-
Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Board Of Directors Speak On ALMS Merger
John Dagys talks with Jim France, Don Panoz, Scott Atherton and Ed Bennett for more insight into Wednesday's GRAND-AM/ALMS merger announcement...
There had been many questions heading into today's historic merger announcement between GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series.
While details are still to be worked out for many key aspects of the unified championship, set for a 2014 launch, SPEED.com caught up with the four men who made the merger happen: GRAND-AM founder Jim France, ALMS founder Don Panoz and the Series' respective Presidents and CEOs, Ed Bennett and Scott Atherton, for additional insight into the new series.
** Part of the merger agreement is for the DeltaWing to be accepted into the new series, granted it meets safety and performance standards, which Panoz said it has already achieved at Le Mans. Whether it races in a separate class for alternative technologies or among the prototype entries is to-be-determined.
"I don't think there's any reason why we can't analyze this and why it isn't possible to figure out how [alternative technology cars] can race under the same basic format and rules as the other cars," Panoz said. "Of course you'll have to make adjustments; we don't want an unfair situation. Does it need to be a separate class or does it need to be amongst the competitors?"
** While class structure has yet to be defined, Panoz said it could end up comprising of three or four categories, with class simplicity a major target. "We'd like to, as part of the process, find a way to simplify it for fans following the sport," Bennett added. "That would definitely be one of our objectives."
Panoz said they hope to have the series' regulations set by early next year in order to give teams as much time as possible for the transition into a unified series. It's expected the two series will hold combined test sessions, presumably sometime next year, to help achieve correct Balance of Performance levels between cars and classes.
"The one thing we have is unprecedented resources available to use," Atherton said. "[We have access] to the NASCAR tech center in Charlotte. We never had access to that. By comparison, we've been doing it with a slide rule an an abacus and have been very successful at it. But imagine where it can go now with that level of resource available."
** Atherton confirmed that IMSA will continue to sanction series independently of GRAND-AM, although now all under the same ownership. All eight of the support series between both sanctioning bodies are expected to continue, with no layoffs or shrinkage as a company, according to Atherton.
"The intention and plan would be for IMSA to retain its independence and continue to sanction series," he said. "We haven't determined which sanctioning entity will look after the newly combined series. But when you look at the slides of each of the developmental series, they both have a full cast of content. The intent is to continue with that going forward."
** Both Bennett and Atherton confirmed they expect no major changes to either the Rolex Sports Car Series or ALMS for next year.
** It was revealed during Wednesday's announcement that an ALMS/GRAND-AM merger was nearly pulled off five years ago but was shelved at the time. Talks began again six months ago, when Atherton and Jim France bumped into each other at an industry meeting. That led to a secret meeting at an undisclosed location shortly after, where the two began working out general details.
"The meeting was originally scheduled for two hours and went on for six hours," Atherton said. "At the end of the meeting, there were like six pages of a yellow pad filled up with common ground. I ran back to the office, walked into Don's office and said, 'Don, we've got an opportunity here.'"
And the rest, as they say, was history.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
While details are still to be worked out for many key aspects of the unified championship, set for a 2014 launch, SPEED.com caught up with the four men who made the merger happen: GRAND-AM founder Jim France, ALMS founder Don Panoz and the Series' respective Presidents and CEOs, Ed Bennett and Scott Atherton, for additional insight into the new series.
** Part of the merger agreement is for the DeltaWing to be accepted into the new series, granted it meets safety and performance standards, which Panoz said it has already achieved at Le Mans. Whether it races in a separate class for alternative technologies or among the prototype entries is to-be-determined.
"I don't think there's any reason why we can't analyze this and why it isn't possible to figure out how [alternative technology cars] can race under the same basic format and rules as the other cars," Panoz said. "Of course you'll have to make adjustments; we don't want an unfair situation. Does it need to be a separate class or does it need to be amongst the competitors?"
** While class structure has yet to be defined, Panoz said it could end up comprising of three or four categories, with class simplicity a major target. "We'd like to, as part of the process, find a way to simplify it for fans following the sport," Bennett added. "That would definitely be one of our objectives."
Panoz said they hope to have the series' regulations set by early next year in order to give teams as much time as possible for the transition into a unified series. It's expected the two series will hold combined test sessions, presumably sometime next year, to help achieve correct Balance of Performance levels between cars and classes.
"The one thing we have is unprecedented resources available to use," Atherton said. "[We have access] to the NASCAR tech center in Charlotte. We never had access to that. By comparison, we've been doing it with a slide rule an an abacus and have been very successful at it. But imagine where it can go now with that level of resource available."
** Atherton confirmed that IMSA will continue to sanction series independently of GRAND-AM, although now all under the same ownership. All eight of the support series between both sanctioning bodies are expected to continue, with no layoffs or shrinkage as a company, according to Atherton.
"The intention and plan would be for IMSA to retain its independence and continue to sanction series," he said. "We haven't determined which sanctioning entity will look after the newly combined series. But when you look at the slides of each of the developmental series, they both have a full cast of content. The intent is to continue with that going forward."
** Both Bennett and Atherton confirmed they expect no major changes to either the Rolex Sports Car Series or ALMS for next year.
** It was revealed during Wednesday's announcement that an ALMS/GRAND-AM merger was nearly pulled off five years ago but was shelved at the time. Talks began again six months ago, when Atherton and Jim France bumped into each other at an industry meeting. That led to a secret meeting at an undisclosed location shortly after, where the two began working out general details.
"The meeting was originally scheduled for two hours and went on for six hours," Atherton said. "At the end of the meeting, there were like six pages of a yellow pad filled up with common ground. I ran back to the office, walked into Don's office and said, 'Don, we've got an opportunity here.'"
And the rest, as they say, was history.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Road Atlanta
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
INDYCAR: HIPPINO.com To Sponsor Kanaan At Detroit
Just a few weeks after announcing the KV Racing-SH Racing entry of… -
PHOTOS: Indy 500 Practice & Qualifying 2013
Enjoy a huge collection of photos from practice and qualifying while… -
LE MANS: BoP Adjustments For GTE Announced
GTE-Pro Aston Martins handed extra weight, larger restrictor for… -
LE MANS: Jim France Named LM24 Starter
GRAND-AM founder and NASCAR Vice Chairman to wave tri-colour flag… -
INDYCAR: 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh To Pace The Indy 500
Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, will drive the… -
MILLER: Dinner With Legends
It’s become an annual event and, as my pal and longtime Indy… -
VIDEO: Dyson Tech Talk - Tires 101
The art of going fast: what kind of feedback does a driver want from… - More News
