hahhahahaha!! the picture that kairles post was from japan auto saloon!!
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Well, I don't really think so. The Racer's Group will have 4 of their defending champion 911GT3's on hand and the infamous Team Flying Lizard (only team to dethrone Alex Job Racing in ALMS last year) will also be contending.
Couple that to Pontiac's factory backed GTO effort in GT and it looks like a little more than the Goldin Bros. in house effort (no Mazda support) can tackle. However, the car was pretty fast and is already a fan favorite. I think it'll do better when the season moves to more technical tracks like Mid-Ohio.
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Trust me, Mid-Ohio will be worth it. It's one of America's best road courses and you'd be getting an incredible race.
The best places to watch are either going into the Esses - a sharp rising 90degree right going into an off camber cresting decreasing radius left into a downsloped short straight that ends in an uphill blind crest 90 right, and all of this starts at the end of a long long kinked straightaway! - or at the Carousel. Here's a track map to give you an idea as to what you'd be in store for as well as pics of the Esses and Carousel.
Carousel
And here's the Esses.
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Originally posted by Octagon
Well, I don't really think so. The Racer's Group will have 4 of their defending champion 911GT3's on hand and the infamous Team Flying Lizard (only team to dethrone Alex Job Racing in ALMS last year) will also be contending.
Couple that to Pontiac's factory backed GTO effort in GT and it looks like a little more than the Goldin Bros. in house effort (no Mazda support) can tackle. However, the car was pretty fast and is already a fan favorite. I think it'll do better when the season moves to more technical tracks like Mid-Ohio.
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Well, the Pontiac GTO's in Grand Am are what's called a "Prep 2" car.
"Prep 2" cars are semi-tube chassis designs (much like GT300 classified cars in the JGTC or like DTM cars) based upon less competitive but more marketable body types in order to lure in more manufacturer interest. The rules for each body type are VERY specific and some cars are simply not allowed to be built as Prep 2 cars, but are run as more modified, but more tightly restricted Prep 1's.
For example, the GT bog standard - the Porsche 911GT3R - is a typical Prep 1 car. To keep the costs down, reliability (and car longetivity) up, and to keep the GT class from becoming a Porsche benefit vis a vis ALMS - the 911GT3R's must run sealed Porsche Supercup (the one make Porsche racing series) engines, use Supercup brake rules, and cannot move the fuel cell from its stock location. However, if you run a Supercup car, you're allowed to run Brembo front brake calipers and less weight.
Prep 2 cars aren't going to run away from the field either. Even though they're a semi-tube chassis class that even allows FWD cars to convert to RWD, the suspension rules are strict as hell. Take a look.
http://www.grandamerican.com/CONTENT...0GT%209-14.pdf
It's especially interesting to read the car specific rules packages. For instance, Acura NSX's are only Prep 1 legal, but are allowed a Hewland transaxle, 2500lb minimum weight (as opposed to 2700 for the 911), and are allowed rev limiters up to 8400rpm.
However, the Prep 2 GTO's (which so far have been the posterchild of Prep 2) are only allowed STOCK Chevy LS6 engines and five speed gearboxes and have to weigh 2700lbs.
It's all very interesting and as the season goes on will make for exciting and balanced racing.
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