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GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Drivers, Teams, Manufacturers Weigh In On ALMS Merger
UPDATED: SPEED.com gets comments from competitors on Wednesday's history making announcement...
After years of speculation and rumors, GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series made it official Wednesday, confirming the unification of the two North American sports car series for 2014.
As SPEED.com continues extensive coverage of the merger, read though a selection of thoughts from drivers, teams and manufacturers on the history making day for American sports car racing.
Note: This page will be updated frequently with more comments as they come in.
Greg Pickett, Team Owner, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (ALMS):
"I was telling my team this week that I don't like change, no one does, but the change that is coming in North American sports car racing is one that I'm looking forward to.
"The environment in which we have been racing over the last few years, while highly competitive, has not been perfect, but this coming together of the ALMS and GRAND-AM has the potential to bring sports car racing to a whole new level in this country. However, change isn't always easy and there is still plenty of work that needs to be done to take this unified series to where it needs to be and to ensure the strong and continued growth of our sport. A sport known for its technological advancement, world-class racing and exciting looking and sounding racecars. Racecars that are fun to watch, cool to drive and great to own.
"In the end, the success of this exciting new era will be determined not by this newly formed entity, not by the entrants, the competitors, the operating executives or the track owners/operators. It will be determined by the fans, our viewing customers.
"If I've learned anything from my time in business and as a long-time racer, it is that customers and fans are fickle, but at the same time predictable. They will let you know if they like your product. Fans speak with their feet, their time and their wallets. If we provide them with an economically sustainable, ecologically friendly, exciting, interesting, captivating, entertaining, quality product, they will show up or tune in. When they do, we will all be grateful, thankful and successful. If we don't, they won't.
"I'm anxious to work with those involved in our sport and to see where the future takes us. I hope it's a place with a lot very happy fans!"
Derrick Walker, Program Manager, Team Falken Tire (ALMS):
"Overall it's a good thing providing the new governing body of Sports Cars seriously make an effort to retain the best of the best. Both series have a lot to offer, so for me, it's a chance to man a really great sports car series. I would like to see them merge as many series as possible into a manageable number of classes and try not to leave anybody behind including suppliers such as Falken. Maybe it will take a few years to truly merge them all into a reasonable number but leave nobody behind."
John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports North America:
"It's clearly a historic day, personally for me. It brings tears to my eyes and raises the hair on my arms because it's what I grew up with. The opportunity that we have as manufacturers to showcase our advanced technology, our road cars, the power plants that we put on the street in this format, against all the best in the world, it doesn't get any better than that.
"While there are a lot of unanswered questions today, we have to drill down as to why all of us are here. I think in the end, it's explaining to the consumer why racing on the track builds better road cars or why road cars are built so well that they could be put to the test.
"Huge kudos to the France family and Dr. Panoz and everything that's been invested in the American Le Mans Series. The way they came together, it's a dream come true."
Bob Stallings, Team Owner, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing (GRAND-AM):
“First of all, I cannot imagine a better set of circumstances for road racing in America. I cannot imagine a more exciting set of facts coming together that will influence the future of racing in America in the segment I love, which is sports car racing.
"The fact that these two organizations are finally going to be coming together, keeping the best leadership from both groups, and going through more than a year of sorting things out and doing their appropriate planning for 2014, suggests to me that year will be at least the most exciting road racing that I have seen since I have been in the business.
“I just really couldn’t be more pleased and more happy and, frankly, more optimistic about the future of road racing in America. I had a great opportunity to spend an hour on the phone with Jim France yesterday morning and he kind of walked me through his vision for this exciting new venture, how he expects it to all play out, and clearly he is very enthusiastic, as he always is. It all reinforces for me that there is some awfully exciting things coming down the road in North American road racing.”
Hugues de Chaunac, President, ORECA :
"The merger between the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Road Racing series is fantastic news for auto racing and particularly endurance racing. For ORECA, this announcement has a special meaning since the team won the two most important races in each series, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The idea that these two fabulous races are to be reunited under one series is simply fantastic. We’ve never hidden our love for American races and, as a constructor in LMP2 and LMPC, we will be following any developments closely: we will prepare for an even stronger presence in the United States.
"I will be attending Petit Le Mans, and I’m looking forward to discussing the subject with the heads of the American Le Mans Series, and also to meet their Grand-Am Road Racing counterparts. We must applaud this merger which will, without a doubt, strengthen sportscar and endurance racing in America. It’s very big news, also for the fans, who will be able to attend legendary races in the same championship. With two quality organizations coming together, it’s an important moment in the history of endurance racing. A new chapter is beginning and ORECA, which loves US racing, plans on actively being a part of it all."
Art St. Cyr, President Honda Performance Development:
“In much the same way as unification provided a way forward for open-wheel racing, today’s news announcing the merger of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am has the potential to grow and improve the sport.
"Honda has participated in sports car racing, under a variety of sanctioning bodies and formats, since the mid-1980s. As a company, we have always sought out series where races and championships could be won – or lost – on engineering merit.
"Since 2007, we have been continuous participants in the American Le Mans Series under both the Acura and Honda Performance Development banners. HPD is the reigning American Le Mans Series LMP champion, having won class titles for the past three years.
"In 2012, HPD and its partner teams continue to take part in both LMP1 and LMP2 in the American Le Mans Series; and launched an ambitious multi-team prototype effort in the World Endurance Championship.
