davidfarmer

Nice half hour show on the cars, and tests, leading up to Sebring.

I haven't follwed this very closely, but is anybody else dissapointed that they are using a Lola Chassis??? I expected them to build their own cars, not just stick a Honda engine in a proven chassis.

Anyway, interesting show. We'll see how they do in the next few weeks

Hardcorvette

I caught the tail end of the show. The Acura should make for an interesting season.

xsiveone

I thought it was an hour show. I watched it last night.

I liked it. I think that Acura has an interesting approach by using three separate teams to develop the car. It should be interesting. I just wish that LMP1 and GT1 were going to be as exciting because those are the classes that I enjoy watching the most.

I see now why Danica isn't racing at Sebring this year. She doesn't fit right in the car with the other two drivers. They can't really change the seat enough without compromising safety for her to drive.

As far as the Lola chassis, I think that only one of the teams is using it. Not sure though. They are working to develop their own chassis though. One of the teams developing the car is using and developing their own chassis. Until they get it developed though, they are using the Lola. I think that they would've loved to come to the ALMS with their own chassis. They just didn't have enough time.

davidfarmer

Yes, I think it was an hour...half an hour once you skip the commercials (TIVO).

Porsche and Audi manage to turn out new chassis so quickly, I guess I just expected a company with Honda's resources to be more inovative. Lola makes a great LMP2 chassis, but I expected a manufacturer to want to their own....

joemoia

Lowes-Fernandez has a Lola chassis. AGR and Highcroft had a Courage chassis. At the 12HR Sebring simulation test, however, it was stated that the "Acura chassis" was unveiled and used by one of the teams (Highcroft?).

xsiveone

It's only 30 minutes without commercials? Most one hour programs are about 42 minutes without commercials. I don't know how I'd ever live without a DVR. It's the greatest invention since the remote IMO.

Anyway.. I think that's why Acura wanted to use the three team approach. They wanted to develop the car quickly. I know that Porsche didn't take that long to develop the RS Spyder, but I think that they had more time than Acura. Also, Acura is pretty green when it comes to sports car racing, so they don't have the infrastructure in place to handle it like Audi or Porsche.

joemoia

In the following article it states that Acura is developing its own chassis for the 2008 season

http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...FS=ALMS-LEMANS

xsiveone

That's what I thought. I couldn't remember the names, but Highcroft is the team that is doing the bulk of, if not all of the chassis development.

When Porsche did the RS Spyder, they unveiled it at the season ender a few seasons back and then competed full-time the next season. I'm not sure, but it seems as though Porsche had more time to develop their car than Acura. That's why Acura is using the three team approach.

micro

Dallara built the Audi R8's chassis and currently builds the R10's chassis.

Andretti Green Racing and Highcroft Racing will each field Courage LC75 Acuras entries next season, with Highcroft designated as the team that will work closest with HPD in chassis development. Fernandez Racing will run a Lola B05/40 (with updates Lola promised from June of last year) Acura and will be the team most focused on ongoing engine development.

The Courage chassis is new for 2007.

Rob Willis

Yep, taped it.

Very cool show.

BrianCunningham

Not that I'm an Acura fan, but their plan seemed to work


http://www.speedtv.com/articles/alms/auto/36082/