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IMSA updates “competition procedures” but is it enough?

April 4, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

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While I have known to be a bit of a crotchety guy in the last couple of years, for some reason my overly critical attitude doesn’t often make it into my writing. Not sure why, perhaps I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than throw hard working people under the bus. With the announcement that IMSA is making some procedural changes, perhaps the time has come for me to weigh in on the disaster that is the Tudor United Sportscar Championship.

First off, I must say that I was excited about the so-called merger of the American Le Mans Series and Grand Am, even if it was a not so thinly veiled buyout situation. There are some pretty talented people on both side of paddock, so I was anticipating that they would pull it off.

Two races in, the organizers have done many things well. I was at the Rolex 24 and the crowds were truly impressive, certainly much larger than last year. From what I have heard, the crowds at Sebring were equally large. The field is jam packed full of top level teams with some spectacular machinery. Two of the biggest problems in auto racing these days seem to have been overcome. While there was limited television coverage, depending on where you live, the online stream of Sebring was better than any television coverage I have ever seen, even though it did seem to crap out for an hour or so around the 11th hour.

The problem is that the things the series has screwed up are equally as fundamental as having fans and competitors, so much so that they could very well be starting to lose both already. [Read more…]

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Leo Parente on how to stop F1 + IMSA Screwing Up Racing /MOMO SlowMo from Sebring Rolex 24 at Daytona gets under way Default Thumbnail2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona has a stressful afternoon This is how it’s done: pass 15 cars in one lap!

/MOMO SlowMo from Sebring

March 25, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

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Just because race organizers didn’t have their crap together at Sebring doesn’t mean that the event was devoid of great content. Quite the opposite, as my buddies at /DRIVE were on hand shooting their unique style of awesomeness for those of us who weren’t able to attend.

There are fewer things cooler than super high frame rate video of racing cars at full chat, showed right down so the viewer can see the the tires and suspension moving and body panels flexing. This is the second installment of /DRIVE’s newest feature: MOMO SlowMo.

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Leo Parente on how to stop F1 + IMSA Screwing Up Racing IMSA GT3 Cup shows potential future of Canadian series This is how it’s done: pass 15 cars in one lap! Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada qualifying report Default Thumbnail2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona has a stressful afternoon

Leo Parente on how to stop F1 + IMSA Screwing Up Racing

March 24, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

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Because of the insanely early broadcast time and the fact that I forgot to PVR it, I didn’t watch the Australian Grand Prix. Then, last Monday all I saw on my various social media streams were complaints of penis nosed cars that sounded like pregnant lawn equipment. Oh, there were also discussions about a Red Bull F1 driver I have never heard of who was disqualified for some technical infraction that sounded like it was at least partly the FIA’s fault. Sounded like I wasn’t missing anything.

I did however watch the excellent internet feed from Sebring, where the IMSA folks seemed to finally figure out how to properly broadcast a race online. I got to watch some monumental incidents that were caused by pay-to-play drivers with limited talent that damn near killed a couple of pros. I did have to get out of the house for a while, so I missed the incidents that led up to IMSA race control’s colossal blunder. In case you missed it, IMSA assessed an 80 second stop and go penalty for avoidable contact to a car that was nowhere near the incident in question. The penalty most likely caused a dramatic change to the podium at the end of the day. This marked two events in a row where IMSA officials had made major gaffs that affected the outcome of the competition.
[Read more…]

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Australian GP says thanks to Volunteers Tom Cruise peddles the Red Bull F1 car and then loops a chopper Shutter Speed: Two in a row Red Bull pits Daniel Ricciardo against Aussi fighter jet This is how it’s done: pass 15 cars in one lap!

Brakes feel the burn at Daytona

January 25, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

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It is 10 pm here in Daytona and the #10 of Jordan Taylor is in the lead. I just came back in from shooting some glowing brake porn for your viewing pleasure.

Now, I’m heading back to the hotel for a drink and some shuteye.






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Rolex 24 at Daytona gets under way Default Thumbnail2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona has a stressful afternoon Default ThumbnailThe Garage at 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona Default ThumbnailAction in the pits Default ThumbnailBMW wins crash filled Continental Tire race in Daytona

2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona has a stressful afternoon

January 25, 2014 by Gary Grant 2 Comments

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A little over five hours in to the inaugural race of the Tudor United SportsCar Championship and it has already been an emotional rollercoaster. The yellow flag is out for the third time at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, this time for a spinner at the entrance to the East Horseshoe.

As soon as the green flag fell, drivers were hard at it, driving as if this were a sprint race and not a 24 hour endurance event. As the sun started to sink, the #62 Ferrari, being driven by Matteo Malucelli had slowed off the pace and Malucelli was sticking to the left side of the track just past the kink. Memo Gidley, at the wheel of the #99 Gainsco Chevy was most likely blinded by the setting sun and slammed hard into the back of the #62.
[Read more…]

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Rolex 24 at Daytona gets under way Default ThumbnailAction in the pits Default ThumbnailBMW wins crash filled Continental Tire race in Daytona Default ThumbnailAnd they’re off: Follow the Rolex 24 at Daytona here thanks to Twitter Default ThumbnailThe Garage at 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona

Rolex 24 at Daytona gets under way

January 24, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

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For the second year in a row, I am fortunate to be on site for the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona. This year is more special than usual, as it is the first event of the new Tudor United SportsCar Chaampionship.

Without a specific assignment from my daily gig at Wheels.ca, I am pretty free to go where I want, when I want, so this is going to be a pretty laid back weekend. Yesterday I spent a bit of time shooting along pit lane, but spent most of my morning with Mazda’s Director of Motorsport, John Doonan, discussing the team’s decision to test their cars in public, under racing conditions. I’ll have that interview up soon. I also spent some time hanging out with my buddy, Canadian Indycar star, James Hinchcliffe. Now I know what it is like having guys like me sticking cameras in your face all the time!

Here is a bit of a gallery from my travels yesterday.








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