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Detroit, 7:44 AM
Fri Dec 11
25 posts in the last 24 hours
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12/05/08
12/05/08
Just wait till Porsche finds out that Nissan's figured out how to run a GTR in LMS1...
But seriously, how much more could Audi win in ALMS? And Peugot is scared to run there. There was good racing between team mates, but that's sort of like always kissing your sister. Or so I've heard, but I'm not from West Virginia. But I digress...
12/05/08
12/05/08
Talk about you double entondre!
12/05/08
12/05/08
Multiple classes? (ALMS)
Staggered starts? (WRC)
Run-away victories? (F1)
That's a lot of work for our camerapeople!
12/05/08
12/05/08
All I can say is that this sucks. I was looking forward to seeing those cars "not-roaring" around Belle Isle this summer. Alas.
12/05/08
Not a creature was stirring, completely fatigued;
The rule book was hung by the lockers with care,
In hopes that Volkswagen's teams soon would be there;
The diesels were coming to rock the whole class,
Several years running they've kicked lots of ass;
With limited funding and increasing costs,
Audi grew fearful of sooty exhausts,
When out on the field there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Just to see Audi escape in a dash.
12/05/08
12/05/08
I am sad that our much anticipated Acura v. Audi fight never will happen in LMP1, though. A real shame, that would be fun to watch.
12/05/08
12/05/08
12/05/08
12/05/08
12/05/08
12/05/08
Wonder if this has anything to do with US diesel prices being 67% higher than gas.
12/05/08
12/05/08
Not sure if that was ALMS, Euro LeMans, or both.
12/05/08
12/05/08
12/05/08
The point I think you're missing is that it's not that Audi can't go by the rules. Remember, they are going by the rules. Then, when they're successful because they try something so much smarter than anyone else, the race league specifically changes the rules -- directed at them -- to cripple their advantage. Fuck that noise, the other teams need to step up their games! As mentioned above, this has happened many times before, and I think any team that says "Fine, fuck you, we're out of here" has the right idea. I believe that's how the dominance of the Ford GT40 was finally ended. The race leagues need the car companies much more than the car companies need the race leagues, and it's just a matter of time before they start realizing it.
Maybe we can convince Audi that they should be joining the American LeMons Series instead.
12/05/08
What is this, the kindergarten playground?
Audi pulled out because the ALMS was making it harder and harder to compete with their car that was, God forbid, winning.
At least ALMS didn't just outright ban their engines, like they did Mazda.
"What's that? Tommy, it's not fair that you trained really really hard and can run faster than all the other boys. But don't you worry, we have a solution! The nurse is going to hold you down and we're just going to take Mr. Hacksaw here and cut you off at the knees! It won't hurt a bit, other than the years and years of training, effort and money you have invested in yourself! And then it will be fairer for all the other, less able boys. Won't you like that, Tommy?"
Were I Audi, I'd take my ball and go home, too.
Wankelin'
12/05/08
Okay, so maybe organizers got a little scared, saw the stripped down motor with so little wear, and nipped rotaries in the bud, but that should be compared to the experiments with turbines (a near win), 4WD (again, a near win) in Indy racing and six-wheelers in F1. I'd some a fair bit of prejudice was involved, too...
Don't get me wrong, Mazda totally deserved that 1991 victory (it was glorious), but they were never dominant at La Sarthe like Audi has been. And I believe that rotary ban no longer exists.
12/05/08
12/05/08
Sucks that we can't have/keep anything good over here.
12/05/08