Your points are well taken and the facts bear that out but I still disagree with the RPM limitation.

 

http://www.speedsourceinc.com/index....1&news_id=3917

 

thanks for the update

 

Nick and Sylvain both stated that the RX-8s are really "momentum cars" and that they need to maintain speed to really be competitive. Shortly before the race, several of us were in the Speedsource tent where Nick told us to hope for clear weather and no cautions. Anything that forces them to slow down and lose their momentum is a set back due to relative lack of torque compared to the other makes in the field. The rev limit has really hampered them...they mentioned they really can no longer "stretch the gears".

 

I really feel bad for the guys.
It's like the kid that gets punched in the gut every day at recess.

 

From www.grand-am.com/

Interview with Nick Ham and Sylvain Tremblay for the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona:

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Race will be aired live on Speed Channel this Saturday (7/4) at 2:00pm EST.

 

..

 

3 Porsche wins in a row, can we start bitching for some adjustments to the Porsche cars yet?

 

Did they show the Pirelli secret word at any time during the race? If they did I missed it and will have to re-watch the race.

 

"foose"

 

Ah well, not like they did bad. So awesome to hear that 20b though. Can't help but think that the producers do too, since it is often the background in transfers to and from commercials, seemed like more than any other car.

 

Strangely enough, the last Rolex GT adjustment was beneficial to the Porsches: the allowance of rear tire tread cooling duct (with inline blowers if desired) on May 22, 2009- even though they have been leading the standings all year.

There were only 4 GT cars on the GT "lead lap"- 2 Porsches and 2 Mazdas. I don't see Mazdas getting much of a break based on results. Why the Porsches got their rear tire tread coolers in May, I have no idea- but I'm not holding my breath for a repeal of the rev limit (although if it is causing engine damage that would concern me).

 

^^^ True, and Sylvain was in contention for the win goin into turn 1 when the rear locked up due to him not rev matching, makes ya wonder where he would have ended up if not were it for that spin going into the hairpin in the infield...

I do like how they spent alittle time talking about the great improvement in downforce gained from the new bumper...

One thing is for sure it is one hella viscious looking car....

 

Not that it really matters at this point, but it was Nick Ham who had that spin...

 

He missed a downshift causing the rear tires to lock up. But since they're using the DP transmission, you can blame it on the transmission acting up.
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TouchMyHumps live

 

I know it was Nick that spun, I just didnt elaborate that in my thought, sorry, It was wierd that they didnt choose tires on the yellow, it was such a conveniete time they could have swapped the driver within the mandated period and got some fresh stickies, probably wouldnt have soun on the infield with new slicks,,,

 

Well, here's a new pisser:
The DP Porsches (Coyote Chassis) were allowed to up their revs to 9400 RPM before the Brumos race...

 

What the hell....? IMBALANCED!

 

But the Porsches are not leading in the DP class. In fact, this reverses a lower rev limit imposed after the Rolex 24 which has caused the Porsches to suffer since. On top of that, the top finishing Porsche was 8th at the Brumos 250. Also, the rev limit was raised to 9200 per Tech Bulletin 2009-10 to all DP Porsche GT3R flat sixes.

Now here's a question: would the SpeedSource cars' tires have maintained grip better if they were allowed rear tire blowers like the Porsche GT cars? -Especially since both Nick's spin and Sylvain's failed pass occurred late in the tire cycles significantly lessening the margin of error for the drivers. On fresh tires, Nick built up a huge lead of at least 16 sec.

 

That lead was inflated because he got lucky during a caution and was between the pace car and the DPs giving him the ability to pit a lap later than the rest of the cars and then keep in front of the rest of the GT cars behind the pace during the yellow.

As for the RPM change to the DP cars it just shows that Rolex isn't just using RPM changes only Mazdas as a competitive balance. DP has absolutely no bearing on the GT balancing but I think it's absolutely foolish for people to continue to bitch about it. Had Sylvain been a little more patient those final laps he likely would have ended up on the first podium rather than the second. Can't fault him for what he did as it was just a racer racing but he did make a mistake as a driver by going in too deep to the brake zone after the straight. It wasn't tires, engines, or anything other than Sylvain's small mistake at the very end of the race that cost Mazda the top slot. I promise you that no one at Speedsource was bitching about it.

I do think it's a little silly that Grand-Am made any changes that would help the leading car manufacturer but all it did was even out some of the known advantage the RX8s had at Daytona where they've simply dominated the past 2 years.

 

Looks to be a great race today! Starting in P2-#40 Dempsey Racing, P3-#70 SpeedSource, P4-#69 SpeedSource, and in P9 #30 Racer's Edge. Race starts at 3pm on SPEED.

I've been keeping an eye on the live timing through all the practice sessions this weekend...all the Mazdas have been extremely strong. Maybe we may see a Mazda podium sweep? I doubt it, but it would be nice.

 

Gotta love the DP drivers, about time one of them got knocked around(#58) by a GT
They're always punting around GT cars,,,,
Still think Nick Ham and David Donahue are some of the best of the field, but no need to whine about it, thats just racing,,,

 

Great racing by the Speedsource boys. DP was fun to watch too today. Ham wasn't really at fault in that pass by with the Brumos car but he probably could have avoided it. Like he said that's what he gets for trying to be nice and warning the Brumos car of a problem with the DP outside.

They're back in the standings too and if Werner & Co. have one major problem in a race then this series will become competitive again.

Gonna be a lot of fun in a couple weeks.

Oh and someone bitchslap that Porsche owner who was whining about being 4 seconds behind the pontiacs. Waaaaaahhh we only have setups that dominated 3 out of 4 tracks this year. Now we're on one where the Porsches tire abuse comes back to bite them in the ***. Wahhhhhh.

 

Isn't it funny when somebody touches or passes a Porsche... All of a sudden YOU are in the wrong...
That was Leh Keen (Farnbacher Loles) whining in the GT class.


What makes me laugh is that these are 2 of my favorite teams.
Hey, BTW:
I noticed some of your YouTube videos posted (subscribed, in fact). You just missed me in the 24hr Parade...

I fully agree, fun to watch this one.
Congrats to all the Mazda teams for a hard fought race!
*Special props to the Racer's Edge/Sahlen Corvette "crossover" driving Nonamaker brother. (Come over to the dark side)...

Mike

 

Its not the 1st time Leh Keen complained about others being faster than them.

I didn't watch today's race, but last year he mentioned more than once during interview that Mazdas are way faster than them. He does that every year.
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