truth.b

Hey guys,

I was watching the GTLM race today at VIR and I'm curious as to what has happened lately. I missed a few races this season but I have watched both Road American & VIR and I'm confused. I hope this doesn't start an argument but has BOP changed to favor the Porsches because they have been incredibly fast for the last 2 races. I get that a team can have a surge but it was like watching a race for podium and then half a lap later watching the race for 4th-6th.

My specific questions:

• Has BOP been changed, or am I imagining it?
• How is BOP decided and implemented?
• Has Porsche & Ferrari received favorable adjustments?
• Has Corvette & BMW received non-favorable BOP adjustments?

z28lt1

See my notes in-line below.

CHJ In Virginia

Watched the race on TV. With only 8 cars running most of the time, it got boring quickly. Maybe Ford joining in next year will add some vitality, if not I can see this series dying a quick death.

TARANTULA

Porsche was also runing a new Michelin tire.

jbondfl

IT seems TUDOR just will not be happy unless a European team wins. Race after race they impose power/weight restrictions on the Corvette team. When they STILL win...
NOW they put a restrictor in the fuel hose so pit stops take longer.

SERIOUSLY??? "Fixing" pit stops now??

truth.b

I read that they were going to reduce the fuel nozzle by 0.25mm but are all the teams running the same nozzle size. Meaning are they bring team corvette is spec with everyone or are they at disadvantage.

z28lt1

This was the most boring race ever. With the 2 faster classes not running, no yellow flags to bunch the field, and a very imbalanced class, there was no drama at all. If you haven't watched the series outside of this race, give it another shot, because it is usually better than this. With all 4 classes on track, cars that normally can't pass use traffic to their advantage and it keeps things closer and more interesting.


Everyone in that class except for the Falken tire Porsche (obviously) was running the new Michelin tire.


I really don't think they want a "European" team to win, or are anti-Corvette. Remember, they messed up the balance badly last year as well resulting in a Viper win. They just can't leave well enough alone. If a team is not good enough to win on their own (due to strategy, pit stops, reliability, drivers, etc...) they make them so much faster that they can win. They are trying to keep the manufacturers interested so that they spread the wealth. Unfortunately, Corvette has been capable of winning without having the faster car (due to the above) and so the others get help.

As far as fueling, I don't think they actually made the change they said they were going to, but either way, I don't have a problem with it in this class if they are creating an equal fueling time. These cars are production-based, and so fuel cell locations are somewhat limited. I want the manufacturers to be encouraged to build the safest fueling system they can, without worrying about how quickly they can get fuel in the car. Build something safe, and let the series even out the performance of the fuel. Should be easy to do, every car takes xxx amount of time to get xxxx gallons in.

GCRoberts

I think I'm going to give IMSA one more year to make these races "REAL" and not all about caving to the team that whines the most. I understand (but still hate) BOP adjustments.

Last year I was at Watkins Glen when the finish was (1)Corvette, (2)Viper, (3)Viper, (4)Corvette....then other cars close behind. The Viper would have won the race if they didn't screw up their pit stops. So in a 6 hr race, Corvette BARELY won in a race where the Vipers had the faster car. The next race, they slowed down the Vettes, and gave breaks to the Vipers. HUH????

Did Viper threaten to leave GTLM? Well, they let them win races after that and they still left. How about IMSA get some ***** and adjust BOP based on pace, not politics. If teams leave, so be it. What about fans leaving? From what I can see at these races, there are FAR more Corvette fans than any other fans.

Whis9

I am about done, pay a few bucks for the WEC season and be done.

Much better racing and much better tracks

wkidvette

I have followed and attended many sports car racing events since the mid 1960's and the last two years since the mergers of Rolex and American Lemans the racing has been terrible. These organizations had too many differences in their classes and culture to make for an effective merger.

With the imblanced BOP modifications and less than 10 cars participating in the GTLM class its not worth watching. For good competition to take place, there needs to be more vehicles and fewer restrictions placed on the faster cars. But its all about politics and not about what is best for the fans.

I want to see good competitive GT racing and therefore in lieu of the Tudor division, I follow and attend events which are part of the Continental Tire series and Pirelli World Challenge.

The best thing that could happen to the IMSA, is for all the GTLM factory teams to pull out and go elsewhere to play.

Donny Brass

Boost Of Porsche ........ they killed the series for me. Last year sucked Viper *****, and now this crap

NVR2L8

It's not really "Balance of Power", it's "Balance of Outcome" !!!

RX-Ben

The qualifying and racing was really really close in GTLM until recently.
Keep in mind that Bamber and Tandy were faster than Nico Hulkenberg at Le Mans with very little P1 track time...not to mention they won the whole shooting match. Bamber set the track record at RA having run all of 4 dry laps there (rained on Friday), ever (prior to qualifying), so he is basically putting in alien-like performances.
These imbalances/streaks ebb and flow, I wouldn't be surprised if IMSA reverses the recent rules tweak.
Save for the last few GTLM races, the IMSA racing has been very very good this year.