Offical Grand-Am GT RX-8 Thread
08-14-2012 | 02:59 PM
#1927
so with only 3 races to go, this isn't looking too great for speedsource, is it.
We trail FXDD by 32 points. Isn't it 35 points for a win? Basically we'd need a little help by the Ferrari boys and a DNF to have a chance???
We trail FXDD by 32 points. Isn't it 35 points for a win? Basically we'd need a little help by the Ferrari boys and a DNF to have a chance???
08-15-2012 | 01:02 PM
#1931
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Posts: 260
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From: in the shadows of a cooling tower. :(
Reminder... This week's Grand Am race in Montreal (Home of the Montreal Canadiens and Syl T.s hometown-go #70
) is at 11 am EST Saturday! Speeds broadcast at 7 is tape-delayed! You can HEAR it LIVE on MRN here is the link- just put your state in and all the stations that carry it will come up . Sirius Sat. radio will have it live on ch. 117 also....Radio Stations - MotorRacingNetwork.com
) is at 11 am EST Saturday! Speeds broadcast at 7 is tape-delayed! You can HEAR it LIVE on MRN here is the link- just put your state in and all the stations that carry it will come up . Sirius Sat. radio will have it live on ch. 117 also....Radio Stations - MotorRacingNetwork.com
08-20-2012 | 12:30 PM
#1941
stupid Porsche. 
that drops SpeedSource into 4th place in the standings
Pos Points No Team
1 332 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari
2 303 94 Turner Motorsport
3 302 57 Stevenson Motorsports
4 294 70 SpeedSource
Even worse is the fact that Ferrari continues to pick up points so at this point it's definitely Ferrari's championship to lose.
I think SpeedSource can still finish top 3 but we're going to need a hell of a race at Mazda Raceway to accomplish that.
that drops SpeedSource into 4th place in the standings
Pos Points No Team
1 332 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari
2 303 94 Turner Motorsport
3 302 57 Stevenson Motorsports
4 294 70 SpeedSource
Even worse is the fact that Ferrari continues to pick up points so at this point it's definitely Ferrari's championship to lose.
I think SpeedSource can still finish top 3 but we're going to need a hell of a race at Mazda Raceway to accomplish that.
08-20-2012 | 12:38 PM
#1942
Upsilon Sigma Mu Chi
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 971
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From: Anywhere I Have To Be
stupid Porsche.
that drops SpeedSource into 4th place in the standings
Pos Points No Team
1 332 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari
2 303 94 Turner Motorsport
3 302 57 Stevenson Motorsports
4 294 70 SpeedSource
Even worse is the fact that Ferrari continues to pick up points so at this point it's definitely Ferrari's championship to lose.
I think SpeedSource can still finish top 3 but we're going to need a hell of a race at Mazda Raceway to accomplish that.
that drops SpeedSource into 4th place in the standings
Pos Points No Team
1 332 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari
2 303 94 Turner Motorsport
3 302 57 Stevenson Motorsports
4 294 70 SpeedSource
Even worse is the fact that Ferrari continues to pick up points so at this point it's definitely Ferrari's championship to lose.
I think SpeedSource can still finish top 3 but we're going to need a hell of a race at Mazda Raceway to accomplish that.
I have been so discouraged this season that I didn't even realize that Turner was in the running. Speedsource is having one of their worst seasons so far, Mazdas are as a whole, in fact. The rules are so polarizing these days that it "fixes" the outcome of the GT Championships.
08-20-2012 | 03:17 PM
#1943
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 260
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From: in the shadows of a cooling tower. :(
I go back to New Jersey-we were there- #70 had a huge lead with 40 min. to go. They were by far the fastest car on that track (where they had won 2 yrs. in a row) and they couldn"t start it up after the final pit stop. Ended up 7th or 8th. After that, they just didn't seem to bounce back.
08-20-2012 | 05:03 PM
#1944
SpeedSource has posted their recap of this weekend's race
the bold / red sentence was emphasized by me. 
Stupid Porsche
08/20/2012
This weekend saw GRAND-AM teams make their only international stop on the 2012 calendar in Montreal, Quebec. This event marked the series’ sixth visit to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The #70 Castrol ModSpace Mazdaspeed Mazda RX-8 would finish in fifth place.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located in the Parc Jean-Drapeau on the man-made Île Notre-Dame island. The 2.7 mile, 15 turn road course again hosted a two hour sprint race. Fans were out in force to support the many Canadian drivers.
