ALMS looks like it will have a Chevy Prototype Vette with the Caddy Roadster taking the Vettes place in GT1 next year.

Word is the roadster with a fixed roof body can be fitted over the Pratt and Miller Vette chassie and fitted with a Caddy racing engine. GT2 is also said to be getting some Vettes supported by but not run by Chevy.

Unless Ford or Chrysler enter Trans Am and the rulls are changed it is a dead series as they are even less stock than Nascar. If they could go back to a production based series it is a lost cause.

Time will tell.

 

I heard a rumor that Chrysler is looking for a production-based series to race the Challenger and approached the SCCA about taking T/A back to its roots. I don't know if that's true or what came of it, but it's a cool idea.

 

I like the idea and think that would be the best place for the Pony cars. SCCA would have to do something about the engines and power as all three will undoubtably have very different ways of making stock power. The days of the 302's are over.. although I would think GM could give a new Camaro Z/28 one heck of a 302 if they wanted.

 

That would be the only way it would work. First they would need to get a TV contract that could be seen by many as the SCCA get little coverage out side Speed. But even then it would be like the original the series may short lived as each company will want to win and have positive results. This leads to companies building cars that take advantage of the rules to the point that the series has to step in and keep it equal like adding weight a SCCA favorite. A set of rules needs to be areed to by the MFG and they need to abide with what changes are made win or lose.

The last production based car in the Trans Am series to do much was the Audi. It used a production shell and production based AWD. It was ruled out of the series since it won most of the races. They kept adding weght. The CTS in the Speed series they kep t adding weight.

To make this viable the SCCA need each MFG to commit and abide by what rules that are give or changed. if any of the three back out it will die just like it did in the early 70's when Chevy and Ford dropped out.

The key is to make it equal to all MFG, a good TV contract, and money in it for the teams. Three hard to reach goals.

 

Just to add to your point hyperv6, I would think that direct factory involvement in SCCA Trans Am racing could follow that of NASCAR. Teams like Roush, Penske, or Hendrick could fund the teams but have obvious factory support.

That would be the real return of the Z/28 if built to race in the series. Call Sunoco!

 

Tru'dat, I'm not interested in a nascrap Mustang, unless they did something smart, like use the FR500C and change the rules to allow a car like this, its uses a variety of production based components, and even better, it uses technology based on the current stock powertrain (5.0 Mod motor, tremec tranmission, and 8.8 rear).

That would be pretty cool if GM and DC were to follow suit and build production based race cars that anybody could buy (a bit pricey but if you have 125 large, you can get the same turn key FR500C that everybody else gets. The cars are proven and reliable.

 

You would think but in todays market most companies are going for the sure thing such as Nascar that can provide 75 million fans each week and a good TV contract.

If the SCCA can provide a reasonable priced series that any make can win week to week they may have something but if the series is dominated with one make and poor TV coverage I expect they will look else where,

Trans Am did well in the early years and again in the 80's but the rest of the time with poor TV and no factory support it has fail to be what it could be. The auto makers come in and stay about 5 years and are gone.

There is no simple answer till we see some support by all three MFG. This is like the three stooges it just won't work with only two.

 

I don't get the bias on the board against NASCAR. I'm not a huge fan, but can no one here recognize it's actually popular in the big cities now? It's not just Billy Bob sittin' on his tailgate watching the race anymore.

 

It's not bias. It's just that Camaros have historically been designed to race in two venues, either the dragstrip or on road courses. NASCAR, in all its glory, is primarily a stadium spectator sport where cars mainly go around in counter-clockwise circles. Camaros are meant to turn right just as well as they can turn left.

Personally I'd like to see a grass roots road course series where the average weekend enthusiast can simply bolt-in a roll bar and slap on some sticky tires to an otherwise production stock ponycar. I'd also like to see it have enough manufacturer support that it won't void the warranty. Yeah, like that'll ever happen.

 

I'm actually a Nascar "fan." I usually attend 2 or so races a year (usually the CC 600 in charlotte and the fall atlanta race and I make a good effort to watch most of the cup races on TV. I just don't want the camaro in the mid level or any nascar series. As stated above, I could car less if a car that "looks like" (but will most likely be nothing like the street car) races around in circles. If a camaro is to be raced... lets keep 'em somewhat stock

 

Just fer fun....

 

Leaving my opinion on NASCAR out of this.....
You're never going to see a race series for "the average weekend enthusiast". It simply costs too much. Even in CMC, which is by far the cheapest game in town, you can expect to spend $700 - $1000 per weekend once towing, lodging, meals, entry and consumables are tabulated. And this is a series where a bone stock LT1 has to run a restrictor plate because it is too powerful, everyone is on spec 16x8 Toyos and shocks are limited to about $200 per corner IIRC.

Once again... HERE are some of the series that pony cars can and do run in RIGHT NOW. No need to create something new.

 

Honestly, I think there are more appropriate and more productive venues for Camaro to spend it's money on.

No one will care if these "Nascars" have Camaro headlight decals or Toyota headlight decals.

 

Man! That's the heyday right there! *IF* nascar was still that way today, I'd say go for it with the camaro, but sadly, it's all the same now with different stickers. Heck, in reality, even the engines are almost the same amongst competitors

 

Boxer wouldn't buy ANYTHING associated with NASCAR?

ASSOCIATED NASCAR products- Home Depot? Lowe's? Beer? FedEx?UPS? Kodak?Burger King? Domino's?CarQuest?Motorola? Arbys?M&M's?Snickers?BestBuy?CocaCOla?Pepsi?DUpont ?SherwinWIlliams?ATT?Prilosec?Tums?Target?Microsof t?Dell?Wrangler?Adidas?TexasInstruments?HolidayInn ?Office Depot?

You don't use any of these Boxer? There are lots more .Sorry, it's not redneck anymore.

Go to www.victoryjunction.com and make a sick kid happy.

JOHN