 1000K
Sept. 19-21, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah
A close three-way championship battle at Miller Motorsports Park put last year"s Grand-Am finale in the record books. With an equally exciting title fight possible this year, we could witness another stellar seven-hour event.
MMP is not only North America"s largest road-racing facility, it might just be the best for spectators. The 4.486-mile track sprawls out almost entirely flat in front of the paddock and stands, giving fans almost perfect visibility. With Salt Lake City just a short drive away, you can relax after the race with a melody from the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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