With just one week between the Continental Tire 200 at Watkin’s Glen and the Montreal 200, the SpeedSource crew headed straight from New York to Quebec. Before the event started, the SpeedSource crew worked tirelessly to repair suspension damage suffered in last weekend’s event. Albi Mazda, the world’s largest Mazda dealer, offered the use of their facility to prepare the RX-8 for the Canadian event. The car was restored to top condition for the start of the first practice. Sylvain Tremblay qualified the #70 Mazda sixth.
The short race format promised constant action as driver’s pushed their cars to the limit from the green flag. A hectic race start forced the GT field to avoid a spun DP car in turn 1 on the opening lap. Montreal native Tremblay seized the opportunity, moving up to fourth place by exit of turn 2.
The first caution came just thirteen minutes into the race, after an incident involving two DP cars. While most GT cars elected not to pit, the SpeedSource team used the opportunity to re-fuel their Mazda RX-8. This dropped the #70 back to tenth place when the race returned to green flag running.
Sylvain fought his way back to seventh before the second full course caution. With one hour and fifteen minutes remaining, every GT car entered pit lane for service. SpeedSource made use of their league leading pit stop performance to move the #70 up the order. Despite performing a full service stop, the SpeedSource Mazda, now driven by Jonathan Bomarito, moved from seventh to second position in pit lane!
The progress was not to be, however, as Bomarito was tagged from behind by the #59 GT car on the restart. The contact spun the Castrol ModSpace Mazdaspeed Mazda RX-8, dropping the team back to last place. This was the same car and driver that took the #70 out of contention at last week’s event.
The #70 showed great pace in the second half of the race. The SpeedSource prepared car was able to turn laps in the low 1:40s, on par with the GT leaders. This speed allowed Bomarito to march back through the pack. The slippery, narrow circuit did not make passing easy, but the SpeedSource driver clawed all the way back to fifth place before the checkered flag fell.
The SpeedSource crew proved once again that they are the class of the field. Unparalleled car preparation ensured that the #70 was race ready after last week’s incident. The lightning fast pit stop that elevated the car five positions on pit lane is proof that the team’s practice and dedication to their craft is paying off.
SpeedSource would like to thank Albi Mazda for their generous hospitality.
The penultimate round of the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series takes teams across the country to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. SpeedSource looks to return to the top step of the podium at Mazda’s home track. Catch all the action live on SPEED at 3PM Eastern Time on September 9th.
This weekend saw GRAND-AM teams make their only international stop on the 2012 calendar in Montreal, Quebec. This event marked the series’ sixth visit to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The #70 Castrol ModSpace Mazdaspeed Mazda RX-8 would finish in fifth place.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located in the Parc Jean-Drapeau on the man-made Île Notre-Dame island. The 2.7 mile, 15 turn road course again hosted a two hour sprint race. Fans were out in force to support the many Canadian drivers.
With just one week between the Continental Tire 200 at Watkin’s Glen and the Montreal 200, the SpeedSource crew headed straight from New York to Quebec. Before the event started, the SpeedSource crew worked tirelessly to repair suspension damage suffered in last weekend’s event. Albi Mazda, the world’s largest Mazda dealer, offered the use of their facility to prepare the RX-8 for the Canadian event. The car was restored to top condition for the start of the first practice. Sylvain Tremblay qualified the #70 Mazda sixth.
The short race format promised constant action as driver’s pushed their cars to the limit from the green flag. A hectic race start forced the GT field to avoid a spun DP car in turn 1 on the opening lap. Montreal native Tremblay seized the opportunity, moving up to fourth place by exit of turn 2.
The first caution came just thirteen minutes into the race, after an incident involving two DP cars. While most GT cars elected not to pit, the SpeedSource team used the opportunity to re-fuel their Mazda RX-8. This dropped the #70 back to tenth place when the race returned to green flag running.
Sylvain fought his way back to seventh before the second full course caution. With one hour and fifteen minutes remaining, every GT car entered pit lane for service. SpeedSource made use of their league leading pit stop performance to move the #70 up the order. Despite performing a full service stop, the SpeedSource Mazda, now driven by Jonathan Bomarito, moved from seventh to second position in pit lane!