"We look forward to taking part in a new, combined North American road-racing series, featuring a defined rules package that maintains sports car racing’s traditional role as a technological leader and innovator.”
As SPEED.com continues extensive coverage of the merger, read though a selection of thoughts from drivers, teams and manufacturers on the history making day for American sports car racing.
Note: This page will be updated frequently with more comments as they come in.
Greg Pickett, Team Owner, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (ALMS):
"I was telling my team this week that I don't like change, no one does, but the change that is coming in North American sports car racing is one that I'm looking forward to.
"The environment in which we have been racing over the last few years, while highly competitive, has not been perfect, but this coming together of the ALMS and GRAND-AM has the potential to bring sports car racing to a whole new level in this country. However, change isn't always easy and there is still plenty of work that needs to be done to take this unified series to where it needs to be and to ensure the strong and continued growth of our sport. A sport known for its technological advancement, world-class racing and exciting looking and sounding racecars. Racecars that are fun to watch, cool to drive and great to own.
"In the end, the success of this exciting new era will be determined not by this newly formed entity, not by the entrants, the competitors, the operating executives or the track owners/operators. It will be determined by the fans, our viewing customers.
"If I've learned anything from my time in business and as a long-time racer, it is that customers and fans are fickle, but at the same time predictable. They will let you know if they like your product. Fans speak with their feet, their time and their wallets. If we provide them with an economically sustainable, ecologically friendly, exciting, interesting, captivating, entertaining, quality product, they will show up or tune in. When they do, we will all be grateful, thankful and successful. If we don't, they won't.
"I'm anxious to work with those involved in our sport and to see where the future takes us. I hope it's a place with a lot very happy fans!"
Derrick Walker, Program Manager, Team Falken Tire (ALMS):
"Overall it's a good thing providing the new governing body of Sports Cars seriously make an effort to retain the best of the best. Both series have a lot to offer, so for me, it's a chance to man a really great sports car series. I would like to see them merge as many series as possible into a manageable number of classes and try not to leave anybody behind including suppliers such as Falken. Maybe it will take a few years to truly merge them all into a reasonable number but leave nobody behind."
John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports North America:
"It's clearly a historic day, personally for me. It brings tears to my eyes and raises the hair on my arms because it's what I grew up with. The opportunity that we have as manufacturers to showcase our advanced technology, our road cars, the power plants that we put on the street in this format, against all the best in the world, it doesn't get any better than that.
"While there are a lot of unanswered questions today, we have to drill down as to why all of us are here. I think in the end, it's explaining to the consumer why racing on the track builds better road cars or why road cars are built so well that they could be put to the test.
"Huge kudos to the France family and Dr. Panoz and everything that's been invested in the American Le Mans Series. The way they came together, it's a dream come true."
Bob Stallings, Team Owner, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing (GRAND-AM):
“First of all, I cannot imagine a better set of circumstances for road racing in America. I cannot imagine a more exciting set of facts coming together that will influence the future of racing in America in the segment I love, which is sports car racing.
"The fact that these two organizations are finally going to be coming together, keeping the best leadership from both groups, and going through more than a year of sorting things out and doing their appropriate planning for 2014, suggests to me that year will be at least the most exciting road racing that I have seen since I have been in the business.
“I just really couldn’t be more pleased and more happy and, frankly, more optimistic about the future of road racing in America. I had a great opportunity to spend an hour on the phone with Jim France yesterday morning and he kind of walked me through his vision for this exciting new venture, how he expects it to all play out, and clearly he is very enthusiastic, as he always is. It all reinforces for me that there is some awfully exciting things coming down the road in North American road racing.”
Hugues de Chaunac, President, ORECA :
"The merger between the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Road Racing series is fantastic news for auto racing and particularly endurance racing. For ORECA, this announcement has a special meaning since the team won the two most important races in each series, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The idea that these two fabulous races are to be reunited under one series is simply fantastic. We’ve never hidden our love for American races and, as a constructor in LMP2 and LMPC, we will be following any developments closely: we will prepare for an even stronger presence in the United States.
"I will be attending Petit Le Mans, and I’m looking forward to discussing the subject with the heads of the American Le Mans Series, and also to meet their Grand-Am Road Racing counterparts. We must applaud this merger which will, without a doubt, strengthen sportscar and endurance racing in America. It’s very big news, also for the fans, who will be able to attend legendary races in the same championship. With two quality organizations coming together, it’s an important moment in the history of endurance racing. A new chapter is beginning and ORECA, which loves US racing, plans on actively being a part of it all."
Art St. Cyr, President Honda Performance Development:
“In much the same way as unification provided a way forward for open-wheel racing, today’s news announcing the merger of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am has the potential to grow and improve the sport.
"Honda has participated in sports car racing, under a variety of sanctioning bodies and formats, since the mid-1980s. As a company, we have always sought out series where races and championships could be won – or lost – on engineering merit.
"Since 2007, we have been continuous participants in the American Le Mans Series under both the Acura and Honda Performance Development banners. HPD is the reigning American Le Mans Series LMP champion, having won class titles for the past three years.
"In 2012, HPD and its partner teams continue to take part in both LMP1 and LMP2 in the American Le Mans Series; and launched an ambitious multi-team prototype effort in the World Endurance Championship.
"We look forward to taking part in a new, combined North American road-racing series, featuring a defined rules package that maintains sports car racing’s traditional role as a technological leader and innovator.”
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