joemoia

I've seen a couple of internet blurbs that the Riley GT2 vette will be entered at PLM with either LGM or another TBA team. Has anybody read about this or has further info?

WBHighwind

I havent seen or heard anything but was wondering if that car was going to see any action anytime soon.

Oyishdog

I have been waiting to see if Lou and team were making it back out there...THat would be awesome if they make PLM, especially since I will be there!

Jim M

I spoke to Lou at Corvettes at Carlisle this past weekend and he told me he planned to race at Road Atlanta in the PLM. Might also do another race on the west coast.

Jim M

joemoia

The west coast race would be the season finale at Laguna Seca

mrm

Laguna Seca would be great ... we'll be there.

Jim MacZ06

I know from conversations with Lou that he is interested in the Road Atlanta race.

Being on the sideline is not enjoyable for a track warrior such as Lou.

The issue is the Riley Corvette chassis and if it is or is not competitive.

Riley is a significant chassis builder and has built many great chassis but this particular chassis may be of some concern. I have personally seen the car up close and personal,with all carbon fiber removed, in the Wylie Texas LG Motorsports shop.

LeMans inspectors did not approve homologation after viewing the chassis in early winter of this year at Riley's facility prior to Sebring. Participation in Lemans has been a goal and dream of Lou's for many years. I still believe he will make it and I am betting on him.

I, as many in Corvette land, are hopeful that the #28 is in Atlanta. Lou will be behind the wheel and we hope will be driving a car that allows him to be competitive.

Jim
#12 JMAC Racing

joemoia

IMSA has allowed the Riley a larger restrictor for remaining races (tech bulletin 08-10)

WBHighwind

well that is good news that would be more of an incentive for them to come back.

LG Motorsports

Hi Guys,

We have put our entry form in to enter the Petit Lemans race Oct-4. We are doing some work on the aero and GM racing had decided to NOT help us with any wind tunnel time. I will go to the track and test the improvements myself.

Riley will have a minor role and we have not finalized our driver line up. It is hard to find funded drivers with great talent but we have a couple of options.

We are building a new nose design. Riley will submit the new nose/undertray configuration that we are doing here at LGM along with Kerry Hitt, to get better down force. It will be an "alternate Nose" but not the only nose.

We will again be on Dunlop tires. If we finish the race, we will use 20 sets for testing, practice and the race. (20 x $2000= $40,000 in tires.) If anyone wants to buy us some tires, we are not proud, and we can run a sticker and do whatever we can to promote.

I have two Belgium drivers coming over next week to meet with us and see if they want to run the race. I have one other US driver with a small sponsor that might almost cover the tires but that is only if the European drivers decide to not come.

My dream team would be to have Marc Goossens and Eric Curran drive with me. That would be a great team.

We are still stumped by the fact that Chevrolet will not help in any way. They must be getting ready to run a GT2 car of their own, and GM never wants another Corvette team to be close. Dunlop tires vs Michelin is enough of a handicap, so what are they worrying about. But hey, at least they had a Bicycle race at Road AMerica to help sell Corvettes??

At any rate, see you at the races.

Lou Gigliotti

ghoffman

Lou, Louis,
If there is any way I may be of assistance (CFD, FEA, etc) please do not hesitate to ask. I want to see you kick some butt.

Oyishdog

I just do not get it...why would GM not want to help? Makes no sense since the word is GT2 for them next year...I would assume this would be a great time to "test" ideas for GT2 and get real world results. Maybe that would be too logical

Good luck Lou. Great to see you back out there. I will be at the race and will stop by

parkerracing

LG=Riley, GM=Pratt & Miller.

joemoia

I wonder how the other GT2 teams, Risi, Tafael, Farnbacher, Flying Lizard feel about a full blown factory team entering GT2. I'd rather see GM emulate Porsche/Ferrari and field multiple "factory supported" teams (like those listed above) rather than beating up on a bunch teams that don't have GM's resources.


Lou, the Riley (and the rest of the "non-Michelin" class) got a 25KG weight break from IMSA back in May. Will you be able to get the car down to that weight (IIRC, with the 25KG reduction that would be 1200KG?)

gkmccready

Does GM really have "resources" to spare? They just canceled my dividend payments... not that I'm surprised when they're consistently announcing poor quarters one after the other.

In any case, I hope to see the LGM Corvette out there. And I'd love to have a chance to meet you guys at Laguna Seca -- it's been too long since I made an ALMS event there... five years now, maybe?

LG Motorsports

Hi Guys,

No GM does not have the $20 mil to spare to race the Corvette against no one. You be the judge.

The ACO gave the Porsche a 25 kg weight reduction and a larger restrictor at the begining of the season. they just took a few races to pass them down to the rest. (25 kg is worth a half second. Michelin tires are worth 2 seconds over Dunlops.)

We had the weight reduction to match the Porsche reduction at Utah, but we only get the larger restrictor for Atlanta. (.5mm or .020" larger That is 10 thou per side!)

Porsche and now Ferrari spread their support around to more than one team and they give them support but not like a full blown factory team. that is why Tafel and Risi rent out one car, and the same for the Lizards Porsche.
Both Porsche and ferrari made sure that their teams got Michelin tires. we were left to tread water on our own with no GM pressure on Michelin like Porsche and Ferrari did for their teams. (Acura told ALMS that they would NOT allow Gil Deferran to race the P2 car unless they got Michelin tires for sure.)

GM spends in the neighborhood of 20 million for the GT1 team. A private team can race for about 20-25% of that for a two car team and with just a little engineering help and tires, a team like ours can run up front.

At any rate, GM has done things this way for quite a while. In world Challenge GM racing lobbied against the Corvette when we beat the Caddy because they were spending money on Cadillac. So the Corvette got weight added.

It is just not good enough for the Corvette to win, it must be a factory team that wins. they don't do that in NASCAR because they could not compete against the great teams out there.

If LGM went out and looked good, with the right tires, and some technical help, that would send the message that it CAN be done without 20million factory money. And that would not be good for the factory team.

Ok, enough whinning. We are going to Atlanta with a smile and Dunlop tires. Better down force, and hopefully 3 good drivers.

thanks again, and see you there.

Lou G

varkwso

We are planning to be there and it will be a much better race with you in it

Anomir

Well, I have several thoughts about this, some pleasant, some not so much...

First, it will be AWESOME to see Lou at Petite, I will be there as will a few friends. Hope we get to meet you!

Second, GM is in dire straights because they keep making stupid decisions. It SHOULD be apparent, but obviously it is not.

Third, while I am at Petite, I will do some whining of my own to whomever I get a chance to. While I am 99.999999999inf.% positive it will do no good, at least I can say I tried to help!

Good luck Lou, hope you do well enough to make everyone sit up and take notice (especially a good sponsor) and then you can really make those that seem to be opposing you look as whacky as they are.

AU N EGL

Kick Butt Lou.

LG Motorsports

thanks a ton guys.

LG