The progress was not to be, however, as Bomarito was tagged from behind by the #59 GT car on the restart. The contact spun the Castrol ModSpace Mazdaspeed Mazda RX-8, dropping the team back to last place. This was the same car and driver that took the #70 out of contention at last week’s event.
The #70 showed great pace in the second half of the race. The SpeedSource prepared car was able to turn laps in the low 1:40s, on par with the GT leaders. This speed allowed Bomarito to march back through the pack. The slippery, narrow circuit did not make passing easy, but the SpeedSource driver clawed all the way back to fifth place before the checkered flag fell.
The SpeedSource crew proved once again that they are the class of the field. Unparalleled car preparation ensured that the #70 was race ready after last week’s incident. The lightning fast pit stop that elevated the car five positions on pit lane is proof that the team’s practice and dedication to their craft is paying off.
SpeedSource would like to thank Albi Mazda for their generous hospitality.
The penultimate round of the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series takes teams across the country to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. SpeedSource looks to return to the top step of the podium at Mazda’s home track. Catch all the action live on SPEED at 3PM Eastern Time on September 9th.
Stupid Porsche
08-20-2012 | 05:52 PM
#1945
Upsilon Sigma Mu Chi
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 971
Likes: 20
From: Anywhere I Have To Be
08-20-2012 | 05:59 PM
#1946
just really sucks because this season the SpeedSource had done a pretty damn good job of avoiding collisions and then they get roughed up two straight weeks.
I think the point standings would look very different without the 'help' the #59 has given us.
oh well, two races to go, no excuses.
time to get back on the podium and finish the season strong
I think the point standings would look very different without the 'help' the #59 has given us.
oh well, two races to go, no excuses.
time to get back on the podium and finish the season strong
09-04-2012 | 01:54 PM
#1947
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From: Buddhist Monastery, High Himalaya Mtns. of Tibet
EXCLUSIVE: ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
After years of rumors, the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM are set to join forces...
Read the story at: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ng-merger//P2/
After years of rumors, the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM are set to join forces...
Read the story at: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ng-merger//P2/
09-04-2012 | 01:57 PM
#1948
I've seen quite a bit of the comments regarding the possible merge. I really don't know much about ALMS, not enough to be able to comment on what it will do for one of the series vs the other.
It seems like it would be a good thing in general if they can be blended effectively. Also kinda makes more sense with the GX class starting, if ALMS also has the forward thinking development allowances that the European LMS has.
It seems like it would be a good thing in general if they can be blended effectively. Also kinda makes more sense with the GX class starting, if ALMS also has the forward thinking development allowances that the European LMS has.
09-04-2012 | 02:12 PM
#1949
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From: Buddhist Monastery, High Himalaya Mtns. of Tibet
I believe the ALMS class structure will win the day as it is what they use at LeMans. However, that doesn't leave any room for Mazda. The rotary engine isn't big enough, even the 3 rotor, for the class. The GT3 cars have to be production base cars. The present GA RX8's wouldn't be legal.
09-04-2012 | 02:16 PM
#1950
Yeah, the rotary is disappearing anyway (
), but I could see it come back under the GX class (or similar) with a future rotary.
Sounds like the biggest complaints are based around Grand-Am's cost-structure that pushes cars a bit more into spec but allows more teams to compete financially, vs ALMS which has more open rule sets but makes it more expensive to have a chance at competing.
Also sounds like merging the GT class cars would be more simple than DP vs LMP1/2
LMP cars are far more appealing than DP, that's for sure. Mazda won the last two ALMS races, so Mazda would still be in the field, only now in the top classes too. A very good think I think.
), but I could see it come back under the GX class (or similar) with a future rotary.Sounds like the biggest complaints are based around Grand-Am's cost-structure that pushes cars a bit more into spec but allows more teams to compete financially, vs ALMS which has more open rule sets but makes it more expensive to have a chance at competing.
Also sounds like merging the GT class cars would be more simple than DP vs LMP1/2
LMP cars are far more appealing than DP, that's for sure. Mazda won the last two ALMS races, so Mazda would still be in the field, only now in the top classes too. A very good think I think.