Practice Is On Right Now!!

 

The SpeedSource web site list most of the drivers, but doesn't list Varde. Anyone know if this is Joe Varde. I haven't heard about him for years.

I just went to the Grand American site and I see it is. Live Timeing is up for this practice session. SpeedSource & Spencer cars seem to be doing well.

We need a Grand Am thread to separate this frome the ALMS/IMSA activity.

 

yes they are doing good, some pics of the new speedsource car

 

I've posted the combined best practice times for all 5 practice sessions at the following:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?p=1680223

Let's use that thread for all RX-8 GT '07 Daytona 24hr info.

-Bern

 

Sweet pic of the 69 car. What I wouldn't do to put that thing thru a few laps?

 

Supposedly an announcement for Mazda's ALMS effort is to be made this Thursday. We will see...

 

lets hope so

 

The announcement will be made tomorrow... for those that want to see it ASAP, stay tuned to MazdaNews.Com at midnight tonight (Pacific Standard Time, USA).

-Bern

 

I hope its something we can get excited about. I sleep around that time so i'll be up to see it =d
________
Shihirizada1990

 

It all depends on what turns you on!!!

-Bern

 

Thanks for the confirmation Bern! Though, I won't be up that late, I will check the news before I leave for work tomorrow morning.

 

I want a LMP1 797B... haha
________
Curvy live

 

Guess I don't have to lose sleep tonight over what Mazda will do. I already know .

 

How would you know anything?

 

Well, I know the press embargo wasn't until midnight tonight, but I'm not the press.

http://www.trackbytes.com/

Gist: Lola B07/40 Mazda/AER Bach/Devlin Kumho

Guess that just about does it for the rotary fans in ALMS, though it appeared to me they were restricted to the point of pointlessness anyways.

And to be honest, I hope I'm the victim of a huge hoax and Mazda announces a new rotary program in a couple hours...

Edit for more detailed link:

http://www.trackbytes.com/news.php?id=2584

 

Oh no

"The current conditions and rules simply do not allow our rotary engine to have any competitive advantage, hence the move to piston power this season."
________
Live sex webshows

 

Guy has gone on to drive in other cars so I didn't expect him back.
Is it true that Jamie Bach's father is the B in B-K Motorsports?

 

Yes I think I see his(Guy) name in the Grand-Am series... Forgot which car.

ANyways... Speedsource all the way.
________
SensualJessica

 

Well I'm not surprised at all. Rotary power just wasn't viable I guess. It won't be the same watching ALMS this year. Not even close. It freakin' sucks but at the same time, as tough a year as they had last year, 2007 would've been downright embarrassing.
I just hope to hell the 2.0 L can run with the big boys.

 

You know what this means? I'm going to primarily be cheering only for the diesel LMP1 cars now. I was afraid this would happen. As suspected it's a 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder. Although it doesn't appear to be direct injected, they say they are going to try to incorporate the DISI system onto it. It's pretty much exactly what has been speculated they'd use if they went the piston route. It was the only thing that made sense. You couldn't get a more predictable setup from them. Their power goal is 500 hp and 400 ft lbs of torque. Personally I still feel a turbo 2 rotor Renesis could match it on the high octane fuel they race with. I'm saddened to see this and unfortunately I'm not a Mazda ALMS fan this season as a result of this news. My Mazda loyalties are directly tied to the rotary engine.

 

WHAT A CROK OF SH$T!!!

AND THIS IS MONUMENTAL?

a lola chassis with an AER engine?

this is a joke!

on to GRAN AM and speedsource

 

I would like to say that I have an insider but im not that cool. Thanks to some who have broken the press embargo I was able to find out. The third confirmation was when trackbytes posted their info and I reviewed all the previous rumors.

This bothered me all night. They are the same as everyone else now, and I am definately not as big as a fan as I was before. Thus, my attention will be placed upon Grand Am to cheer on the rotary cars.

I also must say, you guys really don't realize how many people were waiting on Mazda's announcement. Every race forum or discussion board I visited there was a thread like this solely dedicated to finding out what Mazda would.

 

For me personally, this really simplifies things. Before I knew, I was trying to figure out which series I wanted to attend most for RX Tuner coverage (yes we're trying to revive RX Tuner Mag). Now, it's a no-brainer ... I won't be attending an ALMS race this year unless it's just for the fun of it.

It's a pretty gutless decision, if you want my honest opinion. Carlos Lopez wanted the team to try a supercharged 3 rotor, but they refused ... they never even built one for testing. 4 rotors are legal in LMP2 even, but Mazda wouldn't back that direction with the necessary resources.

At least they got a 'current' chassis this time, which actual support in the US.

 

Oh, and the team loses a LOT without Cosmo driving. I saw enough of both Cosmo and Bach the last two years to say with some confidence that Cosmo was significantly faster than Bach. Who knows why that decision was made, probably because Cosmo went to greener pastures.

 

^I think that just pissed me off even more. I feel they faulted the engine for the poor chassis they were running.

I know they were in discussions with Cosmo, and he said things looked good. I think this also shows its not a factory support effort.