DAGYS: What are your thoughts on the ALMS’ combined Prototype category? Do you think it will bring back the exciting battles seen in 2007 and 2008?

New-for-2009 aerodynamic regulations which called for a narrower rear wing took Autocon and Intersport Racing for surprise just prior to the start of the season. (John Dagys)

LEWIS: It’s hard to say, really. You no longer have many of the components that made that year so great like Penske, Audi, Andretti-Green, Fernandez, etc. But on the other hand, there are some good smaller teams that could make it a great show. I don’t see that there really was much of a choice on the single prototype class for 2010 when one looked at the economy and potential field. Of course it looks interesting now because you’d have to say the ‘favorites’ are in the P2 cars and the ‘underdogs’ are P1. 


DAGYS: While IMSA has yet to release specific details on the balance of performance between P1 and P2-spec cars for next year, what kind of adjustments do you envision having to make to the Lola for next year?

LEWIS: I really don’t see any changes on the horizon that are going to affect us. We need to stick to the basics and hit our marks. If we do that and have reliability we can get results as we did at Laguna Seca last year. We are making a concerted effort to build up our spares and make sure we are lifting components to give us the maximum chance of finishing races. We want to be successful and have a lot of fun doing it.



DAGYS: Do you think any balance of performance changes will impact your program from a financial standpoint?

LEWIS: It’s not like the wing change last year that basically took our legs out from underneath our budget and schedule at the last minute. I don’t foresee any bumps in the road this year (knock on carbon!)



DAGYS: What are your thoughts on the new LMPC category? Do you feel it will bring cost-effectiveness to the ALMS, more-so than what you guys are doing already?

LEWIS: I honestly don’t understand the spec series component of it in regard to what the series stands for, which is diversity in my opinion. I also didn’t really understand the target market, because as you point out, the numbers I’ve seen seen are very close to our budget to run a P1. But I do give credit to the series for trying to be proactive and provide a gateway. I suppose it makes sense as a ladder system when run by an existing team like what Intersport is doing.


DAGYS: Quite a few questions still remain over the 2011 regulations, which definitely calls for smaller, P2, engines, and quite possibly a completely new chassis. How do you think that will impact the smaller teams in the series, like Autocon, especially if you have to go out and buy a new car?


Often regarded as one of the smallest teams in the series, everyone at Autocon Motorsports are racers at heart. (John Dagys)

LEWIS: I would hope that given the current global economic conditions the powers that be might resist wholesale changes in favor of a more phased approach.  Maybe do the engines in year one and look at obsoleting chassis a bit further down the road? I’m not sure a lot of privateers will be up for a complete program change for 2011 as it looks like the current economic malaise will run into 2011, in my view. The ALMS has always been very practical in grandfathering cars, so perhaps there would still be a possibility for teams like us to carry on another year.

On the positive side, Lola have been doing some very innovative things with allowing people to upgrade their existing machinery. All the credit goes to them, and hopefully other manufacturers will see that the old model of doing business may not work anymore.