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GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Series Evaluating Turbos For DPs
In a SPEED.com exclusive, GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf confirms discussions and tests have been ongoing for potential turbos in Daytona Prototype...
GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf confirmed to SPEED.com that he's been in talks with "a number of manufacturers" about the potential integration of turbos in Daytona Prototype. (Photo: John Dagys)
While January’s 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona saw the debut of GRAND-AM’s new-generation bodywork for its Daytona Prototypes, a significant overhaul in the engine department could be in the making for the top class of the Rolex Sports Car Series.
The possible introduction of turbocharged engines has been a hot topic in the paddock for the past few years. But talks have recently intensified, with multiple manufacturers, both current and prospective automakers to the DP category, evaluating new powerplants that could dramatically change the landscape of GRAND-AM Road Racing.
“Turbos... are going to be a part of the future of all these manufacturers and we need to be prepared to address that,” GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf told SPEED.com.
“We need to address it in a way that’s equitable that maintains the consistency, stability, and hopefully, cost-effectiveness. There's some things to be learned from the past, but we have much better tools now than were available then.”
Raffauf, a 30-year veteran of sports car racing who worked for IMSA during its turbo-era, is taking a cautious approach to the potential integration of turbos in DP. Despite GRAND-AM having upgraded its dynos and being in the early phases of testing, the series has remained non-committal until further testing is conducted.
“It’s not 100 percent that we're doing this,” Raffauf said. “We're just doing the homework with some manufacturer interests with engines and are developing the protocols with the normally aspirated [engines], with the goal of, 'Can it be done, and done properly?'
“I don't think it's correct to say we're going turbo. I think it's correct to say that we're working out what we need to do to consider that. That's not an easy process.”
One of the big hurdles, Raffauf said, would be to correctly balance the new turbo powerplants, likely to be four-cylinder or V6-based, with the current crop of normally aspirated V8s.
Dinan Engineering is expected to roll out its new BMW M3-based 4.5-liter V8 in the next few months, which would result in at least one new-gen normally aspirated engine going up against a new breed of turbos, if approved.
“Turbo engines don't make power first, like normally aspirated engines,” Raffauf explained. “Our feeling is that we have the technology now to make the power first. We're very close. Our association with Bosch is a huge ally as they have a huge amount of experience in that.
“There's a lot of tools we have that we learned over the last six or seven years that can now come into play for some of this stuff. Whether it will all work, that's still up in the air in my mind. But we're in that process of seeing.”
No time frame has been given on the possible arrival of turbos, but SPEED.com believes at least one manufacturer already has a running engine on the dyno for consideration by GRAND-AM.
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
The possible introduction of turbocharged engines has been a hot topic in the paddock for the past few years. But talks have recently intensified, with multiple manufacturers, both current and prospective automakers to the DP category, evaluating new powerplants that could dramatically change the landscape of GRAND-AM Road Racing.
“Turbos... are going to be a part of the future of all these manufacturers and we need to be prepared to address that,” GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf told SPEED.com.
“We need to address it in a way that’s equitable that maintains the consistency, stability, and hopefully, cost-effectiveness. There's some things to be learned from the past, but we have much better tools now than were available then.”
Raffauf, a 30-year veteran of sports car racing who worked for IMSA during its turbo-era, is taking a cautious approach to the potential integration of turbos in DP. Despite GRAND-AM having upgraded its dynos and being in the early phases of testing, the series has remained non-committal until further testing is conducted.
“It’s not 100 percent that we're doing this,” Raffauf said. “We're just doing the homework with some manufacturer interests with engines and are developing the protocols with the normally aspirated [engines], with the goal of, 'Can it be done, and done properly?'
“I don't think it's correct to say we're going turbo. I think it's correct to say that we're working out what we need to do to consider that. That's not an easy process.”
One of the big hurdles, Raffauf said, would be to correctly balance the new turbo powerplants, likely to be four-cylinder or V6-based, with the current crop of normally aspirated V8s.
Dinan Engineering is expected to roll out its new BMW M3-based 4.5-liter V8 in the next few months, which would result in at least one new-gen normally aspirated engine going up against a new breed of turbos, if approved.
“Turbo engines don't make power first, like normally aspirated engines,” Raffauf explained. “Our feeling is that we have the technology now to make the power first. We're very close. Our association with Bosch is a huge ally as they have a huge amount of experience in that.
“There's a lot of tools we have that we learned over the last six or seven years that can now come into play for some of this stuff. Whether it will all work, that's still up in the air in my mind. But we're in that process of seeing.”
No time frame has been given on the possible arrival of turbos, but SPEED.com believes at least one manufacturer already has a running engine on the dyno for consideration by GRAND-AM.
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
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